NICNON light meter

[Ronny H]

I bought a light meter at the flea market today. It looks very smart on my Kowa. Unfortunately, I can't find any information on the Internet. I can only find binoculars with a camera under the name "Nicnon".

Does anyone know this light meter and have any information about it?
Which battery goes in it? It does not work with 1.4 volts or 1.5 volts (but may also be broken).

Thanks in advance

Pictures:

 

[Ronny H]

I looked further and found out that the light meter is an accessory for the NICNON binocular camera.
The cameras have three exposure times: 1/60, 1/125 and 1/250. These are also the only ones on the light meter.
Let's see if anyone else comes forward with information.

On this page you can see a photo of the light meter mounted on the binocular camera: https://collectiblend.com/Cameras/Nichiryo/Nicnon-(binocular).html

 

[xkaes]

Thanks for posting this question. I did not know that Nichiryo made a meter for their binocular cameras -- they made more than one (see link below). (The picture in the link above shows the CAMERA on the side of the binoculars, NOT the meter!) The meter fits in the flash shoe on the top of the binoculars -- but not all of the binoculars had this flash shoe. That certainly is a rare find -- and in great cosmetic shape, anyway.

---

The Ricoh Auto Half E of 1964 was a well made, convenient to use, half-frame camera. It was used as the base for a wide variety of cameras. In 1968, Nichiryo came out with a new approach to using the camera. This was a pair of binoculars with a modified Auto Half E attached to right-hand side of the binocular lenses. The optic was a 165mm (f3.5), focusing binocular lens with dual diopter adjustment. A beam splitter in the binoculars diverts the image to the camera. The features of the camera were changed. The meter of the Auto Half E is not used. The shutter speed was set manually -- 1/60, 1/125, or 1/250. Apertures were selected from f3.5 to f11 on the front of the right-hand lens. An exposure guide is on the back of the camera and an ASA/DIN reminder on the top. The camera has a cable release connection in the shutter release, and the tripod socket is moved to the bottom the right-handed lens. The motor drive remains the same, but the PC connection is removed. Later, Ricoh thought it could do it one better and came out with the Ricoh Teleca 240.

NICHIRYO HALF FRAME CAMERAS

www.subclub.org

 

[Ronny H]

Thanks for posting this question. I did not know that Nichiryo made a meter for their binocular cameras -- they made more than one (see link below). (The picture in the link above shows the CAMERA on the side of the binoculars, NOT the meter!) The meter fits in the flash shoe on the top of the binoculars -- but not all of the binoculars had this flash shoe. That certainly is a rare find -- and in great cosmetic shape, anyway.

---

The Ricoh Auto Half E of 1964 was a well made, convenient to use, half-frame camera. It was used as the base for a wide variety of cameras. In 1968, Nichiryo came out with a new approach to using the camera. This was a pair of binoculars with a modified Auto Half E attached to right-hand side of the binocular lenses. The optic was a 165mm (f3.5), focusing binocular lens with dual diopter adjustment. A beam splitter in the binoculars diverts the image to the camera. The features of the camera were changed. The meter of the Auto Half E is not used. The shutter speed was set manually -- 1/60, 1/125, or 1/250. Apertures were selected from f3.5 to f11 on the front of the right-hand lens. An exposure guide is on the back of the camera and an ASA/DIN reminder on the top. The camera has a cable release connection in the shutter release, and the tripod socket is moved to the bottom the right-handed lens. The motor drive remains the same, but the PC connection is removed. Later, Ricoh thought it could do it one better and came out with the Ricoh Teleca 240.

NICHIRYO HALF FRAME CAMERAS

www.subclub.org

Thanks for the links. Very informative.

On the page I linked, you can see the light meter on the 2nd picture.

What kind of button cells were sold in the sixties? The "usual" mercury battery does not fit in this light meter. It has too large a diameter.

 

[xkaes]

What kind of button cells were sold in the sixties? The "usual" mercury battery does not fit in this light meter. It has too large a diameter.

Thanks for mentioning that. I completely missed it. It also shows a TELE-CONVERTER attached to the front of the taking lens!!!!!

As to batteries, there were several possibilities, but I would guess 675 or 625 -- but it could be different or TWO batteries!

 

[xkaes]

Apparently Ricoh sold the meter for its Teleca 240 camera. I assume it has the Ricoh name on it.

 

[Ronny H]

It is alive. The needle hangs a little, but with a little pat it moves to the (more or less) suitable position. If I press both buttons, it shows me whether the battery still has sufficient voltage.
Now I have to see if I can get rid of the hanging somehow.

Apparently Ricoh sold the meter for its Teleca 240 camera. I assume it has the Ricoh name on it.

The only picture I found of the light meter on the internet is the one I linked above. I can't find anything similar under the name Ricoh.
There was probably another one with a selenium cell for the Nicnon binoculars.

 

[xkaes]

There might have been a selenium meter, but I doubt it. As to the Ricoh TELECA 240 version of this camera -- it was sold with a shoe on the top of the binoculars, for a meter. It was not for a flash because there was no flash that could illuminate a subject at the distance of the binoculars. And besides, the camera lacked a PC connection.