"Pocket Spot" Mini spot meters are available finally!

User Removed · Aug 24, 2005

As many people know, I have been trying to get a Pocket Spot light meter for nearly a year now. I NEVER recieved a reply to my emails, phonecalls, or paper mail that was sent to the Metered Light Company.

Well, I went on their site a week ago and saw that they updated it! So I sent them an email, and got a reply! They are back to selling the Pocket Spot Light Meters are they even lowered the price!!!!!

I just got it today, and this little thing is AWESOME! It saves alot of bulk and weight in my backpack and it is VERY well crafted and designed. This will seriously be the last spot meter I ever have to buy.

If anyone is interested, take a look at their site www.meteredlight.com and send them an email...because you WILL get a response! FINALLY!

This is a product that I highly recommend.

Ryan McIntosh

colrehogan · Aug 24, 2005

Looks like an interesting little item. Thanks for posting the link.

User Removed · Aug 24, 2005

colrehogan said:
Looks like an interesting little item. Thanks for posting the link.

If your like me, I am obsessed with neat little gadgets and high tech things. This light meter is truly a great invention thought, and figuring it is cheeper then a Pentax Spot Meter, does the EXACT same thing, and is only the size of a box of matches...Its a great deal.

I been wanting one to get rid of my old Soligor Spot Meter, which is the size of a large handgun practically!

Ryan McIntosh

lee · Aug 24, 2005

I got to use one of those several years ago. Aggie bought one and it may have been a prototype but it was neat. I thought it was too expensive but I see they dropped the price now. I have the Metrolux II timer with all the bells and whistles they sell with it. Nice product also.

lee\c

Michel Hardy-Vallée · Aug 24, 2005

McPhotoX said:
I been wanting one to get rid of my old Soligor Spot Meter, which is the size of a large handgun practically!

Ryan McIntosh

Soo... How much would you like for it? I could be a taker of old, heavy technologies!

Jeremy · Aug 24, 2005

mhv said:
Soo... How much would you like for it? I could be a taker of old, heavy technologies!

Was thinking the same thing

boc · Aug 24, 2005

Wow, awesome! I've been wanting a small spot for quite a while. I wonder if we could get a group buy going and negotiate a cheaper price.

Nige · Aug 24, 2005

it does look like a snazzy unit.

Group buy discount would need to be a good discount to get it down to a reasonable price for me (who would then have a Soligor pistol for sale ) but I'd be interested in hearing about it if anyone wants to enquire.

User Removed · Aug 25, 2005

Personally, I think the Pocket Spot Meter was worth EVERY penny that I paid for it. I doubt they would be willing to do a discount for someone interested in purchasing alot of them, mainly because they are still trying to make back the money they put into reseach and development of this great product!

Sorry, but I cannot sell my old Soligor gun because...it just up and died a few weeks ago! The battery check is fine, but I did not try replacing the battery. There are places that would fix these meters if broken, but since you can get them used for under 100 bucks...its not really worth it. If anyone wants it for parts or to toy with, let me know thought.

Ryan McIntosh

Alexz · Aug 25, 2005

399$ ?
Doesn't sound sound very attractive price-wise, bearing in mind its competitors (albeit much bigger and heavier but much more capable, i.e. ambient metering, flash, ...).
IMHO, would it be withtin 200$ range, I would be interested...

sattler123 · Aug 25, 2005

I also think that $399 is a VERY hafty price tag for a gadget like this. They are directly competing with very high-end spot meters and even the Sekonic all-in one meters. Even with a $50 "group" discount it would be too much money, IMHO.

df cardwell · Aug 25, 2005

Ryan: very cool

Does the reading display for 30 seconds ?

User Removed · Aug 25, 2005

It keeps taking different readings while you have the button held down, so you can sorta pan acrost a scene and read different values.

Another nice thing about this meter is that it's calibrated exactly for black and white film, meaning that different colors will not confuse the meter. Because of this, you can meter thru your color filters to get the exact filter factor exposure reading.

I would not compair this spot meter to other different meters on the market. This meter is totally different then any flash meter, ect.

If I would compair this meter to ANY other meter on the market, it would be the Pentax Zone VI Modified meter, which often sells USED for around 400 dollars on Ebay. With that in mind, this is a good deal.

Ryan McIntosh

JeffD · Aug 25, 2005

Alexz said:
399$ ?
Doesn't sound sound very attractive price-wise, bearing in mind its competitors (albeit much bigger and heavier but much more capable, i.e. ambient metering, flash, ...).
IMHO, would it be withtin 200$ range, I would be interested...

I agree. My Pentax spotmeter I think cost me $125 used. Still, I like the size, and having the zones printed on the scale is kind of cool.

My only aversion to my Pentax meter is that when I use and carry it, people think I am packing heat!

I didn't quite undersand this:

Reception Angle: 1 degree for EV's 6 through 21
1/3 degree for EV's 21 through 25
3 degrees for EV's -2 through 5

Different degrees for different lighting conditions? This would detract from the simplicty of such a neat little gadget.

df cardwell · Aug 25, 2005

JeffD said:
I didn't quite undersand this:

Reception Angle: 1 degree for EV's 6 through 21
1/3 degree for EV's 21 through 25
3 degrees for EV's -2 through 5

Different degrees for different lighting conditions? This would detract from the simplicty of such a neat little gadget.

