A metal vapor 12 passing through a guide duct 13 from a vapor source 10 to a steel strip 1 is sampled through a takeoff pipe 14 to a measuring chamber 15. The metal vapor is irradiated with a measuring beam 20 in the chamber 15, to detect the absorbance of luminous energy in the metal vapor. The detected value of absorbance is used for the quantitative calculation of the metal vapor 12 passing through the guide duct 13, and the opening ratio of a shutter 17 provided in the guide duct 13 is adjusted on the basis of the calculation result so as to control the flow amount of the metal vapor 12 passing through the guide duct 13. In the case where a large amount of the metal vapor 12 passes through the guide duct 13, the amount of the metal vapor 12 reaching the measuring beam 20 is reduced by partially discharging the metal vapor 12 from the measuring chamber 15. Since the deposition amount of a plating metal is directly controlled in response to the amount of the metal vapor 2 passing through the guide duct 13, the amount of a deposited plating layer is controlled with high accuracy and with a quick response time in a continuous vapor deposition coating line.