camera light meter?

[lynn_oatman]

I own a Pentax K-1000 and replaced the original battery (twice)with

a brand new lithium battery. It has made no difference in the

indication of the light meter on the camera. I never really

bothered to find out much about my camera, but now I am interested

in really learning to take good photos. Is there something wrong

with my camera?

 

ALSO, can someone recommend a good basic photography book that would

walk me through like I knew absolutely nothing? I recently took

nearly a whole roll of photos at the Niagara Falls Butterfly

Conservatory, and none of them came out because the background was

too light...very disappointed, and vowing to do better.

 

Thank you for ANY information.

 

m/l

[Julio Fernandez]

Lynn, some questions:

 

1- is your meter battery working? set ASA to 100, shutter speed to B, maximum aperture, point the camera to some light source, the needle should go up to the top.

 

2- with ASA 100 in sunlight you should get a needle in the middle with about 1/125 in f16 pointing to the sky opposite the sun - try it.

 

3- does the needle move correctly when you move aperture ring / shutter speed? (about 1-2 stops up or down should move the needle to the border of the central window range).

 

if question 1 works but 2 or 3 fail then send your camera to repair. But first check for dirty contacts in the battery receptacle, you may clean then with electronics cleaning fluid (maybe in Radio Shack). Also check that the spring in the receptacle exerts positive pressure.

 

If 1, 2 and 3 work then your problem is not the meter.

 

I have used my K-1000 for 23 years now, maybe thousands of rolls. Metering is not affected by battery state in my experience unless the battery is nearly dead. It is a bridge type, so with low battery you just lose sensitivity but not accuracy (taking the needle to the exact middle of course).

 

With spent batteries the first symptom is that in poor lighting conditions the needle stays in the middle (instead of going down) but if you point the camera to a light source it does moves down.

 

Once a cable got cut inside my camera and I completely lost the meter until repaired, but when working it has always been very accurate.

[Julio Fernandez]

A book: Photography for the joy of it - Freeman Patterson. Go right to the exposure chapter. There are many other excellent books.

 

If the meter works then your problem is what you are pointing it at. Color subjects with very light backgrounds or backlightings are tricky. Rule of thumb is overexpose by one or two aperture stops in that cases.

 

K-1000 meter is center weighted. If you point the lens to what you want reproduced about middle clear tone (i.e. about tone of the palm of your hand) and adjust exposure having that subject in the center occupying at half the viewfinder, exposure should be OK. For backlighting, after setting exposure in that way, open diaphragm by one stop.

[lachaine]

Lynn,

 

I owned a Pentax K1000 for 20 years, until I gave it away earlier this year. How old is yours? Has it been cleaned and lubed by a competent shop. After that many years, mine needed a new shutter and new foam around the mirror. Are you saying your light meter doesn't work?

 

In terms of books, I concur with the previous suggestion of Freeman Paterson's Photography for the Joy of it. It's a terrific book, still my favourite. However, I think you might get something out of Kodak's Guide to 35mm Photography.

[lee_brand]

As previously stated you need to get some reaction out of your meter if you point it at a light source.

 

If not then there are two easy things to check - new batteries, preferably silver oxide (not alkaline although they work) and then look at the battery contacts - shine them up a bit with something sharp - a needle works. Failing this you may have a problem - then it's off to your camera repair guy!