Luna pro F simply the best. I have used it sine it came out. No other meter in my experience is quite as useful. I do like the Pentax digital spot meter, but it is not as versatile. The Gossen spot meter attachment is a bit tricky to use but very effective Thanks for this.
I love my Pentax Spotmeter V with my 4x5, but the Lunapro F is my goto general purpose meter. I agree that the spot attachment takes a bit to get right! Thanks for watching 🍻
A great meter of which I have and use two. The advantages of this over earlier Lunasix meters are both the availability of the correct battery (9v against discontinued mercury cells) and the null point reading which is so simple. Not only can you centre the needle but you can then move the meter about to check light levels as the scale indicates full stops on either side of the zero position. One of my meters I use for incident and the other has the 'spot' attachment permanently on it and the necessary compensation dialled in. Lastly it is great to have a meter that has an analogue readout - so much more intuitive than a digital one. Some things like watches work better that way. One comment mentioned the price. Actually they sell very reasonably on ebay but buy on auction with no reserve indicated. Go for as near mint as possible and never pay more than $60!
Hi Alex. I used my Lunasix F for over 20 years of wedding photography. Never missed a beat. It finally started to become a little erratic a couple of years ago and it’s now in with my trusted repair guy to return it to full service. I have a Minolta F spot meter and a Variosix F2, both brilliant but the analogue Lunasix F is what I’m much looking forward to, especially as I like to use the Zone System. Happy days.
I love the Gossen ProfiSix, very similar meter but it had a larger range of accessories. I love the analogue readout, it gives you so much information without having to press and repress lots of buttons. The analogue meter needle gives you greater confidence in the process of zeroing it than you could get with a digital implementation. These meters are truly wonderful in every way. I bought mine new in 1982. They really do not get any better. Back then, Gossen was the premier meter manufacturer. I do have a Gossen MasterSix but to be honest, the ProfiSix is a better meter. The ProfiSix does not meter flash. I kept them seperate, I have had three different flash meters from three different manufacturers and none of them lasted very long but my Profisix is still perfect.
Brilliant. Yes i have the German version in UK as Gossen Profisix (Luna Pro SBC) Profi-System w/ Profi-Spot 1/5/10 & Flash attachment. Getting the newer MasterSix Profi-System I like that all the older attachments work forward and most backwards.
I had one of these in the early 80s, plus some sort of attachment to narrow the measuring field, also a US made meter called Calcu-Flash II. Loved the small red LED readout and the blue background of the logo. I sold the lot and got a Minolta Autometer III F, and a Soligor Digital spot meter, then I got the Pentax Digital Spot Meter which today, qualifies as a museum artefact, and is still with me since I qualify as a museum artefact too.
Yes! That's the spot meter attachment, great addition to any Gossen meter from this lineup. I've seen a Calcu-Flash II in the photo department at Sheridan. Sadly it was dead and on display on a faculty member's desk.
One of my meters is a a Gossen Luna Pro SBC. It looks pretty much like your meter; so not sure of the differences. Has never failed me. I do not have the spot attachment; however I've found if I can just walk up to the subject e.g. building and take a reflective reading with the meter about 6-8" away it achieves the same result as talking a spot meter reading. Great video!
Very good Video about one of the best meters that was available on the market at the time! The Lunasix F and Profisix were for a long time my favorite meters too. Gossen serviced them quite a while even after the production stopped. Unfortunately a few years ago the last technician who was able to repair them died. If you are familiar with it I would keep on using it. Especially for those people who are new in analog photography it makes sens to invest in a new meter cause such a device will be with you for many many years to come and the realy good old Gossens are in the meanwhile about 30-40 years old.
