Reading a UNITTIC Light Meter

[Raffay]

Do ignore the fact that the values on the needle meter and upper scale show numbers resembling a aperture scale! There was one shutter speed at one film speed (perhaps Kodachrome amateur silent cine film, 1/30@64ASA, if I interpret it right) where the needle meter could be used for direct readout. For all other applications (in particular photography) these are just arbitrary numbers you have to match up between scale and calculator - the apertures you have to use are down below, paired with the exposure times.

I understand what you are saying, take a look at these two pictures showing what I am saying.

Flap open:



Flap close:



In both pictures the only thing that differed is that the flap is open and closed in the second one. Otherwise the alignment or the number below do not change. Any thoughts?

Cheers
Raffay

[Sevo]

In both pictures the only thing that differed is that the flap is open and closed in the second one. Otherwise the alignment or the number below do not change. Any thoughts?

This is the expected behaviour, you should get the same reading (using the different reference marks for "o" and "c") when measuring with flap open and closed. Wherever that is possible - only a part of the meter range intersects.

[Ian Gordon Bilson]

The readings you obtain are more likely to be accurate if the needle is not at the extreme end of the scale,Flap up or down.
But old,Selenium meters like this have a mixed record for reliability.
The zero by the screw adjuster is just an identifier for the screws function- there is no index mark to which you set it-this is done by viewing the needle as you adjust.
Sekonic.com has some useful tutorials on metering practice for reflected/incident techniques.