new light meter

[Steve Barber]

Like many others, I suppose, I have a collection of working light meters that I have acquired over the years. One, a Minolta IVF, has quit giving an accurate reading. I have kept it as a back up to a Pentax spot meter, because it gave flash as well as ambient light readings. Today, however, when the battery died in the Pentax, I got the Minolta out and found that it is, now, two stops off.

I am curious if someone can recommend a meter that would replace both the Minolta and the Pentax? What I would like to have is a current production 1 degree digital spot meter that would give incident and reflected ambient readings and flash, as well. I want the 1 degree capability of the Pentax, but I dislike its bulk and the fiddly process of getting it in and out of its case along with the fact that it does not directly give readings in EV equivalents for any film speed other than 100. As to the Minolta, I liked it fine, but it only gave 5 degree spot readings and having to use all of the adapters to convert it from incident to reflected to spot and to flash and having separate cases for the meter and the attachments made it less convenient than it might have been.

So; is there a meter that has 1 degree spot reflected readings, as well as incident and flash capability that would allow culling my collection down to just one and getting rid of the rest? Or, if not, is there a meter you would recommend that would perform all of the functions of the Minolta IVF without having to have a lot of attachments to keep track of and fiddle with?

[Daniel Stone]

Sekonic L-758DR.

still the current model, IIRC, has 1deg spot function(or at least 3-5), and has the white dome for taking flash readings. IDK if it can read flash in spot mode though.

I have a L-778 meter(out of production), but its a dedicated spot, and can take flash readings, either via the built-in hotshoe, or via a pc-sync. Super accurate meter. PM me if you'd like more info and some pictures.

-Dan

[Steve Barber]

Dan,

Thank you, I did not expect spot reading in the flash mode. I will see what I can find on it and take you up on your offer of more details if I still have questions.

Steve

[John Kasaian]

Why not get it re-calibrated?

[Jeff Conrad]

Like John, I think there's much to be said for getting new batteries for the Pentax and getting the Autometer IV-F (and perhaps the Pentax) recalibrated.

The L-758DR is a nice meter. It would be nice to have one meter for everything, and the L-758DR's large, illuminated displays would be very helpful with low lighting levels. But I've never found the L-758DR as easy to use with the Zone System as my Zone IV Pentax Digital, so I've stuck with the latter. I also carry an AutoMeter IV-F; it's obviously more to fool around with, and the spectral responses of the two meters are slightly different as well. And I don't care for exchanging hemispherical, flat, and spot inserts (which I don't really do all that often). But in addition to (for me) the greater ease of use with the Pentax, my current meters are paid for ...

[Ari]

How old is your IVf?
I ask because mine has been SOLID for the past twelve years; even the batteries have only been changed once.
If it's really off, I'd get it re-calibrated, as others have suggested. It's a worthy meter.

[Louis Pacilla]

Did you know?

Open the battery compartment of your Minolta IV F. You will see a yellow dial that can be used to adjust your meter up to 6 stops + or - . Use your known accurate meter & make the adjustment. Now it should be good to go

BTW- The Sekonic L778 is a terrific meter & It is my main meter. That said I have (for a good 12 years) & still use the IV F which has a simplicity of use . A nice array of supplemental attachments for the IV . It must be good because Kenko bought the design & still makes it.

[Tony Lakin]

Have you considered the Gossen Starlight? great meter, extremely versatile.

[Steve Barber]

Thank you, all, for the comments that you have made in response to my inquiry, you have been very helpful.

I have had the Minolta IV F, since new, for more than 15 years and it, definitely, is not working correctly using the proper adapters necessary for the type of reading taken, even with a new battery with plenty of voltage and the connections cleaned. The error is inconsistent between the reflected and incident readings and, when taking incident readings, is beyond the range of the internal adjustment.

As of now, I have pretty well decided that I will spend the money on a new meter and not replace or repair the Minolta IV F. I have always been satisfied with its results, but I have never liked having to change adapters for the type of reading being taken. If I can find another meter that will replace the Minolta and the Pentax spot meter, then part of the cost of the new one will be offset by not spending it on the Minolta and a bit more of the cost can be offset by sale of the Pentax.

Two of the meters mentioned seem to satisfy the requirement to be able to perform all the functions, including 1 degree spot readings. New, they cost about the same, but the top of the line Sekonic seems to be more than I need and to require purchasing an expensive calibration target that is necessary to use all of its capabilities. The lesser meters in the Sekonic line appear to require separate adapters for changing the type of readings being taken. On the other hand, the Gossen Starlight 2 appears to have the features I want and to be organized in a way that is compatible with my way of determining exposures without requiring any adapters.

So, I am leaning toward the Gossen Starlight 2 and trying to learn more about it. In that regard, if anyone having experience with it and, especially, anyone having experience with it and the Sekonic L-758DR would share their knowledge, I would greatly appreciate their doing so.

[Professional]

In fact i still look for a NEW light meter to use with my film cameras, i said NEW because i am not planning to buy used and not sure about the condition and have that bug for long time, so is there any light meter "New" that can serve me very well for film zone systems? I have Sekonic L-758DR but i use this for my digital studio work and it is big, i used it few times for outdoor for film and worked fine on most [i think it failed once with my Velvia 50 + circular polarizer shots], so i hope to find another one for film and a bit lightweight over my L-758.