Handheld Meters

In addition to the meters that are built into digital cameras, there are several types of accessory or “handheld” meters available (just what you needed — another accessory to daydream about owning!). Handheld meters, some of which cost more than a good dSLR camera, were the mainstay of light metering before the TTL meter was invented, and most professionals and a growing number of hobbyists still use them.

Why would anyone want to use a handheld light meter when it’s so easy to meter using the camera? A lot of professional studio photographers use handheld meters for one very simple reason: Many of the cameras they use don’t have meters built into them. Large-format studio and large-format field cameras, for example, have no means of measuring light. Also, for many fine-art and landscape photographers — even those using cameras that have built-in meters — exact exposure is central to the quality of their work, and they simply have more confidence with a handheld meter. As with any craft, the greater your obsession for precision, the more involved you become. Another benefit of using handheld meters is that they typically have much more detai....