Pentax Digital Spotmeter Question

[rpsawin]

I have an Asahi Pentax Digital Spotmeter and am currently using a Varta V28PX (Silver) battery to power it. I have some Varta V28PXL (Lithium) batteries and wondered if I can use a lithium battery in the meter without causing damage.

Thanks in advance,

Bob

[Ian David]

You can use a lithium battery in the meter without causing damage, but I understand that the silver, lithium and alkaline batteries offer potentially different performance in terms of consistency/stability of meter readings over time. Silver oxide are apparently the best choice for the Pentax in this regard. If you google this, you will find a few discussions on the pros and cons.

Ian

[Sal Santamaura]

See my posts numbers 2, 6, 8 and 10 in this thread:

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...ttery-question

[rpsawin]

Ian/Sal,

Thanks for all the info. I did not even think about the performance difference.

Best regards,

Bob

[benjiboy]

With any equipment if you use the batteries the equipment manufacturers recommend that the electronics were designed for you can't go wrong.

[Chan Tran]

If indeed the battery voltage affects the meter reading then the Pentax Digital Spotmeter is not of a good design.

[Poisson Du Jour]

Lithium batteries are much more tolerant of very cold temperatures but their death curve (that point where power drops off then plummets to nothing) is quite steep, and therefore during heavy use they can be unpredictable, so spares should be taken. A lithium battery is installed in my Sekonic L758, and two spares are to hand at all times in the kit.

Meters are frequently subjected to hot and cold conditions so they can be useful, if costly. Unless there is a profound malfunction of the Pentax spotmeter, I would imagine you can use any battery. Obviously, if you used the wrong battery, it may not start, may freeze, fail to meter or even short out. Look inside the battery compartment/chamber for any clue as to what batteries you can and use and those you should avoid.

[Chan Tran]

I do not own a Pentax spotmeter but reading lots of photography forum it seems that it is the spotmeter that most sought after. It also seems that the only reason that the Pentax is so popular because it has the exposure dial around the lens. Can we build a device that does exactly the same thing to use with other spotmeters like those from Gossen, Sekonic, Konica-Minolta and Kenpro?

[Ian David]

The Pentax is highly regarded for a number of reasons. The exposure dial is very useful, but for me the main attraction is the simplicity of the meter. There are no unnecessary settings, modes, buttons, features, etc, that burden a lot of other photo equipment. Just a nice accurate spot circle, a trigger, and an clear EV reading. That's it. Perfect for the job I want it to do.

[Chan Tran]

The Pentax is highly regarded for a number of reasons. The exposure dial is very useful, but for me the main attraction is the simplicity of the meter. There are no unnecessary settings, modes, buttons, features, etc, that burden a lot of other photo equipment. Just a nice accurate spot circle, a trigger, and an clear EV reading. That's it. Perfect for the job I want it to do.

For that most others will do the same. That is an EV readout in the viewfinder. As far as accuracy most others are not any less accurate.