Now that I've got it, How do I use it

[Battou]

My Exposure Meter

Now I just need to know how to use it, does anyone have experiance with this one?

If so How do I use it?

Sorry about the poor shot, I had to improvise lighting

 

[Dubious Drewski]

Wow. That device is very photogentic in itself. I'm sorry, I have no idea how to use this particular thing. But I have to ask: Why did you get ahold of one of these when you could have probably got a newer, simpler, more accurate exposure meter?


It looks really, really cool though. Be sure to take some nice macros of it

 

[Battou]

Wow. That device is very photogentic in itself. I'm sorry, I have no idea how to use this particular thing. But I have to ask: Why did you get ahold of one of these when you could have probably got a newer, simpler, more accurate exposure meter?

I have limmited access to precision photogear like this, I have to take what I can get, this was the most reasent and simplest of the four he had.

It looks really, really cool though. Be sure to take some nice macros of it

I can do that.

 

[JerryPH]

Turn it on, set the dial to point to the right ASA (ie: ISO) of the film you are using (or have the digital camera set at), put it near where you want to meter, stand back, fire the strobe/flash, look at what it is telling you that your F-stop should be at.

Then decide if you want to adjust ISO or aperture to adjust exposure quality. Shutter speed does come in, but less so as you want to more than likely limit yourself (at least initially) to your camera's maximum sync speed.

 

[Helen B]

I haven't used that model, but I have used similar meters so I'll have a stab at the method of operation.

Set the ASA - same as the ISO or EI.

Take a reading. It doesn't read flash, it only reads continuous light. There probably isn't an on/off switch - it reads all the time.

If the needle doesn't move, open the baffle over the metering cell, then try again.

If the baffle was in place, set the number the needle was pointing to against the red mark. If the baffle was open, set it to the gray (blue?) mark.

The meter now shows the range of aperture/shutter speed combinations that will give the 'correct' exposure. It also shows the Light Value, or LV. This is the same as EV, in the case of this meter.

The aperture scale is marked in half stops, the shutter speed scale in third-stops.

It's a silicon cell reflective meter, as far as I know. That means that it doesn't need batteries, ad you point it at the subject you want to meter, not at the light source. Test it by pointing it at the palm of your hand in full sun, and see if it gives a reading close to the sunny 16 rule. Silicon cells sometimes need to be replaced. Sekonic used to give a rule of thumb for using their meters as incident meters in very low light conditions - place them at the subject and point them at the light source. Multiply the shutter speed by ten. If 1/15 is indicated, give 10/15 s, or 2/3 s, or call it 1 s to be on the safe side of 1/2 s.

Have a look on butkus.org for the pdf manual. Do you know the model number? If you can't find the exact manual, you should be able to find one that is close.

Good luck,
Helen

 

[Battou]

I haven't used that model, but I have used similar meters so I'll have a stab at the method of operation.

Set the ASA - same as the ISO or EI.

Take a reading. It doesn't read flash, it only reads continuous light. There probably isn't an on/off switch - it reads all the time.

If the needle doesn't move, open the baffle over the metering cell, then try again.

If the baffle was in place, set the number the needle was pointing to against the red mark. If the baffle was open, set it to the gray (blue?) mark.

The meter now shows the range of aperture/shutter speed combinations that will give the 'correct' exposure. It also shows the Light Value, or LV. This is the same as EV, in the case of this meter.

The aperture scale is marked in half stops, the shutter speed scale in third-stops.

It's a silicon cell reflective meter, as far as I know. That means that it doesn't need batteries, ad you point it at the subject you want to meter, not at the light source. Test it by pointing it at the palm of your hand in full sun, and see if it gives a reading close to the sunny 16 rule. Silicon cells sometimes need to be replaced. Sekonic used to give a rule of thumb for using their meters as incident meters in very low light conditions - place them at the subject and point them at the light source. Multiply the shutter speed by ten. If 1/15 is indicated, give 10/15 s, or 2/3 s, or call it 1 s to be on the safe side of 1/2 s.

Have a look on butkus.org for the pdf manual. Do you know the model number? If you can't find the exact manual, you should be able to find one that is close.

Good luck,
Helen

Incidently I found the manual PDF shortly after making the thread, I figured I would leave it open as the manual is not the most descriptive manual I have ever read. Your post was far more heplful than the manual thank you.