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I have a Gossen Digisix which I use for this purpose. It will do incident or reflected measurements and is very small. It also has some other functions like a clock, temperature, stop watch, and alarm clock so is useful for travel.
I wouldn't give up on the Weston, though.
I do similar photography and have settled on two specific meters. First, I use the Kodak Kodalux-L which is a bullet proof shoe mount meter that fits all of my range finders. Second, I use a Leica-M meter which is very nice and still to be had relatively cheap which is also a shoe mount but is rather large and doesn't fit all.
I got both from KEH.
I bought a Sekonic L-778 spot meter (got a really good deal) but I keep the Gossen SBC just in case I want to shoot r-e-a-l-l-y low light.
Interesting, my Western Meter is terrible in low light. I had to do a lot of educated guessing at the Australia Day fire works earlier this week, my trusty Western Meter was very little help at dusk!
I use one of these. It's an inexpensive yet reliable incident/reflective meter ( http://cgi.ebay.com/Polaris-SPD100-D...item45ec5dcd38 )
It's made of plastic, but seems to be fairly durable. I've dropped mine quite a few times, and it still works perfectly. Probably shouldnt drop it in water, though :)
Polaris SPD100 Digital Exposure Meter looks interesting! How big is it, will it comfortably fit in the pocket of my pants I wonder...? (innocent question for those with a dirty mind ;)
I reread the title of this thread and realized that you do not need a light meter just for the street. Light meters whether incident or reflective can be used for any subject! You do not need a special one to take reading of streets and roads. ;)
I hope this helps.
Steve
Cheers Steve,
It's use will be almost solely for the street, as mentioned I have a SEI comparison spot meter for landscape or the spot meter in my DSLR / SLR's.
I meant the title to refer to the type of use I expect to put it too. When doing street I only meter off my hand, never off the scene, the problem is my Western meter is in danger of wearing out and i want one to replace it that will with stand the constant knocks occasional drops and general jiggerling of being in my pocket while i walk around without breaking. Problem with these posts i find is giving too much or not enough information!
Sounds like this Polaris SPD100, might be the way to go, has anyone used it for street, how large is it and can it be easily operated with one hand?
My normal practice is to walk around taking readings in light and shade so I can calibrate my head, then I put away the meter and use my brain until i feel the need to check a different light situation. I enjoy doing this, and yes on occasion when a light meter has let me down, I have gone for a day or so with out one and had good results. However for difficult and extreme lighting (pretty extreme variation in Western Australia's summer between out door hard light and shadow, unlike soft light I recall in England) I like to occasionally consult my meter and take pride in having an educated guess first. Thankfully HP5 gives me a lot of latitude, but you know what... my street films come out with much more consistent density when developed than my landscapes do relying on my slrs internal meter vs my manual street metering!
Please keep giving me advice, i really appreciate it!
Cheers,
Dan
I like the Gossen Digisix as a pocket meter (fitting in a pocket is an attraction for street photographers), but if you carry it all the time without its case, as I do, plan on opening it up and cleaning it every six months or so. It's not well sealed against lint, and the buttons won't function properly as dust works its way into the case.
I've been using a Minolta III Incident meter for my street shooting. Just measure the shadow and shoot.