Choosing an exposure meter (Page 2): Yes, selenium cell meters will deteriorate with age. I also have a Weston II that doesn't work anymore. My Sekonic from the 1970s works okay but is...

Bullfighter

Yes, selenium cell meters will deteriorate with age. I also have a Weston II that doesn't work anymore. My Sekonic from the 1970s works okay but is about an f-stop off so I just mentally correct for it.

AlanK Loc: No. Califorina

thememorykeeper wrote:

I decide to start using an exposure meter and need advice buying one. My budget is limited though and would like to use one that measures also incident light. Thanks in advance hogs.

I wouldn't be without my Gossen Ultra Pro, with dome and flat defuser attachment!

Uses a 9 volt battery, bought it in 1976 and it's still "spot on". Just saw one on ebay, asking $129.00.

You can't go wrong with Gossen or Sekonic or Minolta.

PhotoMan1929 Loc: Virginia, USA

thememorykeeper wrote:

Thanks to you all; guess I'l be driving to downtown Indy today to Robert's Camera and shopping for a meter but by the way the old selenium cell meters do they ever go bad? I've heard moisture kills them. I do have a Weston Master II- a gift- but the needle does not move.

As for the selenium cells, the answer is YES. I had an old Norwood Director which lost its sensitivity. I now have a slightly older version of the L-358, about thirty years old, and it is now off by about 1/3 stop. It takes a long time.

memorykeeper Loc: Indianapolis, Indiana

I do have 2 old ones; a Weston Master II and a Sekonic Leader L VI but with the different film ratings and the many numbers and settings I just cannot figure out how to read them. I figure digital would be easier. Am getting old and my vision is not what it used to be. Cheersb

Roger Hicks Loc: Aquitaine

Bullfighter wrote:

Yes, selenium cell meters will deteriorate with age.

Not necessarily. There are still plenty of selenium meters 50+ years old that work fine. It's moisture and corrosion that do for them, not deterioration of the cell per se.

Cheers,

R.

RobertMaxey

thememorykeeper wrote:

I decide to start using an exposure meter and need advice buying one. My budget is limited though and would like to use one that measures also incident light. Thanks in advance hogs.

Have a look at a Gossen Luna Pro with the spot attachment. They are available used and I'll stand by them till the day I die. They are the only light meters I have ever used, considered or recommended.

I do use a color temperature meter and decamired filters, but that is not what you want.

Go Luna Pro.

Roger Hicks Loc: Aquitaine

RobertMaxey wrote:

Go Luna Pro.

Dear Robert,

But not the early ones with mercury batteries. Stick with the ones that use the 9v 'block' batteries. I have both but use only the latter. There are many other good meters too, but I second your enthusiasm for Gossen.

Cheers,

R.

AlanK Loc: No. Califorina

[quote=Roger Hicks]

RobertMaxey wrote:

Go Luna Pro.

Quote:

Dear Robert,

But not the early ones with mercury batteries.

Right on about the mercury batteries! You can't buy them these days and the chemistry in the new batteries make slightly fewer VOLTS, meaning the meter wont have the power it needs. Stick with 9 volts if you can.

magalia_man-26

I saw your request for info on exposure meter. I have a Sekonic L398 that I picked up at an estate sale. I checked it out against another meter I have and it works fine. The other meter is a GE DW 58 which is pretty old but works nicely. Neither have manuals but you can see one on www.butkus.org
I think $25 would be fair for the GE and $75 for the Sekonic which looks to be brand new with a nice velcroed case.

magalia_man-26

I just sent you answer to your request about an exposure and I told you about two meters I had. I forgot to mention my email address bobrams47@gmail.com. This is the first time I have answered a query

Brucej67 Loc: Cary, NC

You are talking about the Luna Pro-S using the mercury batteries, however they have a replacement non-mercury battery that works just fine. I have both the S and the F.

[quote=AlanK]

Roger Hicks wrote:

RobertMaxey wrote:

Go Luna Pro.

Quote:

Dear Robert,

But not the early ones with mercury batteries.

Right on about the mercury batteries! You can't buy them these days and the chemistry in the new batteries make slightly fewer VOLTS, meaning the meter wont have the power it needs. Stick with 9 volts if you can.

Jerry1940 Loc: Born in OH live in CA

I just don't use it any more.

memorykeeper Loc: Indianapolis, Indiana

magalia_man-26 wrote:

I just sent you answer to your request about an exposure and I told you about two meters I had. I forgot to mention my email address bobrams47@gmail.com. This is the first time I have answered a query

Tried to answer using the address you gave me but keep getting an error message. My address is toledo589ad@yahoo.com Am interested.

Roger Hicks Loc: Aquitaine

Brucej67 wrote:

You are talking about the Luna Pro-S using the mercury batteries, however they have a replacement non-mercury battery that works just fine.

Isn't it an adapter, though, that's surprisingly expensive? That or zinc-air cells, which are depressingly short lived? Matters are further confused by the fact that the meters have different names in different regions: LunaSix, LunaPro.

Cheers,

R.

Brucej67 Loc: Cary, NC

I use the WeinCell MRB625 1.35V Mercury replacement battery which is made to replace the battery for the Gossen Luna-Pro. I also remove the batteries when not in use.

Roger Hicks wrote:

Brucej67 wrote:

You are talking about the Luna Pro-S using the mercury batteries, however they have a replacement non-mercury battery that works just fine.

Isn't it an adapter, though, that's surprisingly expensive? That or zinc-air cells, which are depressingly short lived? Matters are further confused by the fact that the meters have different names in different regions: LunaSix, LunaPro.

Cheers,

R.