Re: SEI Exposure Photometer
This won't be helpful I don't think (pardon the double negative)...but I have one of these meters also which I'd found in a flea market (along with its case) for something like five dollars. But it does not work.
This might be somewhat helpful but a long shot...there used to be this guy - Huw Finney I think...who modified these meters with an LED light for the "extinction" patch - plus a much easier to use exposure scale, much simpler and more in tune with what most of us are familiar with these days.
Is there a chance that Huw Finney is still around doing this modification? If so...I'd absolutely love it! The idea of placing a light-extinction patch over, say...a very narrow and distant tree branch against a bright sky - thus being able to evaluate the relatively extremely small area of that branch in a way that no spot meter ever could...would be completely amazing - at least if I've actually managed to correctly wrap my brain around this concept.
But if I'm wrong about being so hopeful...about Mr. Finney still being available for this modification and/or about this meter potentially solving my "narrow tree branch against a bright sky" issues - then please speak up so I can disabuse myself of this fantasy!
Re: SEI Exposure Photometer
Over the years, I bought two of these meters at different times and had to return both because neither could be "calibrated." This involves turning a wheel on the base while watching a needle gauge on top which is supposed to reach some mark, IIRC. My understanding is that if this "calibration" cannot be done, then the meter will not be accurate. I don't know the truth of this because, as you say, there isn't much info around about these meters.
Another potential issue I noticed when playing around with the ones I had my hands on was that it was very difficult (for me, anyway) to hold the patch steady on whatever I was trying to measure. Like my binoculars. I guess my old hands and arms aren't steady enough these days! ;)
If you find a working meter or can get one modified as John suggests above (I vaguely remember this guy, too) and you use the Zone System with B&W film, I have a PDF that Fred Picker wrote many years ago called "Taming the S.E.I.", if you're interested.
Re: SEI Exposure Photometer
"photography made difficult".
Re: SEI Exposure Photometer
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Mark Sampson
"photography made difficult".
Yes, somewhat. I was interested in one of these meters because I've always found that even a 1 degree spot meter (which aren't truly one degree) cannot accurately measure many cloud formations. I like to keep the tonal values of white clouds boarding on the edge of the curve and, in my experience, a 1 degree spot just doesn't allow me to find and/or analyze the brightest area. The 1/2 degree measurement of the SEI made this type of measurement much more accurate; if one could hold it steady enough, of course. :)
One could certainly argue that I could manipulate the development of the negative to control these areas, but I've always found that minus development causes more problems than it's worth--slight falloff in deep shadow areas, muddy mid-tones, etc. I'm sure there are plenty of photographers would argue that I've sniffed the fixer tray a little too long, but it's how I've worked for over 40 years now.
Re: SEI Exposure Photometer
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Alan9940
Over the years, I bought two of these meters at different times and had to return both because neither could be "calibrated." This involves turning a wheel on the base while watching a needle gauge on top which is supposed to reach some mark, IIRC. My understanding is that if this "calibration" cannot be done, then the meter will not be accurate. I don't know the truth of this because, as you say, there isn't much info around about these meters.
Another potential issue I noticed when playing around with the ones I had my hands on was that it was very difficult (for me, anyway) to hold the patch steady on whatever I was trying to measure. Like my binoculars. I guess my old hands and arms aren't steady enough these days! ;)
If you find a working meter or can get one modified as John suggests above (I vaguely remember this guy, too) and you use the Zone System with B&W film, I have a PDF that Fred Picker wrote many years ago called "Taming the S.E.I.", if you're interested.
Alan, I would most certainly be interested in the PDF. I am also having problems with the "calibration", sometimes it works but mostly it doesn't but I am not quite willing to give up just yet. Something in my makeup makes me want to try the most difficult route to something.
Re: SEI Exposure Photometer
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Peter Lovett
Alan, I would most certainly be interested in the PDF. I am also having problems with the "calibration", sometimes it works but mostly it doesn't but I am not quite willing to give up just yet. Something in my makeup makes me want to try the most difficult route to something.
PM me your email address...I found a few other SEI related things you might be interested in, too.
Re: SEI Exposure Photometer
Re: SEI Exposure Photometer
I'm looking for a broken one.
Re: SEI Exposure Photometer
I have an SEI which I used happily for a few months and then dropped onto a rock surface. I have no plans to revive it. When I was in my twenties I used one for two years when I was a university biological photographer -- it was great for all those 1:1 and 3:1 shots, but I just don't do that stuff anymore. In the one I dropped the optics are still good but the little light doesn't come on. What do you hope to do with it?
