Zone Scale for Pentax Digital Spotmeter

RalphLambrecht · Jun 10, 2006

If you own a Pentax Digital Spotmeter, you might be interested in my free, updated version of a Zone Ruler for it. This is my favorite lightmeter for the Zone System but not without the Zone Ruler.

This customized ruler is a visual reference and will simplify zone placement. Zone III and VII are marked to place shadow and highlight details. I suggest you print this scale onto a self-adhesive label, cover it with clear tape before cutting it to size, and then affix it to the Pentax Digital Spotmeter by centering it just below the EV scale.

You find the scale in my 'Library' section of my web page under PDZD.

Comments always welcome at info@darkroomagic.com

Willie Jan · Jul 29, 2007

thanks,

appriciated.

jovo · Jul 29, 2007

That's very nice of you, Ralph. I don't own a Pentax meter, but rather an Adorama (rebranded Soligor) version of it. I took the little sticky numbers that come with VCR tape labels and affixed a '3' and a '7' to the dial leaving the arrow to indicate Zone 5. So, '4' and '6' fall on the obvious EVs in between without even needing to be labeled. I wouldn't be lost without them, but I would miss them a lot if they weren't there.

titrisol · Jul 30, 2007

You are good
This is great!!
I have your ILFORD EM10 chart and have used it to death

tom_micklin · Jul 30, 2007

Very cool.
Thanks a million,
Tom

Firestarter · Mar 11, 2018

An old thread I know but is the digital spot meter scale still available for download ?

RalphLambrecht · Mar 15, 2018

Firestarter said:
An old thread I know but is the digital spot meter scale still available for download ?

if you can't find it, here it is:

RalphLambrecht · Mar 15, 2018

Firestarter said:
An old thread I know but is the digital spot meter scale still available for download ?

if you can't find what you're looking for on my old site anymore try my new site at www.rlambrec.com and start browsing; the prices are still the same:free!

GRHazelton · Mar 15, 2018

I own the analog Pentax Spotmeter. Is there a Zone system "sticker" for it? Also the tiny internal lightbulb has burned out. Any thoughts for a repair place?

Firestarter · Mar 15, 2018

RalphLambrecht said:
if you can't find it, here it is:

Thank you. I actually have that downloaded but when I print the page and cut out the scale it prints too small and with my limited computer skills I can't seem to print it to the correct size. Maybe I'm doing something wrong ?

mwdake · Mar 15, 2018

Firestarter said:
Thank you. I actually have that downloaded but when I print the page and cut out the scale it prints too small and with my limited computer skills I can't seem to print it to the correct size. Maybe I'm doing something wrong ?

You could try adjusting the scaling when printing.
I am not sure what app or device you are printing from but somewhere in the print workflow you should see a dialog or properties window that lets you adjust things like number of copies etc. This dialog should have a scale option that by default will be 100%. You can adjust the scale to make it print bigger. Depending on how much it is to small try 110% then if still too small try 120% until you get it right.

RalphLambrecht · Mar 15, 2018

GRHazelton said:
I own the analog Pentax Spotmeter. Is there a Zone system "sticker" for it? Also the tiny internal lightbulb has burned out. Any thoughts for a repair place?

Yes, I have a sticker for the analog meter too.please send me an email to rwlambrec@gmail.com and I will return your mail with a custom sticker attached.

RalphLambrecht · Mar 15, 2018

Firestarter said:
Thank you. I actually have that downloaded but when I print the page and cut out the scale it prints too small and with my limited computer skills I can't seem to print it to the correct size. Maybe I'm doing something wrong ?

interesting; it should print out at the correct size; maybe it's me who did something wrongs was suggested try to adjust the scale in the print dialoguer if you use Adobe Illustrator, I'llsend youth file and you can adjust it there.

Saganich · Mar 15, 2018

An upgrade for the one falling off mine! I like the indicators my eyes are getting old

Firestarter · Mar 16, 2018

RalphLambrecht said:
interesting; it should print out at the correct size; maybe it's me who did something wrongs was suggested try to adjust the scale in the print dialoguer if you use Adobe Illustrator, I'llsend youth file and you can adjust it there.

If you could that would be brilliant, thanks.

I found the scale adjustment in the printer settings. I can print at 112% but it is still too small, if I try printing any larger my printer only prints some of the page and misses the bottom....which is the part I need.

Doremus Scudder · Mar 16, 2018

Firestarter said:
Thank you. I actually have that downloaded but when I print the page and cut out the scale it prints too small and with my limited computer skills I can't seem to print it to the correct size. Maybe I'm doing something wrong ?

When you print the pdf, make sure you have the option "fit to page size" de-selected.

RalphLambrecht · Mar 16, 2018

Firestarter said:
If you could that would be brilliant, thanks.

I found the scale adjustment in the printer settings. I can print at 112% but it is still too small, if I try printing any larger my printer only prints some of the page and misses the bottom....which is the part I need.

I may have send you the wrong file; try this one

Firestarter · Mar 16, 2018

RalphLambrecht said:
I may have send you the wrong file; try this one

Thank you, it is much appreciated. I managed to print this one reducing the scale a bit so all is good. My Digital Spotmeter has just got a very nice upgrade !

Thanks to all for the printer advice also

RalphLambrecht · Mar 16, 2018

Firestarter said:
Thank you, it is much appreciated. I managed to print this one reducing the scale a bit so all is good. My Digital Spotmeter has just got a very nice upgrade !

Thanks to all for the printer advice also

I'm glad it worked!

GRHazelton · Apr 6, 2018

Speaking of Pentax spotmeters, I have the older analog version. Lovely, but...the tiny lamp which illuminates the needle has apparently burned out. Without that light reading in the shadows is ... difficult, to say the least! Any suggestions on a repair shop?

juan · Apr 7, 2018

Richard Ritter modified those for Zone VI, maybe he would repair it or know who would.
http://www.lg4mat.net/

paul ron · Apr 8, 2018

heres a teardown of the meter if you want to see the guts.

http://www.sefcik.com/2015/03/asahi-pentax-spotmeter-v-repair.html

http://www.instructables.com/id/Pentax-Spotmeter-V-Repair/

RalphLambrecht · Apr 10, 2018

paul ron said:
heres a teardown of the meter if you want to see the guts.

http://www.sefcik.com/2015/03/asahi-pentax-spotmeter-v-repair.html

http://www.instructables.com/id/Pentax-Spotmeter-V-Repair/

I would never have the guts to do this!

DREW WILEY · Apr 13, 2018

A couple years ago I stumbled onto a Pentax digital spotmeter that looked completely unused and checked it against my other spotmeters before purchasing it.
It was right on. But it has one of those Zone scales stuck on it, and immediately removed it. What's the point? You've already got a factory triangle mark pointing out
mid-gray or Zone V. Each EV plus or minus equates to one Zone exactly. Its easy enough to count two or three or four. You don't need a college degree to do that.
And what makes you think the straight-line section of all films is the same. God didn't create the cosmos in just eight equally-spaced segments of light, and frankly,
neither did Kodak! If I'm shooting Pan F, I'm concerned about Zones 3-7, dynamically. If it's TMax, more like Zone 1 through 9. With something like discontinued
Bergger 200, easily 0 thru 12 without needing to resort to scrunching the values thru minus processing. Why would I want relevant numbers on the meter scale
covered with a sticker?

Doc W · Apr 16, 2018

titrisol said:
You are good
This is great!!
I have your ILFORD EM10 chart and have used it to death

What was this chart all about?

Zone Scale for Pentax Digital Spotmeter

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