Pentax Digital Spotmeter vs. Analog...

Happy Thanksgiving to all ( or Memorial Day if that's appropriate):

Digital vs. analog - what do you think. I'm used to analog (Soligor) and am in the market for a replacement: good condition used preferred.

Some objective experienced comment would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Bennett Brown

For me, both the analog and digital models work great and take nearly identical readings. But I usually take the digital model as it is smaller, and so handier to stow, coming out of the bag or pocket more easily without getting hung up. Either model is great, however.

Many thanks jmcd.

Bennett

The digital one is a little more resistant to shocks as there are no moving parts, and need no hard to find PX 623 1,35 Volt battery...

Philippe

Merci Philippe.

Bennett

leicam5 said:

The digital one is a little more resistant to shocks as there are no moving parts, and need no hard to find PX 623 1,35 Volt battery...

Philippe

Click to expand...

I think I just use normal 1.5V batteries, and it gives a perfect exposure [tested against nikon meter]

My Pentax V doesn't require mecury batteries, and has been a very good meter.

I use an analogue Pentax Spotmeter V in preference to my digital Pentax Spotmeter (Zone VI version) and a Minolta Spot with the motorised rotating scale in the viewfinder. Why?

The Spotmeter V gives me a very quick impression of the brightness range of my subject. All I do is "wave" the meter over the subject and note the maximum right and left excursions of the meter needle. Already I have an idea for N+, N-, or N development strategy and zone placement.

The digital meter gives me a number and no dot, one dot, or two dots. The mental arithmetic to convert 17 and one dot minus 12 and two dots into a brightness range isn't hard but it is harder than just watching a needle swing.

By the way my Pentax digital meter is very accurate so I use it to calibrate the Pentax analogue meter which has linearity errors in the low range.

Whats the difference between the Pentax analog spotmeter and Spotmeter V?

The fact that an approximate reading of a needle angle can be done peripherally while digits require nearly direct viewing to get any at all may not be so important to a photographer, but it certainly has been to aircraft pilots. I don't know the latest design of altimeters, but when I was working for NASA in human factors research the altimeter consisted of a barrel of rotating digits of the type you would find in automobile odometers years ago, which registered 1000's of feet, and a needle that showed hundred's. A near disaster occurred once because the pilot would glance periodically at the altimeter to see, by the angle of the needle, whether the altitude had changed. The aircraft was in instrument weather and was actually in a shallow dive. Its rate of descent was just such that the needle had rotated close to 1 revolution between glances. The barrel was not consulted. By the time the actual altitude was observed, a high G pullout was just barely able to avert a crash. It probably filled a few barf bags as well.

A dual needle meter, like an analog clock, might have been better.

Markok765 said:

I think I just use normal 1.5V batteries, and it gives a perfect exposure [tested against nikon meter]

Click to expand...

You are right, Bennett did not mention the type of meter, but this is a minor detail. I happen to have the digital one and wanted to point out one advantage ore two.
Sorry, Bennett, for the wrong information...

Philippe

Gentlemen (Mike, Marko, Maris, Philippe, Gainer, JMCD):

Thanks to all of you (including the barf analogy). It's great to be able to benefit from serious views such as yours and hope that one day I might be able to reciprocate.

Bennett

I find an analog meter more intuitive. Less thinking, less addition and subtraction, just over and under information in stops directly beamed into my brain as I scan around the scene.

I use a Lunasix analogue and a Minolta F digital spotmeter. I am lucky with regards to the Lunasix since I found a battery store in small town that had several 1.35V mercury cells sitting in an old fridge that someone had forgotten to throw out; I purchased all their stock and they are now in my freezer. The Lunasix was handed down from my mother who got it from her uncle, but it is still very accurate for being 50+ years old, once you self-calibrate (very simple). The spotmeter was picked up on eBay for $300 about a year ago, pretty pricey given the company doesn't make them anymore but has been a great investment and goes everywhere my camera does.

If your question is should you stay analogue or go digital with regards to light meters, well, there is pros and cons to both. I love my analogue for wide open scenes, interior portraits and areas of similar lighting. I love my digital for exact placements of values, being able to visualize the final image's luminosity and since it is the F model, it calculates the exposure for flash. I tend to use the two meters in combination, taking an overview reading with the Lunasix, using the spot to visualize values in the print and then the Lunasix for calculations like a "slide ruler" for adjustments (i.e. place shadow in III, add 2 stops, plus 1/2 stop for filter, minus 1 stop for reflection, etc.). For obvious reasons, the digital meter doesn't let me do those types of calculations easily. I would go with a spot meter again just because of the control it gives me with regards to placing values; the analogue meter makes me a more conscious photographer since I need to think my way through a picture, rather than letting the machine tell me what to do.

