"Pocket Spot" Mini spot meters are available finally!

Peter Schrager · Sep 1, 2005

meter

Danqu-I have had a ZoneVI modified Soligor for over 25 years. Been repaired once in that time. Not as sexy as the Pentax but works about as well. Extremely reliable. They come up on Ebay every now and then. ZoneVI used to modify them. Wish Calumet would still do it....
Best, Peter

mikewhi · Sep 1, 2005

Thanks, you big mouths. I contacted these Mini Spot folks and they are sold out. Word of mouth alone has contributed to wipiding off their shelves and creating a backorder so now I can't get one. They won't even take an order from me at this time! Not even a backorder! Thanks a lot. Sheeesh.

-Mike

Flotsam · Sep 1, 2005

Isn't it funny?
I keep hearing that digital has completely supplanted film and yet traditional materials suppliers like JandC are expanding like crazy and ground glass and light meter manufacturers can't even keep up with orders.

Aggie · Sep 1, 2005

dancqu said:
[QUOTES=McPhotoX]
"As for comparing the PS to any other meter on the market,
I feel that the ONLY meter that it should be compared too
is the Pentax Zone VI modified Meter."

The only realistic comparison is with the Sekonic L-228.
It is also a Pocket Spot meter. I picked up one in mint minus
condition complete with a fine kid leather case and instructions
from eBay for under $50.

Like every other meter except the Zone VI, it
is unmodified. Dan

I had the sekonic L-228 as my very first spot meter many years ago. Owning the Pocket spot as well (now), there is absolu7tely no comparison. The pocket spot is far superior in every way, and is easier to understand.

As for it being extruded, I would believe that but since one end of it is not fully cored out, that would tend to make me believe (5 years of metal smithing classes here) that this is not extruded but milled. I have played with a lot of spot meters and combo meters over the last few years. I only resort to going back to my sekonic 508 when forced to do so, becasue I forgot the pocket spot in my other camera bag that I left at home.

As for price, that thing is a battery miser. It shuts off automatically when a few seconds go by. supposed life of that battery in it, (a watch styule battery) is 5 years. Now add up the cost of batteries on the other meters you use. How much extra do all those fancy gizmos cost you just in batteries? From a savings standpoint, the spot meter is cheaper than all you have mentioned that would be in a league with it.

laz · Sep 1, 2005

peters said:
Danqu-I have had a ZoneVI modified Soligor for over 25 years. Been repaired once in that time. Not as sexy as the Pentax but works about as well. Extremely reliable. They come up on Ebay every now and then. ZoneVI used to modify them. Wish Calumet would still do it....
Best, Peter

Nice to know your soligor is so reliable, I just bought one from KEH. Couldn't pass up the $165 price for a zone IV digital spot!
-Bob

User Removed · Sep 1, 2005

Yeah, so you cannot really compair those two meters, Pocket Spot and Sekonic. Pocket Spot is calibrated for black and white film, and does the exact same thing that the Zone VI meter does. Your sekonic however, is not.

Changeling1 · Sep 2, 2005

I don't think I'd be in the mood to give $400 to any company that (for a year) didn't answer the phone, respond to email, or God-forgive- not even answer a REAL letter!

laz · Sep 2, 2005

Changeling1 said:
or God-forgive- not even answer a REAL letter!

They're probably still staring at the envelope wondering what it is and how to open it!
-Bob

df cardwell · Sep 2, 2005

I shot my first job with the PocketSpot. A concert in a small 'folk house' where an SLR would have been a monumental distraction and a conventional spot meter clumsy.

Hanging the meter around my neck, it was comfortable for two hours and disappeared against a black sweater. A quick read of a face in the changing light, and it was easy to stay on top of things; easy to compare the light on the cheek and forehead.

Of course, it would have been impossible to read the scale in the dark, but all I had to do was remember that "5" meant 1/60 @f/2 and all was well. Even I could do that. The no-flare viewing was a plus under the stage light, and the meter gave correct readings under tungsten light, indicating a proper sensitivity for daylight film.

Unobtrusive, accurate, fast and ... mine.

I wish I had this 30 years ago.

ChuckP · Sep 2, 2005

How well does the meter handle flare compared to the Pentax. Zone VI modified supposedly had less flare problems than the standard meter. I'm talking about metering a dark shadow area and the meter reading flare off a bright area beside it. This results in underexposed shadows. I know my Pentax Spotmeter V has much less of a flare problem compared to an old Soligor I used to use. Maybe someone with two meters can compare the shadow readings taken close to a bright edge.

df cardwell · Sep 2, 2005

Under stage spots: no flare.

My own experience --- seems better than Pentax / Minolta / Gossen / Zone VI modified. Vastly better than multi function meters.

laz · Sep 2, 2005

mikewhi said:
They won't even take an order from me at this time! Not even a backorder! Thanks a lot. Sheeesh.

Won't take an order? I've never heard of this from any sort of reputable company. Does not bode well for the future......

Kirk Keyes · Sep 2, 2005

Aggie said:
As for price, that thing is a battery miser. [...] Now add up the cost of batteries on the other meters you use. How much extra do all those fancy gizmos cost you just in batteries? From a savings standpoint, the spot meter is cheaper than all you have mentioned that would be in a league with it.

I put 1 brand spanking new AA battery into my Minolta Flashmeter VI every year whether it needs it or not. I've had a Pentax Spotmeter V for about 20 years now and I think I've put 3 sets of batteries in it so far.

laz · Sep 2, 2005

Aggie said:
As for price, that thing is a battery miser. It shuts off automatically when a few seconds go by. supposed life of that battery in it, (a watch styule battery) is 5 years. Now add up the cost of batteries on the other meters you use. How much extra do all those fancy gizmos cost you just in batteries? From a savings standpoint, the spot meter is cheaper than all you have mentioned that would be in a league with it.

Oh my, please no offence intended but I laughed out loud when I read this!
Let's see, yearly battery change, needed or not, $2. I do believe that adds up to $50 over 25 years! multiply that for multiple meters or more expensive batteries, even adjust for inflation and we're still not up to the cost difference.

You say potato, I say potato....wait, that doesn't work in print does it!

"Pocket Spot" Mini spot meters are available finally!

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