Are light meters pointless or am I just lazy?

(Image credit: Getty Images)

I’ve been a photographer for more than five years and not once have I ever felt the need to use a light meter. Disclaimer: I mostly shoot digital and when I shoot film I don’t really shoot flash but I've always managed to get by without one and I don't see that changing any time soon.

If you shoot with one of the best mirrorless cameras you can automatically see the exposure settings either through the viewfinder or on the screen. Granted, if you’re using one of the best photography lighting kits the flash will change the exposure you see but if you shoot regularly, you probably know roughly what settings you need and can just make minor adjustments. For me personally, a light meter is an expense I can live without and I would rather just fire a few shots off to get my exposure correct.

Now it’s not like I don't understand their use. If I shot a lot of film with flash, the last thing I would want to do is wait until I got the photos developed to find out they were all under or overexposed. But if I'm shooting with my trusty Nikon FM2 or even my Canon AE-1 (which I don't use enough) it's usually with natural light and there is a built-in light meter that I can use to judge the right exposure.

For those photographers that are almost strictly analog shooters, yes, use a light meter to your heart's content. However I shoot mostly using a Sony A7 III and have been practicing photography long enough to know roughly what to set my ISO/shutter speed and aperture to depending on the power of my flash. I also find that sometimes there is an element of fun about the trial and error way of getting the exposure right. You can end up with a look you never intended but that actually looks better than you could’ve imagined.

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Having studied Journalism and Public Relations at the University of the West of England Hannah developed a love for photography through a module on photojournalism. She specializes in Portrait, Fashion and lifestyle photography but has more recently branched out in the world of stylized product photography. Hannah spent three years working at Wex Photo Video as a Senior Sales Assistant, using her experience and knowledge of cameras to help people buy the equipment that is right for them. With eight years experience working with studio lighting, Hannah has run many successful workshops teaching people how to use different lighting setups.

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