Meter Mania

madNbad · Apr 16, 2023

I love light meters! Using them, trying different ones and the ever exciting process of getting them to, somewhat, match. Incidents are my favorite and have owned a number of Sekonic Studio Deluxe's. I had gone through a run of meters prior to 2019, sold most of them and settled on a Sekonic 308X, my ever present Gossen Pilot and a phone app (myLightmeter Pro). Then Reveni introduced the cube. I bought an original Kickstarter version from a member on another forum. I also bought an updated version and a whole bunch of batteries. Stuck with the Reveni's for quite a while but they tended to die just at the time I needed it. The Reveni's went to a local shop to be sold and then I was convinced the L398A was the one. It was until the particular one I owned would allow the ISO setting to drift. Not much but enough to be annoying. On the suggestions from members of this forum, I bought a Gossen Digisix. Great little meter, convenient size and really accurate but as with the Studio Deluxe it offers an all your choices at once analog calculator. Easy enough to find the setting your looking for but I wanted the bigger digital readout of the 308. Bottom line is, I've wrapped right around to where I started. Sold the Studio Deluxe, gave the Gossen to a young person with a Spotmatic that had a dead meter, put a silicone cover on the L308 and things seem right.
Until something else catches my eye...

Sirius Glass · Apr 16, 2023

Besides the meters in the Nikon N75, F80, F100, Hasselblad 45° PME and the Nikonos V, I have tried the Gossen Luna Pro SBC which I liked for the ability to use the Zone System and it low light level abilities. But I was unhappy with the10°/5° spot adapter and sold it off for the Pentax Digital Light Meter which work well with the Zone System adjustments for shadow details. For all around reflectance light meter with EV reads as well as incident light readings, shutter speed and f/stops I have the Sekonic L308-S. It also have the ability to do flash readings that I have never tired. I usually use the built in meters and I use the Sekonic for the Hasselblad 903 SWC which has no light meter and when I need an incident meter. The Spot Meter is almost exclusively for Zone System metering of shadows, but it has been used in a few other situations.

madNbad · Apr 16, 2023

It's also part of my quest for less equipment. Currently, I have a M4 and a M4-2, five M mount lenses and a Sony A7II for scanning. Over the years I would sell stuff off, buy what was to be the perfect piece and end up with another pile of stuff. Every time when I would say I was done, my wife would just laugh.

Paul Howell · Apr 16, 2023

I have maybe 20 or meters, most are vintage, lots of Weston's, I like the Master V and IV, no batteries I have a IV with the inveracone that works really well in most conditions. I also have a Ranger 9, very good narrow angle meter, about 30%, works with hearing aid batteries. For low light Gossen Luna-Lux sbc, mine was modified by Zone VI studies with a zone system dial, which I pay little attention to, not very useful for zone, don't understand why anyone would use a meter other than a spot meter. I have a Soligar spot, big heavy, but accurate, I do use when I shoot LF zone. Still other times I use a DSLR in matrix meter mode, not only gives me a good read out but a record shot of how the scene was lite. My Pentax K2000 with 35 to 80 zoom is not much bigger than my Soligar. I have been looking at either a pentax or Minolta zoom, have not pulled the trigger.

Alan9940 · Apr 16, 2023

I've used a Zone VI modified Pentax Digital Spot meter for about 40 years and it's still going strong. Several years ago I bought a Sekonic L558 because it makes it super convenient to shoot film and glass plates together. I set ISO 1 to the EI of the film I'm using and ISO 2 for the glass plates. Then, when shooting a plate, I meter the scene as if its film and then press the ISO 2 button. Simple and keeps me from making mistakes!

Steven Lee · Apr 16, 2023

Alan9940 said:
I've used a Zone VI modified Pentax Digital Spot meter for about 40 years

I've been considering getting one. Love the simplicity of it. One thing I don't understand is your "Zone modified" comment. People say this often about this meter, but I fail to understand what does it mean? It's a simple EV scale... ready to be used with the zone system. What is there to modify?

