zone VI meters

[david b]

Without being funny, how can you tell a Zone VI Modified Digital Pentax meter from one that has not been modified.

I am asking because I just bought one for a very reasonable price. It has the "Modified by Zone VI Studios Inc" sticker on the side. But is there another way?

thanks,
david
(snobby Hasselblad user)

 

[Donald Miller]

I don't know that Zone VI ever made available stickers that attested to the meter being modified by Zone VI unless the meter was modified. They did sell adhesive stickers that were used for zone placement...but those did not say anything about being modified by Zone VI. I have a modified Zone VI meter. Mine has the sticker that you mention.

Apart from that the only way that could determine the meter was modified is to disassemble the meter. I know that extra baffling and sharp cutting filters were installed in the modifications. But I would have a difficult time knowing what I was seeing unless I had an unmodified meter to compare it to.

Good luck, Donald Miller

 

[juan]

I once asked Richard Ritter, who modified many of the meters when he worked for Zone VI. He said the "Modified by Zone VI" sticker was only used on the modified meters, and that the only way to tell for sure would be to disassemble the meter, as Don said.

juan

 

[djklmnop]

Zone VI meters front lens are replaced and have a blue "coating" to it. The coating on the regular non-modified versions have a "purpulish" tint to it. There should also be filter sets that comes with the meter.

Andy

 

[Larby]

Hello there
Mine has a bluish front element and came with a paper certifate from V1 studios cetifying that it had been modified. No other filters came with it.
I purchased it some 12 years ago directly from Zone V1 it was quite a bit more expensive than the standard non modified Pentax version but its worked perfectly every since and has had very hard use. Check out Fred Picker's Zone V1 book (can't remember the exact title) as it has some useful info. Personally i always set my brightest hightlight meter reading that i want to print at zone 7.5 on the paper sticker dial and expose and process accordingly.
good luck with it.

 

[djklmnop]

Expose for shadows, Develop for highlights.