New spot meter

CMoore

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Huh........not sure what to think.
Pretty intriguing idea, i suppose.
I am, kind of, leery about "Kickstarter" projects.

He says the Sekonic is too complicated for his tastes. I have never used one, but i am sure he has a point.
But this mew meter seems quite a bit more complex than the "Tried and True" digital Pentax type spots that he likes.
Plus, this meter seems to be based on, or somehow catering to "His System" of metering.?

It might be a fantastic meter, if it gets made. The size certainly is great. Have no idea what it might cost.
Do you guys have any Opinions/Thoughts on this.?
Thank You

 

Wallendo

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Their original meter works well, although the buttons are very small and the device is plasticky. This device looks neat, and I will consider it, but I'm not sure how often I would use it, and may be better off with a traditional spot meter, which I likely wouldn't use very often anyway.
 

rick shaw

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It would be the only new modern small meter if you don't count the KEKS EM01 !?
 

Andrew O'Neill

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Read the Kickstarter. He wants to keep it primarily Canadian as far as sourcing parts. 70% is outsourced to foreign lands, mostly from China. I've been boycotting China, so not interested.
 

pentaxuser

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There has been some discussion on this on another site I use. There was even a question asked of the inventor on a YouTube video which was a review by a man called Todd Korol. Unfortunately the inventor has yet to answer it

What I think onlookers are having difficulty with is believing that using your other open eye which sees the whole scene the brain is able to superimpose the scene over the black viewing screen and you can then move the spot to whatever you have chosen in the scene as you metering spot.

On the one hand provided your brain in able to superimpose the scene for long enough to aim the spot and secure a reading then it should work fine. It almost seems too easy to be true but on the other hand none of the three reviewers seem to have any difficulty in doing what the inventor says you need to do.

I am naturally sceptic of anything new that seems to defy what I expect to be possible but I also need to keep an open mind. Unfortunately it will be some months away before anyone other than chosen reviewers are in possession of these meters so until then we won't know what the consensus is amongst users

pentaxuser
 

ChristopherCoy

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Dear God, this thing has infected every area of photographic interest that I visit. I can't wait until the hype subsides and everyone goes back to what they already use.
 

Ariston

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pentaxuser said:
Unfortunately it will be some months away before anyone other than chosen reviewers are in possession of these meters so until then we won't know what the consensus is amongst users

pentaxuser
Click to expand...

^ This is the crux of the issue. The spot meter also incorporates Nick Carver's "metering system," which he teaches and sells in his metering class... he collaborated with the inventor, so there is no way he can give an objective review.

Still, I'm glad people are making new meters.
 

Chan Tran

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With the availability of modern sensors which are less expensive and highly accurate I think if made in quantity one can build and sell something similar to that of the Pentax digital spotmeter. In fact it would be better to have the digital readout like that of the Pentax digital spotmeter but with calculating dial of the older Spotmeter V. And that with the case and lens being the most expensive part of the meter. I would forgo and computation in digital. Just an LV reading. Everything else is done with the dial or in your head.
 

JWMster

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I have had a love hate affair with my meters, too.

Pentax digi spot? Best thing about it is the small size. Love the battery check. "What battery check?" Exactly. Ever had a weak battery give you the wrong reading? Maybe I'm the only one?

Sekonic spot meters are great and fit everywhere, too. Work exceedingly well - especially if you hire a porter to carry the thing and a genius to reset the notoriously non-ergonomic custom menus. Mine does everything and nothing at the same time. You really have to have a daily cup of coffee with it or the thing can get a case of depression and just pout.

Would I love to interview a new meter? Hmmmm. Depends on the price, portability, and simplicity. Ergonomics and accuracy are or ought to be one and the same. I'm curious about this new player, and I'm fine with kickstarters, but the cup of coffee and new battery might be hard to beat.
 

grain elevator

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I welcome this! I'm confused why they would only allow 2 stops of exposure compensation. A bit more and one could use it to quickly key to shadows or highlights - what the strange supposed proprietary precision mode does in a clumsy way.
 

pentaxuser

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I did not want to give my first and for that matter second impression of Nick Carver's vested interest but I agree. However there are two more videos which give more information and on the surface at least appear to be more objective. I agree with your sentiments in the bottom part of your post as well

It truly has a lot going for it and possibly especially for newcomers on whom we are relying to keep film going. If the spot sighting method works as the inventor and his reviewers suggest it does and for all users then I am not sure what's not to like about it

pentaxuser
 

Ariston

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It would be nice if there were a store that carried these so we could try out this y novel approach for ourselves. But that will never happen.

It is an inventive solution for keeping the price down. One I never would have thought of.
 
OP
OP

CMoore

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Ariston said:
It would be nice if there were a store that carried these so we could try out this y novel approach for ourselves. But that will never happen.

It is an inventive solution for keeping the price down. One I never would have thought of.
Click to expand...
It will be nice to see how well these things are received in the coming months.
I do not need a Spot Meter right away, so maybe i will hold off on getting my Soligor Digital calibrated.......
 

JWMster

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If this thing works... I'd eventually want one. Eventually. I'm already swimming in meters. Last thing I need? Maybe not, but it's surely not the top of the list... unless it is truly amazing.

Old Gregg: Small as I describe it is relative to the Sekonic 758 - which is admittedly a monster.
 

KenS

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I've had (and used) my Pentax spot-meter for longer than i might be willing to admit. It has 'served me well' for all those years for finding a 'white with texture' and 'opening up 3+1/3 of an f-stop. Finding batteries (on the few occasional needs) has been 'no problem'.. (yet anyway)
BUT.. on two occasions (when I have been getting 'ready' to put it to use a passing police officer has approached me and inquired about my 'right to carry'). (Hand gun licenses is MORE THAN DIFFICULT to acquire in Canada) ... but 'walked away' feeling somewhat disappointed (and maybe even somewhat embarrassed) that it was NOT a hand-gun.

Ken
 

RalphLambrecht

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Icertainly share his views on the PentaxDigital meter and I think, I will also support this kickstarter!
 

Craig75

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Couldnt you just use phone as a spotmeter? My lightmeter app does allow you to zoom into the image to take a more specific reading but not as narrow as a spot but couldnt you just write an app where you take pic with phone and it reads individual pixel luminance calculate contrast range and then zoom into image and precisely select a spot. Id be surprised if it didnt exist already. A new spotmeter seems a bit archaic when we all carry a phone with us which is already a meter coupled to a powerful computer.
 

rick shaw

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Craig75 said:
Couldnt you just use phone as a spotmeter?...
Click to expand...

+1
There are a lot of good choices and many include features for DOF, Zone System, Bellows Extension, etc.
But I will be the first to admit that retraining myself to reach for the phone instead of a light meter took a few days.
 

nbagno

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Having used a Sekonic spot meter for years, I switched to an older Pentax spot meter and the method Nick outlines. I love it. And if this new meter works as well as my Pentax then I'm all over it. The weight reduction around my neck is worth the price of admission.
 

MattKing

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What is the name of the relative modern, really tiny spot meter that used a lanyard to make sure that the viewing hole in the meter was at the correct distance from one's eye?
 
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