Gossen Luna-Pro

[nightbringer]

Having recently picked up the above-mentioned meter to use for landscapes (something my Minolta IVF doesn't do well ... or it might be my mediocre metering technique) and as a back-up meter, I got a pair of Duracell 625 batteries to put in it, but they are 1.5V instead of the 1.35 that the Gossen is set for.

So therefore, comparing the meter with some of my others, and in-camera meters, I find that it's usually at least 1 to 1-2/3 stops off from the other meters, which meter accurately. Is there a way to recalibrate the Gossen or otherwise get it to play nice with the 1.5V batteries without having to open it up and doing some soldering or sending it off?

 

[bsdunek]

I have a Gossen Luna-Tec, which is the previous model. I use either Wein Cells or hearing aid cells with an adapter. The hearing aid cells can be bought at any drug store, are reasonable priced, and seem to last as long as the Wein Cells. Use an adapter from Jon Goodman. jon_goodman@yahoo.com

 

[Moopheus]

At least a few years ago, there was a guy in the Netherlands selling adapters--basically he was carving the shells of old batteries, soldering in a resistor, and leaving space for the new battery inside. I bought a couple for my Nikon. If I remember when I get home, I'll see if I can find his info.

This is why, when I bought my own Luna Pro, I went with the Luna Pro F, even though I didn't really need the flash meter. Takes a regular 9v battery.

 

[Lee L]

At least a few years ago, there was a guy in the Netherlands selling adapters--basically he was carving the shells of old batteries, soldering in a resistor, and leaving space for the new battery inside.

This is why, when I bought my own Luna Pro, I went with the Luna Pro F, even though I didn't really need the flash meter. Takes a regular 9v battery.

More likely a diode rather than a resistor. And some models of the Luna Pro SBC (no flash metering) also take the standard rectangular 9V battery.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

I have a Gossen Luna-Tec, which is the previous model. I use either Wein Cells or hearing aid cells with an adapter. The hearing aid cells can be bought at any drug store, are reasonable priced, and seem to last as long as the Wein Cells. Use an adapter from Jon Goodman. jon_goodman@yahoo.com

LunaTec?? I've never heard of that one. I have a LunaSix, LunaSix - 3 and LunaPro. Also had the LunaLux, an LED nullmeter which uses a 9v battery, and the LunaPro F also 9v. I wish I had kept the Lunalux.
The hearing aid cells will last longer if you block off two of the four airholes. The adapter to usr the hearing aid cells pays for itself in savings over the Wein cells.

 

[BrianShaw]

I use a LunaPro on a regular basis. There are several options for voltage reduction (diode, Wein cell, adapaters). I just bought the Gossen adapter and find that the results are very acceptable... meaning "proper". The Gossen option isn't the cheapest in terms of initial investment but it is very effective and appears to last forever.

 

[nightbringer]

I use a LunaPro on a regular basis. There are several options for voltage reduction (diode, Wein cell, adapaters). I just bought the Gossen adapter and find that the results are very acceptable... meaning "proper". The Gossen option isn't the cheapest in terms of initial investment but it is very effective and appears to last forever.

The $45USD one from B&H?

 

[Nick Merritt]

Just adjust the film speed to overexpose by one stop. So for 400 speed film, set the meter to 200.

 

[BrianShaw]

The $45USD one from B&H?

Yes, that's the one.

 

[sandermarijn]

At least a few years ago, there was a guy in the Netherlands selling adapters--basically he was carving the shells of old batteries, soldering in a resistor, and leaving space for the new battery inside. I bought a couple for my Nikon. If I remember when I get home, I'll see if I can find his info.

That's Frans de Gruijter. His tutorial contains a *lot* of useful technical information, almost a must read: http://www.buhla.de/Foto/batt-adapt-US.pdf

You can email him at battery.adapter@orange.nl to check if he's still in business- it's been a long time since I ordered from him.

 

[dehk]

Just go to walgreens and get a pack of 625 Zinc air, they were buy 1 get free last week.
And you will need 2 twistie/bread ties, and make 2 circles.
Put the bread ties around the outside and put the 625 inside. done.

 

[MattKing]

"Luna Pro SBC" is the name used to market that meter in the USA. In the rest of the world, including Canada, it was known as the Profisix.

I have both the adapters that use the silver oxide cells (with diode) which are more expensive, but give long battery life and Jon Goodman's hearing aid battery adapters. Both types work really well.

If, like me, you like to buy and use a variety of old cameras, expect to require a few .

