Need recommendations for a used light meter...

[Scott]

Hi, all -

With the London trip still a ways in the distance, I'm thinking (especially since I'm pondering investing in some color 120 film) that Sunny f-16 might not work for me so well in a foreign country.  Especially in the UK.  So, I'm starting to troll for a used light meter.  I had a fairly huge Sekonic a while back; what I'd like now is much smaller.  Pocketable.  Inexpensive.  And accurate enough for print film.  And cheap.  Also, inexpensive would be good.

Get where I'm going here?

I'm watching a few Gossens on eBay right now, but I think the meter for me is going to be an off-brand sleeper that gets overlooked.  However, I know nothing in this here arena.  Anyone have recommendations for a good, used light meter that's likely to be accurate enough, and can be had on the cheap?

Thanks,
Scott

[Julio1fer]

A bit out of the beaten path, but I'm happy with a Russian Sverdlovsk-2 (up to the -4 it is the same meter).

[Steve Pennington]

 I would suggest a Gossen Scout 2.

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-GOSSEN-SCOUT-2-LIGHT-METER-D723637-GERMANY_W0QQitemZ260527093938QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3ca89ff8b2

It takes no batteries, measures incident and reflected and mine has been accurate and reliable for 20 years now.

A little bit nicer is the Gossen Pilot 2. Functionally it is the same as the Scout 2 but is smaller, so small that Gossen even sold a (now very hard to find) shoe mount for it. I guess due to the compact size it usually sells for at least twice what the Scout sells for.

[r-brian]

I bought a Gossen Pilot 2 off ebay about a year or two ago.  I didn't spend more than $15 for it and that may have included shipping.  It's the meter I grab when I take of the Rolleiflex.

My go to meter is a digital Polaris.  I've had it for years and I think I'm still on the first AA battery.  It does ambient, reflective and flash.  I paid $100 for it used.  It's about the size of a pack of cards.

[Andrew Alexander]

and yet another recommendation for the Pilot II...like Brian got it off the bay for $20 six years ago and its worked great since...it has matched up to the Luna Pro F for all but the lowest light measurements...

been meaning to get my Weston III sent Quality Meters but I really like the light weight of the Pilot...ever have any luck fixing selenium cells?

[Glenn Thoreson]

If you run across a Quantum Calculite or Calculite-X in good shape, grab it. Not seen that often, it's small enough to carry in a shirt pocket. It will do reflective and that other thing I can't think of right now. It's digital and uses LR-44 or silver 76 batteries. Nice meter.

[sandeha]

The Agfa Lucimeter is a fair one.  It's what I carry the whole time since it's very small and a good shape.  http://www.jollinger.com/photo/meters/meters/agfa_lucimeter_s.html

Both of mine cost less than $10 and both have been trouble free.  Compared with anything else they are really easy to read (not too much information).

[P C Headland]

Another recommendation for the Sverdlovsk 4 meter.  It's cheap, runs with any battery that you can make fit of ~3.5 - 4.5v, and does incident and semi-spot.  It's accurate enough for Velvia 50, so it'll do fine for your print film.

[Mike Kovacs]

I don't think I paid more than $50 for my Gossen Luna F.  Pack of cards size but no fiddling like a lot of the selenium meters and tons more sensitivity.  Meters flash too.  On its first 9V battery for 3 years.

[Scott]

Thanks for the rec's, guys.  I have some snipes set now.  We shall see.  I have about $25 left in my discretionary spending fund, so I'm a-lowballin'.

On a related, and somewhat disappointing note: I found in the darkest recesses of my 35mm lens drawer a mint Gossen Scout meter.  Forgot I had it.  Only problem - it reads way low.  I think the old Selenium cell is shot.  Don't think there's anything I can do with it, 'cept for putting it up on eBay with the old "Active-but-inaccurate" caveat...

[sandeha]

There's always a chance it's suffering from humidity.  Put it somewhere in the light for a day or two?

[Scott]

There's always a chance it's suffering from humidity.  Put it somewhere in the light for a day or two?

Good idea.  I set it on the dash of the truck.  Dunno if it'll have an effect, but I have a snipe set on a new one, anyway...

[Scott]

Well, my low-ball snipe fell through.   How'ms'ever, I found a Gossen Super Pilot that I can get for about $20.  Aside from the need for Wein cells, can anyone give me any pros or cons on this meter?

Thanks,
Scott

[jake]

The Gossens that I have always heard good things about are the Gossen Lunasix 3 and the Lunapro. I think you can even calibrate them yourself and/or use a Criscam adapter. And then there is a the venerable Sekonic Studio Deluxe. Sekonic also makes the nifty Twinmate.

I am very impatient with meters. I want to punch a button and be done. So I have a used Sekonic L308s. Great meter. This does nothing for my budget though. Only pricey meters have punch buttons.

[LarryD]

Hey I have a line on a SVERDLOVSK 2 any good? I see that many use the 3 and 4 how was the 2?