Kenko has discontinued the entire line of exposure meters that they make after the Konica Minolta

[Chan Tran]

I was going to buy one of the dome diffuser for my Minolta Meter and I contact Kenko and they said they have discontinued the entire line of meters.

 

[mshchem]

This is the end of a great family of meters.

 

[Sirius Glass]

That cuts off a valuable source of products and parts that cannot be replicated.

 

[xkaes]

I'm not familiar with the "Kenko" meters. Did they develop any new meters, or did they just re-badge Minolta meters?

As to accessories, these can still be found on the used market.

 

[Chan Tran]

I'm not familiar with the "Kenko" meters. Did they develop any new meters, or did they just re-badge Minolta meters?

As to accessories, these can still be found on the used market.

They introduced a new color meter the KCM-3100. Their old KFM-2100 was pretty much a rebadge KM Flashmeter VI but they have the newer with somewhat improved KFM-2200. They had also the KFM-1100 which is the rebadge of KM Autometer V.
On the used market it gets expensive. Kenko sells the dome for $25 but used one cost more than that. Besides I am weary of used one because they can be discolored and affect the reading.

 

[mshchem]

I have 40 year old Minolta meters that work perfectly. I've never known one to fail. Minolta meter IV, great flash meter too.

Kenko and others stiffest competition is from the inventory of perfectly functional used meters.

 

[Chan Tran]

I have 40 year old Minolta meters that work perfectly. I've never known one to fail. Minolta meter IV, great flash meter too.

Kenko and others stiffest competition is from the inventory of perfectly functional used meters.

Since KM exited the exposure business (they still sell light meters) company like Sekonic emphasis on adding computation capabilities of the meter rather than improve on the basic function of the meter like higher accuracy, higher resolution, more accurate spectral response etc..

 

[xkaes]

Kenko and others stiffest competition is from the inventory of perfectly functional used meters.

I've noticed that the prices get pretty high. That's what keeps me from upgrading my Autometer II and Flash Meter II -- but they do everything I need anyway, and the accessories are interchangeable.

 

[wiltw]

I've noticed that the prices get pretty high. That's what keeps me from upgrading my Autometer II and Flash Meter II -- but they do everything I need anyway, and the accessories are interchangeable.

There are some differences, like the reflected light disk of the Autometer IVf does not measure properly with the Autometer Vf (or the Kenko brand version of the same meter)

 

[xkaes]

Do you mean the black, flat, 40° disc?

 

[Chan Tran]

There are some differences, like the reflected light disk of the Autometer IVf does not measure properly with the Autometer Vf (or the Kenko brand version of the same meter)

3 stops off? I think Minolta meters newer than the Autometer II would need a different atachment to depress the switch to switch it over to reflected light mode. The older meter you switch manually.

 

[BrianShaw]

Sad news but not surprising.

 

[Chan Tran]

Sad news but not surprising.

So I have to save my money and buy a Konica Minolta. They still sell light meters just not exposure meters any more.

 

[wiltw]

3 stops off? I think Minolta meters newer than the Autometer II would need a different atachment to depress the switch to switch it over to reflected light mode. The older meter you switch manually.

The Autometer IVf has a pin which is pressed inward by the reflected disk, which causes the meter to shift its reading appropriately; I once had to send my Autometer IVf in to Minolta service when the pin stopped functioning reliably, causing erroenous values to be displayed if the reflected disk was present. If one pressed the pin in or let it out (no disk present), one could see the alteration to displayed exposure value
But the Autometer Vf has NO PIN, it has a plastic tab at a different position, and the Autometer IVf disk does not properly push down the plastic tab. The Autometer Vf has a different part number for the reflected disk (80038700) than the part number for the Autometer IVf meter's reflected disk.
I have tried to use the Autometer IVf reflected attachment on the Autometer Vf, and erroneous readings are the result. I have a 5 degree spot attachement also, and it works fine on both; it properly presses down the plastic tab.

 

[Chan Tran]

The Autometer IVf has a pin which is pressed inward by the reflected disk, which causes the meter to shift its reading appropriately; I once had to send my Autometer IVf in to Minolta service when the pin stopped functioning reliably, causing erroenous values to be displayed if the reflected disk was present. If one pressed the pin in or let it out (no disk present), one could see the alteration to displayed exposure value
But the Autometer Vf has NO PIN, it has a plastic tab at a different position, and the Autometer IVf disk does not properly push down the plastic tab. Th Autometer Vf has a different part number for the reflected disk (80038700) than the part number for the Autometer IVf meter's reflected disk.
I have tried to use the Autometer IVf reflected attachment on the Autometer Vf, and erroneous readings are the result; I have a 5 degree spot attachement also, and it works fine on both.