Sorry it took me a while to reply. I had to dig through some manuals that were only in German! From what I have seen when comparing the Lunasix F and Lunasix 3, I believe the attachments are cross-compatible. They look similar in the manuals, but the words used to describe them are different. In the F manual, it states TELE verkleinert den Meßwinkel auf 15° oder 7,5°, which translates to TELE reducing the measuring angle to 15° or 7.5°. However, the 3 manual describes it as TELE-Vorsatzgerät zum Lunasix 3, and the TELE attachment is for Lunasix 3. With the descriptive text Der lang gehegte Wunsch, den Meßwinkel auf lhr teleobjektive abzustimmen geht damit in Er-füllunge. Sie können Messugen ausführen bei golgenden Meßwin-keln: 30° - 15° - 7,5°, translated is The long-held wish to adjust the measuring angle to your telephoto lens has now come true. You can carry out measurements at the following measuring angles: 30° - 15° - 7.5°. So, in this case, I will say no; the Spot attachment for the Lunasix F is incompatible with the Lunasix 3. Also love the descriptor: Long Held Wish. Thanks for watching, and I hope this helps 🍻
Thank you for the overview! I came here for the spot meter. Just got one and I have noticed that the reading using the spot meter attachment and without the attachment are very different! Like 2-3 stops different, even if I make sure I am metering the exactly the same spot on an object, under the same light. Very confusing.
No Flash Reading? I've got an Sekonic L478 (its big, bright display is good for my old man's eyesight), but the Gossen F would still work me me I think.
I like it, but they seem pretty expensive. Probably because they're analog, guaranteed working ones are in short supply and they use a common battery. I started looking at digital meters as a way to keep the cost low, but even then, anything by Gossen or Sekonic is expensive. Older Minoltas seem like the way to go for value. I have a IIIf. Since it's digital, it doesn't display all the values at once. One has to scroll through them until one finds the combination one likes. To compensate for that though, it also meters flash.
That is a downside, I also know that when this one goes I'll invest in a modern Gossen meter and pay the price. Because the used ones are creeping up into new meter territory.
Hey up. I did come across the US version Luna Pro F. I zeroed it in but it's still a tad off 1/3 over. Are they worth getting calibrated vs another good used? Additionally, I'm experiencing a metering on issue battery drain. I have to click into "flash" to daylight" to get it to turn off. Is this normal for the US versions? The needle otherwise would stay on wherever I left it then battery dies in few hrs. Weird. The ProfiSix I use auto times out in 20-30 seconds or so.
Sounds like the problems are a lot deeper than being a 1/3 stop off. If you can find someone to calibrate it they may also be able to fix the drain issue. And yes totally worth fixing! Thanks for watching 🍻
@@AlexLuyckxPhoto haha no worries! I was great with it on my old spot meter and now I have a Luna Pro SBC on the way and the zone system part of it seems different, but I could be wrong. Great video by the way!
So can these meters be useful with DSLR cameras as well ? How do you choose the iso or asa reading to start at? I have a photo booth and want the best pics possible
Yup! This can help set your exposure for any camera, digital or film, that has manual exposure control. You set the ISO by using the ridges and turning the dial to expose the different speeds, asa = iso.
Luna pro F simply the best. I have used it sine it came out. No other meter in my experience is quite as useful. I do like the Pentax digital spot meter, but it is not as versatile.
The Gossen spot meter attachment is a bit tricky to use but very effective
Thanks for this.
I love my Pentax Spotmeter V with my 4x5, but the Lunapro F is my goto general purpose meter. I agree that the spot attachment takes a bit to get right! Thanks for watching 🍻
Hi I purchased mine back in the early 90s here in the UK. Just getting back in to my photography using my Gossen Lunasix F. A great light meter.
Agreed! It won’t steer you wrong!
A great meter of which I have and use two. The advantages of this over earlier Lunasix meters are both the availability of the correct battery (9v against discontinued mercury cells) and the null point reading which is so simple. Not only can you centre the needle but you can then move the meter about to check light levels as the scale indicates full stops on either side of the zero position. One of my meters I use for incident and the other has the 'spot' attachment permanently on it and the necessary compensation dialled in. Lastly it is great to have a meter that has an analogue readout - so much more intuitive than a digital one. Some things like watches work better that way.
One comment mentioned the price. Actually they sell very reasonably on ebay but buy on auction with no reserve indicated. Go for as near mint as possible and never pay more than $60!
Hi Alex. I used my Lunasix F for over 20 years of wedding photography. Never missed a beat.
