New light-meter. Yea, I'm still 'Old-School...' July 2008.

*(new) Sekonic L-358 Flash Master light meter. I needed to buy a new flashmeter in a hurry last week, as my old Minolta Flashmeter IV-F went kaput on me, and I had a few assignments coming up where I knew I'd be using multiple light set-ups and such, both inside and outside. Couldn't wait for repairs on the old one or depend on finding a loaner. Kinda tough to plunk down close to $300. for a new one at a moments notice, but you gotta have the right tools for the job. I still find it ironic that I speak with working pros in the business who never use one. Relying on that little monitor on the back of the camera as your savior is a big "no-no" with me. I learned a long time ago shooting film that you should make your (negatives) good enough that anybody can print them. That road-tested belief held true with me when shooting chromes in various formats and camera systems, where you have absolutely no margins for error in exposure. You either have it or you don't, exposure wise. Bracketing isn't always the way to go. I feel the exact same way about shooting digitally - make your files as easy to tone for the pre-press & color correction guys in the backshop, who work on our images nightly before they go to press, or other editors at wire services, publications, my stock agency, etc. I try to never do any PhotoShop (PS) toning and sharpening on my images, as that's what they are there for, and besides their parameters for color corrections are tighter than what we're dealing with on our monitors & laptop screens, as most newspapers are still printed on toilet paper. Or so I've been told... -CG.