Shopping for a Spot Meter

Deleted member 88956 · Jan 16, 2022

shutterfinger said:
The Ultra Spot and Ultra Spot II are true 1° spot meter. The Luna Pro F has a 30° standard angle of view and the spot attachment is 15°/7.5°. The SBC is likely the same.

That's ONE attachment. The other is 1/5/10 degrees.

Randy Stewart · Apr 22, 2022

jimjm said:
Haven't had the need to adjust it yet. I periodically check the Minolta against other hand-held and in-camera meters that I use more often and know to be accurate.

While the adjustment can be used for calibration if that becomes necessary, mine have never required such. I think most folks use that to align the calibration on several meters if they use more than one regularly. The idea there is that it is more important to be consistent than absolutely accurate.

Sirius Glass · Apr 22, 2022

Randy Stewart said:
While the adjustment can be used for calibration if that becomes necessary, mine have never required such. I think most folks use that to align the calibration on several meters if they use more than one regularly. The idea there is that it is more important to be consistent than absolutely accurate.

I found that I was better off getting all my cameras with light meters and the light meters calibrated at the same time and place. That way I have complete agreement for years. It is well worth the cost just to have meters calibrated but doing all at once is even better.

Randy Stewart · May 20, 2022

tom williams said:
Jim, I noticed the Spotmeter M has a provision to calibrate in the field+- 1EV ... have you noticed any drift that required use of that feature?

it does not "drift". That adjustment exists so that people who use several meters can adjust it to calibrate it to match their other meter. Actually, the Minolta Spot M and Spot F are probably the best choice you can select. They are one of the few spot meters which has a neural response to various colors. By comparison, the Pentax Digital is hands down the worst for that specification. What this means is that you can read several different color spots with the Pentax, all being of the same tone density, and get significantly different exposure recommendations, which is not a good thing.

BCM · May 20, 2022

Randy Stewart said:
it does not "drift". That adjustment exists so that people who use several meters can adjust it to calibrate it to match their other meter. Actually, the Minolta Spot M and Spot F are probably the best choice you can select. They are one of the few spot meters which has a neural response to various colors. By comparison, the Pentax Digital is hands down the worst for that specification. What this means is that you can read several different color spots with the Pentax, all being of the same tone density, and get significantly different exposure recommendations, which is not a good thing.

I completely agree with your assessment of the Pentax. We tested about 7 meters several years ago and the Minolta was the most consistent, repeatable and accurate out of the box. It isn't clear what makes the Pentax meters so variable (+/- 1 stop at times) and non-linear but that is the case.

Sirius Glass · May 20, 2022

BCM said:
I completely agree with your assessment of the Pentax. We tested about 7 meters several years ago and the Minolta was the most consistent, repeatable and accurate out of the box. It isn't clear what makes the Pentax meters so variable (+/- 1 stop at times) and non-linear but that is the case.

To be fair since the past history of each meter is unknown, each meter must be calibrated before any testing is done and no conclusions can be drawn based on the condition of each meter as it was found.

McDiesel · May 20, 2022

@Sirius Glass you must have been quite unlucky with your meters. I have probably a dozen cameras with built-in meters and a few standalone meters in the house, and they all agree within 1/3 of a stop with each other. Never felt the need to calibrate anything.

Ok I take this back. My Roleliflex selenium meter is off by two stops, but that's just dead in my book.

pentaxuser · May 21, 2022

Randy Stewart said:
Actually, the Minolta Spot M and Spot F are probably the best choice you can select. They are one of the few spot meters which has a neural response to various colors. By comparison, the Pentax Digital is hands down the worst for that specification. What this means is that you can read several different color spots with the Pentax, all being of the same tone density, and get significantly different exposure recommendations, which is not a good thing.

That certainly sounds like a major drawback compared to the 2 Minoltas you mention. Is this something that has happened to you in the case of your use of all 3 spotmeters or something that has been tested for and established beyond all reasonable doubt i.e. it is a fact in the same way that gravity equalling 32 feet per ses per sec is a know provable fact

Thanks

pentaxuser

Sirius Glass · May 21, 2022

Sirius Glass said:
To be fair since the past history of each meter is unknown, each meter must be calibrated before any testing is done and no conclusions can be drawn based on the condition of each meter as it was found.

No, that is my engineering background and experience as an oceanic flight safety expert for the FAA that taught me never to trust any item that did not have a provenance. My post is based on good engineering and forensic principles.

Shopping for a Spot Meter

Deleted member 88956

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