In praise of old light meters

BobD · Nov 19, 2020

I recently bought this old Gossen Pilot selenium meter for $10. Today I checked its readings against a Nikon DSLR and the two read exactly the same.

I also checked it in incident mode against a Sekonic digital meter and ... ditto.

Alan Edward Klein · Nov 19, 2020

Ah. But can the meter take a picture?

R.Gould · Nov 19, 2020

Yes, I use Weston's bought a master 4 the other week, checked against one of my Dynax's spot on, checked against my Sekonic that In use for incident metering, spot on

madNbad · Nov 19, 2020

Here's my Pilot. My older brother bought it new in 1965. In all the years of buying and selling equipment it has been the one constant. The readings still match the Sekonic 308.

Tel · Nov 19, 2020

I've got a Pilot and a Pilot 2 that I've used for more than a decade. Except that the diffuser curtain on the Pilot got brittle and cracked, they both work perfectly. (I can still use the Pilot, but closing the curtain takes a little extra time.) They're handy because they're small and can be operated one-handed. I use mine for street work mostly.

bdial · Nov 19, 2020

The Pilots are little jewels. Mine has a bit of history, it got loaned to a friend, and not returned, I then bought 3 or 4 that failed. Some time later the friend died, his estate donated it along with the rest of his gear it to a non-profit gallery we were both members of, and I bought it back during one of their fund-raising sales. It's still working, but no more loaning it out.

Michel Hardy-Vallée · Nov 19, 2020

My Weston III had to be repaired by QLM, but now that it's working, it's as reliable as the others I have. I'm especially fond of its design and user interface, to me they are half of the fun of using it.

ic-racer · Nov 19, 2020

Very nice. I bought one of those at my local shop and was very excited about its small size and nice build. Luna Pro is way too big for me. However, the Pilot's readings were off. I took it apart and there was some corrosion on half of the cell. I searched to no avail for a new cell. Good thing is the shop took it back. Some day I'd like to get another that works correctly.

foc · Nov 20, 2020

This is my trusted "light" meter.

BobD · Nov 20, 2020

Gossen made a number of "Pilot" models: the original, then the Pilot 2, then the Super Pilot CDS, and lastly (I think) the Super Pilot SBC. The original Pilot was also sold as the "Sixtino"

They also made several "Scout" models with similar specs to the Pilots but not as rugged and were priced lower.

Kino · Nov 20, 2020

foc said:
This is my trusted "light" meter.
View attachment 259840

It's a bit heavier than my Luna Pro, but at least it doesn't need batteries...

Bill Burk · Nov 20, 2020

A Weston Master II fell out of my cargo pants pocket the other day. Dead as a doorstop. Got another one on the way to replace it for ten bucks.

Don’t even really need it but had a nice Zone Sticker on it, and I plan to switch the front out when I get it.

Tel · Nov 20, 2020

foc said:
This is my trusted "light" meter.
View attachment 259840

Powered by a solar cell?

foc · Nov 21, 2020

Tel said:
Powered by a solar cell?

No selenium cell in sight and not very "lite".

More reliable and it works in all weathers, especially the cold, is the Leningrad 4.

Craig75 · Nov 21, 2020

flavio81 · Nov 21, 2020

Alan Edward Klein said:
Ah. But can the meter take a picture?

Checkmate, Gossen Pilot!!

foc · Nov 21, 2020

Craig75 said:

Brilliant.

ProgramPlus · Nov 26, 2020

Picked up a Gossen Scout 2 for $5 at a photography show. Seems very accurate in good light but very insensitive in low light.

Down Under · Nov 26, 2020

My Westons - a III from ca 1954 and two Vs from the 1960s - still work well but read accurately only in bright light - anything approaching cloudy means calculations requiring at least a small computer and as I failed maths even in high school they are useless to me.

My Gossens - I own six or seven dating from an original Lunasix III i bought new in 1965 and still use - are much more accurate.

Meter technology evolved wonderfully in the decade between 1950 and 1960. I have yet to buy a digital meter but if I ever do, it will be another Gossen.

An old photographer in my home town in the '50s had a Hurter and Driffield wood slider Actinographs - I recall him using it at outdoor sports shoots in 1956 or 1957 and as I acquired more photo knowledge in the 1960s I did wonder how he worked out his film speeds on that ancient thing, but his B&W prints were always superbly made and had beautiful contrast. I have portraits taken of our family in 1956 or so and the mid tones are exquisite.

Obviously back then it wasn't so much about the meters or metering but how you worked out your exposure according to the light. Old wisdom...

AgX · Nov 26, 2020

ProgramPlus said:
Picked up a Gossen Scout 2 for $5 at a photography show. Seems very accurate in good light but very insensitive in low light.

What do you mean by that?

-) a rather high metering threshold (from which on one can read?
(This is typical for selenium meters. Moreover, the smaller the window, the higher the threshold. For your model it should be at EV 5 or 6 @100ASA.)

-) meters incorrect at low EV's as 6, 7 or 8

AgX · Nov 26, 2020

Concerning the threshold:
Most meters got the threshold indicated next to the calibrating mark. There are meters thoughh that only got the calibration mark, hee I would start reading not earlier than 1 stop off the calibrating point.

ProgramPlus · Nov 26, 2020

AgX said:
What do you mean by that?

-) a rather high metering threshold (from which on one can read?
(This is typical for selenium meters. Moreover, the smaller the window, the higher the threshold. For your model it should be at EV 5 or 6 @100ASA.)

-) meters incorrect at low EV's as 6, 7 or 8

Using the meter in the house, not near a window, the needle barely registers any reading.

Sirius Glass · Nov 26, 2020

ProgramPlus said:
Using the meter in the house, not near a window, the needle barely registers any reading.

You need a more sensitive meter for indoor readings.

Bill Burk · Nov 26, 2020

Bill Burk said:
A Weston Master II fell out of my cargo pants pocket the other day. Dead as a doorstop. Got another one on the way to replace it for ten bucks.

Don’t even really need it but had a nice Zone Sticker on it, and I plan to switch the front out when I get it.

New one is working fine. Passes sanity check against the L758DR. I enjoy when light is a little below 50 and it says a little below 50 on both high and low scales.

Dali · Nov 26, 2020

My 45 year old Sixtino 2 works perfectly. I also use a Sekonic L-6, slightly less convenient but also spot on.

In praise of old light meters

Membership Council

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency