Asahi Pentax Spotmeter: broken?

I suspect my question could be answered with more searching, but so far no luck.

I picked up a Pentax Spotmeter III (if my research is accurate) via eBay. Low-light metering via the L button seems to work, although I haven’t checked it for accuracy. The battery test passes.

However, if I’m reading the manual I found online correctly, for “normal” lighting conditions it should be showing me a reading all the time. Is that correct? Are there any potential easy fixes If metering only occurs with the L button depressed?

As far as I know, you must push the button (trigger) to get a reading; saves battery

It seems like your meter is working just fine. Compare it with another meter to confirm accuracy.

Doremus

Doremus Scudder said:

As far as I know, you must push the button (trigger) to get a reading; saves battery

It seems like your meter is working just fine. Compare it with another meter to confirm accuracy.

Doremus

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logan2z said:

Yup. You can download the manual for the meter here:

Pentax Spotmeter V instruction manual, user manual, PDF manual

Pentax Spotmatic V instruction manual

www.butkus.org

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That's for the Spotmeter V, I appear to have the III.


It has two separate scales, one for normal light conditions, one for low-light conditions. The button is marked with an "L" and per the manual at that link, it's only to be depressed when I need low light metering.

macintux said:

That's for the Spotmeter V, I appear to have the III.

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Yes, sorry, I provided a link to the V, not the III. I realized my mistake and deleted my response but I guess you were in the middle of quoting my reply when I deleted it.

macintux,

It does seem that the meter should give readings in "normal" light without pressing the low-light button. Make sure you are in a bright-enough environment. If the meter still won't read, there must be a problem. Maybe someone can chime in here with a good repair tech. Quality Light Metric is now gone, so I don't know of anyone else.

Doremus

My Pentax meter has two batteries, one for the low and one for the high. Maybe the battery for high, which is on all the time is dead.


Here is a link to an on line manual. https://www.butkus.org/chinon/pentax/spotmeter_iii/spotmeter_iii.pdf

I cannot get the mercury battery but I know the high range with a lithium battery reads about 1 stop low.