BrianShaw · Apr 16, 2023

Steven Lee said:
I've been considering getting one. Love the simplicity of it. One thing I don't understand is your "Zone modified" comment. People say this often about this meter, but I fail to understand what does it mean? It's a simple EV scale... ready to be used with the zone system. What is there to modify?

Modification by a company named Zone VI Studios, filtration mostly.

Spot Meter by Zone VI

I ran across a super nice Pentax Digital Spotmeter with case and manual. What was puzzling was there was a letter shown with it from Zone VI Studios and that they had modified the meter? Apparently the original owner had purchased it from them. Any ideas if this means Zone V won't be Zone V?

www.photrio.com

madNbad · Apr 16, 2023

Paul Howell said:
I have maybe 20 or meters, most are vintage, lots of Weston's, I like the Master V and IV, no batteries I have a IV with the inveracone that works really well in most conditions. I also have a Ranger 9, very good narrow angle meter, about 30%, works with hearing aid batteries. For low light Gossen Luna-Lux sbc, mine was modified by Zone VI studies with a zone system dial, which I pay little attention to, not very useful for zone, don't understand why anyone would use a meter other than a spot meter. I have a Soligar spot, big heavy, but accurate, I do use when I shoot LF zone. Still other times I use a DSLR in matrix meter mode, not only gives me a good read out but a record shot of how the scene was lite. My Pentax K2000 with 35 to 80 zoom is not much bigger than my Soligar. I have been looking at either a pentax or Minolta zoom, have not pulled the trigger.

When I was lugging around the equipment for large format, a spot meter made sense. In fact over time I have owned two different Pentax analog and a Pentax digital spot meters. Using a 35mm rangefinder camera, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to carry around a meter that is as large as the camera. In many ways, the Digisix was actually a better size match for the cameras I’m using but have used a 308 for most of the last decade and am comfortable with operating it. Plus the newest version has a backlit screen in low EV. Changing the ISO is easier, too.

Sirius Glass · Apr 16, 2023

BrianShaw said:
Modification by a company named Zone VI Studios, filtration mostly.

Spot Meter by Zone VI

I ran across a super nice Pentax Digital Spotmeter with case and manual. What was puzzling was there was a letter shown with it from Zone VI Studios and that they had modified the meter? Apparently the original owner had purchased it from them. Any ideas if this means Zone V won't be Zone V?

www.photrio.com

When I was looking to buy a spot meter, I was advised that places like Quality Light Metric, now out of business, and other highly regarded light meter repair and calibration facilities would not work on any light meter modified by Zone VI Studios. My advice also based on talking to many Hollywood movie industries related repair places catigorically warn against buying Zone VI Studio's products.

Paul Howell · Apr 16, 2023

The change that made to my Gossan was a different dial, the internals and case are the same. have no idea why a tech would not calibrate a meter with a different. The Weston Ranger 9 had an alternative zone dial made by the Braille Institute of New York that could be changed by the user.

GregY · Apr 16, 2023

Sirius Glass said:
When I was looking to buy a spot meter, I was advised that places like Quality Light Metric, now out of business, and other highly regarded light meter repair and calibration facilities would not work on any light meter modified by Zone VI Studios. My advice also based on talking to many Hollywood movie industries related repair places catigorically warn against buying Zone VI Studio's products.

I'm pretty sure Richard Ritter will work on them

GregY · Apr 16, 2023

I use a 1° Pentax Digital Meter. It's been incredibly reliable over the years. When i'm going light, or as a back up i've got a Digisix.

madNbad · Apr 16, 2023

Hey! I made a spot meter thread! If spot meters are so accurate, they can find the proper thread!

Sirius Glass · Apr 16, 2023

madNbad said:
Hey! I made a spot meter thread! If spot meters are so accurate, they can find the proper thread!

Spot meters are so good at what they do, the owners cannot stop themselves from posting.

madNbad · Apr 16, 2023

Sirius Glass said:
Spot meters are so good at what they do, the owners cannot stop themselves from posting.

That’s because they’re in the “Zone”.