Re: SEI Exposure Photometer
I have a meter like this. It works as far as I can understand, except one filter disc (color matching disc?) is probably blocked. I tried it out a bit, fascinating but too difficult for me. That's why I'm sticking with my Seconic L758. I have 2 PDFs that I would like to attach here, but the files are too big. In one of these documents there is also a kind of repair manual.
If someone is interested I could send it by mail
I also share a link
http://www.robertsuomala.com/5.html
Re: SEI Exposure Photometer
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Brian Berry
What do you hope to do with it?
Repair.
Re: SEI Exposure Photometer
I have one of these which I spent some time understanding. I hope that this is still useful (I only just made an account)
There are at least several variants: older ones (mine is) use BSI for the film speed: BSI is DIN + 10.
You need to make sure it is calibrated using the galvanometer on the top, and this can be a saga of dodgy contacts. Once you've done that you need to set film speed with the knurled wheel at the bottom. Beware that the manual expects you to meter in a very specific way: for negative film (black dot for film speed) you're expected to meter the darkest point you care about and for reversal film (white dot) the brightest point. If you want to meter in between you need to offset the film speed.
Then there is a little wheel at the front of it which has three coloured dots on: blue, white and red. These put filters in place, blue being darkest and red probably being 'no filter at all'. The wheel at the back changes the spot colour to be right for incandescent light.
OK, so with the darkest filter you can manage make the spot vanish. Now, the aperture can be read upwards to one of the three scales. The three scales correspond to the three filter colours. When the meter was new the scales were coloured blue, white and red. On mine the blue one still is blue but the red background is barely detectable. The scale you read depends on the filter setting: blue dot means blue scale and so on. Blue is lowest, white is above it and red is at the top (there are some other scales above that which I forget what they're for).
Re: SEI Exposure Photometer
Quote:
Originally Posted by
tfb
I have one of these which I spent some time understanding. I hope that this is still useful (I only just made an account)
There are at least several variants: older ones (mine is) use BSI for the film speed: BSI is DIN + 10.
You need to make sure it is calibrated using the galvanometer on the top, and this can be a saga of dodgy contacts. Once you've done that you need to set film speed with the knurled wheel at the bottom. Beware that the manual expects you to meter in a very specific way: for negative film (black dot for film speed) you're expected to meter the darkest point you care about and for reversal film (white dot) the brightest point. If you want to meter in between you need to offset the film speed.
Then there is a little wheel at the front of it which has three coloured dots on: blue, white and red. These put filters in place, blue being darkest and red probably being 'no filter at all'. The wheel at the back changes the spot colour to be right for incandescent light.
OK, so with the darkest filter you can manage make the spot vanish. Now, the aperture can be read upwards to one of the three scales. The three scales correspond to the three filter colours. When the meter was new the scales were coloured blue, white and red. On mine the blue one still is blue but the red background is barely detectable. The scale you read depends on the filter setting: blue dot means blue scale and so on. Blue is lowest, white is above it and red is at the top (there are some other scales above that which I forget what they're for).
Thank you for the information. For the moment any action is on hold as I think the contacts for the galvanometer have gone on holiday. It has become a question of how much more I am prepared to spend for what return?
Re: SEI Exposure Photometer
While repairing my SEI, i found that using a D cell from a well known brand wouldn't fit.
The meter came with a sleeve for the battery compartment which looks like it's made of shellac. I assume this is an insulator from the meter body, so removing it allowed the battery to slide in. However, the meter still wouldn't work. I removed part of the plastic sleeve on the battery at the positive end as the electrical contact wasn't making it.
Once those mods were made, the meter worked fine. However, the weight puts me off using it!
Mike
Re: SEI Exposure Photometer
I've been using a cheap plastic D to AA battery shell converter with fresh AA battery that's enough to power the light bulb and I shaved off some of the shell to fit in the sleeve.
My understanding is that carbon D batteries came in paper wrappers and you were intended to unwrap the cell and put the core in the sleeve. Alkaline D cells have greater size and thinner wrappers so they can't be easily inserted if at all.
Re: SEI Exposure Photometer
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ic-racer
Repair.
Missed your posts here. Are you still looking for a broken SEI ? They turn up on eBay for a good price once in a while. They're "all" broken because the selenium cell is always dead/weak. The filters are often deformed by moisture/age.
