My father has just given me a Weston Master III meter in very good condition which seems accurate. Well, it was calibrated recently (1998!).

It comes with the dome for ambient measurement and also with a disc which appears to be a neutral density filter. When this is fitted, the numbers revert back to the same set as when the door is closed and it gives a similar reading to one taken with the door closed.

Can anyone tell me what it is called and what it was used for? i.e. in what circumstances would you use the ND filter instead of the closed door. Different angle of light acceptance perhaps?

Thanks.




Steve.

It's been too long since I've used one of these, but here's a link for the manual (scroll down for the Master III);
http://www.butkus.org/chinon/flashes_meters/weston_exposure_meters/weston_exposure_meters.htm

My father has just given me a Weston Master III meter in very good condition which seems accurate. Well, it was calibrated recently (1998!).

It comes with the dome for ambient measurement and also with a disc which appears to be a neutral density filter. When this is fitted, the numbers revert back to the same set as when the door is closed and it gives a similar reading to one taken with the door closed.

Can anyone tell me what it is called and what it was used for? i.e. in what circumstances would you use the ND filter instead of the closed door. Different angle of light acceptance perhaps?

Thanks.




Steve.

You've nearly worked it out for yourself! The incident light attachment (Invercone) will not fit on the meter with the high-range baffle closed, so for a high-range incident reading, you open the baffle, insert the ND filter (which will not stay in place by itself) and fit the Invercone on top. For a low-range incident reading, it's baffle open and Invercone alone with no ND filter. From the Master IV onwards, Weston changed to the more logical and simpler solution of an Invercone that fits either with or without the baffle in place.

Regards,

David

Now I have a Weston IV that I got from eBay and is perfectly functional. It did not come with an invercone that I know of. If it is a seperate piece then I didn't get it. If it is integral then I would, in either regard, like to know what it is. Thank you.

Christopher,
I might have an extra Invercone. It's for a Weston V, IIRC. I suppose it would fit. Anyone know for certain if they are the same size? If they are not, I bet you could get one from Quality Light Metric, in Hollywood, CA.

John, Mount Vernon, Virginia USA

The invercone is a white, sort of cone-shaped, disk which is used for incident readings.

I had seen the Weston Masters referred to as reflected and incident but I didn't see how, guess I'm missing a thing or two. Not that I mind. I love my IV. It's my new workhorse.

I just checked a Weston Master II, IV and Euromaster with a two-piece incident light attachment (cone + filter) and the later 1-piece type. Master models up to III need the 2-piece type, which is (just very slightly) smaller than the later type, so will not fit later meters without falling out. Conversely, the later Invercone (a conflation of the words INVERted CONE) will just not push far enough into an earlier meter to lock into place. Note: When removing an Invercone, push it back towards the baffle hinge to release it. If you don't, a small plastic nose on the attachment will become worn and it will not then lock into place.

If you want a Weston for incident light readings, Master IV and later are the best bet, since they have a pointer lock. With earlier models, you need to be able to see the dial at the moment you take a reading, which is a bit limiting.

Regards,

David

I do love the reading lock button. It will come in handy when I try some serious self portraiture.

Thanks for the link and the information.

David, I did suggest to my father that the filter goes on before the invercone but he didn't think it did so we didn't try it. He should have known better as he has probably owned most Weston models.

In the 1960's and 1970's when he was a part time wedding photographer, his main employment was as a central heating designer. The Sangamo Weston representative who visited every six months would always bring him a new meter and take the old one away.

(Sangamo also manufactured central heating timers).

Incidently, I too have a spare invercone for a Weston IV or V if anyone needs one

Steve.

Anyone happen to have a spare invercone for a weston III?

I eventually had to give up on the Westons. Too many tightly spaced, tiny-type numbers. I think the Weston III is one of the best classic selenium meters.

http://elekm.net/zeiss-ikon/ikophot_t/weston_dial_300.jpg

The "U", the "O", the "A" and the "C" on the Weston dial are essential parameters for exposure. One of ye olde lab ratz who shared their wisdom with me back in the early 1960s said that the best treatise on exposure was found in the Weston Master instruction manual, using those four letters.

Weston revised the calculator dial each time. Personally I think the Master IV dial is the easiest to read, it's got a roulette arrangement. Once you spend a few minutes figuring it out, it's easy to decypher. The Ranger 9 is nice, but it's also physically larger so everything's a little easier to read (IMO).

My favorite comes from a Sekonic L-228 zoom. Big dial, easy to read numbers. I think it was highly influenced by the best of the Weston dials.