|
Polaris SPD100 Digital Exposure Meter |  | Brand: Polaris
Category: Photography
List Price: $299.99
Buy New: $167.88
as of 9/9/2010 16:06 EDT details
You Save: $132.11 (44%)
New (4) from $167.88
Seller: ZIMA' S cameras
Rating:  11 reviews
Media: Electronics
Batteries: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 3.5 x 2.3 x 6
MPN: SPD100
Model: SPD100
UPC: 053661012899
EAN: 0053661012899
ASIN: B00009X3UA
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
| |
| Features:
| • | Oversized LCD display shows all data and functions clearly and easily, even at full arm's length. | | • | Large analog" (Gas-Gauge Style) Scale for easy fractional measurements. | | • | Standard PC terminal for sync cord flash activation. Compact, ultra-thin design. Polaris is less than 1- inch thick and weighs just 4 oz. | | • | Requires only one "AA" battery. (Not included) | | • | Four exposure modes to choose from. | | • | Accurate to 1/10 f-stop. | | • | Unique multi-flash feature makes it simple to calculate how many times the flash must be fired to achieve a desired f/stop. |
|
| Accessories:
|
| Similar Items:
| |
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Polaris - Digital Reflected, Incident and Flash Light Meter is a professional exposure meter with world class features and performance, at a fraction of the cost of comparable models.Polaris has the functions and micrprocessor-driven accuracy you expect, plus some additional conveniences you might not, like an oversized LCD display, multi flash capability and user preset program levels. More features and a lower price makes Polaris unbeatable value.
|
| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 11
 Now I have two! May 20, 2010
W. Tilton
This is my second identical meter. I've had the first one for years and it is still working perfectly. Another meter finally gave out and I didn't want to be without a backup. One of the jobs I do is to light a full Barbershop chorus on risers. These risers go wall-to-wall in a large hotel conference room. I need even lighting from both side to side and front to back. I can't imagine doing this without an accurate flash meter. I can usually get everything even within a few tenths of a stop.
One problem I had initially is that the hemisphere slides sideways to switch from incident to reflective mode. It's not loose, but it's easy to bump it. So you need to check each time that it's where you want it. My solution was to cut a small square of painter's tape (the blue stuff.) I put that tape across the track where the hemisphere slides -- works great! I don't often use reflected mode, but if I do, it's a simple matter to remove and reposition the tape. The blue tape leaves no residue and is good for multiple uses.
I also use the meter to balance studio flashes in a portrait setting and outdoors for balancing daylight and fill flash.
Terrific studio meter for the price February 17, 2010
Busy Executive (Long Island, NY)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
I have one of these that I use regularly with my studio flash setup.
Inexpensive high-power studio flashes generally don't work with your camera's TTL metering system, and when you bring in multiple lights, complex diffusers and so forth, calculating exposure gets to be a challenge. With the Polaris, I setup my lighting the way I want, fire the flashes (either one at a time or all at once), and the meter gives me correct exposure information that's always 100% spot on. It can also help me achieve certain specific lighting ratios, such as making sure the background is subdued or helping me know one part of my subject isn't in too-deep shadows - in effect, you just fire the flash a few times, metering all the key parts and noting how far apart the exposures are. For calculating studio flash exposure, the Polaris can't be beat, especially considering the price.
Of course, these days you can achieve good results with digital cameras by simply taking lots of test exposures...there's no film cost, and most photographers tend to have a few lighting setups that really don't vary all that much. This means there aren't too many exposure combinations, and you can probably home in on it trial and error if you want. Or, you can do it the old-fashioned way by knowing the guide numbers of your flashes and dividing by flash to subject distance. Still, having a meter like the Polaris makes this much faster and more precise, especially if you tend to shoot under lots of varying conditions.
There are also flashes like the Nikon Creative Lighting System that actually do integrate with certain camera metering systems, even when multiple, off-camera flashes are used. These are wonderfully flexible units, but I still find myself using my somewhat old-fashioned (by CLS standards) studio strobes to get the power and light quality I want. There are so many types of flash attachments - big diffusers/soft boxes, snoots, barn doors, gobos, etc etc etc - that just don't work with the compact flashes Nikon and others make. The Polaris makes using these setups almost as easy as having a TTL flash.
The Polaris can, of course, also be used as a more conventional exposure meter under nearly any condition. Frankly, the meter in most of my cameras are so good under most non-studio flash conditions, I tend to only rarely use it this way.
About the only thing the Polaris doesn't do is include built-in color temperature metering. This would simplify situations where you have a mix of different light sources and you want to set the white balance for a particular effect.
Otherwise, it's a small, compact and lightweight unit. It doesn't seem particularly rugged, but since I tend to wear mine around my neck on a lanyard, I'd rather have lightweight than a unit built like a tank. The display is large and easy to read, even in dim light, and it runs quite a long time on a set of batteries.
Recommended as a low-cost alternative to some of the other more expensive brands.
 excellent price September 30, 2009
Jose Marin Razo
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
It is a product with excellent price and easily to handle, though it does not have other superficial functions.
Great piece of equipment for the price April 9, 2009
DC Photo (Wash., D.C.)
13 out of 14 found this review helpful
The light meter works great. Love it. Specially for the price. Of course if money is not an issue or you can wait I'd say go for one that gives you temperature in Kelvin. Much more useful. Still this works like a charm. Captured great images both on film and digital using both reflective and ambient measures.
Mixed feelings.. February 16, 2009
Vontresa L. Moses (Dacula, GA)
1 out of 6 found this review helpful
I think the accuracy rate of this meter is 3 out of 5... Or maybe it's my cheap background lights, not sure!!
Showing reviews 1-5 of 11
|
|
|
CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON SERVICES LLC. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED ‘AS IS’ AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME.
| |
![AmazonBasics Quilted Case for Small Electronics Including Cameras, Mobile Phones, GPS Units (Black) [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging]](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B002VPE1YS.01._AA75_PU_PU-5_.jpg)
