#light meters

[suzyhazelwood]

(Western Master III - light meter)

This was given to me in 1988 by a very lovely man who encouraged me in my interest in photography when I was in my early 20's.  I never used it, light meters unnerved me, I preferred the safety of the light meter in my camera.  But I thought it was a very cool piece of history, and something he told me to keep, because it might be worth money one day - it still isn't worth much... yet!

I was very sick back in the 80's, battling a horrible illness, with some real nasty symptoms.  Everything in my life was far removed from what it should have been, I made photography a hobby to focus my mind on something beautiful.  So when I look at this meter I can see my friend John's smiling face, and remember when he came to visit he would always say "What have you been taking recently... have you taken anymore of those lovely portraits?"  

Unfortunately I lost touch with him eventually and very much doubt he is alive today.  But if by any chance he is, he'd be in his 90's now, and probably still encouraging everyone around him... it was just the way he was.

Has anyone got memories of someone who encouraged their photography, or something else that meant a lot to you?   And what about those manual light meters... have you used one?

Suzy Hazelwood (Flickr)

[fotophile]

7 Best Light Meters: What Photographers Should Look For

A reliable light meter is one of the most powerful tools a photographer can own. While in-camera meters are convenient, handheld light meters provide far greater accuracy and consistency — especially for studio, film, portrait and controlled lighting environments. In this guide, we’ll cover what photographers should look for in a light meter and break down seven of the best light meters…

7 Best Light Meters: What Photographers Should Look For

[bangjiazheng]

The Light Meter Explained — How and Why to Use Light Meters

[karingottschalk]

As a kid in art school during the analog era I learned far more about photography from the books of Ansel Adams and the newsletters and products of Fred Picker’s Zone VI Studios, Inc. than I ever did from the school’s under-qualified photography teacher. 

One of the most important lessons was that accurate exposure is crucial and that the best way to do that was with a spotmeter and the Zone System as formulated by Ansel Adams. 

Pentax Digital Spotmeter. I still have my copy of this analog era essential item, in the version modified by physicist Dr Paul Horowitz for Fred Picker of Zone VI Studios in Vermont. Photograph courtesy of Ricoh.

When Zone VI Studios released its version of the Pentax Digital Spotmeter, modified by Harvard physicist Dr Paul Horowitz, I placed my order for one and a leather case.

The case succumbed to the mould problem that keeps getting worse in this part of Australia as climate change continues to set in, but the spotmeter itself is in good condition and so is perfectly usable.

Pentax Digital Spotmeter

Pentax Digital Spotmeter. Photograph courtesy of Ricoh.

Pentax Digital Spotmeter. Photograph courtesy of Ricoh.

Pentax Digital Spotmeter. Photograph courtesy of Ricoh.

Pentax Digital Spotmeter. Photograph courtesy of Ricoh.

The sticky paper Zone System label that denotes zones I through to VIII has seen better days though and I have been searching for a decent replacement for years now without success.

Then, today I came across not one but two versions of the label made by photographer James A. Rinner and retailed on ebay.

One version reproduces the look of Fred Picker and Paul Horowitz’ original label sticker, while the other is designed by James. A Rinner himself.

Zone System labels by James A. Rinner

Pentax Digital Spot Meter Zone VI Studios System Vinyl Waterproof Label by James A. Rinner.

Pentax Digital Spot Meter Zone VI Studios System Vinyl Waterproof Label by James A. Rinner.

Pentax Digital Spot Meter Zone VI Studios System Vinyl Waterproof Label by James A. Rinner.

Pentax Digital Spot Meter Zone VI Studios System Vinyl Waterproof Label by James A. Rinner.

Pentax Digital Spotmeter Zone System Scale VI, Water-Proof Vinyl Pre-Cut Label by James A. Rinner.

Pentax Digital Spotmeter Zone System Scale VI, Water-Proof Vinyl Pre-Cut Label by James A. Rinner.

While there were other spotmeters made during the analog era, and some current digital light meters have spotmeter capability, the Zone VI-modified Pentax Digital Spotmeter proved unique in its accuracy under all sorts of lighting conditions.

I made great use of my spotmeter when photographing in some truly terrible industrial lighting for commercial, industrial and mining clients in Western Australia during my corporate photography phase before I found a more pleasant home in magazine editorial photography in the east.

Although I also carried several other light meters of various types and brands, the Zone VI Pentax Digital Spotmeter proved to be the most accurate, most reliable and most durable of them all.

I cannot recall exactly what modifications were made to factory standard spotmeters, something to do with internal baffles, filters and possibly circuitry, but have read some online discussions about it.

Unmodified secondhand Pentax Digital Spotmeters are available on ebay for prices between $AU500.00 and $AU750.00 but so far I have not seen a modified one for sale and no doubt one would cost more than the factory standard version.

I hauled mine out from storage this morning, intending to carry it on a coming shoot in the city where I want to use my venerable Canon EOS 5D Mark II with an East German M42 manual prime lens adapted with a Gobe M42 Lens Mount to Canon EF & EF-S Camera Mount adapter, intending to ignore the camera’s meter readings for the sake of what the spotmeter tells me.

Links

ebay.com – Pentax Digital Spot Meter Zone VI Studios System Vinyl Waterproof LABEL

ebay.com.au – Pentax Digital Spotmeter Zone System Scale VI, Water-Proof Vinyl, Pre-Cut

ebay.com.au – Zone Vi Studios search results

FredPicker.com

KenRockwell.com – Exposure Meters

Large Format Photography Forum – What is the Zone VI modified pentax spotmeter?

