Colorstar 3000 Spotmetering with naked sensor

Hello,

I've acquired a Colorstar 3000 analyser with b/w sensor (the 301).
It has the 54mm diffuser cap, not the 10mm spotmetering cap.
The producer is out of business.

My question to anyone using the Colorstar (or similar) for B/W work

Would it be much of a problem using it without a cap at all for spot-metering ?
Common sense hints two possible problems:
-without a cap light from the side could influence the metering
- the naked cell is vulnerable (dust,etc;..)

What do expert users of this device have to say ?

Options for 3000 use

You lucky dog - how I wished mine had the b7w sensor. The colur one works ok though, as long as all the filters are pulled. Pyro negs need an adjustment that can be found experimentally to deal with the green cast they have.

I have both the 10mm and diffuser covers for the probe. But when I want a spot reading I pull whatever cover I am using. I have a channel dedicated to this and use the cell 'naked'. I don't leave it that way - dust et al.

Lici has morphed into Spectrostar, I believe. I thiught that they had a back room of old parts available for the colorstars, although I have never had to try to buy any.

From 'fotohuis' on the archives in mid 06:
LiCi has gone over to Spectrostar B.V. and this company has been involved with Advantes:
http://www.avantes.nl/

That's the new website and in Eerbeek it seems to be possible to get some information about the coloranalyzer products. In case there are people who need some support for these analyzers.

Best regards from the Netherlands,
Robert

Without the smaller one you aren't spot metering. I'm trying to remember but at some point they went from I think 4mm to 6mm. Or was it the other way? The bigger spot was better in low light.

I can't imagine it being dangerous to the unit. Mine are in a box at the moment but the add on pieces aren't intended for protection.

I want to say you shouldn't use it without something [diffuser or other] not for safety but the way it's intended. All I can remember is something about the angle of the light hitting the sensor being wrong. I guess if you program and are used to doing it way it'll be fine but I really want to say it's not the factory method.

It is a piece of rounded pvc foil with a hole in the middle of Ø4 mm and an other one with Ø6mm.

Thanks for your replies. I understand from it all that it's not ideal but workeable to use it with a bare cell, I guess "ceteris paribus" the calibration remains valid.
I also take from your kind replies to check for dust and to treat the unit with due care.