please can anyone assist (Bronica Zenza Settings)

[hugh_hill]

I am now looking at seriously using my Bronica Zenza as my main

Camera for photographing, up until now I have been using digital due

to lack of finnances but now I have saved enough for a spare back

(total of two) and will soon be investing in a low end film scanner

and some second hand lenses.

I am disabled so cost effectiveness is a must.

Anyhow I must get a light meter and this worries me because I do not

want to spend too much and at the same time I want something that is

a) compatible with this camera and b)easy to use.

can any one please give me some advice.

I am also looking for a technical sponsor who will give me some

advice/pointers here at Photonet on my work once I start using the

Bronica, any offers?

 

Thank you.

 

regards

 

Hugh Hill

[david_goldfarb]

Any light meter is compatible with more or less any camera--they all measure the light and based on the measurement and the film speed will tell you the exposure.

 

There are lots of good ones out there in a variety of price ranges. The Gossen Luna Pro, for instance, is an old standard that usually runs around $100 or less used in good condition. If you plan to do some studio photography, consider a flashmeter, like one of the Minolta Flashmeters or Autometers. If you want to use the Zone System, you might consider a spotmeter, like the Pentax Spotmeter.

[hugh_hill]

Thanks David, that was just what I was looking for.

[darin_cozine]

Hugh,

The first thing you need to ask yourself is what kind of photography you will be doing.

1: Portraits, still-life or other fairly close objects, using available light.

-Get an ambient meter (the most common). $50-100. The older Seikonic Studio or Gossen Luna pro meters are well thought of. I use a Seikonic model C-2.

 

2: Portraits, still-life or other fairly close objects, using flash.

-You will need a flash meter. You are probably beter off with the newer digital models from Seikonic, Gossen, or Minolta. (these also do ambient readings!) There is a non-digital version of the Luna Pro whch does flash as well, but I dont know what exact model. There are also cheaper off-brand flash meters like the wien, etc, but I havent heard much about them.

 

3. Landscapes, arcetechure, or other more distant objects that you cant walk up to for an ambient meter reading.

-You will want a spot meter. $100-150. This will allow you to use the zone system. The Pentax is good, and has been around for a while. As an alternative you can use the meter in your 35mm camera. Some ambient meters have attachments that allow them to be used as spot meters, but they are not as good as a dedicated model.

 

I hope this helps. I have a Bronica S and S2. There are thing I love about them and things I hate.. (I think this can be said with most cameras)

[hugh_hill]

Thanks Darren, I think that I will be using it mostly for location and archetecture although I would also like to use it for some portfolios too so it looks as though I am going to have to fork out some extra spondoolies.

 

Regards

[johannes_geenen]

A spot meter is a highly specialised tool which gives - properly used - the most accurate readings. But in most cases, an ordinary light meter gives equal results with less complexity.

 

The Gossen Luna Pro F is a very versatile light meter that includes flash metering and ambient light metering for reasonable price. An optional telephoto adapter reduces measuring angle from default 30 degree to 7.5 degrees (which is not really "spot" but pretty close to it).

[shutay]

Hugh,

 

I'm not sure about how you work, and of course, the way you work is dependant also on what the photos are for - if more critical, then you will have to pay more attention to exposure and a spot meter is a good way to go.

 

Alternative no 1: if you're using B&W print film, you can often either use the Sunny f/16 rule and guess in other situations, based on experience (if you have enough). I use this method with my Welta Weltur folder and Yashica-Mat TLR, and it has worked very well for me so far. With a bit of practice, it can work very well. One tends to err on the side of over exposure, relying on the lattitude of print films. This probably won't be good enough if you really have to nail the exposure though.

 

Alternative no 2: I have also used my Nikon CoolPix 995 digital camera as an exposure meter (really, a rather expensive one at that...) - I get matrix, spot and center weighted metering. You WILL have to learn your film characteristics and the digital camera though - as Phil Askey notes in his review of the Canon G2/G3 digital cameras, they seem to use exposures 1 full stop faster than other cameras report in the same lighting conditions, so you will have to learn the quirks of your digicam if you decide to use it this way. It can work quite well though.

 

Unless you decide to capture a shot with the digicam anyway as a proof or whatever, you can just leave it on a fixed focus distance setting so that it's slow auto focusing doesn't get in the way. That way, you just use it for metering.

 

Good luck!

[hugh_hill]

Thanks Jason, I will keep that in mind

[steve_laceby]

Hi Hugh

We met last week while you where taking photo's of Kings College on the Guys campus,If you're still looking for a light metre I have a Jessops metre that I no longer use, it's just sitting around gathering dust.It's not top of the range equipment but works OK,if you're interested I'm willing to sell it for about 15 pounds.

Regards

Steve