Hey everyone,

So I've been in a bit of a funk lately in regards to picking up and shooting. MF has been a blast, and that's taken away so much attention from digital. I'm afraid to start using my stash of slide film with MF, as it's so sunny out here, and metering is tricky. Anyways, after 5 years and likely a couple thousand miles, my favorite backpacking boots bit the dust. I had to replace them, which ate up this month's film budget. here are the new beauties:



Anyways, the other new to me item, is my new hand-held meter. After using an MX, ZX-5, and a couple DSLRs as reflected meters and spot meters, I decided I needed something better. With tricky lighting that's ever-present out here, I usually have to meter off of strange things, chimp, adjust, click, chimp, adjust. Even with a lot of practice, it's a good idea to bracket out here. So anyways, on a whim, and on my continuing quest to be totally battery independent while backpacking (other long trips, too) I picked up the 'latest and greatest' selenium meter, the Euro Master II. Mine was manufactured in the late 90's, and came, like new, in it's case with the original Invercone incident attachment. See it here:



So, as a test to myself and my exposure abilities, I put my K-X in M, loaded up my favorite lens (Helios 44), and turned off instant review. So, for this set, including the two above, there was NO PEAKING. All of these were shot with the handheld meter, most with my B+W polarizer, and all have no exposure corrections in post, just exporting to JPEG. It's been stormy lately, and clouds were moving on and off the sun the whole time. I think I did a pretty good job! Things look a little darker than I prefer, but my histograms are pretty much dead centered, and all within a half stop range when looking at the histogram.

Sadly, It's been a while since shooting with my Helios 44. I like shooting in the 'sweet spot', and I had forgotten this wasn't my fantastic 50mm f/1.7. All were shot from about 4.5 to 2.8, with the Barbed Wire wide open (Yuck on the sharpness on it, love the bokeh, though!). I should've kept it in the 5.6-11 range =/ I had a blast, though, and to make my DSLR batteries last when backpacking, I'll be adopting my new method-- no instant review, back LCD off, using incident readings from my Selenium meter. Maybe if the lighting is super tricky, I'll peak at the histogram

First up, testing the reflective metering mode. The Euro Master has about a 90 degree pickup pattern, so I put the meter under this thing, took a reading, and placed it on zone 3. I don't remember how much compensation I gave to this one, but I varied my compensation from +1/3 to +1 depending on how heavy the polarization effect was:



The rest were done with the Invercone in place, taking incident readings right before clicking the shutter:









@f/11-- this is what my neighborhood looks like. No idea what the hell this barrel is for, though:

[slowpez]

Except for the hiking boots, I have no idea what you are talking about but I loved your images.

[fretlessdavis]

Thanks! I did everything without the in-camera meter, post processing, or the rear LCD-- an effective test of my new light meter.

Sadly, I opened the Helios 44 up way more than I should've-- except the last shot @f/11, everything's a bit soft.

[johnyates]

the original Invercone incident attachment.

What's that all about? I've used incident meters before, but they've all had regular dome shaped domes.

No idea what the hell this barrel is for, though

Having seen Sesame Street, I'm thinking maybe somebody lives in it.

[fretlessdavis]

What's that all about? I've used incident meters before, but they've all had regular dome shaped domes.

It's a conical interior style diffuser, so it's much more directional than the dome ones. So far it's just as accurate as the modern meters I've used-- supposedly it's more accurate when in more directional lighting, as well as more open shadow areas.

No complaints so far with it =)

---------- Post added 03-02-14 at 03:52 PM ----------

Having seen Sesame Street, I'm thinking maybe somebody lives in it.

That's probably the best idea I've hear so far. It's sitting next to a big water tank on a lot that's marked '407 SOLD'

---------- Post added 03-02-14 at 03:56 PM ----------

Just realized the in-camera sharpness setting was turned all the way down... Really seeing the flaws of the Helios 44! They look MUCH MUCH better with some sharpening done.. I'll reupload later.

