[rollei_list] Re: Old Light Meters

  • From: "Richard Knoppow" <dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Sun, 12 May 2013 23:59:48 -0700


----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Wyman" <davewyman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, May 12, 2013 10:45 PM
Subject: [rollei_list] Old Light Meters


Well, I might as well jump in with what I have. That includes, I believe a Weston II and and Weston IV. My mom kept the little instruction booklet for the latter model. After she died and I went through her possessions, I came across a very nice, handwritten letter from the Weston Corporation,
answering a question of hers about the meter.

I also have her old Luna Pro and and a new model I purchased, as well as a
Pentax spot meter.

I have several old selenium meters including a Weston Master II. The little instruction books that came with these meters and the General Electric meters were extremely well written, one can't find technical writing of that caliber any more. A selenium cell becomes non-linear when its damaged so it may read low light levels correctly but will read low for brighter light. If the meter has two overlapping scales for low and high light levels its easy to test it by measuring a source that falls in-between the two ranges and can be read on both. It should read the same or very close. If not the cell is no good. A trick which will sometimes bring a Weston meter back to life is to push down on the lens over the cell and twist it a little. This will clean the contacts between the cell and meter and often bring back a dead meter or cure an intermittent one. Weston cells seem to have been sealed better than others and are more likely to be good after many years. Selenium cells are sensitive to moisture and high temperatures. The changes that cause inaccurate readings are chemical and can not be reversed. Because the cell becomes non-linear there is no simple way to correct for a faulty one. Note that ISO speeds can be used on a Weston meter designed for the old Weston System by using the next lower speed number and doubling it. Evidently the Weston system contained a one stop fudge factor like the original ASA system.


--
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles
WB6KBL
dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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