FFWB combi meter

I recently purchased an old camera and attached to the case strap was a small leather case containing a small FFWB combi meter and instructions.

A little research revealed that it is a combined Range Finder and exposure meter made in Germany in the 1950's.

It fully works rangefinder wise, not sure about the exposure meter, although something appears to be happening, it's an extinction meter , in other words you point the front of the meter towards the scene you are wanting to photograph and peer through the back , larger opening and read off the dimmest lit number. You then line up the number on the top dial to coincide with the speed (in this case DIN number) of the film. Then you can read off on the opposite side of the dial an aperture and speed setting with which to take the image.

Be interesting to test the accuracy.....

 

It appears they were made in black and this rarer Grey colour.

 

If anyone is interested in a full review of this little piece of history let me know..

 

 

There will be in the Classic Camera forum.

Extinction meters are perhaps better than nothing (?) but the tendency of the eye to accommodate makes them rather uncertain.

 

A good exposure guide for the particular film really works well, especially if you're using wide latitude color negative film.

 

for example revised from an old Kodak guide:

 

Extinction meters are perhaps better than nothing (?) but the tendency of the eye to accommodate makes them rather uncertain.

 

A good exposure guide for the particular film really works well, especially if you're using wide latitude color negative film.

 

for example revised from an old Kodak guide:

 

[ATTACH=full]1367293[/ATTACH]

It's too bad they don't give you one of those any more when you buy a roll of film.

It's too bad they don't give you one of those any more when you buy a roll of film.

Why would they, when nearly every camera made in the past 50 years has had a light meter built in?

 

Plus, the number of people interested in shooting film is a tiny proportion of photographers, and of that tiny proportion only another tiny proportion want to fart about with old relics of cameras that require guessing at an exposure.

 

Film's too expensive these days to waste it with guesstimated exposures.

Why would they, when nearly every camera made in the past 50 years has had a light meter built in?

 

Plus, the number of people interested in shooting film is a tiny proportion of photographers, and of that tiny proportion only another tiny proportion want to fart about with old relics of cameras that require guessing at an exposure.

 

Film's too expensive these days to waste it with guesstimated exposures.

Film is too expensive these days trying to save a piece of paper in the cost. I like that sheet of paper.

[...]

 

Plus, the number of people interested in shooting film is a tiny proportion of photographers, and of that tiny proportion only another tiny proportion want to fart about with old relics of cameras that require guessing at an exposure.

 

That's one "tiny proportion" too many. Giving out exposure guides to people buying film, we're talking about the entire population of people buying film.

That this would be a tiny proportion of the full population of people using cameras may add to the dramatic effect of the statement, but is completely without meaning.

Film is too expensive these days trying to save a piece of paper in the cost. I like that sheet of paper.

This isn't the 1930s.

There's absolutely no need for guides to guesswork any more. Either exposure charts or visual extinction meters.

 

Copy that chart to your phone if you want it that desperately.

This isn't the 1930s.

There's absolutely no need for guides to guesswork any more. Either exposure charts or visual extinction meters.

 

Copy that chart to your phone if you want it that desperately.

 

I guess you don't understand. An image on the phone or the web isn't the same as a piece of paper. Not that the information that I need (I remember it by heart) but I just like that piece of paper.

This reminds me of the short story "The Feeling of Power" by Isaac Asimov, in which pencil and paper are rediscovered in a world completely reliant on computers.

I'm still not seeing the 'charm' or attraction of some badly-drawn cartoons printed on (IIRC) a strip of tissue paper.

 

Especially when the information they impart is deeply flawed.

So it's not for you.

So?

So it's not for you.

So?

But he doesn't buy the film either.

But he doesn't buy the film either.

So why worry about the people who do and would enjoy such a guide indeed.

So why worry about the people who do and would enjoy such a guide indeed.

Joe is a nice man!

But he doesn't buy the film either.

No. I have two fridges full of the stuff!

Joe is a nice man!

I take as I find.