Nostalgic exposure calculator

[Ed Sutton]

I was looking for some prints from the 1980s yesterday and came across a Kodak Exposure Calculator which someone gave me back then. And it was old fashioned in those days. I thought some pics might be of interest to other old timers

I've never did fathom out how to use it!

 

[Mr Badger]

I'm sure you'd get a response if you posted this in the 'Film & Conventional' section of the forum (or perhaps one of the moderators could move it there)? @Cobra @TheBigYin ?

It's a nice piece of photographic memorabilia and looks to be in very nice condition, so look after it and perhaps it might be best to keep it in it's box in case daylight makes the plastic brittle or yellows it?

 

[ChrisR]

Brilliant! Presumably a sophisticated version of "Sunny 16"?

 

[StephenM]

Very much so. No later than the early 1960s, as Kodachrome 2 came out in around 1962. It's a very sophisticated automated way to avoid the use of the exposure tables that I used to use in the days before I had an exposure meter; and (having read the instructions) very much easier to use in the field.

It allows the variations that constitute "sunny 16" but allows for season and time of day, which make it more precise. The tables I used to use also allowed for the exact latitude, whereas the simplified Kodak disk assumes temperate latitudes. Rather fun.

 

[Ed Sutton]

I don't think the thing has ever had much use as it looks brand new. It's been kept in it's case and packet in a cupboard for as long as I've owned it, and it's going back there so should stay in good condition until I pop my clogs.

 

[excalibur2]

Well I think I remember it being an old fart....but can't see why anybody would use it as many poor people still had cameras with fixed shutter speeds etc, the more eager photographers had cameras that had build in exposure meters e.g. Retinette 1b, and the most eager photographers had a seperate light meter..and anyway on the box it told you what to set if you had some control over your camera.

 

[Mr Badger]

I don't think the thing has ever had much use as it looks brand new. It's been kept in it's case and packet in a cupboard for as long as I've owned it, and it's going back there so should stay in good condition until I pop my clogs.

Better still, why not have a bit of fun and try using it with a film camera? The trend seems to be growing, and there's some good fun and banter to be had in this F&C section of the forum.

 

[Mr Badger]

Snip:

the more eager photographers had cameras that had build in exposure meters e.g. Retinette 1b,

Hey, some eager photographers still have a Retinette 1b! Joking aside, might this have been a freebie/gimmick type item to encourage the purchase of Kodak film rather than perhaps a gadget actually for sale?

 

[Ed Sutton]

Better still, why not have a bit of fun and try using it with a film camera? The trend seems to be growing, and there's some good fun and banter to be had in this F&C section of the forum.

My film camera has one of those new fangled built in light meters. Although I do have my dad's folding camera and a selection of other relics. Including a Retinette!

I gave film a try again three or four years ago, but I don't have the patience to wait for it being processed since I binned my developing and printing kit. There is something about the look of film, even when scanned and printed with an inkjet printer.

 

[Mr Badger]

Quite a few labs work to a 1 day turn around for processing negs these days, so post a film off on a Monday and the negs are usually back by Thursday. Some places even give a download link if you have you negs processed and scanned, so you can see the results within a day or two of posting them.

Mind you, I do quite like waiting for the negs (and optional scans on a CD) to drop through the letterbox. In today's world where everything seems to be 'instant', sometimes it's quite nice to wait for something... it can be a little bit like a 'mini-Christmas Morning'! However, I wouldn't want to go back to that for every-day work type situations!

 

[Ed Sutton]

Even when I last used film seriously the cameras had motor drives. So having to wind the film on using my Pentax ME was enjoyable as an experience. Everything else was too much trouble. You'll not tempt me to use film again!

 

[excalibur2]

Even when I last used film seriously the cameras had motor drives. So having to wind the film on using my Pentax ME was enjoyable as an experience. Everything else was too much trouble. You'll not tempt me to use film again!

What's the point in telling us that you won't use film again

 

[Garry Edwards]

Yes, I remember that exposure calculator, there were quite a few similar ones around at the time and there were also extinction meters, basically just look through the thing and compare the brightness of the scene against a comparison shade - all considered necessary for use with kodachrome, which had zero exposure latitude.

Basically a poor man's exposure meter, the option was to sell your kids to get a Weston Master meter (which worked OK in bright sunlight), use one of these calculators or use experience and mental arithmetic.
I couldn't afford a Weston, extinction meters were a waste of time and life was too short to use calculators.

 

[Mr Badger]

And now we have a smartphone light meter app that costs £3 for the ad free version! I still have a couple of Gossen LunarSix light meters though, for that fully authentic faffage factor!

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Like many people I bought a version made by Johnsons of Hendon. I also had an extinction meter come range finder combination. both bought about 1946-7.
It was not till I bought a MiniRex 2 exposure meter and a Zodal rangefinder from Wallace Heaton. in about 1948-49 that my exposures improved. and went along with my old Voigtlander Brilliant and brand new Ensign Selfix 16-20 ll with Ross express lens and albada finder.
I still have a zodal rangefinder and MiniRex2 but they are barely functional, but my Ensign Selfix 16-20 ll still works fine and is in excellent condition, but I have lost the case.

 

[Garry Edwards]

Like many people I bought a version made by Johnsons of Hendon. I also had an extinction meter come range finder combination. both bought about 1946-7.
It was not till I bought a MiniRex 2 exposure meter and a Zodal rangefinder from Wallace Heaton. in about 1948-49 that my exposures improved. and went along with my old Voigtlander Brilliant and brand new Ensign Selfix 16-20 ll with Ross express lens and albada finder.
I still have a zodal rangefinder and MiniRex2 but they are barely functional, but my Ensign Selfix 16-20 ll still works fine and is in excellent condition, but I have lost the case.

Yes, you've been around even longer than me
You mention Wallace Heaton - as you know, I used to work there and all these bits and pieces were the high technology of their day, they used to come in second hand and as staff, I got to buy them at a staff discount rate before the retail customers could see them, and the staff discount meant that I only had to pay 3 times what they were worth instead of 4 times.

I still remember some of the staff people from that era - there was Mr Wildbore, lost a leg in the first world war, very much the army officer type, he told me repeatedly not to waste my money on these useless gadgets but I knew best...

 

[Steve Smith]

I have a very similar one called a Johnson Exposure Disc. Basically, you start with the arrows lined up then move the disc the appropriate number of notches for each variable, then read off the apertrure and shutter speed. It's quite accurate too.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

I have a very similar one called a Johnson Exposure Disc. Basically, you start with the arrows lined up then move the disc the appropriate number of notches for each variable, then read off the apertrure and shutter speed. It's quite accurate too.

Look similar to the one I had I remember the telephone dial like notches.

 

[Chalklers]

I had one of the Johnson calculators many years ago when I was young and couldn't afford an exposure meter. Ahh nostalgia!!!

 

[steveo_mcg]

Tri-x, a guess and a strongly compensating developer. Who needs a meter!