So correct me if I am wrong. The Vf has a switch too but it's not the pin. It has to be activated differently correct?

 

[Milpool]

So I have to save my money and buy a Konica Minolta. They still sell light meters just not exposure meters any more.

Exposure meters were cheap. Luminance meters etc. $$$$$$

 

[bfilm]

If the cost is okay for you, you can still buy a new Kenko KFM-1100 for USD 250 at B&H right now, for the time being.

 

[Sal Santamaura]

If the cost is okay for you, you can still buy a new Kenko KFM-1100 for USD 250 at B&H right now, for the time being.

Five available in stock at this moment. Don't know if B&H can get more when those are gone. Minimum reflective reading acceptance angle is five degrees.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

The Autometer IVf has a pin which is pressed inward by the reflected disk, which causes the meter to shift its reading appropriately; I once had to send my Autometer IVf in to Minolta service when the pin stopped functioning reliably, causing erroenous values to be displayed if the reflected disk was present. If one pressed the pin in or let it out (no disk present), one could see the alteration to displayed exposure value
But the Autometer Vf has NO PIN, it has a plastic tab at a different position, and the Autometer IVf disk does not properly push down the plastic tab. The Autometer Vf has a different part number for the reflected disk (80038700) than the part number for the Autometer IVf meter's reflected disk.
I have tried to use the Autometer IVf reflected attachment on the Autometer Vf, and erroneous readings are the result. I have a 5 degree spot attachement also, and it works fine on both; it properly presses down the plastic tab.

I have the Autometer IIIf with the 10 degree spot attachment. What's with this model?

 

[Chan Tran]

I sent an email to them and this is I got

Glenn Nash​	Tue, Jan 14, 10:29 AM (1 day ago)
to me

Unfortunately, that item has been discontinued, along with the entire line of meters.

Glenn Nash
Technical Service Representative
Kenko Tokina USA
800-421-1141 ext 221

 

[wiltw]

So correct me if I am wrong. The Vf has a switch too but it's not the pin. It has to be activated differently cofwas larger diameter it would properly push down the plastic tab.

So correct me if I am wrong. The Vf has a switch too but it's not the pin. It has to be activated differently correct?

As I had already stated, the Autometer Vf uses a plastic tab rather than the metal pin. If the Autometer IVf reflected light disk's knurled ring was simply a larger total diameter, it would properly depress the tab on the Autometer Vf and reflected light readings would be compensated.

 

[wiltw]

I sent an email to them and this is I got

Unfortunately, that item has been discontinued, along with the entire line of meters.

Glenn Nash
Technical Service Representative
Kenko Tokina USA
800-421-1141 ext 221

When Minolta was actively offering light meters, they were exceedingly the brand of choice back in the 1990's. But when Kenko bought the line, the Sekonic was the brand of choice in the 2000's and it seems the world did not know well enough that Kenko was merely the excellent Minolra meter rebranded...methinks it was poor marketing that reinforced a lack of buyer awareness of the brand and the meter excellence.

 

[ic-racer]

I was going to buy one of the dome diffuser for my Minolta Meter and I contact Kenko and they said they have discontinued the entire line of meters.

That is too bad. However, it seems more film users these days want a small, compact meter that clips on the camera, rather than a bulky hand-held meter.

 

[Chan Tran]

That is too bad. However, it seems more film users these days want a small, compact meter that clips on the camera, rather than a bulky hand-held meter.

Yeah! I don't care for clipped on meter. If the camera doesn't have the meter I either bring the regular meter or most often use it without the meter.

 

[benjiboy]

It definitely is sad news, but I am fortunate to have a Kenko KFM 2100 and both the reflected light and the contrast evaluating diffuser.
I love this meter, and would be lost without it, because so many of the major manufacturers "smart meters" these days are much more suited to digital photography than analogue. It's forerunner the Minolta Auto Meter V1 was designed before digital photography was a big deal,and since I only shoot film I find it's most suitable for my work. I have had mine about seven years and never go out shooting without it