Light meters
Posted 08/04/2011 - 11:56 - Helpful Comment
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The Pentax 645 is an excellent camera and a good introduction to medium format photography. It has a built-in meter (and automatic shooting modes!) so there's no need to buy one seperately. Unless you really want a hand-held meter in which case knowing your budget would help with recommendations.
Joining the Q
Posted 08/04/2011 - 13:05
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I was advised to get one by someone I suspected had more knowledge than I. If its already got one then I'll go with that and see how it goes. If I decide I need one I'll take it from there. I didn't realise that these things had significant cost implications.....
Posted 08/04/2011 - 14:24 - Helpful Comment
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Most medium format cameras don't have any light meter built in as standard. Some system cameras (Hasselblads, Pentax 67's, etc) have seperate prism attachments that have light meters built into them, but these are optional extras. The Pentax 645 is one of a handful of MF cameras that has an integral light meter built in as standard.
In fact the Pentax 645 operates like an oversized 35mm SLR and even has a full Program mode should you wish to use it as a point-and-shoot (albeit with manual focus). This is why it makes a great introduction to medium format; if you can use a 35mm camera (or digital SLR) then you should feel fairly at home with a P645 - film loading's different (neither easier nor harder though) from a 35mm camera as it's supplied on rolls rather than in cartridges, but the camera controls are broadly similar and should hold no real surprises.
Light meters can be handy in some instances as they can give more accurate readings in tricky lighting situations, but you won't *need* one with your 645 any more than you need one now with your digital camera. If you *want* one then prices range from about £5 for a half-decent selenium meter of 1950's-70's vintage up to around £750 for a modern example, and all points inbetween. The one I use with my Microflex (which has no meter of its own) is worth around £20 and gives perfectly acceptable results for my useage.
I'd say the best accessory you can buy for a MF camera is a decent scanner. I use an Epson V600 which has proved to be excellent for scanning 120 film (although not so hot at 35mm). I buy my films fairly cheaply from 7dayshop.com (around £3/roll), send them to Genie Imaging for processing (£1.99/roll+VAT) and scan them myself - any I want to print I can then treat as digital files and send to my inkjet as normal. By not getting them scanned at the lab I reckon the scanner has paid for itself nearly twice over in the year that I've owned it (lab scans usually adding £3-5/roll to the development costs, and I think the Epson does a better job tbh).
In the meantime, download the manual from here (password is "Pentax" - case sensitive) and you'll be ready to jump straight in when the camera arrives - I'm sure you'll like it.
In fact the Pentax 645 operates like an oversized 35mm SLR and even has a full Program mode should you wish to use it as a point-and-shoot (albeit with manual focus). This is why it makes a great introduction to medium format; if you can use a 35mm camera (or digital SLR) then you should feel fairly at home with a P645 - film loading's different (neither easier nor harder though) from a 35mm camera as it's supplied on rolls rather than in cartridges, but the camera controls are broadly similar and should hold no real surprises.
Light meters can be handy in some instances as they can give more accurate readings in tricky lighting situations, but you won't *need* one with your 645 any more than you need one now with your digital camera. If you *want* one then prices range from about £5 for a half-decent selenium meter of 1950's-70's vintage up to around £750 for a modern example, and all points inbetween. The one I use with my Microflex (which has no meter of its own) is worth around £20 and gives perfectly acceptable results for my useage.
I'd say the best accessory you can buy for a MF camera is a decent scanner. I use an Epson V600 which has proved to be excellent for scanning 120 film (although not so hot at 35mm). I buy my films fairly cheaply from 7dayshop.com (around £3/roll), send them to Genie Imaging for processing (£1.99/roll+VAT) and scan them myself - any I want to print I can then treat as digital files and send to my inkjet as normal. By not getting them scanned at the lab I reckon the scanner has paid for itself nearly twice over in the year that I've owned it (lab scans usually adding £3-5/roll to the development costs, and I think the Epson does a better job tbh).
In the meantime, download the manual from here (password is "Pentax" - case sensitive) and you'll be ready to jump straight in when the camera arrives - I'm sure you'll like it.
Joining the Q
Posted 08/04/2011 - 18:08
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I used to have a 645 and the built in meter is excellent.
Ken
“We must avoid however, snapping away, shooting quickly and without thought, overloading ourselves with unnecessary images that clutter our memory and diminish the clarity of the whole.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson -
“We must avoid however, snapping away, shooting quickly and without thought, overloading ourselves with unnecessary images that clutter our memory and diminish the clarity of the whole.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson -
Posted 08/04/2011 - 18:17
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a light meter is something you can definitely live without. Until you've used one that is... once you use one you'll probably never stop.
The main advantages with the light meter over the built-in meter is two fold.... when calculating light ratios matters esp with multi light set-ups, and where the lighting would normally fool a reflected meter reading, an incident reading will work...
so for zone system affectionados, a spot meter is very useful, but you can make do with the camera meter.
