Izzy Video 133 – How to Use a Light Meter [Free Show]
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Photography and videography have a lot in common. Many of the tools that photographers use can be useful for video shooters as well. In this installment of Izzy Video, I review the difference between reflected light meters and incident light meters, and I also demonstrate how to use them.
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May 22nd, 2009 at 11:31 am
I always wondered what those light meters were used for, now I know. Thanks for educating the pubic….
May 27th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
Thanks Israel for another informative video.
I’ve never used a light meter, and have never thought about using one for video. The only part I don’t understand is what to adjust on a video camera once you have the reading from the light meter?
BTW, your website, videos, and presentation are inspiring. You are providing us with a unique service which I have not found elsewhere.
Thank you
May 27th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Kumar — My pleasure!
Klaus — Thanks for the kind words. To answer your question – you use the light meter to see what F-Stop, shutter speed, and sensitivity to use. Each light meter needs to be calibrated to match your video camera. For example, it turns out that my camera has approximately a 320 ISO (sensitivity), and since I like to shoot with a 1/60th per second shutter speed, I use the light meter to tell me what F-Stop to use on my camera for a good exposure.
It’s funny because a video camera is basically a camera that shoots 30 frames per second. Many of the tools and rules of photography apply directly to video.
May 28th, 2009 at 9:14 pm
Thanks for the reply Israel.
I guess my consumer-grade video camera doesn’t have the ability to set the Shutter Speed or F-stop.
But I appreciate the explanation.
December 29th, 2009 at 11:54 am
The starting point for getting good exposure is getting enough light on the subject.
Your camera manual probably has the recommended illumination listed in the specifications. 100 lux seems to be typical in the Canon line.
How do you get 100 lux?
First, you google “sekonic ev lux” This gives you a web page that tells you how to convert EV (exposure value) to lux, which is the Hollywood way of measuring light.
EV is a combination of shutter speed and f-stop.
Most light meters such as the Sekonic L308 or L358 have an EV setting.
The Sekonic chart will tell you that EV 5.5 is 112 lux, close enough.
500 watt quartz work lamps – 1 or 2 bounced off a white surface, are a good way to get a good EV value.
December 29th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Thanks for the detailed comment! Great stuff…