Minolta spot meter

[michael9793]

I have just purchased this light meter and have a little problem trying to work the zone system with it. I dug out a old zone system wheel I have and translate with it but, it is much slower to use than my other spot meter.

Is there a way to get they light meter to work with the zone system with out major charts and thought pattern.

mike a

 

[RobC]

if you press the clr button first, then meter off a zone III value and then press the A button once and then press the metering trigger and hold pressed as you scan the rest of the subject, it will tell you how many stops difference from your first reading. That should tell you where its gonna be if you can add 5 to 3 for example.

I'm assuming its the same as my spot meter F. I think it is but without the flash meter option.

 

[RobC]

I should add that I use my meter in Fno mode. After taking a reading I press up or down arrows until my chosen fstop appears and that gives you the time to use at that Fstop. Adjust time by how ever many stops you need to place on your required zone.

 

[michael9793]

Rob,
so how i get what you are saying is: take your reading for zone III then hit the A, then read your highlights. the f/stops show the first reading and the last reading on the f/stop bar at the top. (one zone III and the other whatever highlight zone it falls on) then move the scale to where you get a zone V with the f/stop you want. Example: first reading was 2.8 (zone III) hit the A button and read the highlight which was 16.5 which is on the scale on the top of the screen(counting was 5 stop difference). now I want zone V which will be f/5.6 (2 stops up from 2.8) to be f/16. so I move the arrow down till zone III is f/8 which is f/16 for zone V and read the exposure which is 8s.
does this sound right to you?.

mike

 

[RobC]

The first reading of your zone III value will place that zone III on a zone V so you have to close down two stops from that first reading to place it on zone III.

Pressing the A after taking your first reading and then taking another reading gives you a second reading where ever it is and yes, the bar shows the high and low readings. But when taking the second reading, if you hold the trigger down whilst looking through the finder and scanning the subject, you can see the brightness difference from your first reading being displayed in stops as you scan the subject. So if on your second reading you point at a zone VIII and hold trigger down and you see 7.0 in the viewfinder, then you know that would put your required zone VIII on zone X, ( 3 + 7 = 10) so you immediately know you want N-2 dev.

Because you set the time on the meter and the reading gives you zone V fstop for that time, to convert to time for required fstop, you press up or down arrows to show required fstop and adjust time for required zone. At least thats how I do it.

So to recap, the first reading gives a zone V exposure for what ever you point it at and you adjust from that by however many stops required to place on required zone. So if you meter a zone IV then you close down 1 stop from the reading or if you meter a zone VI then you open up one stop from the reading.
The A button is useful for giving you your subject brightness difference from the first reading and gives you your N or N+ or N- dev by telling you how much under or over from where you expect your second reading to be.

The up and down arrows allow you to see the time required without working it out yourself. After first or second reading, you just use arrows to set your required fstop and that shows you the time to place the FIRST reading on a zone V. If you metered a zone III then you would reduce exposure time by 2 stops from the displayed time.

I hope that makes sense. The important thing is that the first reading gives the required exposure before adjusting to place it on the required zone.

 

[RobC]

I reread your post and I think it is right. Personally, I never or very rarely look at the scale bar but the way you are doing it seems to be right. Having a little play with the meter should make it all become clear.

I would say that life would be a little simpler for zone system workers if the meter gave the time for the fstop you set instead of giving the fstop for the time you set. I think its the way it is for the benefit of flash photographers, especially on mine which is the flash meter version. But it still works darn well and is extremely easy to use once you get the hang of it.

 

[RobC]

Rob,
so how i get what you are saying is: take your reading for zone III then hit the A, then read your highlights. the f/stops show the first reading and the last reading on the f/stop bar at the top. (one zone III and the other whatever highlight zone it falls on) then move the scale to where you get a zone V with the f/stop you want. Example: first reading was 2.8 (zone III) hit the A button and read the highlight which was 16.5 which is on the scale on the top of the screen(counting was 5 stop difference). now I want zone V which will be f/5.6 (2 stops up from 2.8) to be f/16. so I move the arrow down till zone III is f/8 which is f/16 for zone V and read the exposure which is 8s.
does this sound right to you?.

mike

Yes if your original first reading was f2.8 for 1 second.

 

[michael9793]

your right I need to play with in over and over again and this should make it very easy for me. I like it when I am not htinking about it but just going through the motions to get what I want. I prefer to be thinking of the light than measuring it.

 

[RobC]

There's a manual for it here:

http://www.cameramanuals.org/flashes_meters/minolta_spotmeter_m.pdf

I would add to previous posts that the up and down arrows are just showing equivalent values to the original reading. They are not actually changing the overall exposure. So, for example, they are just telling you that, F2.8 for 1 second is the same as F5.6 for 4 seconds. I guess you have already realised that, but just in case.