It finally started to become a little erratic a couple of years ago and it’s now in with my trusted repair guy to return it to full service.
I have a Minolta F spot meter and a Variosix F2, both brilliant but the analogue Lunasix F is what I’m much looking forward to, especially as I like to use the Zone System.
Happy days.
Cheers! They are solid meters! Thanks for watching and sharing 🍻
I love the Gossen ProfiSix, very similar meter but it had a larger range of accessories. I love the analogue readout, it gives you so much information without having to press and repress lots of buttons. The analogue meter needle gives you greater confidence in the process of zeroing it than you could get with a digital implementation. These meters are truly wonderful in every way. I bought mine new in 1982. They really do not get any better. Back then, Gossen was the premier meter manufacturer. I do have a Gossen MasterSix but to be honest, the ProfiSix is a better meter. The ProfiSix does not meter flash. I kept them seperate, I have had three different flash meters from three different manufacturers and none of them lasted very long but my Profisix is still perfect.
They certainly are amazing tools! It remains a goto for me! Especially that tactile experience. Thanks for watching 🍻
Brilliant. Yes i have the German version in UK as Gossen Profisix (Luna Pro SBC) Profi-System w/ Profi-Spot 1/5/10 & Flash attachment. Getting the newer MasterSix Profi-System I like that all the older attachments work forward and most backwards.
Yeah I believe the accessories are common across the models. Thanks for watching 🍻
I had one of these in the early 80s, plus some sort of attachment to narrow the measuring field, also a US made meter called Calcu-Flash II. Loved the small red LED readout and the blue background of the logo. I sold the lot and got a Minolta Autometer III F, and a Soligor Digital spot meter, then I got the Pentax Digital Spot Meter which today, qualifies as a museum artefact, and is still with me since I qualify as a museum artefact too.
Yes! That's the spot meter attachment, great addition to any Gossen meter from this lineup. I've seen a Calcu-Flash II in the photo department at Sheridan. Sadly it was dead and on display on a faculty member's desk.
Oh thanks for this! I just bought one of these -- it's impressive af! I like that it's so simple to correct for filters.
You’re welcome! The Meter won’t steer you wrong!
One of my meters is a a Gossen Luna Pro SBC. It looks pretty much like your meter; so not sure of the differences. Has never failed me. I do not have the spot attachment; however I've found if I can just walk up to the subject e.g. building and take a reflective reading with the meter about 6-8" away it achieves the same result as talking a spot meter reading. Great video!
🍻
Very good Video about one of the best meters that was available on the market at the time! The Lunasix F and Profisix were for a long time my favorite meters too. Gossen serviced them quite a while even after the production stopped. Unfortunately a few years ago the last technician who was able to repair them died. If you are familiar with it I would keep on using it. Especially for those people who are new in analog photography it makes sens to invest in a new meter cause such a device will be with you for many many years to come and the realy good old Gossens are in the meanwhile about 30-40 years old.
Shame to hear that the last tech has passed away. I plan on using this as long as it works, and then invest in a newer Gossen!
My meters:
• mid ‘50s selenium Weston w/ grey card.
• vintage Sekonic L-398 (no batteries either).
Thanks. Your meter looks v. skookum.
For my meterless cameras, I grab my trusty Gossen Lunasix 3. I run the Wein Cells in it, and it works great. It's very accurate.
Thank you for the review. I own the LunaProF and I love it.
Are the accessory attachments ,the spot metering one in particular, the same fitting as those for the Lunasix 3 ?