[Kerrowdown]

New Toys To Inspire (NOT new lenses!!!)

Your preaching to this already converted member.

I did the review here Sangamo Weston Light Meter Weston Master V reviews - Pentax Camera Accessory Review Database

[fretlessdavis]

Your preaching to this already converted member.

I did the review here Sangamo Weston Light Meter Weston Master V reviews - Pentax Camera Accessory Review Database

Awesome! More accurate than any of my in-camera meters for my usage. No batteries required, either. Maybe I can get a couple hundred more usable shots on a week long trip by using this method and turning the back LCD off, and just using M mode... Not to mention no more chimping in high contrast scenes. And I can use it with my MF and LF setups, too!

I'm a total convert to incident metering now.

Any tips for reflected readings with these? I know their pickup pattern is very wide. When I got up-close and personal I get good readings, but everything I took reflected readings from at more than about 5' came out about 2 stops underexposed.

[Canada_Rockies]

For reflective readings, intelligent, practiced use of a spot meter is best. The meter reacts to changes in the subject 18% grey translation rather than the light on an 18% grey card. I've been trying out a suggestion I got, based on a simplification of the Zone Metering gurus. Determine what in the scene is the brightest in which you want to retain detail and add two stops of exposure, or in the converse, meter the darkest and reduce exposure two stops. Chimp from there. It seems to work fairly well so far. I also use "Sunny 16" and it works just as well as it did when I started out in 1958 - pretty darn good!

[fretlessdavis]

For reflective readings, intelligent, practiced use of a spot meter is best. The meter reacts to changes in the subject 18% grey translation rather than the light on an 18% grey card. I've been trying out a suggestion I got, based on a simplification of the Zone Metering gurus. Determine what in the scene is the brightest in which you want to retain detail and add two stops of exposure, or in the converse, meter the darkest and reduce exposure two stops. Chimp from there. It seems to work fairly well so far. I also use "Sunny 16" and it works just as well as it did when I started out in 1958 - pretty darn good!

I know how meters work, trying to figure out tips for dealing with a very wide pickup area of a meter. Except for in depth zone work, spot metering for me didn't give any better results.

I know and use the zone system with my B&W, it's fantastic for LF work, and still fairly useful with rollfilm!

[Canada_Rockies]

The use of hand held wide angle meters was usually to tilt them down a bit to avoid over reacting to the sky. It seemed to give better results. Sorry for the detailed reply that included what you already know!

[fretlessdavis]

The use of hand held wide angle meters was usually to tilt them down a bit to avoid over reacting to the sky. It seemed to give better results. Sorry for the detailed reply that included what you already know!

No worries!

Thanks for the tip. I didn't think of that, actually! I guess since they're full averaging meters as opposed to centerweighted, sky makes a bigger difference. I guess I should just continue to get up close and personal with the subjects or tilt the meter down 20-30 degrees for reflective readings, or use the incident setup, as it seemed VERY accurate

[Canada_Rockies]

Incident is completely unaffected by the subject colour. By far the best if you are in the same light as the subject, and the subject is reasonably evenly lit. It's always complicated, isn't it?

[wtlwdwgn]

I occasionally dig out my ancient (circa 1965) Sekonic meter to get a different idea of the light. I still have to think in terms of EV though depending on the scene. I've ruined a lot of images not thinking about the old 18% gray card.

[fretlessdavis]

Yeah, it seems reflective metering is best done with a grey card... so I'll just stick to incident readings =)

[Canada_Rockies]

The only catch to incident is that you must have the meter in the same light at the same angle as the subject. Sometimes that isn't possible. Then we are back to something between Sunny 16 and the Pentax 1 degree spot meter. At least with digital, we can chimp and fix it for another shot when the subject is static. We don't have to wait 10 days for our Kodachrome slides to return and find out we blew the exposure. Or focus. Or framing. Or something.