Is anyone still using a Selenium light meter?

[peter_naylor1]

<p>Hi, Andrew the trusty old Sangamo Weston Master V has been mentioned several times by the previous postees, and I endorse their recommendations. I got my first one new back in 1967 along with a Yashicamat TLR, and it always gave reliable readings even down at low light situations. Later on in the 70s/80s, I acquired several 35mm SLRs with inbuilt CDS metering so when somebody made me 'an offer I couldn't refuse' for the Master V, I reluctantly parted company with it. However, even later, I found I missed having such an accurate handheld meter not so much for exposure settings, but more for checking the readings on more of those CDS-equipped SLR's! So when an identical working Master V (along with an Invacone) came my way in a package of stuff in the early 90s, I jumped at the opportunity to nab it. It's still my favourite device for checking exposure settings.</p>

<p>Over the years, I'd got to believe that selenium meters weren't as reliable or as accurate as CDS-powered ones, especially at low light situations. However, the two Master Vs I've owned always gave correct and reliable readings. So given that these were not exactly compact items, and were quite expensive too, was it maybe that the poor reputation for longevity of selenium meters in general was more due to cost-cutting production methods, rather than intrinsic faults? (Pete In Perth)</p>

[User_4136860]

<p>I had a Western Euromaster for about 35 years I sold it last year and replaced it with a Gossen Starlite 2 digital meter and have never regretted it. </p>

[fred_haeseker]

<p>A General Electric DW-68 (made in the USA!) and a Sekonic Studio S incident meter. Both accurate.</p>

[Kent Shafer]

<p>I also use a Weston Master V. When Mr. Milton at Quality Light Metrics replaced the selenium cell about a year ago, he told me it was the last one he had and, so far as he knew, the last one available in the world. I don't know whether other models use different cells so don't know if what he told me applied only to the Master V.</p>

[glen_h]

<p>Ones that I know of are either pretty close to accurate or barely read at all. That is, the contacts are either good or very bad, but hardly in between.</p>

[john_narsuitus]

<p>When I shoot black & white film, I usually use the Sunny 16 Exposure Guideline. When I shoot color slide and print film, I may use two battery-independent selenium light meters. I use a Gossen Pilot Scout 2 with my large format pinhole cameras and my Fuji medium format rangefinders. I use a Sekonic Auto-Lumi model L-158 with my Argus C3, Pentax Spotmatics, and Fuji ST705 (note: the light meters in my Spotmatic and ST705 cameras do not work).</p>

<p>However, I am more likely to use my more accurate and more light sensitive battery-operated Gossen Super Pilot and/or my Wein 500 flash meter.</p>

<p>

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[Bill Bowes]

<p>Hello all. My late fathers Solinette II and Weston 853 direct reading light meter perform faultlessly some 60+ years after their purchase. Gate is in Waimanalo, Hawaii. Rollei 80s film @ 50asa, Coffenol CL @ 50m, Agfa Solinette II camera. W-853 reflected readings in a modified Zone System exposure. Enjoy, Bill</p><div></div>

[MTC Photography]

I use selenium meters on my

Tessina

Contaflex super B

Contax II

Rollei 35 and Rollei 35s

[michael_goldfarb]

I've got a circa-1950 GE PR-1 I use with a plain-prism Nikon F2 and an Olympus Pen F. It seemingly sat in its case in a camera bag for decades and it is still pretty accurate when compared to my OM-2, and DP-1 on the F2, meters - accurate enough for Tri-X, anyway.

 

I recently picked up a Petri 7s rangefinder at a flea market whose around-the-lens match-needle meter works perfectly. Again, because the lens cap had apparently been kept on for 50 years and the Selenium hadn't lost its charge.

[BeBu Lamar]

I've got a circa-1950 GE PR-1 I use with a plain-prism Nikon F2 and an Olympus Pen F. It seemingly sat in its case in a camera bag for decades and it is still pretty accurate when compared to my OM-2, and DP-1 on the F2, meters - accurate enough for Tri-X, anyway.

 

I recently picked up a Petri 7s rangefinder at a flea market whose around-the-lens match-needle meter works perfectly. Again, because the lens cap had apparently been kept on for 50 years and the Selenium hadn't lost its charge.

My 2 petri 7s meters are pretty good too but I rather not using a selenium meter. I actually rather not use the meter than a selenium one.

[q.g._de_bakker]

My 2 petri 7s meters are pretty good too but I rather not using a selenium meter. I actually rather not use the meter than a selenium one.

Why???

A selenium meter works good. Better than guestimates.

[BeBu Lamar]

Why???

A selenium meter works good. Better than guestimates.

