Checking Accuracy (Boggled)

[kb244]

I got a Minolta Auto Meter IVf and I'm having a woe of a time trying to figure out if its really accurate or not as it is not exactly matching up to my Gossen Lunasix mechanical light meter. Would seem the minolta would give a reading almost 1 to 2 stops slower than the gossen. However I did drop the gossen once a couple weeks ago, and had to adjust it ( so then its like which one is wrong, or is both wrong ). And I've heard about how mechanicals can easily die from droping.

Anyways it doesnt help that when I first got the meter the reading would seem odd where I'll take an ambient reading in direct sunlight and It'll say something like 1/125 @ f/32 at ISO 100 and I'm thinking "Is it really that bright out here?" and I'm hoping that was a one time fluke.

So decided to take another approach Took my Sunpak 5000AF set the back to Manual, at 1/64th power, set the ISO and Aperture to 100 @ f/8 so I can get a distance estimate, shows 1/64th power @ 100/8 will be for 1.6 feet, so I set the minolta in non-corded flash reading mode, set it approximatly 1.6 to 2ft from me point the flash at it, and hit the test button. The meter would show exactly f/8.0 as the reading.

Now I'm not sure if corded/non-corded mode is gona be any different than an ambient reading, but I would assume that if the light sensor recorded a flash burst correctly then the same light sensor would meter sunlight and other ambient light correctly. But least a flash is a controlled form of lighting as opposed to trying to take a reading off say a 60 watt light bulb.

-Tips
-Pointers
-Questions
-Etc?

Oh and if anyone has the Manuals for it (PDF, etc) let me know, apparently konica-minolta no longer hosts them on their site.

[Dan Fromm]

Testing a flash meter is easy. Ask it what to do at a given flash power setting for a "medium" target, shoot a color slide/transparency taking taking the meter's advice. And then if the slide/transparency is ok, the meter is doing what it should.

If I were you, I'd send both meters for service. It sounds like you broke your LunaSix good. Also that your IVf arrived out-of-calibration. Rule of thumb: used meters are wrong when received even if they seem to function. Responding to light and measuring accurately aren't the same.

[kb244]

Testing a flash meter is easy. Ask it what to do at a given flash power setting for a "medium" target, shoot a color slide/transparency taking taking the meter's advice. And then if the slide/transparency is ok, the meter is doing what it should.

If I were you, I'd send both meters for service. It sounds like you broke your LunaSix good. Also that your IVf arrived out-of-calibration. Rule of thumb: used meters are wrong when received even if they seem to function. Responding to light and measuring accurately aren't the same.

My concern is, sending the minolta in will be like what I heard floating on the net that it cost 150$ and up just to 'fix' the calibration. But when I said responding to the flash, I was refering that if I set the flash up where f/8 would be proper exposure on the camera, the meter would pop up f/8 when I flashed at it, same with other settings. I just didnt have a means to test ambient light and know for sure what EV that light was.

[Nick Zentena]

The problem using the flash and just metering is it doesn't prove if anything is right. Or if it's wrong what is wrong. What happens if the flash is putting out F/9 when you set it to F/8? Actually taking a photo gets you closer since you can check if the photo is under/over exposed.

The manuals might be on one of the Sony websites. I think it's Sony. I saw some a few weeks ago while looking for something else.

I don't know those meters. I guess the IVf is a spot meter? The other one an incident? In reflected mode did you take into account how the metered subject reflects light?

[Chan Tran]

Using the flash as a standard light source to check the meter is not a very good idea. I found that published guide number especially at fractional setting is not very reliable. I have the Sunpak 5000AF also. I bought 2 used Minolta meter, the flashmeter III and spotmeter M. Both give me reading within 1/10 stop as compared to my brand new flashmeter VI. So I would say they are all accurate.
When you said you got 1/125@f/32 with ISO100 reading, which meter gave you that reading? I would say that it read about 2 stops too high. I don't have the IVf but all Minolta meter has an adjustment for +/- 1 stop.

[kb244]

The problem using the flash and just metering is it doesn't prove if anything is right. Or if it's wrong what is wrong. What happens if the flash is putting out F/9 when you set it to F/8? Actually taking a photo gets you closer since you can check if the photo is under/over exposed.

The manuals might be on one of the Sony websites. I think it's Sony. I saw some a few weeks ago while looking for something else.

I don't know those meters. I guess the IVf is a spot meter? The other one an incident? In reflected mode did you take into account how the metered subject reflects light?

I thought I specified the brand above....

Its a Minolta Auto Meter IVf , which is a Ambient/Flash meter.
The Gossen LunaSix is both, you just remove the dome for reflective.

[kb244]

Using the flash as a standard light source to check the meter is not a very good idea. I found that published guide number especially at fractional setting is not very reliable. I have the Sunpak 5000AF also. I bought 2 used Minolta meter, the flashmeter III and spotmeter M. Both give me reading within 1/10 stop as compared to my brand new flashmeter VI. So I would say they are all accurate.
When you said you got 1/125@f/32 with ISO100 reading, which meter gave you that reading? I would say that it read about 2 stops too high. I don't have the IVf but all Minolta meter has an adjustment for +/- 1 stop.

Was the minolta that gave that reading, but what I'm gona do today is retest it, I havent had much time since I work 9 hour days, and 7 days a week. Also the Minolta does have an adjustment, but not nearly a stop, more like -/+ .2 to .6

[Chan Tran]

I do have a pdf copy of the manual, PM me if you're interested. I assume that you did the test in incident mode. There is a switch on the meter that senses whether the reflected light adaptor is mounted instead of the dome. When this switch is pushed down the meter increases its reading by about 2.7 stops. You may want to check and see if this switch is stuck down or electrically shorted. Sometimes pushing and releasing the switch several times would fix the problem. The way to check if the switch works as intended is to remove the dome and take a reading. Then take another reading with the switch pushed down. You should have 2.7 stops higher reading when the switch is pushed down. If not the switch is defective.

[kb244]

As per your note, I'm here at work, bunch of florescent lights near me. I took a reading with the dome on, and got the following (if theres a number after _ is cuz that number was subscripted after the aperture)

With Dome On
1/125, f/1.4_6 @ ISO 100 (I guess if you round up its f/2.0)

With Dome Off ( in the same position, pointing up as well)
1/125, f/4.0_1 @ ISO 100

[Chan Tran]

Actually what I meant was to leave the dome off then take 2 readings. One with the switch depressed and another with the switch undepressed. The switch looks like a small pin aprox 1/10 inch diameter and you should see it on the left side of the sensor when you take the dome off. The purpose is to check if the switch still works. If the switch is stuck in the depressed position it would give too high a reading which I think your meter does.