Cine/Video

Why You Need a Light Meter for Cine/Video and HDSLRs



Published by Sekonic

If you shoot video professionally, you need a light meter. It’s true, the meter in your camera works pretty well, but it just doesn’t give you the level of control a light meter does.

A light meter lets you see the exposure at the exact location where the light is falling. This isn’t some sort of average; it’s an exact measurement at the exact spot you want. Let's say you’re working with a greenscreen. A light meter lets you measure the evenness of your light by just clicking and holding a button. With a spot meter you can check your lighting to make sure you’re getting maximum detail in your highlights and your shadows. So sure, your camera’s built in meter might be good enough, but then again, good enough might not be good enough.