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Measuring reflected light using an incident light meter

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Zang:
Hello everyone,

I wonder if anyone know a trick to measure reflected light just like cameras do, using an incident light meter?

Cheers,
Zang

Akira:
An obvious answer should be, yes, a dedicated light meter.  Spot meters or light meters with the adapters the enable them to meter reflected light.

Nowadays, I guess there are smartphone apps to meter utilizing the integrated camera.  I'm not sure of their accuracy, though.

Zang:
I do have a light meter but it has incident metering only. I wonder If and how I can make an adapter to make it meter the reflected light :)

Cheers,
Zang

Ann:
Adapters for measuring reflected light for some meters are available — including some Sekonic ones.
(B&H, among others, sell them.)

The reason most people use a meter is for taking Incident Light readings which are particularly helpful when balancing several light sources; or for gauging the correct exposure for difficult subjects like the proverbial white-dog-in-the-snow or black-cat-in -a-coal-cellar.

Birna Rørslett:
If one is going to the trouble of using a separate light meter, measuring *incident* light is vastly more useful and informative than what is reflected. If the latter is deemed necessary, using a spot meter probably is the better approach.

In all situations whether incident or reflected light is measured, an evaluation of what the reading entails in terms of exposure is mandatory.

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