Thank you for all suggestions. Some months ago, when I made tests for film (fomapan 100 classic, Stouffer step wedge, BTZS procedure) I got consistent charts (I suppose). It's when I use the data in the field -- using the pentax spotmeter to read a kodak grey card for shadows and highlights, setting the film speed, and finally reading the shadows for exposure -- that I get overexposed negatives. Should I try to reduce exposure by 1/2 a stop?
When i started using a spotmeter - a Gossen spotmaster in my case - the one issue i had was seeing how deep the shadows where. In other words: what dark spot should i meter to get good shadow separation without over- or under-exposing the negatives to much. Comparing the shadow reading with a one or two points in the picture that should be more or less average - grass, blue sky - helped a lot, in combination with the growing experience while making pictures.
You could reduce your exposure by half a stop or work around this and tell yourself for example that in stead of metering a point in zone III you are metering one in zone II.5. The crux is to find a way that works for you with your equipment and materials.
If to eliminate any doubt, you can have it calibrated by Pentax in Colorado, or Richard Ritter (on here)...
Any new to user meter should be calibrated (if meter is still supported by maker or facility)...
The Pentax digital spot meter is a rugged meter that holds calibration well, but compared to another meter to gray card should give you an idea of it is off at all...
Steve K
Steve,Originally Posted by LabRat
Does Pentax in Colorado really work on the digital spot meters? If so, I'd really like more information about them; contact info, etc., for future reference.
Best,
Doremus
Hi Doremus,
Back in '99, I was shooting on the street and a guy came up to me and asked me if I wanted to buy a lightmeter... He said he worked in theater and had an extra one used to measure "ranges" on stage... We met the next day and I paid him $25 for a nice one... But when I got home, I noticed the 10's digit was out... I could have lived with that, but I drove over to Quality Light Metric for an exam... George there told me he forwarded it to Pentax Service in Englewood CO to perform the service, and he didn't charge me anything for the forwarding, and provided the invoice from Pentax... (I still have the invoice somewhere...) They did a great job...
This was 20 or so years ago, but have heard Pentax services their products (binoculars etc) recently, but not sure if they still service lightmeters, but easy enough to contact them... And I read here Richard Ritter services them, so there are options...
Probably good to have 'em checked before too long goes by...
Steve K
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