Lighting Light meter? Sekonic I-188 or I-208?

[William Lewis]

I find myself shooting more and more 120 film in cameras without built in meters. Carrying another camera to meter with works but isn't my preference.

I'm looking at Eprey and the best options seem to be either the Sekonic I-188 or I-208.

Anyone with experience with either/both able to add some thoughts?

THANKS!

 

[MoonMind]

I own the L-208 and like it a lot; of my simple hand-held meters, it's my most used one - it's a modern meter, too, in spite of its simple appearance and classic scale, battery-driven and for both incident and ambient light metering. It can be shoe-mounted, the necessary accessories are in the box.

That said, I've come to prefer some of the more recent shoe-mounted meters (that can be of course also used hand-held); if the the camera sports a cold shoe, you can take readings at eye level (or thereabouts ...). I don't own the lot, only one, the original KEKS EM-01; it's even smaller than the Sekonic, very well build and at least as reliable as the L-208, though it only does incident metering.

35mmc has tested the lot here:

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M.

 

[Charzes44]

And one could always use a mobile phone (cell phone) app. I have one installed called Lightmeter! That would save having to carry an extra piece if equipment.

 

[William Lewis]

I have an app. It's very inconsistent to the point that I do better with the Eyeball Mk I. Perhaps other apps are better, but I have the feeling it's more a limitation of the Motorola phone's camera.

 

[Ad Dieleman]

I've had a Sekonic; can't remember the type number but it was a fairly advanced model. Didn't like it and settled for a used Konica Minolta Flashmeter VI for the studio. On the go I always used the Minolta Autometer IV F, which still functions well after 30-odd years and its calibration is still spot-on (checked with camera and other lightmeters).

 

[Grinsaround]

I ended up replacing my Spotmatic and Wein meter with an l-308x a while back. A little more expensive than I would have liked but have been very pleased with it and surprised at how much I have been using the flash function which it includes. Very light, compact, and uses one AA which I have to carry anyway for other things. Accuracy and sensitivity has been very good so far.

 

[MoonMind]

I ended up replacing my Spotmatic and Wein meter with an l-308x a while back. A little more expensive than I would have liked but have been very pleased with it and surprised at how much I have been using the flash function which it includes. Very light, compact, and uses one AA which I have to carry anyway for other things. Accuracy and sensitivity has been very good so far.

I have the predecessor, the L-308S; very nice meter, very well featured for its size and price; however, its power button, of all things, started acting up; now, I can't switch it on most of the time (or off if it's on - but pulling the battery solves that). Very vexing - hopefully, the L-308X will hold up better. Functionally, the meter gets a clear recommendation from me!

M.