Pro Photographers, do you prefer to use a hand held light meter or the one built in your camera?

While I use a handheld incident meter in when shooting in the studio for setting up lights and getting the lighting ratios just right and then exposing sheet film, I use the internal meter in my DSLR's and 35 mm SLR's for two reasons.

1) All zoom lenses "eat" some of the light as it goes though all the lens elements, so an external (hand held meter) will under expose to one level or another depending upon the lens.

2) I "grew up" using the "center weighted" meter, so I am very adept at nailing the exposure, every time using that meter in my cameras.

Depends on the situation. If you're shooting an event, people moving around light changing all the time it only makes sense to use the in camera light meter. But if it's a set lighting in a studio or a subject that's not moving you'll get better and more controlled results by spot metering.

That depends on the situation... if I'm shooting candid shots where I don't really have time to think and adjust then I'll set my camera to shutter speed priority and use the built in meter... when I'm shooting still lifes, portraiture, landscapes, in the studio, etc. then I'll use my hand held meter.

I usually use the built in camera meter because it's pretty good however, if I am using my strobes I use my hand held light meter.

Its better, (and more accurate) to use a hand held meter, if you are limited in time and money, the camera meter works well on good cameras.

It's better to use a hand held light meter because like that you have more accuracy to where you want you light coming from

If it is important or I am using chrome I will always use a hand held light meter. Mine is made by Sekonic.

built in