Alan9940 · Apr 17, 2023

Steven Lee said:
I've been considering getting one. Love the simplicity of it. One thing I don't understand is your "Zone modified" comment. People say this often about this meter, but I fail to understand what does it mean? It's a simple EV scale... ready to be used with the zone system. What is there to modify?

Sorry, for as long as I can remember I've referred to Zone VI Studios as simply Zone VI. Anyway, modified meters had some filtration and, maybe, some other stuff to provide a more linear response to colors and, according to Fred, to better match the response curve of Tri-X; Fred's favorite film.

mshchem · Apr 17, 2023

I've used Minolta Auto meter IV F meters for decades. Mostly incident mode, sometimes use some of the gadgets. Shooting primarily medium format it's easier for me to use a bit of split grade printing rather than a real zone system approach.

I've had amazing spotmeters over the years, the one I kept that I like is the Minolta Spotmeter F. It's big, but most spotmeters are.

I have a couple of the little Gossen meters such a joy to use.

Philippe-Georges · Apr 17, 2023

Does somebody has experience with the Gossen Spot-Master?

snusmumriken · Apr 17, 2023

I bought myself a Metrastar recently for £10. It appeared to have been kept in a boarding home for cats, so I doubled its value by cleaning it inside and out, and adding an MR-9 battery converter.

It’s heavy, but I really like it. Far easier to read than the Gossen Digisix I had before. I love the little window that lets you see what you are pointing it at for reflective readings. Readings match those suggested by my camera, so I’m happy.

BrianShaw · Apr 17, 2023

madNbad said:
Hey! I made a spot meter thread! If spot meters are so accurate, they can find the proper thread!

Spot meters may not really be more accurate; they just measure smaller areas. So, perhaps, that makes spot meter users small minded. LOL

aparat · Apr 17, 2023

GregY said:
I use a 1° Pentax Digital Meter. It's been incredibly reliable over the years. When i'm going light, or as a back up i've got a Digisix.

That sounds exactly like what I do, except I use a Minolta Spot Meter F and the Digisix.

I used to convert the Gossen Luna Pro for use with modern batteries and had a few of them at one time. Now, I just use the Digisix most of the time. I find it to be superb. I wish it had an off switch because sometimes the buttons get accidentally pushed when the meter is in my pocket or bag. An off switch would prevent that from happening. Otherwise, it's a perfect meter for my needs.

GregY · Apr 17, 2023

aparat said:
That sounds exactly like what I do, except I use a Minolta Spot Meter F and the Digisix.

I used to convert the Gossen Luna Pro for use with modern batteries and had a few of them at one time. Now, I just use the Digisix most of the time. I find it to be superb. I wish it had an off switch because sometimes the buttons get accidentally pushed when the meter is in my pocket or bag. An off switch would prevent that from happening. Otherwise, it's a perfect meter for my needs.

I agree.... so when i'm not using i remove the battery...& i'm very careful how i put it in the bag when i am using it & i carry an extra battery. At first i found it frustrating, but there's no other choice that's as light and accurate.... so i live with it.

Chan Tran · Apr 17, 2023

madNbad said:
Hey! I made a spot meter thread! If spot meters are so accurate, they can find the proper thread!

Oh I thought your thread is about light meters. Besides none mention light meters just exposure meters. Light meter should have readout in Lux for Illuminance meter and Cd/m² for luminance meter.

Sirius Glass · Apr 17, 2023

madNbad said:
That’s because they’re in the “Zone”.

Zonestas

Sirius Glass · Apr 17, 2023

Alan9940 said:
Sorry, for as long as I can remember I've referred to Zone VI Studios as simply Zone VI. Anyway, modified meters had some filtration and, maybe, some other stuff to provide a more linear response to colors and, according to Fred, to better match the response curve of Tri-X; Fred's favorite film.

My understanding is that all Zone VI Studio meters were modified meters from other meter companies. The reason most calibration companies will not touch them is that they are not set up with sources set to his spectral set ups.

Meter Mania

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