Just, as a personal and final opinion on the Pentax digi spot, the EV values reading is the main reason why I have chosen this one.
The Hasselblad happens to be my most frequently used camera system.
The EV reading of the meter, always for 100 ASA, can be set directly on the camera/lens scale.
The only draw back is that for other speed readings, I have to add or deduct one ore more EV values. But, on the other hand, this forces me to fully concentrate on the reading and interpretation of the light conditions. I hardly use the scale engraved on the meter's lens barrel.
It sometimes happens that I expose a 400 ASA as a 100 ASA (200 ASA) ore vice versa, it only depends how I see (and feel) the light. The spot meter is just there for putting me on the right track and to help me out in complex light situations.
I take a Sekonic L-398 when I have doubts about my interpretation and judgement (all tough I know I can trust the Pentax...).

Good luck, Bennett,

Philippe

P.S. : What is a "...barf analogy..." (I know of a grey one...).

I have the digital one, which I bought new at Calumet (which, but the way, is pretty much the only place I could find one; they are probably not long for this world, so if you want a new one, I would get it now). I really wanted a model V instead, as I prefer the needle, but I just didn't want to buy a used meter at the time. I didn't want to have to test, calibrate, have service performed, not knowing what it had been through, etc. I just wanted something that was brand new that would last me for life, and to which I could calibrate everything. The digital works great, and is nice and small, although I prefer the visible scale of the V. I have done all my film testing using this meter, and I have my cameras and my Sekonic studio incident meter calibrated to it. It works more than well enough for the classic film tests and zone methods, although the scale does make the figurin' not necessarily "easier", but more "visual".

You have to consider price, though. It is a ton of money to spend for a meter that only does one thing, so it was hard to convince myself to buy a new one. If you use flash at all, it won't help you in that arena; you will need to buy another meter, so you have to consider that as well. (I don't feel so bad about dropping so much money on my Digital, since I got my Sekonic for free; actually a "Brockway", but it is made by Sekonic.) In short, if this wasn't going to be my primary meter at least 75% of the time, and I wasn't going to use it for calibrating everything to, I would have bought a used Spotmeter V to save money.

I really like the ones that have a split scale, like the 1/21. However, the battery issue makes them harder to use.

As odd as it sounds, I think the Digital actually seems more durable than the V. I usually think the older models of things are generally tougher, but not in this case.

Thanks Jason.

I tend to prefer a "fewer calculations" approach in the field

Bennett

A fellow Canuck and from the Prairies - My kind of country!

Thanks Kevin.

Bernnett

2F/2F

Thanks. Flash is not an issue for me even in low light conditions. Price differences betwenn digital and analogue are quite wide and, all things considerd, might be a deciding factor, although ease of long-term battery availibility could be a constraint.

Bennett

Merci encore.

Bennett

gainer said:

The fact that an approximate reading of a needle angle can be done peripherally while digits require nearly direct viewing to get any at all may not be so important to a photographer, but it certainly has been to aircraft pilots. I don't know the latest design of altimeters, but when I was working for NASA in human factors research the altimeter consisted of a barrel of rotating digits of the type you would find in automobile odometers years ago, which registered 1000's of feet, and a needle that showed hundred's. A near disaster occurred once because the pilot would glance periodically at the altimeter to see, by the angle of the needle, whether the altitude had changed. The aircraft was in instrument weather and was actually in a shallow dive. Its rate of descent was just such that the needle had rotated close to 1 revolution between glances. The barrel was not consulted. By the time the actual altitude was observed, a high G pullout was just barely able to avert a crash. It probably filled a few barf bags as well.

A dual needle meter, like an analog clock, might have been better.

Click to expand...

Interesting analogy. Lots of glass cockpits with video analog gauges on them around for just that reason.

Just to let all of you know that, partly based on your views, I decided to order an analogue Pentax Spotmeter.

Bennett

Good choice, I have both and pick up the V just about every time.

Let us know how you do.

Mike

I have one of each. I like the V most of the time but in dark locations like auditoriums I take the digital- its easier to read in low light because of the led's.

If anyone is interested Badger Sales are still selling the Pentax Digital Spot Meter - http://www.badgergraphic.com/store/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=871

Martin