TTArtisan’s Updated Light Meter II Improves on the First-Gen Design
TTArtisan has announced the Light Meter II, a second-generation attempt at its shoe-mount meter that improves on the original that was released in 2021.
The original TTArtisan Light Meter could work on any film camera system, but the company specifically marketed it for use with Leica cameras, which makes sense given its design. Simple in design, the light meter mounted to the shoe of any camera and was operated via three dials: one shutter speed and the other for aperture, while a third was built into the aperture dial to control ISO.
While the original was a relatively cheap $56, it wasn’t perfect. TTArtisan’s second attempt changes a few things about the first generation that should improve the experience.
For one, it slims down by five millimeters, reducing the real estate the light meter takes up towards the lens. It does, however, get one millimeter taller to compensate, which most photographers will probably not notice. The overall size reduction has also resulted in the light meter losing one gram of weight, down to 34 grams total.
From a usability perspective, the second generation version of the light meter has two upgrades. First, the dials have been changed to a clickable design compared to the de-clicked operation of the previous model. Second, the shutter speed dial has been dramatically increased from the 12 stops in the original to now a total of 23 stops, giving photographers considerably more capability to fine tune adjustments.
The replaceable battery that TTArtisan has chosen to use with the light meter has also changed. The previous version used the CR2032 3-volt battery while the new one uses the CR1632 3-volt battery. Both are widely available online or at hardware and drug stores in the United States, so the change should not notably affect the light meter’s usability.
TTArtisan says that it also upgraded the lens on the light-sensing module and claims this new version is capable of better gathering light for a more accurate reading.
Of note, as mentioned the previous version was heavily marketed towards Leica photographers, but TTArtisan has changed its tune slightly for this second generation meter. Instead, now the company simply says that it is designed to work with “old-school cameras” to add a “touch of elegance to your setup.”
The new TTArtisan Light Meter II is slightly more expensive than its predecessor at $62 and is available in black or silver on Amazon and Pergear.
Image credits: TTArtisan