Sorry it took me a while to reply. I had to dig through some manuals that were only in German! From what I have seen when comparing the Lunasix F and Lunasix 3, I believe the attachments are cross-compatible. They look similar in the manuals, but the words used to describe them are different. In the F manual, it states TELE verkleinert den Meßwinkel auf 15° oder 7,5°, which translates to TELE reducing the measuring angle to 15° or 7.5°. However, the 3 manual describes it as TELE-Vorsatzgerät zum Lunasix 3, and the TELE attachment is for Lunasix 3. With the descriptive text Der lang gehegte Wunsch, den Meßwinkel auf lhr teleobjektive abzustimmen geht damit in Er-füllunge. Sie können Messugen ausführen bei golgenden Meßwin-keln: 30° - 15° - 7,5°, translated is The long-held wish to adjust the measuring angle to your telephoto lens has now come true. You can carry out measurements at the following measuring angles: 30° - 15° - 7.5°. So, in this case, I will say no; the Spot attachment for the Lunasix F is incompatible with the Lunasix 3. Also love the descriptor: Long Held Wish. Thanks for watching, and I hope this helps 🍻
Thank you for the overview! I came here for the spot meter. Just got one and I have noticed that the reading using the spot meter attachment and without the attachment are very different! Like 2-3 stops different, even if I make sure I am metering the exactly the same spot on an object, under the same light. Very confusing.
Yeah, it is confusing, and the difference between spot/reflective does often average to 1-3 stops depending on conditions.
No Flash Reading? I've got an Sekonic L478 (its big, bright display is good for my old man's eyesight), but the Gossen F would still work me me I think.
Sorry no flash reading, I don’t work with a lot of studio strobes. Personally I would stick to the L478, thanks for watching 🍻
i'd be tempted to get one if it wasn't about as big as the dslr i currently use as a light meter for my speed graphic.
That's a small dSLR in that case! But one meter that might be of help is the new Reveni Labs spot meter for your LF work!
It is not the size of it that is the deal breaker but its weight. If my memory serves me right, it weighs a ton.
Alex Luycks You made the first photograph without a filter?
Yes, all the photos were made without filters.
My m8 rly likes Sekonic. Would u happen to know what their offering was this vintage? Lasts of big fancy analog to compete w/ the Luna Profi System
Probably the L-398A, solid, similar functionality. And still made today. Thanks for watching 🍻
Awesome , I took my second darkroom course at this campus in (umm) 1986 use the same meter as well!
Solid meters! I'm happy to say there is still one traditional Darkroom at Sheridan :)
I like it, but they seem pretty expensive. Probably because they're analog, guaranteed working ones are in short supply and they use a common battery. I started looking at digital meters as a way to keep the cost low, but even then, anything by Gossen or Sekonic is expensive. Older Minoltas seem like the way to go for value. I have a IIIf. Since it's digital, it doesn't display all the values at once. One has to scroll through them until one finds the combination one likes. To compensate for that though, it also meters flash.
That is a downside, I also know that when this one goes I'll invest in a modern Gossen meter and pay the price. Because the used ones are creeping up into new meter territory.
The LunaSix F also meters flash.
Hey up. I did come across the US version Luna Pro F. I zeroed it in but it's still a tad off 1/3 over. Are they worth getting calibrated vs another good used?
Additionally, I'm experiencing a metering on issue battery drain. I have to click into "flash" to daylight" to get it to turn off. Is this normal for the US versions? The needle otherwise would stay on wherever I left it then battery dies in few hrs. Weird. The ProfiSix I use auto times out in 20-30 seconds or so.
Sounds like the problems are a lot deeper than being a 1/3 stop off. If you can find someone to calibrate it they may also be able to fix the drain issue. And yes totally worth fixing! Thanks for watching 🍻
Can you possibly do a segment on the zone system aspects of the meter?
That’s an excellent idea! I will have to teach myself the zone system first but will work on that!
@@AlexLuyckxPhoto haha no worries! I was great with it on my old spot meter and now I have a Luna Pro SBC on the way and the zone system part of it seems different, but I could be wrong. Great video by the way!
Is the Lunasix F the same as the ProF?
Yes! Just different branding and markets. The Pro F is USA. Thanks for watching 🍻
So can these meters be useful with DSLR cameras as well ? How do you choose the iso or asa reading to start at? I have a photo booth and want the best pics possible
Yup! This can help set your exposure for any camera, digital or film, that has manual exposure control. You set the ISO by using the ridges and turning the dial to expose the different speeds, asa = iso.
Thanks. I have lunasix f.
Excellent and thanks for watching 🍻
Helpful film. Thanks
Cheers! 🍻
These kind of lightmeters are so weird haha.