Help with Spotmatic.

Mike Kennedy · 06-29-2008, 04:18 AM

Picked up a Honeywell Spotmatic at a yard sale yesterday and am having problems trying to figure out what's going on with the meter.Put in an MRB400 Wein Cell but it reads 4 stops over when compared to my Nikon FM2.
Solutions anyone?

Thanks

John Koehrer · 06-29-2008, 11:54 AM

1) needs adjustment?
2) photocell dying?
3)carbon on the valves-Ooops, that's Ferrari.

resummerfield · 06-29-2008, 12:08 PM

Probably a bad photocell. I have several Spotmatics, and they all needed photocell replacements when I sent them for a CLA. The good news is that the photocells are available, and cheap. I sent mine to Eric Hendrickson at Pentaxs.com

Mike Kennedy · 06-29-2008, 12:46 PM

Great link Eric.I only paid $5.00 for the spotmatic.

singram · 07-06-2008, 11:15 AM

I had the same problem with another older camera. I just adjusted the ASA/ISO until it matched the hand held meter or other camera for comparison. So I may be shooting 400 asa film, but the camera is set to 100 to make the light meter accurate in the camera. Currently I am shooting with a Ricoh camera with a dead meter, so I use the hand held meter anyway.

steve

ricksplace · 07-06-2008, 04:22 PM

I have an old spottie that is exactly 1 stop out. So I set the meter at 50 when I shoot 100 iso film and all is good.

Anscojohn · 07-06-2008, 04:59 PM

Make sure the battery contact in the battery chamber is clean, and that the battery cover is clean; the threads in both the body and on the battery cover are clean; and the cover is back on tight.

TheDreadPirateRobins · 07-07-2008, 03:38 PM

The light meter on my Spotmatic seems a bit erratic. I have been gauging the lighting conditions myself and using the two together to see if I trust the meter. It works okay, but sometimes the needle will suddenly shoot way high or low without any change in anything else. The battery is new. I may send in for a new photocell, too.

Adam

Mike Kennedy · 07-07-2008, 03:49 PM

I have a nice little Gossen Pilot light meter that I'm using.Works fine.I think a repair job would cost more than a replacement.Kind of fun actually to guess the correct exposure then double check it against the meter.

Mike

TheDreadPirateRobins · 07-07-2008, 04:05 PM

I ebayed a Pilot and it should be showing up any day now. I got it primarily for pinhole photography, but I may use it to check this thing, too. Also, I have been using my own senses a lot more and I think I am getting some better exposures. I can make judgments that a photocell cannot.