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Thread: Spot Meter Replacement

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Japan
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    177

    Spot Meter Replacement

    Hi,

    I was hiking and photographing in the nearby mountains this past weekend, when I dropped by Pentax V spotmeter, it feel about 40 feet or so, and pretty much exploded when it hit the rocks, cracked the case and broke the front lens. So it is pretty much beyond repair I think, though the needle still moves.

    I went down to the local camera shop, and they have both a new Pentax Digital Spot Meter for about 400 USD, and a new Sekonic 558 for a few dollars(actually Yen) less. I was happy with the Pentax V, but was seriously looking at Sekonic. I asked the dealer to hold them for me until the weekend (he is a friend and he agreed) to let me think it over.

    I am just curious as to what the best course of action would be? I would very interested to hear any opinions that you might have.

    Thanx Again for your time!

    Gary

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    Chester, UK
    Posts
    167

    Spot Meter Replacement

    Gary, I was in the same position a year or so ago. I tried the then latest Sekonic and found that compared to my Minolta Spotmeter F, it was very susceptible to flare. If a bright reflective surface was in the viewfinder field, the reading could be up to 1 f-stop out. So I went for the Pentax Digital, which comes up with very similar readings to the Minolta.

  3. #3

    Spot Meter Replacement

    Check the location of the reading. In the Pentax, you need not remove it from your eye. The Sekonic I checked when I purchased my Pentax required me to remove it from my eye and look at the side. This is a total pain as far as can see.

    Get the Pentax

  4. #4
    Moderator Ralph Barker's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 1998
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    Rio Rancho, NM
    Posts
    5,034

    Spot Meter Replacement

    Meter choice tends to be highly personal, as the responses are already suggesting.

    Personally, I like the versatility of the Sekonic (I have the older 508 model), largely due to the mix of work I do. I find being able to make incident and spot readings with a single meter quite convenient. The memory function (up to 3 readings) of the Sekonic is also handy, but I don't know if the new Pentax has a similar feature.

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Portland, OR
    Posts
    743

    Spot Meter Replacement

    Check out the Minolta Flashmeter VI (6). It is similar in design to the Sekonic, and a little over $400 in the US. There is nothing this meter can't do - it does ambient, spot, and flash.

  6. #6

    Spot Meter Replacement

    A lot depends on how you use the meter.

    You might find the review of two of my meters (a Zone VI modified Pentax and a Sekonic L-508) on my website helpful (at www.butzi.net/reviews/light_meters.htm).

    If you're pondering a Pentax and wondering whether to get a Zone VI modified one, or an unmodified one, you might find this comparison interesting: www.butzi.net/articles/zone%20VI%20worth%20it.htm

  7. #7

    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Camano Island, Washington
    Posts
    396

    Spot Meter Replacement

    Paul,

    Thank you for your test and indepth research on the different spot meters. I have been using a couple of older Petax V spotmeters. I have been interested in obtaining a Zone VI spot meter because of the idea that the readings were more acurate. I will have to think about the way that I am metering more - its probably not my equipment. I always think of Atget who had second hand equipment that was out of date - yet he made images that were far ahead of his time.

  8. #8

    Spot Meter Replacement

    The Sekonic 558 is a fabulous meter as it gives you EV values for both incident and spot readings and was written up a while back by Ellis Venner (if I remember correctly) in View camera magazine.

    My exposures have improved immensely (both in accuracy and the shorter time I spend with a meter) since I started incorporating subject brighness range (SBR) with my spot metering. For some scenes I can take two incident measurements with the 558 record my SBR and be ready to make a photograph in 25 seconds whereas I would be fumbling and stumbling with my Pentax trying to get this to fit my zone system paradigms many times incorrectly.

    For this the 558 is fabulous. You do have the ability to see the spot metering data in the viewfinder and on he LED side panel.

    Since it is cheaper and gives you two measurement systems in one I do not see how you can go wrong. I believe that we should focus more about the ease of use and the results one gets from the meter in prints form and worry less about the specifications. I can tell you that my 558 has made a huge positive difference in what I am producing.

    Good Luck!

  9. #9
    Daniel Geiger
    Guest

    Spot Meter Replacement

    I have the Sekonik L558 and am quite happy with it. I mostly use it as an incident meter (both ambient and flash) and the exposures are repeatable and dead on even with transparency film. It is my first serious external meter, so cannot comment on any other models.

    Note that Sekonik seems to use rather a 12-13% reflectance value as opposed to the 18% of Kodak. So if you assume 18% NG, then the Sekonik will overexpose your shot. You can compensate for that by dialing in a personal exposure compensation, or you can retrain your eye. It does not affect incident readings at all.

    The Sekonik does display the f-stop/time values in the spot viewfinder, contrary to earlier postings. I like the fact that it stores up to 9 measurements displays those all on the side LCD. It suffers as so many e-gadgets from the push-this-button-turn-the-wheel-while-clicking-the-other-button disease. Multifunctionality for some, confusion for others [my electron micrsocope is more intuitive]. I think at most I know half of what the meter can acutally do. Even with the manual, I am not quite sure whether I properly use some of the more esoteric functions.

    Even though, I am quite happy with it, and I am not looking around for a replacement.

  10. #10

    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Japan
    Posts
    177

    Spot Meter Replacement

    I wanted to thank you all for the very helpful replies. After reading them over, I am still not decided either way I am going to back to the camera store again today and play with both meters and make a choice. I have been using the old Pentax V for a while and was quite pleased with it. So, I am slightly leaning toward the Pentax.

    Mr. Butzi I found your site to be very helpful, I have read it several times in the past. It is very imformative.

    Again thank you to everyone!

    Gary

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