Help with soligor digital photo sensor.

[justsnapit]

I need help with this light meter, I can't find the manual anywhere. So, I've got a few questions. Say, my camera has only the minimum aperture of f3.5 and am using a iso800 film. How do I go about reading the meter? I'm really confused. Cause the settings don't seem to be right. It shows me readings that will lead to an overexposure. Hope I'm posting at the right section. I bought this for my Seagull TLR and other cameras. So I need help. Any kind soul willing to tell me? Thanks in advance

[Dream Merchant]

Is it this model?

http://www.hotbuyselectronics.com/so...oto_sensor.htm

[justsnapit]

Yes, you have it too?

[Dream Merchant]

Err no, but if you take a moment, light meters are not difficult to figure out.

I tried searching for an inline manual to no avail.

Would it be possible for you to get me CLEAR shots of the meter switched on? Handphone pix also can as long as I can see the dials and numbers.

[Dream Merchant]

Hint: You could also try to search for 'Shepherd FM1000 light meter'. They appear to be the same model.

[justsnapit]

Hope you can see it.

[justsnapit]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pressth...=1257441325388
Sorry, no idea why it didn't appear.

[Dream Merchant]

Nothing's showing.

[justsnapit]

can see?

[Dream Merchant]

From what I can see, your meter can take both incident as well as reflected light readings. I've read that it also takes flash readings, so you have to be careful which 'mode' you put it on. If you try to take incident readings when the meter is on reflective mode, or vice versa, the readings would all be wrong. If it's set on flash mode, and you try to take an existing light reading, the meter should not give you a reading at all.

Do you know the difference between incident and reflective light readings?

If you've managed to get the meter working, but are getting constant overexposure, it is likely you have the meter in one mode are are using it like it was set in another mode.

The white dome looks like it's set to 'reflective' mode. Could you describe to me how you took the light reading and what was the scene your were metering?

[Dream Merchant]

Hello ... ?

[justsnapit]

Yea, I've noticed the two modes. Moving the white glass thing makes a difference. I have yet to send my roll for developing. First, I set the iso, which is the inner wheel. Then, I turned the outer wheel to the desired aperture, for this instance, f3.5, somewhere after f4, nearer to f2.8. I then press the button on the side. The meter will show the number. At first, I thought I had to move the outer wheel with red numbers to fit the number shown. For example, the meter shows 5.2, I then turn the outer wheel to 5.2, But, I found out that by doing so, the aperture will changes. Example, it moves to f1.4. Obviously, I can't because I only have the aperture of f3.5. So, I then, tried to move the inner wheel. Which now just changes the shutter speed. So, I did everything again from step one. Set iso, set aperture, press button. With the number shown, I moved the inner wheel/which is the shutter speed. On some occasions like, in a brightly lit food court, eg. funan it mall's food court. It gives correct settings/exposure. But on somewhere like outdoors, during evenings, it gives settings, which I think should be used indoors. So, I'm not too sure how. Btw, I didn't shift the ball thing to cover the sensor. Is what I'm doing correct or am I pointing at wrong areas or is the light meter too weak to receive light? Hope you understand what I'm typing

[Dream Merchant]

Originally Posted by justsnapit Yea, I've noticed the two modes. Moving the white glass thing makes a difference. I have yet to send my roll for developing. First, I set the iso, which is the inner wheel. Then, I turned the outer wheel to the desired aperture, for this instance, f3.5, somewhere after f4, nearer to f2.8. I then press the button on the side. The meter will show the number. At first, I thought I had to move the outer wheel with red numbers to fit the number shown. For example, the meter shows 5.2, I then turn the outer wheel to 5.2, But, I found out that by doing so, the aperture will changes. Example, it moves to f1.4. Obviously, I can't because I only have the aperture of f3.5. So, I then, tried to move the inner wheel. Which now just changes the shutter speed. So, I did everything again from step one. Set iso, set aperture, press button. With the number shown, I moved the inner wheel/which is the shutter speed. On some occasions like, in a brightly lit food court, eg. funan it mall's food court. It gives correct settings/exposure. But on somewhere like outdoors, during evenings, it gives settings, which I think should be used indoors. So, I'm not too sure how. Btw, I didn't shift the ball thing to cover the sensor. Is what I'm doing correct or am I pointing at wrong areas or is the light meter too weak to receive light? Hope you understand what I'm typing

Since on the second try, you managed to get the correct reading ... it appears to me that the issue is not operating the meter, but that of metering techniques (and understanding how light meters work).

I am assuming the dome is set to reflective readings since in your photo it looks like it's on the left and going by your description that the sensor is uncovered.

It could be that outdoors in the evening, with large areas of dark, when you point the meter to that area, it will naturally give you a very low reading because the meter assumes that the scene is very very dark - thus overexpose the shot. Same thing would happen if you used a camera's in-built meter.

Two possible work-arounds would be to walk close to your main subject and assuming it's an average scene as opposed to extreme bright or dark, take a reflective reading close to the subject. Make sure the meter is pointed directly at the subject.

If the subject is very bright or dark, you would have to apply appropriate exposure compensation to the reading based on experience since you don't have spot meter, or try taking incident readings but this could also be very tricky at night/very dark and bright scenes combined. The final exposure decision still lie on you.

The easiest way to do reflective light readings in tricky situations is to use an 18% grey card, or anything you know to be close to 18% grey, and again, compensate from the base reading based on experience.

[justsnapit]

hmm, thanks for the suggestions. i'll try to develop the film as soon as possible. from there, i hope i'll recall what settings i used. thanks alot anyway!

[eosandy]

A good way to test would be if you can get your hands on a DSLR and dial in the settings on manual mode. Then you could review the results immediately?
This is how I tested a meter purchased through B&S at a meetup outside a shopping mall...