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Pentax Spotmeter woes

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logan2z

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I recently picked up a Spotmeter V from eBay which looked great cosmetically, but the switch failed after depressing it twice. I returned it without a hassle so no harm done. I quickly found another at KEH in EX condition and bought it. It looked even better cosmetically than the first one, but then I looked through the viewfinder and saw that it was cracked internally. To KEH's credit, a quick phone call got me an RMA for a full refund.

I'm not sure I'm willing to attempt to buy another one of these vintage meters like the Pentax or Minolta, but I don't see many modern alternatives for a 1 degree spot. If I didn't already own a Sekonic 308 I'd probably just suck it up and drop $$$ on a new Sekonic with spot capabilities, but I really only need a spot meter since I've got reflective/incident already covered.

Is there a decent 1 degree spot meter that I'm overlooking? I know about the Reveni Labs, but it's external appearance is not exactly confidence inspiring.
 
Check out the Sekonic 1 degree spot meters. New or used there are quite a few from which to choose.
 
ic-racer said:
Check out the Sekonic 1 degree spot meters. New or used there are quite a few from which to choose.
Click to expand...
That's where I was headed initially, but it seemed redundant to buy another meter with incident/reflective (non-spot) metering when I already have that covered by my 308. But maybe that's the best option at this point...
 
Sorry to hear about your experience with the Pentax spot meter. I have the older version, which uses a meter display. The display is lit with a tiny light bulb; on my meter the bulb didn't light which meant that in some circumstances it was impossible to use the meter. George at Light Metrics in Hollywood CA repaired and calibrated the meter for about $100; turnaround was under two weeks. Sadly, it seems that Light Metrics is out of business. It sounds like the Sekonic might be your best bet. Good luck!
 
logan2z said:
That's where I was headed initially, but it seemed redundant to buy another meter with incident/reflective (non-spot) metering when I already have that covered by my 308. But maybe that's the best option at this point...
Click to expand...

I have the Sekonic L-308S and the Pentax Digital Spot meter. Just keep looking and only buy from a source that will take it back if there is a problem.
 
Just took a quick look at the KEH site and the only spot meter was a Sekonic 408 which a 1 degree spot meter is aded to a 308. I had one for a while and it worked well but they are getting old and there are much newer Sekonics with the built in spot meter for not much more than what KEH is asking. If you're willing to spend the money, B&H has the latest Sekonic 858 for $599 and free shipping. It'll do everything but tie your shoes and will be updateable for at least several years.
 
madNbad said:
If you're willing to spend the money, B&H has the latest Sekonic 858 for $599 and free shipping. It'll do everything but tie your shoes and will be updateable for at least several years.
Click to expand...

It's back ordered until June, but that's the one I'll likely go with if I buy new. Given the used prices of Pentax Digital Spotmeters or the Gossen, it wouldn't be that much more expensive to just go with the 858.
 
Last edited:
Older kit, like quality professional meters, will always be a hunt and peck task to find the right one, which includes sending back the other candidates after auditioning them. Unlike new in the box, current production, you have to allow for rejection until you find the right one for your bag.

The last time I looked for a spotmeter, I had to return a like new looking Minolta F and a Pentax V. On my third pick, from another photographer, from The Large Format Photographer's Forum, I hit gold in the form of another Pentax V, which fit my budget for this item.

Expectations for used kit MUST include realistic reasoning that it may take awhile and several testings of new to you kit.

I recommend you try the better forums for actual analog photographers kit, which are being offered because of upgrades or redundancy.

IMO,
Eli
 
I bought my Ultra Spot in the late 1990's for $150 off ebay and it was listed as running down the battery. They take a 9V battery but work on 6V so the battery should last a long time. I had a Sekonic L something 1° spot that the readout was in tenth of a stop. I sold the Sekonic and kept the Gossen.
A few years later I opened the Gossen and started checking diodes and capacitors with a VOM without desoldering them. The second or 3rd diode I checked initially showed to be shorted but reversing the meter leads it healed itself and the meter has worked correctly ever sense. Although they're pricey they are worth it.
 
logan2z said:
I recently picked up a Spotmeter V from eBay which looked great cosmetically, but the switch failed after depressing it twice. I returned it without a hassle so no harm done. I quickly found another at KEH in EX condition and bought it. It looked even better cosmetically than the first one, but then I looked through the viewfinder and saw that it was cracked internally. To KEH's credit, a quick phone call got me an RMA for a full refund.

I'm not sure I'm willing to attempt to buy another one of these vintage meters like the Pentax or Minolta, but I don't see many modern alternatives for a 1 degree spot. If I didn't already own a Sekonic 308 I'd probably just suck it up and drop $$$ on a new Sekonic with spot capabilities, but I really only need a spot meter since I've got reflective/incident already covered.

Is there a decent 1 degree spot meter that I'm overlooking? I know about the Reveni Labs, but it's external appearance is not exactly confidence inspiring.
Click to expand...

The next one will be better. It happened to me.
 
Matt Marrash (Large Format Friday on YouTube) seems very happy with the new Revenni spotmeter. It's kind of an odd duck, in that it has no optics -- it depends on both of your eyes looking the same place, so when you superpose the spot inside the meter with the location you want to meter (seen with your other eye), it's theoretically metering where you see the spot.

If you have a lazy or wandering eye, however, or worse monocular vision for some reason, it won't help you.

The other thing with the Revenni is that it was a Kickstarter project and I'm not sure it's generally available now, but it was a good bit cheaper than a new spotmeter of the traditional sort.
 
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