Spotmeter for Zone System

[Fungus]

I’d like to get a spotmeter for Zone System work.

In the used market, the three models that pop up are the Pentax Digital Spot, the Minolta Spotmeter F, and the Gossen Ultra Spot.

Any reason to choose one of these over the others? Price-wise, the Minolta seems to be the least expensive and the Pentax typically goes for 2x the Minolta.

[xkaes]

The pond is much bigger than these three. For example, Minolta made FIVE different spot meters -- in addition to regular meters that accepted SPOT attachments.

http://www.subclub.org/minman/meters.htm

There are other spot meters that are just as good -- and some are exactly the same under a different label.

Where did you get the idea that you need a spot meter in order to use the Zone System? You don't.

And what do you consider a spot meter -- 10°, 5°, 1°???

[Alan9940]

IMO, you couldn't go wrong with a Sekonic L-558. But, as commented above you don't need a spot meter to practice the Zone System.

[Fungus]

Where did you get the idea that you need a spot meter in order to use the Zone System? You don't.

I never said that you did.

I’m specifically looking for a 1 degree meter.

[cgratham]

Hi Fungus,
I have the Pentax (Zone VI modified), Minolta FlashMeter III with spot attachment, and a Gossen Luna six that is supposed to do somewhat spot (can't remember the angle). I love the look of the Gossen but have never managed to get it calibrated right, so it's basically decoration now.

Functionally the Minolta and Pentax both seem to work just fine (the Pentax has a smaller angle/finer spot though) and are mostly in agreement (as is the spot meter mode on my digital camera). However, I prefer the workflow with the Pentax as it uses the EV values that I then just transfer to exposures. I end up really just using the Minolta for flash work or the rare time I need incident readings elsewhere. For most of my photography work - where I'm trying to apply zone system principles - it's the Pentax.

Can't comment of the price/value proposition as that varies from one person to the next.

Chris

I’d like to get a spotmeter for Zone System work.

In the used market, the three models that pop up are the Pentax Digital Spot, the Minolta Spotmeter F, and the Gossen Ultra Spot.

Any reason to choose one of these over the others? Price-wise, the Minolta seems to be the least expensive and the Pentax typically goes for 2x the Minolta.

[Mark Woods]

I've used the Minolta Spot Meter F for decades. The reason I chose it is, when the A (average button) is depressed, the meter gives a reading in 1/10's of a stop above the stop set when the A was pressed. I set the stop on the lens I want to use by reading the back of my hand. Press the A. Then I see stops above and below the stop on the lens. One could you a gray card to get an average of the light in the frame, then press A to see the above and below. I humbly disagree about using a spot meter for the zone system. I used to be able to take a reading in the field and be able to tell you the density. (I do own a densitometer). Good luck!

[MartyNL]

Until now, I've used my faithful Gossen Profisix with and without the spot meter attachment. And while bulky, it's very much an analogue experience with a needle and dials and it suits very much the way I like to work.

However, I've just picked up a Gossen spotmaster (aka ultra-spot) and I hope to give it a try and see if I can get along with it.

And perhaps I could also put a word in for the Soligor 1° spot meter, which, while not in the same league as a Pentax digital, it offers very good value for money.

[rdenney]

I’ve used the Pentax Spotmeter V, of which I have several, but they have mechanical indicators that have needed service at this distance of time. These read in EV and are probably the easiest to use for Zone System readings. The scale can be marked in zones with a sticker. These are not fully panchromatic out of the box but that never bothered me.

I’ve also used an all-electronic Minolta Spot F, which I loved, but it did not survive being crunched in an accident with an RV slideout.

And I have a Sekonic L-488 that is all electronic and works fine. It was the mostly cheaply acquired of any I’ve owned.

All are 1-degree spot meters.

Rick “a man with two watches never knows the time” Denney

[Fungus]

I've come across some Pentax Digital Spotmeters where the listing says "modified by Zone VI". Is that Fred Picker's outfit? What kind of modifications did they do and are they worthwhile? (I'm assuming the modifications went beyond just putting that zone system sticker on the lens barrel.)

[Drew Wiley]

There are lots of analogous past threads. The unmodified Pentax Digital Spot Meter is the most popular option among Zonies for a good reason. I have several of them, and use them for all my metering regardless of format, and much of it in relation to color photography too. And I'm actually more fussy about exposure than typical Zonies are.

The Minolta Spotmeter F reads identically (I've tried them too); but to me, its push button controls are less intuitive than the simple manual dial method of the Pentax.
Between my entire set of Pentax meters, some of which got really extreme use in the mountains and deserts, it was only about once a decade that one of them would need a minor recalibration. I have always kept a essentially new one in reserve to check my others by.

As far as Fred Picker's claimed improvement or modified version, there was a similar thread not long ago spelling out the differences, along with pros and cons. Just remember, what was once modified for sake of standardizing on a particular film popular at the time - namely, Tri-X 320 - that could diminish appropriateness for other films. Also realize that these modified meters contain added filters which might well have faded over the intervening decades, and now need internal replacement, which only one remaining person can do.