Does anybody have a pentax v or other spot meter I can check mine with

[heespharm]

I have 3 spot meters... Soligar 1 and 2 and a sekonic... I just wanna know how far off they are if any....

[ronocnikral]

do you do your own processing?

it shouldn't really matter, firing off one test roll w/ a gray card should tell you how your entire system works. for instance, I know with my processing and printing I do if my spot meter needs an adjustment one way or the other. if you scan, same applies. if you shoot color, maybe one of those slick color charts???

out of curiosity, is there a reason for 3 spots?

[heespharm]

I kept on upgrading... Kept the old ones for backup

[The Philos]

Originally Posted by ronocnikral

do you do your own processing?

it shouldn't really matter, firing off one test roll w/ a gray card should tell you how your entire system works. for instance, I know with my processing and printing I do if my spot meter needs an adjustment one way or the other. if you scan, same applies. if you shoot color, maybe one of those slick color charts???

out of curiosity, is there a reason for 3 spots?

This is totally off-topic, but do you print from 4x5 negs and color in any size?

[heespharm]

I plan to.. I have a graflarger that I plan to use... No color printing tho

[KJ Smith]

Quick check.

Go outside in bright sun, point to northern sky, not into sun.

Set the f stop to 16, shutter will be whatever the ISO is.

As a side note, whenever I try this mine is always f11.

But they call it the f16 rule.

[heespharm]

Originally Posted by KJ Smith

Quick check.

Go outside in bright sun, point to northern sky, not into sun.

Set the f stop to 16, shutter will be whatever the ISO is.

As a side note, whenever I try this mine is always f11.

But they call it the f16 rule.

Well that'll get me in the ball park but I'm looking for something more exact.... They are all within 1 stop of eachother but that could mean a difference in development time...

[KJ Smith]

Originally Posted by heespharm

Well that'll get me in the ball park but I'm looking for something more exact.... They are all within 1 stop of eachother but that could mean a difference in development time...

So how are you going to be sure the one you check against is right?

Have you developed film before?

If you use TMax one stop means nothing.

It has that much latitude.

I can't remember this ever being a issue.

Maybe you could explain what your concern is.

[heespharm]

Well I have used tmax... Not a fan... I'm trying to do some calibration with the zone system and my large format camera... Trying to reduce the amount of variables that needs to be compensated for.... Less variables more constants equal better cOnsistency

[KJ Smith]

Yea, good luck with that.

My best advice is to get a film and developer combo you like and get out and shoot.

As you go along, you will be able to tell if you need to make any adjustments.


As far as variables. There are a ton. Are you checking all your shutters, apertures?

Do you have a consistent way to maintain temperatures in your process? Is your processing consistently enough to notice the difference?

Are you aware of when the manufacture of your film or developer "enhance" their product.

What I am getting at, is perhaps you are being a little to anal about this.

The joy in photography is in the shooting and the experience of being out there.

Consistent results will come with time. The more you shoot, the more consistent you will become.

[heespharm]

I shoot plenty but I just want my meters accurate to a measured standard...
From reading online the only way to do it is send it in or compare it to another calibrated meter... Costs more than the meter to have it calibrated by sending it in...


Not to be rude but I simply would like to know if someone has one and would be willing to meet on a photo shoot so I can compare mine to theirs... Don't really need advise or opinions just want to know if the local area has one



Ehhh just forget it ... Was a long shot anyways... I'll just buy a Pentax v calibrated and resell it on eBay... Sheesh didn't know I would get so much crap for a simple yes or no question..

[ronocnikral]

Originally Posted by heespharm

I shoot plenty but I just want my meters accurate to a measured standard...
From reading online the only way to do it is send it in or compare it to another calibrated meter... Costs more than the meter to have it calibrated by sending it in...


Not to be rude but I simply would like to know if someone has one and would be willing to meet on a photo shoot so I can compare mine to theirs... Don't really need advise or opinions just want to know



Ehhh just forget it

we're here to help. I have a pentax spot something, fred picker modified. you may come and pick up and use as long as you leave some collateral. if will take 15 minutes or less, i'll walk around with you. i cannot vouch for the accuracy of my meter.

of course, i'm with kevin. i'm not sure what the point of ensuring a meter says the dyne per whatever is the actual dynes per whatever. perhaps if you come to use the spotmeter, you can explain it to me. everytime I introduce a new film, lens or camera--I get out may gray card and snap off 5 or so frames, +/- 2 stops each ways. the prints tell me what is correct. see ansel's trinity for more details. I have not developed any color negs or slides, so I'm not sure how it all works with that.

pm me if you would like to use my spotmeter.

Originally Posted by ThePhilosopher

This is totally off-topic, but do you print from 4x5 negs and color in any size?

no. I don't. b&w and my spare bathroom can only go up to 11x14.

[heespharm]

Originally Posted by ronocnikral

we're here to help. I have a pentax spot something, fred picker modified. you may come and pick up and use as long as you leave some collateral. if will take 15 minutes or less, i'll walk around with you. i cannot vouch for the accuracy of my meter.

of course, i'm with kevin. i'm not sure what the point of ensuring a meter says the dyne per whatever is the actual dynes per whatever. perhaps if you come to use the spotmeter, you can explain it to me. everytime I introduce a new film, lens or camera--I get out may gray card and snap off 5 or so frames, +/- 2 stops each ways. the prints tell me what is correct. see ansel's trinity for more details. I have not developed any color negs or slides, so I'm not sure how it all works with that.

pm me if you would like to use my spotmeter.



no. I don't. b&w and my spare bathroom can only go up to 11x14.

I guess I can't help it... It's my OCD showing it's ugly face...

[KJ Smith]

Originally Posted by heespharm

Don't really need advise or opinions just want to know if the local area has one

Sheesh didn't know I would get so much crap for a simple yes or no question..

Fair enough, I won't bother sharing my "crap" with you in the future.

[picman]

Having a spot-on meter is not necessary with Zone System, however it has to be consistent. Doing the film speed test will calibrate the meter and film together. It is just as necessary as the development tests for zone.

Just because the film says iso 400, doesn't mean that it is - thus negating a spot-on meter.