Pentax V, three cell meter light adjustment or replacement.

[eli]

I've discussed replacing the bulb in my Pentax spot before but I'd like to see if there is any advices from this forum on the topic.

My bulb is way too dark and I need brighter to use it in dim light.

Any additional information is sought and welcomed.

Eli

[RichardRitter]

Pentax stopped supplying parts for this meter in 2007

[Paul Ron]

i have that meter and was thinking of replacing the bulb with a tiny led. of course i didnt because its a major surgery, and i hardly ever use it. another consideration may be the brighter light may cause interfearance with readings.

id be curious to know how your project turns out.

[Ron McElroy]

I bought my meter sometime in the early 80s and the low lite bulb has always been dim.

[eli]

You'd think Pentax would have used a bulb as bright as the average firefly, at the least.

Tiny Model Railroad bulbs are one option, but I'd be careful of trying this last, positive action ), should it work, but a too dim spotmeter is no use in many natural low light situations for me.

That's the one advantage of a Minolta M or F spotmeter, you can read the darn thing in heavy shade or darkness!

[Bill Burk]

I've joined the discussion from time to time... There are lots of complaints about the light, I know.

Be sure to judge the bulb in light levels so low that the spot you are reading has a scale value of 1, 2, 3 or so.

And make sure your eyes are adjusted to that low level of ambient light.

Too often I have tried to check it on a sunny day outside, and can't see it.

It's really only illuminating that low end of the scale, and with such a dim level that you only see it when you need to.

So it's not bright enough, say when you are reading a 7, and the number itself is in a dark background area of the scene.

But when you are in full darkness and a dim area is all you have to read, and you spot on that brightest thing but it's still reading about 3... Then the glow will reveal you are not on 0

[eli]

Will a 'brighter' bulb compromise the external reading?

[Bill Burk]

I don't know if a brighter bulb would hurt!

[RichardRitter]

Will a 'brighter' bulb commpermise Will a brighter bulb commpermise the external reading?

Yes it will .

[eli]

Cheers.