I'd like to believe that my (very accurate BTW) inexpensive polaris meter has shaved off thousands upon thousands of "Test shots" and "Bracket shots" therefore has extended the life of my cameras, and studio strobes over the years....
The main advantages with the light meter over the built-in meter is two fold.... when calculating light ratios matters esp with multi light set-ups, and where the lighting would normally fool a reflected meter reading, an incident reading will work...
so for zone system affectionados, a spot meter is very useful, but you can make do with the camera meter.
I'd like to believe that my (very accurate BTW) inexpensive polaris meter has shaved off thousands upon thousands of "Test shots" and "Bracket shots" therefore has extended the life of my cameras, and studio strobes over the years....
Fired many shots. Didn't kill anything.
Posted 09/04/2011 - 08:36
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Like Ken I also had a 645 which was mostly used for weddings. In which case (although the built in meter is superb) like all cameras which have problems with a black suit standing next to a white dress, then to measure the light falling on the subject with a meter instead of the reflected light is better. However if you are shooting landscapes to run up the mountain or across the lake etc to measure the light is not really practical. The one that I have is the original Sekonic L-308. Small very versatile and comfortable in the hand. CHEERS Vic.
Born again biker with lots of Pentax bits. Every day I wake up is a good day. I'm so old I don't even buy green bananas.
Posted 09/04/2011 - 10:10
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Most photographers these days will be unfamiliar with the use of hand held meters. The 645 models behave like a 35mm SLR, so to be honest I would just use them the same way and dial in exposure compensation as needed.
Otherwise it's negating a lot of the handling advantage of the Pentax 645.
Otherwise it's negating a lot of the handling advantage of the Pentax 645.
Best regards, John
Posted 09/04/2011 - 10:23
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Cheap and accurate.... doesn't need batteries a SH
Weston Euromaster, make sure it has the Invercone.
My favourite is the Gossen Sixtomat Digital it works like
an SLR you can set Aperture Priority or Shutter Priority
and it gives you the other setting (speed or aperture).
In Shutter Priority if you hold the button down it analyzes
the contrast range and shows the coverage with marks against
each aperture within the scene at the bottom of the meter, as
shown on the front of the brochure. (Similar to a Histogram).
Probably about £180 New.
Edit: Park Cameras
Weston Euromaster, make sure it has the Invercone.
My favourite is the Gossen Sixtomat Digital it works like
an SLR you can set Aperture Priority or Shutter Priority
and it gives you the other setting (speed or aperture).
In Shutter Priority if you hold the button down it analyzes
the contrast range and shows the coverage with marks against
each aperture within the scene at the bottom of the meter, as
shown on the front of the brochure. (Similar to a Histogram).
Probably about £180 New.
Edit: Park Cameras
Half Man... Half Pentax ... Half Cucumber
Pentax K-1 + K-5 and some other stuff
Algi
Pentax K-1 + K-5 and some other stuff
Algi
Posted 19/04/2011 - 17:24
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I also have a 645, the "n" model. I've found the built in meter most satisfactory; the spot feature can be especially useful. Nevertheless a hand-held meter is useful; I found a perfectly useable Norwood Director incident light meter (the case is pretty ragged, the meter is fine) at a camera yard sale for $15.00. It agrees with my cameras' meters and with my Minolta Autometer. Needs no batteries!
Hefty 1 cites the Epson V600 scanner; I can vouch for the V700. I just upgraded with betterscanning.com medium format carrier and anti-Newton's rings glass; the cost of the upgrade is worth it. Sharp across the entire negative.
Should you decide to try slides slidescribe.com has a variety of mounts, including 6x4.5cm at reasonable prices, at least the most reasonable I've found. Of course you'd then need a projector....
I think you'll be pleased at the quality images the 645 produces. Pixel peeping with negatives shot on mine with a 55mm wideangle, tripod mounted, 400 speed film, scanned at 3200 dpi it looks as though an enlargement of 2 or 3 FEET in size would be good at a reasonable viewing distance. Not so easy with 35mm!
Hefty 1 cites the Epson V600 scanner; I can vouch for the V700. I just upgraded with betterscanning.com medium format carrier and anti-Newton's rings glass; the cost of the upgrade is worth it. Sharp across the entire negative.
Should you decide to try slides slidescribe.com has a variety of mounts, including 6x4.5cm at reasonable prices, at least the most reasonable I've found. Of course you'd then need a projector....
I think you'll be pleased at the quality images the 645 produces. Pixel peeping with negatives shot on mine with a 55mm wideangle, tripod mounted, 400 speed film, scanned at 3200 dpi it looks as though an enlargement of 2 or 3 FEET in size would be good at a reasonable viewing distance. Not so easy with 35mm!
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