The Incredible Ikophot

<p>Since our winter has been uniformly wet and grey with very few opportunities for getting out and about with an old camera, I've taken the time to organize my small collection of light meters. I find these little gadgets fascinating, and many of the older ones seem to deserve a place up there with the Classic Cameras. If I'm boring you all to tears, or if you find the subject inappropriate for this forum, please say so!<br /><br />Perhaps my current favourite is the Zeiss Ikon Ikophot, made in Stuttgart in about 1955. I'd rate it as probably the most elegant meter I've handled.</p><div></div>

<p>Everything about this little instrument exudes quality, right down to the golden snake chain with its fob loop. Even the tailored leather case is a thing of beauty; it has the patina leather acquires after years of handling, but shows no real signs of wear. This copy is in great condition, with very quick and accurate response to light. It came complete with the little incident light diffuser, which slides into a couple of brass channels in the top of the case for storage. As this accessory is often missing, I'm pleased to have the complete kit. This meter is apparently the first of only two that Zeiss Ikon produced. Both named Ikophot, a later model was tagged Ikophot Rapid and featured a match-need dial rather than the scale featured in this one. On his site, James Ollinger finds some interesting similarities between the Ikophot and other East European meters, particularly the well-known Leningrad series.<br /><br />Anyway, the Ikophot is a joy to handle and use, though I must admit that I keep it for "Special Occasions". Here's an original advertisment from the mid 50's.</p><div></div>

<p>If anyone out there has a special light meter, how about a picture and a description?</p>

<p>I had one some time ago. It is definitely a "Special Occasions" meter. Too jewel-like to use everyday. The leather cover is sublime, almost kid-glove precious, not like the rhino-hide armor wrapped around a couple of my Weston Masters.<br>

On the same line as this ivory Ikophot, my Bewi Automat has to be the funnest meter to use. Clean, rounded lines, very pocketable, and push-button simplicity like a Plymouth's transmission or Telefunken Opus radio.</p>

 

<p>A beauty unto its self in many ways , Zeiss and the builders did that in grand scale and beauty<br>

when it came to their equipment , I have about two or three rangefinder type cameras like the Contessa or the Contina : there Great cameras<br>

Very Nice Light meter</p>

<p>Interesting. Lovely little device.</p>

<p>I'm definitely interested in reading more about old meters and other photographic accessories. Thanks for posting this one.</p>

<p>My strangest is a Minolta View Meter 9, with case. Not this one, I don't remember where I put the d* thing.</p>

<p> </p><div></div>

<p>That is a beautiful vintage meter, Rick. It certainly belongs in this forum. Thanks for an interesting post.</p>

<p>I have a few old meters, but nothing cool or exotic. This ancient Weston is not very pretty but it's the oldest one I have. The time values are on a paper roll that is scrolled with a top knob. It has a Bakelite body and selenium cells on the back . It displays ASA film speeds from 0.7 to 200. I'm not sure of it's exact date but I got it with my 1947 Speed Graphic Pacemaker camera. It may be older, than that. The amazing thing is this old boy still works!</p>

<p> </p><div></div>

<p>My contribution to the "cherished exposure meters" is the PLUSmeter, a rather extravagant unit possibly Japanese, from the 1970's? As you turn the main dial, it turns on and eventually switches over from H to L with rather a loud clang, when the red and green arrows either side of the needle change colour, for no obvious reason. The window to the top right is a little reflex viewfinder of the scene you are metering, with a semi-spot coverage. There is a dome at the top you slide across for incident readings, when the viewfinder is covered with a sign saying INCIDENT LIGHT. The back has the usual indispensable conversion scales for guide no., Cd/sq. feet and Lux, to three decimal places.</p><div></div>

Great Idea and when you post anything it's like Vargas, there's an immediate "lust" for this object. Your photographic presentation is excellent! I too have admired this model and it would fit to my many Zeiss AG cameras. I ahve a few Westons and some don't work. I've just not taken them on, although I admire them, becasue I really should spend a 100-150, and get a very good (cds?) dependable multi meter (flash/spot etc) . I'Ve admired the Voigtlaender, but while I like it's size, it's too expensive. Apropos size? My Dad has/had a nicle little Gossen "Pilot" I think its called it's a great little selenium meter with an incident curtain built-in. My original Weston I 715 with the vertical text hit the concrete last winter and despite my first -aid doesn't work anymore. My working meter is a Model IV and I have a 715 version II that works but isn't reliable. That's the thing with a meter ...you need it to be dependable. I can rely on the Model IV... other Selenium meters?!?

