Sunny 16.. very accurate

[Vaughn]

vaughn

you always have a way of putting it all into perspective

Just trying to keep the my back parallel to the trees...

 

[Sirius Glass]

I have always found that Sunny 16 is accurate, although in the upper latitudes it is more like Sunny 11.

 

[Spicy]

It's a great guideline.

I like it more because it forces me to be cognizant of ambient lighting and changes, thus making me more involved in the photography. I enjoy the process of making a photo, perhaps more than the end result (which is often bad, lol). I like anything that helps me become more involved in that process (IE manual, analogue, mechanical cameras).

 

[NedL]

See if Quality Light Metrics can still fix it. If so it will come home with a calibration sticker guaranteed accurate.

Thank you very much for that tip, I will look into it!

I may have a go at fixing it myself... I've been reading about it and it's just a cell feeding a meter... but taking it apart is a bit tricky. I'll check your recommendation first.

 

[TooManyShots]

I've been using my great grandfather's Weston Master for about a year now. When I first got it I compared it to my F3 and to my other unmentionable here camera and it was very close. Even though the dial is in Weston Emulsion speeds, I've enjoyed using it and have gotten used to it, and even "think" and make my notes in its units. I almost always do a "sunny 16 guess" before I meter and I'm usually within one stop and more often than not right on the money. Shady forest or evening is much harder and I'm really not very good at those situations. I almost always think there is more available light than there really is in those situations.

Well, last week the meter suddenly stopped working... everything reads really low. I shot my last roll in my 120 folder using sunny 16 as a whim, but now it's not going to be by choice until I get a new meter or fix this one. Honestly, I'd be happier if my meter was still working. It has real sentimental value too... there's a sort of continuity to using a meter that was given to my dad by his grandfather.

But I'm certainly not planning to stop just because I don't have a meter. I never had one when I was a teenager, and even though I worried about exposure a lot back then, most of my photos came out OK.

The difference between then and now is that now I can actually afford to buy a meter if I want one. So I'll just be grateful for that option and keep on having fun!

Unmentionable camera.....? Hahahaha... Is this serious? I thought Canon and Nikon would have this silly rivalry. Here, I said it. I have a Canon 30D as a backup body. My main body is a Canon 1d markIII with over $5k of lenses. I shoot paid gigs with my DSLR. In other times, I shoot with my medium format film body. Yashica Mat and soon to have Mamiya C330f.

 

[michaelbsc]

See if Quality Light Metrics can still fix it. If so it will come home with a calibration sticker guaranteed accurate.

Quality Light Metric Co

7095 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA
(323) 467-2265

george milton · international camera · meter repair · repair services · leica

 

[wblynch]

Unmentionable camera.....? Hahahaha... Is this serious? I thought Canon and Nikon would have this silly rivalry. Here, I said it. I have a Canon 30D as a backup body. My main body is a Canon 1d markIII with over $5k of lenses. I shoot paid gigs with my DSLR. In other times, I shoot with my medium format film body. Yashica Mat and soon to have Mamiya C330f.

To quote Diane Keaton: La Dee Dah, La Dee Dah

 

[nwilkins]

Unmentionable camera.....? Hahahaha... Is this serious? I thought Canon and Nikon would have this silly rivalry. Here, I said it. I have a Canon 30D as a backup body. My main body is a Canon 1d markIII with over $5k of lenses. I shoot paid gigs with my DSLR. In other times, I shoot with my medium format film body. Yashica Mat and soon to have Mamiya C330f.

I think he meant unmentionable because it is digital, not because it is a Canon.

 

[TooManyShots]

I think he meant unmentionable because it is digital, not because it is a Canon.

You mean those, bad, bad digital cameras??? Are they even cameras?? Or photography??? Hehehhe...

 

[nwilkins]

I bet most people on here have and use digital cameras, they just choose not to talk about them on an analog forum.

 

[BrianShaw]

I bet most people on here have and use digital cameras, they just choose not to talk about them on an analog forum.

You're probably right, but it's not a matter of choice, but more a matter of "forbidden".

 

[E. von Hoegh]

I bet most people on here have and use digital cameras, they just choose not to talk about them on an analog forum.

I neither have nor use a d!@1+@l camera.

 

[nwilkins]

I neither have nor use a d!@1+@l camera.

me neither but we're probably in the minority.

 

[BrianShaw]

I have two cell phones that take D-pics.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

me neither but we're probably in the minority.

Discerning people usually are...

 

[E. von Hoegh]

I have two cell phones that take D-pics.

Vade retro satan!

 

[sbattert]

If you forget sunny 16, you can always get a tattoo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aaronpiazza/5345278610/
put it on a shirt: http://www.flickr.com/photos/spidermac/3551071869/
or glue it to the back of the camera: http://www.flickr.com/groups/sunny16/discuss/72157603697812726/#comment72157603720484762 (I love this personal anecdote of a 14 year old being told to stay away from bad whiskey and loose women, and the shitty weather sunny 16 rules).

 

[NedL]

You mean those, bad, bad digital cameras??? Are they even cameras?? Or photography??? Hehehhe...

Yeah I was being silly. I did compare the Weston meter to my digital camera, and in fact it was useful in two ways. Getting used to an in-camera meter takes a while for me... and I'd already done that for my digital, so seeing how to get to a similar reading is a big step. Secondly, the "spot meter" option on my digital was useful to get a feel for the angle of view of the meter.

Also, I guess it wouldn't completely be against the spirit of APUG if you carried a small digital camera to use as a light meter!

 

[lensman_nh]

Also, I guess it wouldn't completely be against the spirit of APUG if you carried a small digital camera to use as a light meter!

It's a digital camera with a 1 pixel sensor!

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Also, I guess it wouldn't completely be against the spirit of APUG if you carried a small digital camera to use as a light meter!

Except for the fact that digicams are not calibrated to ISO standards, but an arbitrary standard that varies by manufacturer.
Used top quality lightmeters are cheap and neccesary. Get one and learn to use it, you'll be very glad you did.

 

[Yashinoff]

For your education and amusement:

 

[TooManyShots]

Except for the fact that digicams are not calibrated to ISO standards, but an arbitrary standard that varies by manufacturer.
Used top quality lightmeters are cheap and neccesary. Get one and learn to use it, you'll be very glad you did.

Yes, older light meters are fun to work with. I picked up one for $30, Gossen Luna Pro. The light meter tells you all possible exposure settings under a specific lighting condition. That's just so cool. I don't have a PS digital camera for metering. I don't want to carry my DSLR just to meter the scene.

 

[MattKing]

Yes, older light meters are fun to work with. I picked up one for $30, Gossen Luna Pro. The light meter tells you all possible exposure settings under a specific lighting condition. That's just so cool. I don't have a PS digital camera for metering. I don't want to carry my DSLR just to meter the scene.

For many of us on APUG, a Luna Pro doesn't qualify as "older", but rather as "middle-aged" .

 

[E. von Hoegh]

For many of us on APUG, a Luna Pro doesn't qualify as "older", but rather as "middle-aged" .

Hell, the LunaPros are my "new' meters!

 

[NedL]

Except for the fact that digicams are not calibrated to ISO standards, but an arbitrary standard that varies by manufacturer.
Used top quality lightmeters are cheap and neccesary. Get one and learn to use it, you'll be very glad you did.

I'm on your side... mine recently died and I'm either going to get it fixed or get a new one!