Have you used the Pocket Spot meter from meteredlight.com?

[Henry Ambrose]

I've looked at this nice little meter at meteredlight.com several times and now after being reminded by reading a recent post about some darkroom gear they make I'm asking for any hands on experience with the Pocket Spot meter. Anyone own or use one?

[Jorge Gasteazoro]

There are some people who post at APUG who have purchased them an used them. You might have to do a search to find the thread, it has been a while since it was posted.

[lee\c]

I don't own one but got to use one for several days a year ago in the desert of Az. It did a good job. I was put off a little by its size but it did the exposures perfectly. I did not care for having to look into the tube to aim the thing but it works just fine. There are those that love it.

leec

[Eric Woodbury]

Yes, I've used and like it very much. I should warn you, however, that I invented it and I'm very biased. It is different than using a Pentax. As mentioned, you sight down a tube instead of through an optical system. This might seem odd, but in some ways it gives a freedom to metering. You don't have to look at the world through a lens you put up to your eye. You can see the whole world, not just 15 degrees. If you want to meter a 1 degree object, you can do it and it is not hard. The meter has a bigger range than most, from -2EV to 24EV. It is very rugged and when dropped its setting don't change. It is built from a single block of aluminum, so you could run over it with a car and it would probably still work. Don't try this with other meters. It is very linear, more linear than a Pentax. Ask George at Quality Light and Metric. It is adjusted for the film spectrum so that reading through filters give accurate readings. It is nice, small, and fits in your pocket or around your neck. One other nice thing, in this day and age, it is not mistakened for a gun as some meters are. I hope this helps.

[Michael E. Gordon]

One other nice thing, in this day and age, it is not mistakened for a gun as some meters are.

Oh, I can see it now: "Today in Los Angeles, John Q. Fotahgruffer was mistakenly shot to death by a police officer while reaching for what was alleged to be Pentax Spotmeter, used in photography. The officer, fearing for his safety, fired once killing the harmless tripod-toter. The gruesome scene was caught on amateur video by a witness".

[Kevin Crisp]

Michael: I don't think the "looks like a gun" suggestion is as far out there as you do, particularly when one places it in a holster such as the Zone VI one. The number of objects that have really been mistaken for firearms when the adrenalin is pumping includes a great many things which look less gun-like than spotmeters. Cell phones, pagers, car keys, etc.

[Henry Ambrose]

Eric, it sounds like this is something I'll have to try firsthand. Your website does explain how the meter works but it sounds so different from other meters that I think I'll have to get one in my hands to try. But first, here's a question or two.

Is the field of view managed by using a lahyard around your neck to contrrol the distance from your eye? Is there a lens with aiming mark, circle or something in the tube or is it just a hole to look through? I'm trying to imagine how you'd know what area you are reading. When I look through my current spot meter I have a circular reticle that indicates the area being read. How does your meter work in this regard?

[Eric Woodbury]

Henry A.

You hold the meter at about 12-14" (length on lanyard) and site through the hole in the side of the meter. The meter is about 2 1/4" long, so the hole is really a boresight. In most cases when 'we' meter, we are not metering exactly 1 degree and simply pointing the meter in the right direction works. In the case where we are looking at exactly 1 degree, I suppose it is slightly more difficult than an optical system, but nonetheless, very easy. I thought that this lack of optical viewer might be a big issue with photographers and that it might be unnatural, but it has turned out not to be a problem and easy to adapt. It is easier to be walking along and metering at the same time with this meter than it is with other meters.

It is easier to read this meter with glasses than to peer through a viewfinder with glasses on.

On the issue of it not looking like a gun, I didn't think of this, but have had this comment back to me several times from other photogs.

[Michael McBlane]

On APUG a woman reported she was arrested for setting up her 4x5 on a county road and reading the landscape with her meter. An old woman called the cops and told them that someone down the road was setting up a cannon and kept pointing at her house with a handgun.

Go figure.

[Bob Passage]

I have owned the Metered Light meter for about a year. I use it in place of the Pentax Spotmeter because of it's size and weight when travelling out of the country. I've only been questioned once by airport security since it does look like a timing device on x-ray. It agrees with my Pentax to within about 1/3 stop, so I usually place zone III in III 1/3 to IV for insurance. I have removed the cord (sorry Eric) simply for convenience, and wear it on my belt like a pager. The solid aluminum case is pretty bullit proof and the optic surfaces are recessed, so damage rare; excellent engineering. I suppose having the Pentax and the Metered Light, the Metered Light gets used about 75% of the time. Bottom line IMHO: perfect for the job even though a little on the high end price wise. Recommended

[Henry Ambrose]

Thanks for the replies. I have several other meters but it seems this one would see a lot of use when I didn't need flash or incident metering or just wanted a very compact meter - which I suppose would be anytime I didn't need the big meters additional functions.

Wearing this in a belt pouch seems like the way to go. Sometimes a big meter on a cord around my neck and shoulders is a big hassle. Nothing like snagging the meter cord on the tripod handle as you turn to grab a filmholder - dang!

I agree with Bob about the price and I'll have to think about that a bit more but it seems like a really nice meter and if I used it often the price might not be so bad.