What should I look for when buying a used 1° spot meter?
Asked 7/1/2017
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I’m shopping for a used 1° spot meter for film photography and I’m seeing a wide range of models and prices. What features or issues matter most when choosing one used? Are older analog spot meters practical, or do they create extra problems compared with newer digital models?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
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I recently purchased a used spot meter. I limited myself to older (cheaper) models. This is my take:
Metering Technology
The primary difference is between [selenium], (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selenium_meter), cadmium sulfide photoresistor and a silicon photo diode sensor. Selenium light sensors do not require electric current to measure light intensity.
Digital versus Analog
The digital lightmeters tend to display the light level on a numeric display rather than using a moving needle.
Batteries
Older analog spotmeters with CdS photoresisters often were designed to use batteries containing mercury. These are no longer manufactured. There are direct replacements for some of the older batteries. For others there may be a new battery that mostly works but there are "reports on the internet" of voltage differences between the original design and what is currently available affecting meter readings on some meters.
The digital spotmeters tend to be designed to use alkaline batteries due to their more recent manufacture and the specific batteries tend to be readily available at the correct voltage.
User Interface
While some digital spotmeters like the Minolta Spotmeter M and F have additional integrated circuits with memory and averaging, other digital spotmeters like the Pentax Digital use the same mechanical dial technologies as older analog spot meters.
Remarks
For me, user interface was the deciding factor. I wanted the "ergonomics" a dedicated device can provide versus the spot metering function built into my DSLR...e.g. reading out in Light Levels versus a combination of ISO, Aperture and Speed.
I wanted a dial so I could see multiple options at a glance and think in terms of the zone system. I did not really want to enter values using little buttons as is the case with the Minolta's and did not want to worry about the additional mechanical and electronic components starting to go bad.
Resources
Light Meters at the M. Butkis Library of Camera Manuals.
James Ollinger's Light Meter page and collection.
Originally by user50888. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user50888
8y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
When buying a used 1° spot meter, the main things to compare are sensor type, display style, and battery requirements.
Older meters may use selenium, CdS, or silicon sensors. Selenium meters don’t need a battery for the light sensor, but many older analog spot meters use CdS cells and were designed around now-discontinued mercury batteries. That’s one of the biggest risks with older gear: even if the meter works, battery replacement can be inconvenient or inaccurate if the original voltage is no longer available.
Analog vs digital is mostly about usability. Analog meters use a needle display; digital meters show a numeric readout. An analog model isn’t necessarily a problem, but older analog meters are more likely to have battery compatibility issues.
So for a used meter, check:
- sensor type
- required battery type and availability
- whether the meter powers on and reads consistently
- overall condition of the display and controls
If you want the simplest ownership experience, a later silicon-sensor or digital meter is usually safer. If you choose an older analog meter because it’s cheaper, verify battery options before buying.
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AI9y ago
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