SMALL Light Meter

Just slightly off-topic: I had a weird experience with a Gossen Pilot 2 meter in 1991 while photographing in a Paris cemetery with a meterless Leica and Kodachrome film. I took an incident reading with my Pilot and knew immediately it was wrong for a partly cloudy day. The reading was far off. Puzzled, I played with the meter and soon discovered the needle had somehow become magnetized. Instead of moving to a stable position corresponding to the light reading, it followed the meter's dial pointer wherever I turned it. Useless. Luckily, I had another meter in my bag (Gossen Luna Pro) so I used that one and pocketed the Pilot. Some time later, after leaving the cemetery, I pulled the Pilot out of my pocket and checked it again. This time, the needle was no longer magnetized, and the light readings were correct! I've never solved this mystery. The meter still works to this day.

 

One theory: Maybe the needle was magnetized by a strong electrical field when I rode the Paris Metro to the cemetery, but the effect was only temporary.

 

Another theory: A French poltergeist was playing with me.

I had the same with a Pilot 1 it seemed to happen after I was using it for a time and after letting it set for awhile it was ok, so maybe using it over and over running the needle back and forth for quite a few readings magnetizes it ?? could that be a possibility?

"I had the same with a Pilot 1 it seemed to happen after I was using it for a time and after letting it set for awhile it was ok, so maybe using it over and over running the needle back and forth for quite a few readings magnetizes it ?? could that be a possibility?"

Hmm...maybe. But I like my ghost theory better. :)

Much as I like the Zeiss Ikophot, it is a vintage selenium cell meter so it isn't great in low light if that's one of the things you need.

Yes it's best to check the accuracy before buying one. I was extremely lucky to get an accurate Ikophot with a camera I bought. In a low light condition requiring 1/8s f4 at 100asa, it's overexposing only 1/2 stop compared to my Bronica AE111 meter

Skip the relics. Unless you're keen on personally validating the difference between a working meter and an accurate meter, look into the versatile Sekonic L-208 Twin-Mate. Film and processing costs are such now that a new/modern meter seems the only choice.

- Weston meters are easy to check. All you need to do is find somewhere to point one at that sends the needle close to full-scale in the low-light range. (That's 50 on the model iii). Then flip the mask to the high range and see if you get the same reading. If not, chances are that the cell is dying. If the readings match up you're good to go.

The above test takes longer to explain than perform. It might work for other meters too.

Hello again. For those of you with the Weston II or III meters, an ideal belt pouch is the Lowepro Tahoe 10. It is discontinued by them, but many are available on Ebay. I just got two for $8 delivered. Bill

I have the Weston Master II. I like the leather case that it came with. The meter is reasonably accurate but the dials very difficult to set. They are stiff and hard to read. I would rather guess the exposure than using it.

Older light meters can still be pretty accurate and also easily adjustable if they aren't. I use my trusty General Electric PR-1. They are cheap online and have that classic look. Easy to use as well!

the OP probably found something by now

Yes he bought a Sekonic L208. I just bought one as well, not thirty minutes ago, a new one at a good price with the shoe mount bracket etc. I would have liked a Digisix but nothing was coming up except on the Bay which isn't the best way for me to buy these days, total costs can be no better than hi-way robbery.

The L208 goes down to EV3, that's plenty low enough for me, not that I'll ever go that low, but I could try it and report back with a pic. Likewise with f32, which I'll be using a lot for my ancient Kodak folders.

As an aside, an Etalon Special exposure meter arrived the other day, a product of the Chuo Electronic Company in Japan. From the rear you'd easily mistake it for a Weston meter, and it's not often you see such a blatant knock-off. The earlier style Weston Invercone fits perfectly, so I've read.The frontal treatment is quite different from the Weston, and it's a well-finished and attractive meter. Both it and the Weston are alive and reasonably accurate.

I'm needing a small (3 inch or less) light meter to use with my pre-war cameras. I was thinking of a Sekonic L-208 as the size and simplicity is right on target, but what about something more classic? I once had a Zeiss Diaphot that I foolishly sold, and also a Sekonic L-398. What else is out there that is very nicely styled, reliable, and small? Some of the Bewi meters look sort of cute.

 

 

Kent in SD

Verify the ranges for the f stops, ISOs, etc that you'll need.

For cameras with an accessory shoe, this little Vivitar CdS meter works well. Or you can use it handheld. Takes one 675 battery.

 

There were some similar selenium meters made by Gossen, Petri, and others that would look good on any classic camera.

 

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Beautiful light meter and beautiful Kiev classic.

Voigtlander VC meter

Fine.... If you have a surplus $275 over what you could pay for almost any perfectly useable 'pre-loved' lightmeter. Or about $200 more than the new price of a very similar Doomo hotshoe-mounted meter.

As an aside, an Etalon Special exposure meter arrived the other day, a product of the Chuo Electronic Company in Japan. From the rear you'd easily mistake it for a Weston meter, and it's not often you see such a blatant knock-off. The earlier style Weston Invercone fits perfectly, so I've read.The frontal treatment is quite different from the Weston, and it's a well-finished and attractive meter. Both it and the Weston are alive and reasonably accurate.

 

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I wonder if the cells are interchangeable with Weston's?

I am a big fan of the Gossen Pilot meters. Get the selenium model, not the Cds Super pilots. Yes they are hand held, but a bunch of them work with all my Folder & FSU kits. Aloha from the Mainland, Bill[ATTACH=full]1254380[/ATTACH]

Agreed. Used a Gossen Pilot 2 with my Fed 5b. The two go together just fine. Ran my first roll of Fujicolor 400 Superia through it and it's at the lab being processed and scanned. I love the images you get from your Fed.

One meter I use if I want to travel light is the small Gossen Sixon 2. With the usual Gossen accuracy, it runs on a 625 button cell and is probably lighter than the small selenium Pilot, and a better shape to slip into a pocket. Incident and reflected readings. They seem to be hard to come by, but worth getting if you come across one.

I've also been using a GE PR-1 for several years, with a plain-prism-head Nikon F2 and Olympus Pen F. It's accurate enough for TX and FP4, and a lovely conversation piece. I have a Luna Pro stored somewhere, but haven't used it in decades.

Back around 1980, I used a Gossen Pilot (first model) for an entire summer photo job: it's a great little meter.

My  favourite  is  Voigtlander VC  meter,  I  have two of them, one silver color, one  black.  They perform the same

I  also like to use  Gossen  CDS super pilot,  although  a blit  bulky,  but  the  dial are  easy to read

I  also have a  Sekonic meter, but  mine  is not  accurate