Light meter question

[shirin]

Hello,

Sorry if it's a basic question but I need a bit of help.

The light meter inside an old film camera I'm using is different to what I'm used to. Instead of having a plus or minus with an exposure needle hovering between them, there are a series of shutter speed numbers that the needle points to.

Can I assume that whatever number the needle is pointing to is an indication of what shutter speed I should be using? Instead of trying to get the needle to sit in the middle?

Thank you

 

[480sparky]

You're sure it's not displaying the shutter speed the camera is set to?

Knowing the make & model would certainly help answering your question.

 

[shirin]

I honestly don't know.
It's a classroom camera so it's not with me at the moment. I'm fairly sure it's a Nikon but I don't know the model.

Does anyone else know?

 

[Derrel]

It sounds like a camera that uses what's called "match-needle metering".In MANUAL metering mode, with a match-needle camera, You set the film speed, like at say 400, for Tri-X or Ilford HP-5; then, you set an aperture, like say, f/5.6. You then turn the shutter speed dial to center a needle with a circle with a plain, straight needle, so that the plain, straight needle and the circular device are 'matched'.

As one might imagine, the needle and pointed can be 'matched' by turning either the shutter speed, or the lens aperture, or a little of both!

Match needle metering was very common in the 1970's and into the 1980's.

Now, in "A" metering mode, the pointer will show the speed the camera is going to SET,and use, for the lens f/stop in use!

The Nikon FE or FE-2 is the camera that springs to mind.

 

[ac12]

Find out the camera brand and model.
Then download the manual, and read it.

Anything that I say about your camera is a Wild A$$ Guess, without knowing the specific brand/model and reading the manual.

 

[SCraig]

My old Olympus OM-2N has a vertical scale in the viewfinder. When it is in manual mode it shows a +/- with arrows to denote the exposure the camera senses. In automatic mode it shows a scale of shutter speeds with a needle showing the one that the camera has chosen based on the aperture and film ASA..

This body has aperture priority automatic and that's the behavior I would expect from that mode in that the camera is telling you the shutter speed it thinks is appropriate for the aperture and ASA you have set.

 

[compur]

The light meter inside an old film camera I'm using is different to what I'm used to. Instead of having a plus or minus with an exposure needle hovering between them, there are a series of shutter speed numbers that the needle points to.

If the display changes indicating different shutter speeds when you point the camera at different light levels then the display is telling you what shutter speed to use.

If the shutter speed indicated doesn't change and is the same as what the camera is set to then it's just displaying what shutter speed the camera is set to.

 

[timor]

I honestly don't know.
It's a classroom camera so it's not with me at the moment. I'm fairly sure it's a Nikon but I don't know the model.

Does anyone else know?

Hi. You know it would be wise to know the make and model of the camera you will use. This info is somewhere written proudly on the camera body. It takes 3 seconds to aquire that. Then simply write the camera name and model in that box, you know, Google or some other search engine with additional word "manual". I am very sure that link to "butkus" website will show up in 3-5 position. Go there, download the free pdf and if it is not too much trouble read all about operating specification of your camera. And problem solved.