Even though this is an older model light meter, it still functions great. That's the nice thing about photography; the rules don't change with time, only the sophistication of the equipment. Unlike things in other sectors, as long the equipment is well cared for and maintained, it doesn't matter how old your photography equipment is, it'll still return excellent results. I have a camera that's more than twice as old as I am, and the pictures it takes are every bit as good as the first roll it shot. Another advantage -- you can often pick up used equipment off eBay or your local swap meet for very little cash.

All of the meters, regardless of whether they're light, flash, or combo meters, work pretty much the same way. You set the speed, or ISO/ASA, of the film you're using, measure the light, either reflected or incidental, then use the measured reading to compute your exposure.

In the case of the light meter in Figure A, you set the film speed by turning the center dial until the arrow points at the speed of the film being shot. When you measure the light index, the needle in the bottom window of the meter will advance. By turning the outer dial of the meter to match the number the needle is pointing at, you'll be given the correct shutter speed for the aperture you're using, or vice versa. This particular meter can also be used when shooting movie film, as seen in the Cine window.

The meter in Figure B is a flash meter, although a rather rudimentary one, but it still gets the job done.

FIGURE B

A flash meter will give you the correct exposure for flash photography. Click picture for a larger image.

Like with the light meter in Figure A, you set the flash meter with the speed of the film you're shooting. On the side of the flash meter is a PC connection to plug your flash unit into, and the little lightning bolt corresponds to the button for firing the flash. By the way, this PC connection is used in older cameras, not for connection to your computer. You measure the flash by placing the meter next to the subject and firing the flash. One of the red LEDs at the top will light up; you then turn the dial until the small orange arrow points to the same number. The large orange arrow at the bottom will now points to the correct exposure.

In some cases, the meter may be calibrated for a specific shutter speed, such as 1/125th. If your camera syncs at a different speed, you may have to adjust the setting. In the case of this meter, the owner's manual includes an adjustment chart.

With both of these meters, the small white dome can be moved to directly expose the photocell for reading the light reflecting off the subject, but is slid over to cover the cell when measuring incident light. The cell is exposed for reflective measurements because the intensity of the recorded light is less than if reading the total incidental light falling on the subject.

Combination meters, like the Sekonic L558R DualMaster in Figure C, give you the best of both worlds, combining a light meter and a flash meter for all your exposure needs.