Vivitar 45

[Keltic Ice Man]

I came across a vivitar 45 light meter the other day - with no instructions

Tried googling but my Woo wasn't in.

Anyone used one? Is it any good and for what? Am I better using my camera one on the 350D?

Thanks

Allan

[Keltic Ice Man]

It must be to old to be any use then :( I was hoping it might be useful in studio and wedding portrait work

[Steep]

Try it and see m8.

[Keltic Ice Man]

I'd love to but just don't understand how it works.

There is a small white dome thing that moves and a button that when pressed moves a green pointer, there is an ASA, EV, Shutter and Exposure markings on it.

[dougdarter]

Hi,

I occasionally use my old Weston Master, if I'm uncertain that the camera meter won't meter correctly, which isn't very often.

The white dome is probably the same as the 'invercone' used on the Weston.

It is used when you need to measure 'incidental' light, rather than the usual 'reflected light.

If you need to take a measurement of light from camera to subject, measure normally, but if you need to measure light from the subject to camera, ie, very high contrast subject, or predominently whites, use the dome. High contrast/lots of whites can confuse the reflected light measurement.

Just consider the reading in terms of ASA/EV/shutter speed and exposure, note them, and use reciprocals if you're not happy with the meters chosen settings.

BTW, using a meter can teach you more about exposure than any book!

Good luck.

[CT]

I've got an old Sixon meter I still use now and again, and it always impresses me just how accurate it is.. This old Vivitar will be no different I'm sure. I managed to find this pic of a Vivitar 35 which I'm sure is pretty similar to the 45.

http://i16.ebayimg.com/07/i/000/a3/e2/2901_1.JPG

To use it - you just dial in the ISO you're using. To take a reflected reading you point the meter at your subject - the red needle will deflect according to how strong the light is. You then line up the green pointer with the needle by turning the large dial. This gives you a series of combinations of aperture and shutter speed by reading off the dials - they're all 'correct' - it's your choice depending on whether it's aperture or shutter speed which is more important for the shot.

The white dome is for taking incident light readings (light falling upon the subject). It's a slightly different technique but the meter is read in just the same way.

[Keltic Ice Man]

Thanks Guys.

CT - that pic looks Very similar.

So the white dome - is this what i'd use if i'm in a studio and measuring the light hitting someones face (for example), by going right up to them and measuring the light hitting them.

Thanks

Allan

[CT]

So the white dome - is this what i'd use if i'm in a studio and measuring the light hitting someones face (for example), by going right up to them and measuring the light hitting them.

That's it basically - a reflected reading is taking by pointing the meter at the subject and measuring the light intensity bouncing off it.

The white dome is used for measuring incident light - light falling upon (incident upon) the subject, so with this method the reading is taken from the subject position, but with the meter pointing back towards the camera position.

[Keltic Ice Man]

Thanks CT

Is ASA the same as ISO?

and there is a setting for DIN - is this anything to worry about?

[CT]

ASA is the same as ISO

ASA = American Standards Association

ISO = International Standards Offiice

DIN = Deutch Industry Norm.

DIN was a peculiar German system where an increase of 3 doubled the sensitivity. 100 Din = 21 ASA. 200 Din= 24 ASA... and so on.

DIN was a ridiculous system really and it was finally swept away in I think the late 70s or early 80's when ISO was adopted as the one standard, using exactly the same scale as ASA.

It's nothing to worry about at all, but you will find old equipment - cameras and meters, still using ASA and DIN scales. Just ignore the DIN scales and go with the ASA numbers which are the same as ISO.