 

[Wade D]

Good info about the various adapters and batteries. I just bought a Gossen Super Pilot cheaply. I believe it uses the same battery.
Would those same methods work for a Minolta SRT? I've been using my 101b's and 201 without a battery. It would be great to have a working meter in camera as well as the separate hand held meter.
Perhaps the Gossen will be more accurate than the SRT's would be.

 

[MattKing]

The adapters work in any camera or meter I have tried that were designed for the 625 battery.

Some of the home-made solutions need to be tweaked a bit, because some equipment makes contact with the batteries at different locations on the batteries, so the physical configuration matters.

 

[nightbringer]

Good info about the various adapters and batteries. I just bought a Gossen Super Pilot cheaply. I believe it uses the same battery.
Would those same methods work for a Minolta SRT? I've been using my 101b's and 201 without a battery. It would be great to have a working meter in camera as well as the separate hand held meter.
Perhaps the Gossen will be more accurate than the SRT's would be.

I'm not sure how much help this would be, but I once fired up an old Minolta X300 and had to put in new batteries to get it working - I think it was those same kind of batteries, the meter was working fine (although I may be wrong as I was only starting out in photography at the time).

 

[Chan Tran]

Having recently picked up the above-mentioned meter to use for landscapes (something my Minolta IVF doesn't do well ... or it might be my mediocre metering technique) and as a back-up meter, I got a pair of Duracell 625 batteries to put in it, but they are 1.5V instead of the 1.35 that the Gossen is set for.

So therefore, comparing the meter with some of my others, and in-camera meters, I find that it's usually at least 1 to 1-2/3 stops off from the other meters, which meter accurately. Is there a way to recalibrate the Gossen or otherwise get it to play nice with the 1.5V batteries without having to open it up and doing some soldering or sending it off?

I wonder what makes you think the Luna Pro would make it better for landscape than the Minolta IVF?

 

[wiltw]

This is an adapter solution for any device that once took the PX625 mercuric oxide cell (and a number of other form factor adapter solutions)...

Dead Link Removed

http://www.smallbattery.company.org.uk/sbc_mr9_adapter.htm for anyone in the UK

 

[nightbringer]

I wonder what makes you think the Luna Pro would make it better for landscape than the Minolta IVF?

My IVF only has the incident-metering attachment (the big white dome), and after trying to use it to do some landscapes (metering for the sky), I ended up with overexposed slides. It's great for portraits, not quite so for landscapes.

I'd also read that the Gossen series of lightmeters is also quite good - and I love the old style with the needle and the decoder rings

 

[Chan Tran]

My IVF only has the incident-metering attachment (the big white dome), and after trying to use it to do some landscapes (metering for the sky), I ended up with overexposed slides. It's great for portraits, not quite so for landscapes.

I'd also read that the Gossen series of lightmeters is also quite good - and I love the old style with the needle and the decoder rings

you can always remove the dome and attach the one with the hole in it for a 40 degree reflection measurement. There are also attachment to make it a 10 or 5 degree spot meter. The minolta IVF is a much superior meter than the luna pro in my opinion.

 

[Wade D]

I received my Super Pilot today. Meter and case are like new. It specifies a PX13 battery and with a little research found it to be the same as the 625. Lots of info out there:
http://www.smallbattery.company.org.uk/sbc_px625.htm
http://silverbased.org/zinc-mercury-replacement/
www.butkus.org/chinon/batt-adapt-us.pdf

 

[benjiboy]

"Luna Pro SBC" is the name used to market that meter in the USA. In the rest of the world, including Canada, it was known as the Profisix.

I have both the adapters that use the silver oxide cells (with diode) which are more expensive, but give long battery life and Jon Goodman's hearing aid battery adapters. Both types work really well.

If, like me, you like to buy and use a variety of old cameras, expect to require a few .

My Gossen Profisix ( Luna pro S.B.C ) uses a PP3 9 volt square battery.

 

[Old-N-Feeble]

The battery issue is partly why I bought a Luna-Pro SBC / Profisix instead. Years ago I owned a Luna-Pro and it was an excellent meter but, as with any electronic device, the "consumable" issues must be addressed because the life of the device is directly linked to the life of those consumables.

 

[benjiboy]

The battery issue is partly why I bought a Luna-Pro SBC / Profisix instead. Years ago I owned a Luna-Pro and it was an excellent meter but, as with any electronic device, the "consumable" issues must be addressed because the life of the device is directly linked to the life of those consumables.

My Profisix is in honorable retirement with my Western Euro master in favor of the current digital light-meters which I prefer.