Pentax Digital Spotmeter

[Drew Wiley]

I once had three Pentax meters and the Minolta at the same time. They read exactly the
same. I never had battery problems with any of them unless the battery was outright frozen due to near-zero temperatures in the mtns (sometimes I kept the meter in the sleeping bag at night to keep it warm). Here I've never had any problem finding batteries.
Even the drugstores typically carry the correct one (PX28). They last a long time. I have a
very high opinion of both meters, but find the Pentax quite a bit faster to use. You just
read the outer ring rather than punching buttons. My Minolta meter eventually got stolen.
My Pentax meters still read exactly the same, many years later, with a recalibration maybe
once a decade.

[Patoff8]

2 years later ...

After longer time using my DSLR as lightmeter and later adding the Gossen Digisix (little great meter actually) I decided that I really want to get a dedicated spotmeter - the Pentax Digital one.

What I would like to ask is - how doe these meters age. On the used marked most sellers/buyers do not know about the age of the meter they are selling/buying so one may pay the same for meter from early 80' as well as mid 90'. Now - to me it seems to make sense to get - if possible - a later model, but still I would like to ask what is your experience - in particular in regards to material stability and calibration.

Of course - if anybody could also add some data (age versus serial numbers) of his/hers Pentax Digital Spotmeter it would be great too - I have only 3 data points up to now:

#114928 - early 80'
#153899 - around 1996
#162455 - around 2003

#159787 - 2001

[carylee2002]

I have a pentax serie v and digital spotmeter...Using the zone system they are both accurate. I also have a minolta but it takes much longer to learn and by the time you figure out your exposure you're shot maybe gone.

[Drew Wiley]

I have several of them, all the way from a 40 yr old really ugly one (which still gives perfect readings. With recalibration every 10 yrs), a good "user", and a couple of mint ones reserved for future use. Sorry - none are for sale. But you might be encouraged to know that I picked up one of these mint units just a year ago for only $200. All my meters read identically, and I use them for all my cameras. Another excellent meter that is generally cheaper on the used market is the Minolta Spotmeter F. I prefer the dial on the Pentax to the buttons on the Minolta, but they were mfg to measure identically to the Pentax.

[Drew Wiley]

Hmmm... I see I made a similar post just a skip above. It's nice I'm still capable of learning that I forget everything!

[Luis-F-S]

You can send your Pentax Digital meter to Richard Ritter for calibration and a check. L

http://www.lg4mat.net/page4.html#6

[drewf64]

Hello Matus:
My go-to Pentax Spotmeter is Zone VI modified c.1981, serial # 143170, I am the original owner and finally bought a gently used backup serial #104483 with NO Zone VI a year or two ago. Age = ??? Works great and looks great!
Best piece of mind that I have purchased!
I have use Gossen and GE meters ...... nothing compares to the Pentax Spotmeter with or without the Zone VI modification.
They pop up in the $250 - 300 range on this forum now & then.
Good luck in your search.
Drew
I was in Aalen last year while on a business trip to Oberkochen.
Beautiful country !!

[Greg]

Seriously consider an analogue (needle) Pentax spot meter that has been modified by ZONE VI. Almost always being reasonably priced, probably cause it's not digital. Have had and used mine for many years with 100&% satisfaction. Even once turned down trading it for a newer digital model.

[Bruce Barlow]

Seriously consider an analogue (needle) Pentax spot meter that has been modified by ZONE VI. Almost always being reasonably priced, probably cause it's not digital. Have had and used mine for many years with 100&% satisfaction. Even once turned down trading it for a newer digital model.

Except parts for the needle one are no longer available, so if it breaks, you're done. Parts are available for the Digital, so it's a safer bet.

[Greg]

Except parts for the needle one are no longer available, so if it breaks, you're done. Parts are available for the Digital, so it's a safer bet.

My solution was to get 2 of them. One my user and the other my backup and stored without a battery. Up to more than a few years ago did the same with my SEI Photometers, but only to have my both working SEIs fail within months of each other. Was able to win at auction a couple of broken SEIs and this winter's project is to hopefully get one or even two of them working again.