Great Idea and when you post anything it's like Vargas, there's an immediate "lust" for this object. Your photographic presentation is excellent! I too have admired this model and it would fit to my many Zeiss AG cameras. I ahve a few Westons and some don't work. I've just not taken them on, although I admire them, becasue I really should spend a 100-150, and get a very good (cds?) dependable multi meter (flash/spot etc) . I'Ve admired the Voigtlaender, but while I like it's size, it's too expensive. Apropos size? My Dad has/had a nicle little Gossen "Pilot" I think its called it's a great little selenium meter with an incident curtain built-in. My original Weston I 715 with the vertical text hit the concrete last winter and despite my first -aid doesn't work anymore. My working meter is a Model IV and I have a 715 version II that works but isn't reliable. That's the thing with a meter ...you need it to be dependable. I can rely on the Model IV... other Selenium meters?!?

<p>Here's a Pilot found in a Texas antique shop a couple of weeks ago for $6. Reading agree with Luna Pro SBC and Retina IIIC</p><div></div>

<p>Here's my little Bewi Automat A.<br>

It's a push-button type meter. No needle to watch and no dials to twist. Simply point the cell at your subject, hold the button down for 1 or 2 seconds, then read the scale. <br>

It's fun to use and fairly accurate. Looks as if you might get a close shave with it , too !</p><div></div>

<p>Maybe you will like these exposure meters, actually extinction meters. No batteries. Look through them and see which number or letter is visible then look on the scale to get the proper exposure. Made by Drem usually and named Instoscope or Dremoscope. </p>

<p><img src="http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/Images/E46.JPG" alt="" width="400" height="394" /></p>

<p>Some lovely meters shown here.</p>

<p>Here are a couple of DeJur meters. I have to admit that I bought them mostly for their looks. </p>

<p>That isn't a crime, is it?</p><div></div>

<blockquote>

<p>That isn't a crime, is it?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>So what if it is? Would that stop you?</p>

<p>Call me a partner-in-crime...What a great response! There are obviously a few meter fans out there. This little item arrived the other day; it's a Nebro Extinction Meter, no photocell, no working parts, and quite accurate. For the unacquainted, one holds it horizontal at about reading distance from the eye, pointing at the supject, and peers into the slit at the rear. Dimly-illuminated numbers on a scale of 1 to 6 are visible, 1 being the brightest and 6 the dimmest. The knack is to quickly determine which is the last readable number on the scale, before one's eye adjusts to squinting into the slit.<br>

That number is transposed to the dial on the face of the meter, and Bob's your uncle...Film speeds are set on the letters C to G visible above the dial, from a film speed index imprinted into the back of the meter. It's pretty foolproof and surprisingly accurate, with adjustments for "Sunlit distant, sunlit near, and cloudy", and for filter factors. Nothing if not ingenious!</p><div></div>

<p>Those battery-less extinction meters look quite interesting. I'll have to see if I can snag one of those somewhere.</p>

<p>The variety of fascinating meters on this thread leaves me feeling inadequate for once. The only off-camera meter I own is a common Minolta Spot Meter F!</p>

<p><a href="../photodb/user?user_id=426229">Marc Bergman</a>: I also have DeJur meter like your top one it works Leather case needs help tho:</p>

<p>How about a classic Norwood incident light meter? (Keeping company with my Vito II).<br>

<img src="http://static.photo.net/attachments/bboard/00Q/00Q3Uk-54131684.JPG" alt="" /></p>

<p><a rel="nofollow" href="../photodb/user?user_id=426229">"Marc Bergman</a>: I also have DeJur meter like your top one it works Leather case needs help tho:"</p>

<p>The leather case needs help? "Ay, there's the rub." It is much better for the leather case "to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune", than it happen to the meter.</p>

<p>Being in a leather case also helps the lifespan of some meter cells.</p>

<p>I have an Ikophot which my father gave to me. It's still accurate enough for slide film so I use it quite a lot.</p>

<p>Here's my current favourite: a selenium light meter made by Gossen but badged as a Tower (a now defunct department store chain from the 50s). This stylish instrument is super compact and very easy to use. Just read the number pointed to by the needle and rotate the dial to get the shutter speed/f stop combos. Quite accurate (mostly within a half-stop of my Lunasix Pro) and unusually responsive in low light compared to the other selenium meters I have. </p><div></div>

<p>"a Tower (a now defunct department store chain from the 50s)"</p>

<p>Sears is defunct? Say it ain't so.</p>

<p>Here is this meter in a 1960 Sears catalog.</p><div></div>

<p>My apologies. They're pretty much defunct where I live....</p>