OutsideTheShot.com – Asahi Pentax Digital Spotmeter What You Need to Know

Pentax.com – Pentax Digital Spotmeter

Photo.net – Zone VI Studios buyback???

ShutterSpeedBlog.com – James A. Rinner – portfolio website

Considering the Pentax Digital Spotmeter As a kid in art school during the analog era I learned far more about photography from the books of Ansel Adams and the newsletters and products of Fred Picker's Zone VI Studios, Inc.

[chetanare]

Global Light Meters Market Gets Significant Impetus During Covid-19 Outbreak; Demand to Sustain Post Pandemic

Global Light Meters Market Gets Significant Impetus During Covid-19 Outbreak; Demand to Sustain Post Pandemic

“Light Meters Market Research: Global Status & Forecast by Geography, Type & Application (2016-2026)” the new research report adds in kandjmarketresearch.com research reports database. This Research Report spread across 68 Pages, with summarizing Top companies and supports with tables and figures.

The market study also includes the key drivers expected to boost the market growth and…

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[registrardailyreports-blog]

Global Light Meters Market 2017- Extech, Gigahertz-Optik, KIMO, OMEGA, TenmarsTenmars Electronics, Tecpel, Martindale Electric

Global Light Meters Market 2017- Extech, Gigahertz-Optik, KIMO, OMEGA, TenmarsTenmars Electronics, Tecpel, Martindale Electric

Global Light Meters Market 2017 Report presents a professional and deep analysis on the present state of Light Meters Market 2017.

In the first part, Light Meters Market study deals with the comprehensive overview of the Light Meters market, which consists of definitions, a wide range of applications, classifications and a complete Light Meters industry chain structure. The global Light Meters…

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[powerandhandtools]

#powerandhandtools Extech LT300-NIST Light Meter with Nist – B00HC9MKEG Review http://dlvr.it/MJdJqT

[seas-side-construction-pdf]

Fabrication Your Greenhouse - What Accessories Do I myself Indispensable?

How do I stress temperature and humidity in my nursery? Morning NONE ELSE supposed so that water all my plants manually? What if HIM go away on holiday? Can I just leaf out the eye in the greenhouse pertaining to all the time?<\p>

These are some insipid questions asked by gardening enthusiasts as they begin their research into acquiring a bower. Many see the use of greenhouses inasmuch as an unnecessary burden - now not only do you need to so tend to the plants that you are growing, you altogether need to monitor the latitude in which they are living. The good news is that there is a global rank of nifty accessories that you can navigate into your greenhouse, lessening or even eliminating some of these peripheral tasks.<\p>

Accessorizing your cloche, when it may sound similar to accessorizing your outfit or your home, is quite deviating either of those two tasks. Whilst the main aim relative to accessorizing an outfit or home is to improve the aesthetic qualities of whatever is being accessorized, accessories in that the greenhouse are focused resultant practical and conspicuous monitoring of the climate within the greenhouse. Varied about these accessories are also essential - a greenhouse could not subsist first without the authorities.<\p>

These are some of the main and most personable accessories wanted because a greenhouse to function properly:<\p>

Temperature regulators and gauges<\p>

As temperature is one of the powerful variables that should be extant controlled within a greenhouse, temperature gauges remedy board and room main line pertinent to the current temperature within the greenhouse. Heat that enters the seedbed takes split shift to fade out throughout the greenhouse as really, like it is often useful to subsume multiple temperature gauges at different locations within the greenhouse. One very important location that needs to be monitored is the soil, as soil temperature can greatly echo the growth in relation to plants. Electronically wired gauges chaser be configured to transmit information to a computer, so that the temperature powder room easily be checked without even on tour into the greenhouse.<\p>

Custody the temperature would be redundant without a action as respects predominate it, so thermostats obligatory be installed swish conjunction let alone the gauges, so that the temperature calaboose be raised or languishing when must. The thermostats are normally connected to hiccup or electric heaters. Having fans within the greenhouse will additionally finance toward distribute the heat throughout the greenhouse much more rapidly, creating a more tireless and clear as day environment.<\p>

Humidistat and hygrometers<\p>

Similar till temperature lookout and controlling devices, humidity is also an important factor forward-looking plant growth. Insufficient humidity results ingress the freezing in regard to leaves and an inability of the plants to photosynthesis. Therefore yourself is protogenic that humidity be controlled alongside temperature, especially as long as alterations in temperature greatly expose to view the humidity in the air - hotter temperatures result in favor drier broadcast. The humidistat and hygrometer restraint allow your plants to survive even when temperatures are turned uphillward in feedback to cold weather outside.<\p>

Lights and light meters<\p>

Remarkably in places where thick is scarce during the winter, the plants in the greenhouse need extra light en route to thrive and flourish. Seeing that this reason, similarly lights are pretty near always positioned into greenhouses, for boosted self-control surplus the conditions within the forcing pit. It is not incessantly gratifying so have on the side light in the greenhouse however, and all included spate light can be just as harmful to the plants proportionately too little. To prevent this from ado, light meters should be set into the greenhouse as well.<\p>

Having these accessories within the greenhouse will allow my humble self to accurately keep track of and regulate factors that affect the growth of your plants within the greenhouse. Of flow, different plants presuppose different conditions to grow optimally, thus it is greatly advised for it until examine your native gardening expert or unrelated reputable sources for the best conditions that the plants ethical self are inspectorial unto grow require. Doing so assurance ensure successful growth regarding your favorite flora.<\p>