In low light, spot meters run out of sensitivity.
In hi light, you exceed the capabilty of the cell.

By opening up, and restricting, the view, you may continue to work.

Until we can get dilithium crystals, this is brilliant and as good as we can get.

Donald Miller · Aug 25, 2005

McPhotoX said:
Another nice thing about this meter is that it's calibrated exactly for black and white film, meaning that different colors will not confuse the meter. Because of this, you can meter thru your color filters to get the exact filter factor exposure reading.

Ryan McIntosh

Is this the manufacturers claim? What do they back up this claim with? Have you tried to photograph green pine trees to see if it has true IR cutoff?

JeffD · Aug 25, 2005

McPhotoX said:
Another nice thing about this meter is that it's calibrated exactly for black and white film, meaning that different colors will not confuse the meter. Because of this, you can meter thru your color filters to get the exact filter factor exposure reading.
Ryan McIntosh

I wonder if that is what they mean by "calibrated for black and white film". I didn't see the claim that you could meter through any filter. Wouldn't this be difficult for them?

I thought even the Zone modified meters were not really appropriate for metering through filters- I thought the correction was to account for minor variations due to colors occuring naturally in the scene.

Someone else may know for sure...

Frank Petronio · Aug 25, 2005

What happens when the manufactuer hangs up his soldering iron and quits making or repairing them? I think my Pentax will still be repairable even if Mr. Pentax croaks.

User Removed · Aug 25, 2005

I was reading a test done by a fellow with the meter online, so I will have to find it and post it.

Here is what it says in the book that comes with the meter " Congratulations on owning a Pocket Spot Meter: the lightest-weight, spectrally-corrected light meter for black and white photography. Its latitude, accuracy and linearity are unmatched by any spot meter in any weight category.

The Pocket Spot Meter makes accurare readings of strong colors, or through colored filters, to yield proper exposure on Black And White films"

Of course, this would change if you were shooting Infared Film.

Kevin Caulfield · Aug 25, 2005

I agree with the others who say it costs too much. A Sekonic 508/558 or equivalent gives you much more bang for your buck (my 508 cost about 250 USD). And I challenge the claim about spectral correction.

Aggie · Aug 25, 2005

I have the pocket spot, and the sekonic 508, guess which one I use the most? The pocket spot. The sekonic and the pocket spot give identical readings so the pocket spot is dead on. The sekonic has to be adjusted fiddled with, and understood by those who have blonde roots. The pocket spot even Brittany Spears could figure out. Maybe the pocket spot doesn't have all the bells ane whistles of the Sekonic, but I have found I don't need all the extra stuff for what I do. Also if you drop the Sekonic, you watch your investment break. You drop the pocket spot, and you dust it off and it may have a small scratch if it was on rocks. It is the timex of meters. It takes a licking and keeps on metering.

Bob F. · Aug 25, 2005

I agree: it looks like an excellent meter, but the price is too high for me for a meter that only does ambient light. Make it 250 - 300 USD and I think they would have a real winner that could go head to head against any ambient only spotmeter and win. I'd like to see the ability to meter though filters substantiated independently first though.

Cheers, Bob.

df cardwell · Aug 25, 2005

Well, different tools for different... photographers.

The simplicity of a bore sight, and not the miserable optical system of the 'bells and whistles meters' is a relief. The spectral sensitivty of the meter has been endorsed by Alan Ross, and other shooters comparing it to other meters. It's tiny, and that is a great feature to me. And cheap, if it delivers. And it apparently is one of the very FEW meters that are linear. Looks great. Thanks again, Ryan

Sean · Aug 25, 2005

It looks like they are going to get a banner from us in October

User Removed · Aug 25, 2005

Sean said:
It looks like they are going to get a banner from us in October

Good. They deserve it! They have put so much reseach and development into this meter, that more people need to know about it! Its truly a great invention.

I am trying to find the website on the fellow who tested this meter, but I cannot. Basically, he was photographing a light grey building in full sun, and when he metered the building face, and the sky...they were the same zone. He then metered both thru a yellow filter, and they were STILL the same tone. He proceeded to meter thru an orange and also red, until he finally got the exact zone separation he wanted from the building and the sky. When he made the final prints, he was able to print the building and sky to the exact zone that was metered when he took the image.

If you try this with another meter, the color filter will confuse the meter and you will get different readings from the sky and building...but not nessacary tonal separation from the sky and building. Even meter thru a yellow filter, the other meter said the sky and building were at a different zone...when they indeed not!

The tests he did went into greater detail then this, but that is basically all he did. I will still try to track it down thought for everyone, or better yet....conduct a test of your own! Get a McBeth color card and do the experiment with two different meters and different color filters.

"Pocket Spot" Mini spot meters are available finally!

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"Pocket Spot" Mini spot meters are available finally!

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