Gossen Luna Pro F....need help!

[AdamD]

This is weird....
Reading only in reflective mode, if I adjust the EF dial to about 8 (black #) the readings will be very close to my D7200 with 35mm lens. On occasion, I'll get a reading that is not close.

Then, when reading in incident mode, if I adjust the EF dial a little closer to "normal" I will sometimes get readings that I'd expect like sunny 16. But again, not always.

When I compare incident readings at the subject or directed back towards the DSLR location and compare to the DSLR reading from it's location, the readings do not match up very well. At times they do but more often than not they don't

I'm going to test this against a friend's light meter maybe next weekend if I can. I can return this one within 30 days.

[Andrew Tymon]

Have you a manual for it?https://www.butkus.org/chinon/flashe...luna-pro_f.htm

[darr]

Here is a quick snap of my old Luna Pro F made under studio modeling lights.
For quick visual reference, a few dial readings for the above ambient light is:

ASA/ISO: 100
EV: 10+1/3

ƒ1.4+1/3 @ 1/500
ƒ5.6+1/3 @ 1/30
ƒ22+1/3 @ 1/2

I only keep this meter around because it carried me through photography school back in the 80s, and it is a keepsake that sits in a drawer.
I do not know what type of photography you will be doing with this meter, but I updated my meters over the years to digital.

If you will be doing landscape photography, I would use a spot meter and not an incident. Yes, an incident meter can be used, but why not use a spot meter and learn a little about the Zone System if shooting B&W film and processing is a goal. If you will be shooting in the studio, this is an okay way to meter, but there are better ones available. I have been using a Sekonic 558 incident and spot meter in my studio for 10+ years and it always works. Also, as we get older (like me), the scales on the Luna Pro F become increasingly harder to see.

Best of luck,
Darr

[ericantonio]

Kent, that's exactly what I was expecting to see too.

But, it wasn't full sun, so I'd expect something a little slower than 1/125. I wasn't even close. I'm going to fiddle with it today and post some new observation if it might help know if the meter needs calibration or the user needs education. Hoping for the later of the two!

"Wasn't even close" How far off was it? And I'm pretty sure you have the slidy thing for reflective reading right? Just something I've dealt with and for sure I was on the right position. If I remember correctly, there is a calibration thing on the underside of those.

9v battery all good? Do you have a multimeter to test it?

Also, if you have an iphone, I downloaded a light meter app just to see how far off my cameras and meters are and so far so good, all of them are pretty much spot on the same reading. But that is reflective reading not incident.

[ericantonio]

This is weird....
Reading only in reflective mode, if I adjust the EF dial to about 8 (black #) the readings will be very close to my D7200 with 35mm lens. On occasion, I'll get a reading that is not close.

Then, when reading in incident mode, if I adjust the EF dial a little closer to "normal" I will sometimes get readings that I'd expect like sunny 16. But again, not always.

When I compare incident readings at the subject or directed back towards the DSLR location and compare to the DSLR reading from it's location, the readings do not match up very well. At times they do but more often than not they don't

I'm going to test this against a friend's light meter maybe next weekend if I can. I can return this one within 30 days.

I'm a little confused. How do you get incident reading from your dslr?