nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

I fell into a Pentax Spotmeter V (analog), a real classic but still worthy of using. It has a custom dial and a company name on it. I have found nothing on the internet on this particular customization, other than Photographic Analysis Corp. having been in the high-speed photography business. Anybody know about this special meter?

I also bought a label from a gentleman on eBay that turns a Spotmeter V into Zone System meter, which I want to mess around with. Question is, what point on the dial should I align the label's pointer with, as the dial does not have a triangular pointer like a normal Spotmeter V?

Cany143 Loc: SE Utah

As you've seen, there isn't a 'pointer' on the Spotmeter V. Before anything else, first set the ASA (ISO equiv.) to what your camera is set at (sorry, if your camera is set to Auto ISO, any further readings will not be valid), then meter the highest and lowest values in the scene/subject. This is done by pointing the 1 degree 'spot' at those areas in the scene/subject you intend to shoot, and noting what the EV (exposure value) is at each. The value you read while reading the spot is expressed numerically on the lower scale of the dial. It's a spot meter, not an averaging meter, so basically, what you'd do is meter on the brightest highlight where you'd want to retain detail/texture (Zone IX), note what the exposure would be, then do the same with the deepest shadow where you'd want to retain detail/texture (Zone II), note that, then average the two settings to get an 'average' exposure. Alternately, you could carry a 18% gray card around with you, meter on it --assuming its in the same light your subject is-- set the Zone V value to what the EV value was as read on the meter, transfer that setting (keeping shutter speed ~ f/stop reciprocals in mind)-- to your camera, and get a 'properly exposed' (average) exposure.

As shown in your image, and if the add-on Zone thingie you got were attached, if you'd assessed the highlights and shadows in your scene, you'd then be left to determine which exposure reciprocal you'd want to opt for. ISO (which is improperly set as is, but let's call it ISO 320), and you're left to decide whether a 1/4 of a second @ f/16 would provide sufficient dof and sufficient shutter speed for what you intend to shoot, or if 1/60th @ f/4 would be more appropriate.

The Zone System concept of ten defined Zones as defined by Adams is perfect for shooting b&w film, and for normal development, and it likewise works perfectly while pushing and/or pulling film with appropriate processing as well. For digital work, and especially with the latitude allowed while shooting raw file images, its a good deal trickier. In-camera and processing software advances allow for considerably more latitude than film and wet processing did, but using any of the spot metering systems very definitely allows for a much finer tuning of overall exposure.

I used a Pentax Spotmeter V for a long time while shooting large format b&w. I was crushed when one day I lost it. Spent hours in a fairly inhospitable canyon looking for it, all to no avail. Got home again and immediately ordered its updated analogue, the Pentax Digital Spotmeter. I added my own 'Zone' readout sticker and stuck it on the meter, and use this meter quite a lot, 20 years later.

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speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

It's not an oddball meter, but one of the best meters out there and one that was very popular by a lot of folks!

VTMatwood Loc: Displaced Vermonta in Central New Hampsha

I’ve been looking for one of these but Ebay seems to like them so the prices are high. Thanks for the detail usage info Cany143... I’ll refer back to it when I finally get one!

BebuLamar

In the first picture the dial is set for 8.5 on the bottom scale (the readout in the viewfinder). You would pick the shutter speed/aperture combination on the top scale if you want to expose it at Zone V. Mounting the label on the meter and if you want to expose that value at a different Zone then set the 8.5 to that Zone on the label.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Excellent meter. I have two of them. One of them I use for a reflection densitometer. One has a Zone System sticker on it. I'll post a photo of that one later today when I get back home from work, along with some other pointers for you.
--Bob

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

Okay, responders. I know how to make readings on a normal Spotmeter V and that it's an excellent tool, etc. My question was about the odd dial.
This meter, as my photo shows, does not have a normal dial.The center dial, above the EV value opening, says "XL Meter", and "Shutter Ratio 1:X", HAS NO POINTER, has a scale that goes from 1.5 to 50. NOT the normal Spotmeter V scale that says Linear Scale going from 1 to 10, and has a center pointer.

The question is/was.....where on the dial do I align the pointer that is in the middle of the zone-metering label I showed. Pointing right straight down to the center of the stationary inner dial? Alternately, at what point on the existing dial would I add a pointer myself, forgetting about Zone metering?

Cany143 Loc: SE Utah

Exactly. Straight down at the dot to the right of where 1.5 is printed on the stationary inner dial.

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

Ah, a simple answer to a simple question! Thank you!

blink76

You could also determine the location of Zone V on your meter by duplicating known and fixed EV, ASA, shutter speed/f stop combinations. For instance EV 9, with ISO 100 film, 1/30 sec/f4 exposure falls directly onto Zone V in the zone system scale. You would place your decal’s V over that EV reading (9).

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

With your example, that would put the Zone V pointer of the label halfway between the 1.5 mark and the dot to its right. This looks like the center of the dial, which is essentially where Cany143 said to put it, so that's two people agreeing. Sounds good to me.

User ID

use the dot next to the "1.5"

blink76

I’m unable to figure out that scale (shutter speed ratio). Is it related to IRE? Or something else? I have an old Pentax analogue spotmeter that I use quite often but this is new to me.

BebuLamar

The dot on the right side of the 1.5 is supposed to be 1 so the LV readout in the viewfinder should be aligned with this dot. The shutter speed ratio is the ratio of the shutter speed related to EV. You will see that the 50 is about 5 and 2/3 stops from the 1. I don't know what it is used for.