I don't know but my 2 Petris are pretty good but my Weston Master II and a Sekonic are off by a couple of stops. I can guestimate better than that.

[q.g._de_bakker]

I don't know but my 2 Petris are pretty good but my Weston Master II and a Sekonic are off by a couple of stops. I can guestimate better than that.

So you know that some selenium meters you own are good, and that some are bad. And because the known bad ones are bad you rather trust your guesswork than use a good one?

Hmm...

[rick_drawbridge]

I still use a Weston Euromaster, checked for accuracy every now and then against a Gossens Lunasix. It's a good size and streamlined in shape, easy to slip into a pocket, and I find the horizontal operating angle ergonomically more comfortable than holding a meter vertically. Hitch the cord around a belt loop on my jeans and I'm ready for action!

[John Seaman]

Working and accurate: Gossen Pilot, Vivitar Match Needle, Polaroid (probably Gossen, it reads in EV only but it's cock on).

 

AVO exposure meter (after re-calibration, LINK ------ The Avo Exposure Meter Gets a New Lease of Life

 

Working but untested: Leningrad 5, Zeiss Ikon Ikophot

 

Not working / inaccurate: loads and loads over the years, mostly binned.

Edited December 21, 2021 by John Seaman

[JDMvW]

The few that were still working soon stop doing so,alas.

 

With modern color-negative films, Sunny-16 works very well, BTW.

[BeBu Lamar]

So you know that some selenium meters you own are good, and that some are bad. And because the known bad ones are bad you rather trust your guesswork than use a good one?

Hmm...

Actually none of the selenium meters I own is good except the built in meters on my 2 Petri 7s.

[q.g._de_bakker]

Actually none of the selenium meters I own is good except the built in meters on my 2 Petri 7s.

And you do not want to use those good selenium meters, because other selenium meters are bad. Yes. I got that.

Edited December 21, 2021 by q.g._de_bakker

[BeBu Lamar]

And you do not want to use those good selenium meters, because other selenium meters are bad. Yes. I got that.

If I use the Petri I use it but if I use another camera like Kodak Retina 2c I wouldn't bring the Petri with me.

[q.g._de_bakker]

If I use the Petri I use it but if I use another camera like Kodak Retina 2c I wouldn't bring the Petri with me.

So when you said that "I actually rather not use the meter than a selenium one.", that was not true. You simply meant that you would not want to use a meter you know is bad. Who would. ;-)

[Fiddlefye]

I have a few selenium meters that work just fine, but the only ones I actually use are the'80s vintage Sekonic L-398 and the meter ion my Canon 7. Both are about as accurate in use as any meter I own, if not as sensitive.

[stuart_pratt]

Father Christmas is bringing me a new Sekonic L208. I have a Weston Master 2, which is bang on, but you need the eyes of a 5 year-old to be able to read the damn thing.

I can't even read it with my readers on!

 

I was out on a walk with some friends recently and had this issue, upon which my pal, laughing uncontrollably at the visual breakdown caused by advancing years, said 'Give it here, I'll read it'. I gave it him, and he said, 'Blimey, I can't read it either'! Upon which I got my smart phone, took a picture of the dial, and zoomed in on the picture to read it! (should have just used the light meter phone app).

[John Seaman]

I have a Weston Master 2, which is bang on, but you need the eyes of a 5 year-old to be able to read the damn thing.

 

Yes, I recently sold a Master 2 with invercone. The accuracy seemed OK, unusually, but I found it virtually impossible to read, and my eyesight isn't too bad. They do seem to have tried to pack far too much into the readout.

 

I've also got a dislike of those meters with two or more ranges. The reading I'm interested in always seems to be right at the top of the low range, or at the bottom of the high range. To be honest I only use hand held meters with film cameras in daylight, and a single range covers everything I need.

[rick_drawbridge]

John Seaman said :

I've also got a dislike of those meters with two or more ranges.

 

I'd agree with that. There are horses for courses; the old Weston Euromaster is fine for walkabouts in the daylight, but when the light diminishes I'd resort to the bulky but sensitive and accurate Gossens Luna Pro. In my opinion, the prettiest and most pocketable selenium meter created was the Zeis Ikon Ikophot, two versions of which I've pictured below. Remarkably, both are still working, and reasonably accurate.

 

[c_watson1]

Seems to be a tasty old bone, these holy relic meter threads...Maybe "Antiques Roadshow" should do a meter segment sometime. Lots of material upthread! Some were nice pieces of industrial design but so few are trustworthy now. Given late 2021 film and processing costs, it's tough to understand why anyone who actually shoots much wouldn't opt for something decades newer.