[pathdoc]

Oh sweet. Does the meter work? If so, even sweeter.

Feed it with film and work the hell out of it.

[sherrvonne]

Many years ago I had a turn with the Sightseeing Screwmount, an SV that toured around the membership for a couple years. I went to a railroad museum loaded with Tri-X and my Sekonic L-98 Micro Leader. Lot's of people looked but didn't comment - but there are people who just don't have any propriety. My 'favorite' comments were:

• Are you an art student? You're kind of old, aren't you?
• What kind of cheap camera doesn't come with a meter?
• I didn't know they still made film (of course).
• You mean YOU have to focus? (by a teenager).

The most obnoxious was, sotto voce, "If he'd just use a real camera we wouldn't have to stand here and wait."

Handing my grandson the K3 with 15mm. "Ahhhhh wow!" He composes a shot, puts the camera away from his face..... "Does it zoom? " Then a smile... "Does it even have zoom?". Me: " Um, No, Well yes, your feet... your feet are zoom.. walk forwards or backwards". Well then he wouldn't give the combo back for a while.

[monochrome]

Yep.

Handing my grandson the K3 with 15mm. "Ahhhhh wow!" He composes a shot, puts the camera away from his face..... "Does it zoom? " Then a smile... "Does it even have zoom?". Me: " Um, No, Well yes, your feet... your feet are zoom.. walk forwards or backwards". Well then he wouldn't give the combo back for a while.

[sherrvonne]

Is it possible to replace the battery in the meter on the SV?

[WPRESTO]

As I recall, to replace the battery you must take the meter off, then the battery door is underneath, where it would be against the pentaprism housing.

[mcgregni]

Another fascinating relic! I've noticed those settings (and on the first one on this thread) for 'H - OFF - L' .... I'm assuming its 'High and Low' ? But High and Low what ???

[WPRESTO]

Another fascinating relic! I've noticed those settings (and on the first one on this thread) for 'H - OFF - L' .... I'm assuming its 'High and Low' ? But High and Low what ???

High and low intensity of light. Previously many no-battery meters (selenium cell) had a door with a slit in it that covered the cell. Down using the slit for outdoor bright light, flip open the door for indoor dim light. Early battery-requiring light meters (CdS and silicon) had a similar mechanism, sometimes with a sliding door because the light sensitive port was much smaller. A separate index mark was used on the settings dial. Typically the two indices were one red and one black, with black for common = bright light. Not sure how this worked on the Pentax meter, which is probably a CdS mechanism, whether the change in meter sensitivity was controlled by a hidden mechanical baffle or if there was a different circuit for higher/lower meter sensitivity. CdS and silicon meters work differently: one type produces an extremely weak current proportional to light exposure, and that must be amplified by a battery to operate the meter needle; The other increases resistance to electric current proportional to light intensity, so there must be a battery-generated current to resist.

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Last edited by WPRESTO; 04-21-2017 at 04:41 AM.

[mcgregni]

Thanks, very interesting! I wonder if there was guidance in the manuals about the sort of lighting conditions in which to choose each setting? I'm assuming that an incorrect choice led to inaccurate metering .....

[Tako Kichi]

Seeing the shots of the old light meters prompted me to dig out my old copy of the 'Asahi Pentax Guide' book by 'The Focal Press' (c.1977) just for curiosities sake and lo and behold it has three pages dedicated to the Pentax light meters (the round and the square one) covering attachment, operation and battery changing. What a blast from the past!

[pathdoc]

I'm assuming that an incorrect choice led to inaccurate metering .....

I believe it potentially led to stuff inside breaking and no metering at all, ever again.

[WPRESTO]

Generally, using the wrong "H" or "L" setting simply sent the needle far toward super bright, or left it motionless at the bottom of the scale. I used to flip the door on a selenium meter open-shut just to see the needle jump from one end of the scale to the other, and also to see if I set the red index mark to the reading when the door was open , whether the needle would drop to the position of the black index mark when the door was closed (very close, but not always perfect). SFAIK, the electronics could not be damaged in any meter by, for example, having the meter set for dim light then using it in full midday sun. Too many meters would have been destroyed very soon after purchase if that were the case.

[kb244]

Which one, out of interest?

I have had a look in the mirror box of my *istDS and the screen assembly looks suspiciously like that of my MX. So similar that I am tempted to try a little experiment...

It was a Pentax K10D. When I got a screen for that, it was some chinese generic off ebay that stated it was for that model. Otherwise before they closed down their business, Kat's eyes offered screens for various models.

---------- Post added 04-22-2017 at 02:52 PM ----------

See your point, but you're lucky they stop and ask - frequently around here they don't notice photographers, or come and peer in the lens (Ha ! Ha !), or even walk into you when you have been still for a minute or so. Worst experience was many years ago, on a coastal footpath in the West of England. I was with a friend, each of us was photographing flowers to the edge of the path. One would crouch and shoot (those were the days !) while the other maintained a watchful guard position protecting their back. My friend was intent on shooting a plant well off the path, I was on guard, leaving at least 3/4 of the path for others.
Suddenly this charmless nurk pushed past me, well off the path, and deliberately put his foot on top of the flower my friend was photographing, having to barge in to her to do so. He then accused us of blocking a public right of way. My friend quickly grabbed my arm and held me still, so that the selfish individual did not find himself having to remove my tripod from his left nostril. It took several cups of coffee for us both to calm down.

Haven't had any kind of altercation like that on a trail, or too many places like that outdoors. I do remember when I was shooting at one of the Dirty Shows (#9 I think) over in Detroit, things can be a bit more aggressive, particularly from other photographers. Had one dude that kept throwing himself in my way so that he could get whatever shot I was setting up for and other general rude behaviors. Friend of mine who was there, knowing that I generally won't do anything came up behind him while he was squatting, acting all discoordinated and fell on him with his knee right into his back and then gives me one of those 'sly' winks.

That same guy that kept blocking my view seemed dumbfounded later when I was shooting the group I came with as I was up on stage on the sides, idiot didn't even know he was blocking the group's official photographer the whole time.

[Arjay Bee]

I won a bid for this SV at a local goodwill

I had one of those with the Ever ready case top that was big enough to cover the meter. Battery is underneath - foam for protecting mirror housing was all gone so replaced that with fresh adhesive backed foam from Aki Asahi.

Kind of feel sorry to have sold it on now - but the DA limiteds were calling my name.

[35mmfilmfan]

knowing that I generally won't do anything

I have increasingly limited mobility, and use a stick. It often amazes people who are too impatient or ill-mannered to wait when they find they have tripped over my stick. Such a shame.

[kb244]

I have increasingly limited mobility, and use a stick. It often amazes people who are too impatient or ill-mannered to wait when they find they have tripped over my stick. Such a shame.

On the street I usually position myself alongside another barricade, such as a street sign, light pole, knee high barricades, etc. So anyone who gets all huffy about nearly running into me, would have run into the street sign, light pole, or barricade anyways and are just stupid for blaming anyone but themselves.