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Suitable Lightmeter for IIIf


Humphrey (Jpn)

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I have recently recommissioned a IIIf + Summitar 1:2 lens but need some help to get my settings right. Can anyone recommend a suitable lightmeter, preferably small and not too expensive? I have been looking at the cheaper Sekonics which are readily available over the counter here.

 

-Humphrey

JAPAN

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One of those will be fine. There is also a small shoe mounted meter made by Voigtlander, but I would go for a handheld meter which will take incident readings (you point the meter at the light source, from where the subject it, rather than at the subject as you do with a relfected reading). It will have a white plastic dome or cover for the metering cell to do this. This gives better readings in many situations.

 

For street photography with negative films, you can quickly get used to lighting situations and will instinctively know what will work, without using the meter.

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My advice is for a little one, but handheld: personally I have an old Gossen Sixtino 2 that has worked well for 15 years about, simple, quick, no battery (it's a selenium meter), doesn't suffer humidity-moisture (which was a problem with a CdS Sekonic I had before).

The supersmall accessory-shoe mountables (like the Voigtlander above quoted) are appealing for the capabilty to rest on the body, but in practice it isn't a great advantage (I had one 25 years ago... curiosly, it was marked Voigtlander... no relation with the present, of course), and you obviously suffer something like camera case not fitting etc.

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My advice is for a little one, but handheld: personally I have an old Gossen Sixtino 2 that has worked well for 15 years about, simple, quick, no battery (it's a selenium meter), doesn't suffer humidity-moisture (which was a problem with a CdS Sekonic I had before).

The supersmall accessory-shoe mountables (like the Voigtlander above quoted) are appealing for the capabilty to rest on the body, but in practice it isn't a great advantage (I had one 25 years ago... curiosly, it was marked Voigtlander... no relation with the present, of course), and you obviously suffer something like camera case not fitting etc.

 

I have a current voigtlander one, which normally sits on top of the M3, and I have had it on the III but it looks a bit 'modern' for a pre war camera. Its very good, I sometimes use it 'hand held', epecially if I need a viewfinder in the accessory shoe. I bought a Kaiser accessory shoe with a tripod screw base (for putting flashguns on a tripod) and attached a neck strap to it, the meter slids into the accessory shoe and hangs round my neck, its easier to take a reading like that than I used to manage with the Leicameter MR.

 

I also still have my beloved Weston IV, but its a bit bulky and a two handed job, ideal for the studio but not so good outdoors.

 

Gerry

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Being a rebel, I use a Panasonic FX01.

 

It's smaller than most meters, and, guess what, it takes pictures too! You can set it to the same ISO, and zoom it until you are at the same aperture, then half-press the shutter release and, presto! You can even dial in exposure comp if you are using filters on your IIIf.

 

Oh, and it makes a good backup.

 

Regards,

 

Bill

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My vote would be for a Weston III, IV.or V reflected meter. As an all around meter the Weston can't be beat. And it never needs batteries

Sometimes you can pick one up for $20 The trick is to make sure it works. A lot of dead Westons around. Too expensive to fix up (I think)

Rafael

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