blaz Posted June 21, 2008 Share #1 Posted June 21, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hello I have bought a focomat v35 and focometer with it I am note sure what model,it has a slide from 1-10 and graduations on the very left hand side,the Hove manual states that you should slide a tool looks like a screwdriver into a slot,but mine has no slots just the slide.I am trying to figure out how to work the focometer to take readings of the loaded negative but cant work it out.Does anyone have a manual or any idea how to do this? Thanks for any help Andrew Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 21, 2008 Posted June 21, 2008 Hi blaz, Take a look here focometer. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Michiel Fokkema Posted June 21, 2008 Share #2 Posted June 21, 2008 Hi, Mine is black and does have smallslots to calibrate with a smal screwdriver that sits in the back. It is used to calirbate the measurments for youre enlarger and paper. I should have the manual somewhere here or in my darkroom. But my main computer with the scanner attached isn't working at the moment. I'll see what I can do for you. Could you post a picture of your focometer so we can see which version it is? Cheers, Michiel Fokkema Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaz Posted June 23, 2008 Author Share #3 Posted June 23, 2008 Thanks for your reply I have taken a photo ,as you can see these is a slider which is different to the model in the Hove manual.Is this a mark 2 model? Thanks again Andrew Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/56015-focometer/?do=findComment&comment=588051'>More sharing options...
Michiel Fokkema Posted June 23, 2008 Share #4 Posted June 23, 2008 Hi, I'm not sure if it is mark 2. It is different from mine. I have the black one with the slots. Sorry, can't help you here. cheers, Michiel Fokkema Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
topoxforddoc Posted June 23, 2008 Share #5 Posted June 23, 2008 Andrew, I have a Focometer 2 like yours. Plug the enlarger into the focometer and the FC into the mains. The left hand slide is to allow to set the paper speed, as some are faster than others. The three central slider sets minutes and seconds if you are timing manually. Do you have the small pale grey sensor on a lead which plugs into the focometer on the back? If you do, this is what you do. Turn the enlarger on by pressing the middle rectangular button (with light bulb on it). Place the sensor on a zone VI area under the projected image. then press the left hand button (arrow in circle). You should then get a reading on the display. then place the paper on the easel and press the right hand button (with the dot). This should turn the enlarger on for the preset time that you've metered for. Good luck Charlie Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaz Posted June 24, 2008 Author Share #6 Posted June 24, 2008 Thanks I know how to manually use it no problems Have tried with the diffusion disc in place and probe on the centre of picture on the easel,but when I get a reading and repeat the process the readings are not the same.perhaps its broke!!?? Will try again as you suggest Where does the slider come into play? Do you have a manual or have you learned by trial and error Thanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
topoxforddoc Posted June 24, 2008 Share #7 Posted June 24, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) Blaz, I haven't got a manual. I may have read it in the Leica darkroom handbook. This shows a later Focometer Quartz, but one just adapts that. As for changing readings on the sensor - the sensor diameter is quite small. The readings will change depending on where you put the disc. I normally put it on skintones and work from there. The slider allows you to adjust for different paper speeds. You'll have to do a test print with a piece of paper usig different slider settings for a given exposure seen on the disc. You then pick the best one and use that setting whenever you sue that paper. Charlie Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michiel Fokkema Posted June 25, 2008 Share #8 Posted June 25, 2008 For best results you shouldn't use the darkroom light when metering. My focometer clearly picks up some of the darkroom light. It causes different readings when I move and the sensor is more ore less in the shade I cause on the easel. Cheers, Michiel Fokkema Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaz Posted June 26, 2008 Author Share #9 Posted June 26, 2008 Hi everyone I emailed Leica in the UK got pretty much an immediate reply with scanned manual for focometer 2.What service.problem is mine is not a focometer 2 ,I have emailed them a photo of meter and hopefully they will email me with an other manual will let you know I have been metering with safe light off so maybe it is not working properly do yours take a reading and is this displayed instantly on the LED display?mine sometimes does not.Unfortunately Leica dont repair /service them anymore Anyone know who might have this expertise? Perhaps an leica/leitz engineer out there somewhere? Regards Andrew Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
topoxforddoc Posted June 27, 2008 Share #10 Posted June 27, 2008 Andrew, When my focometer broke, I took it to an old guy running an old fashioned TV.hi-fi repair shop and asked him to have a look. He took it apart and fixed a capacitor (they often blow in old electronics) and hey presto. Charlie Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
haris Posted June 27, 2008 Share #11 Posted June 27, 2008 Thanks Have tried with the diffusion disc in place and probe on the centre of picture on the easel,but when I get a reading and repeat the process the readings are not the same.perhaps its broke!!?? First, you calibrated meter for paper you use, right? You can not use enlarger meter (any meter) straight out of box, you must calibrate meter first for paper type you will use. Meters are calibrated for paper, not enlarger, that is why different meters can work with different enlargers... I have 2 Jobo enlarger exposure meters. They work in 2 ways: 1. With diffuser in place, that is diffuser is between image and meter sensor. With difusser you must make new calibration every time you change film size, print size (enlarger head height), bulb type and/or power, everything. 2. Without diffuser, that is meters sensor is used like spot meter under image, nothing is between sensor and image. In that case, you calibrate meter only once, and if you change negative size, print size, enlarger bulb... you do not have to calibrate meter again, it is once calibrated for paper you use. Only if you change paper type, then you need to calibrate it again. So, could it be that your different readings is because of something like that. So, maybe your meter is not broken, but because you work with diffuser, you allways get different results? It would help when you get manual, I would wait if I was you to get manual and then to see if meter is broken or metering method you use is wrong. Regards. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
haris Posted June 27, 2008 Share #12 Posted June 27, 2008 Thanks Have tried with the diffusion disc in place and probe on the centre of picture on the easel,but when I get a reading and repeat the process the readings are not the same.perhaps its broke!!?? First, you calibrated meter for paper you use, right? You can not use enlarger meter (any meter) straight out of box, you must calibrate meter first for paper type you will use. Meters are calibrated for paper, not enlarger, that is why different meters can work with different enlargers... I have 2 Jobo enlarger exposure meters. They work in 2 ways: 1. With diffuser in place, that is diffuser is between image and meter sensor. With difusser you must make new calibration every time you change film size, print size (enlarger head height), bulb type and/or power, everything. 2. Without diffuser, that is meters sensor is used like spot meter under image, nothing is between sensor and image. In that case, you calibrate meter only once, and if you change negative size, print size, enlarger bulb... you do not have to calibrate meter again, it is once calibrated for paper you use. Only if you change paper type, then you need to calibrate it again. So, could it be that your different readin is because of somethink like that. So, maybe your meter is not broken, but because you work with diffuser, you allways get different results? It would help when you get manual, I would wait if I was you to get manual and then to see if meter is broken or metering method you use is wrong. Regards. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaz Posted June 27, 2008 Author Share #13 Posted June 27, 2008 Cheers guys Leica are sending me a spare manual,will report back once I have this, and played around a bit more Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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