Light metering

Z

zhenya

Member
Hi all

I have just purchased a vintage Weston Master II light meter which i intend to use for super 8 shoots.

Just wondering what other peoples experiences are in similair situations. Here is a few things I am unsure off:

  • It is not a cine meter. I assume that by setting the ASA correctly and setting the shutter speed to 1/50th (assuming i am shooting at 180 degree shutter at 24fps) i should be ok?
  • As it is a very old meter (1946-53) i heard that the ASA ratings could be off due to the development of film through the years. I was suggested that ASA100 film should be rated more like ASA80/64 on these meters, anyone found this?
  • Not sure, but i think this meter mainly takes reflective readings, although with an extra component i think it can also take incident readings. Any advice on how to obtain the most accurate reading?
Any thoughts would be very welcome.

Cheers
 
Wow. That's an old meter. I would just check it against a meter known to be accurate to be sure your meter is accurate. That meter can be used as an averaging incident meter OR a reflected light meter. So you don't have the "Invercone" for it? The Invercone allows use as an incident meter. If not, just get an 18% grey card and take reflected readings of that with it. Be sure you hold it close enough to the grey card but not so close you block the light falling on it.

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Seems like photovoltaic light meters like the Weston do last virtually forever. I think I saw a photo of [SIZE=-1]Vilmos Zsigmond using one for a reflected light reading in the '80s.

Any meter needs to be calibrated periodically, but checking it against a freshly calibrated meter reading a gray card should instill some confidence.

I inherited an old light meter in an art deco bakelite case with a patent date of 1916 that still works, surprisingly enough. I think it might even be an old Weston. I can even turn the adjusting screw and get it to agree with my SpectraCine as long as there's enough light.

As far as I know, ASA is ASA. The point being it is a standard, like weights and measures. Raw stock that sits around for years (unfrozen) will change effective ASA, but that's because it develops a base fog that is like flashing or pre-exposing a bit.
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Thanks for the responses so far.

I know that originally, this meter came with an invercone but I am quiet sure that it has been long lost now. Wondering if there is any makeshift way to attach a similar invercon so it still works, as i suspect finding an original one for this meter would be very tricky these days.

Just seems from my research so far that incident reading willl be more accurate overall, unless you have a spot meter...
 
Actually spot meters are very hard to use correctly without experience. Every color and surface has a different reflectance value and a beginner can really shoot him/herself in the foot if they don't check a gray card.

An incident reading isn't necessarily more accurate, but it is probably more foolproof as it pays no regard to the color or reflectance of the objects in the shot, and the dome is supposed to approximately average the lights falling on an actor's face.

I was always embarrassed using mine in front of my mentor, Sven Nykvist, as he made fun of it. I guess after a couple of hundred features he didn't have much need of a meter other than a final quick check with a spot meter before shooting. He didn't like the dome averaging theory.

Many DPs break out their reflected light meter for shooting landscapes.
 
So would a grey card be a must when it comes to reflective metering? I have one lying around somewhere, I've used it a few times in the past for still photography.

I assume that to use it accurately, it has to face the camera directly and not on an angle? If using the reflective meter without the card, how different would its readings be compared to my incamera meter (Canon 814 AZ-E)?

PS this will all be sorted out through my own experimentation but i thought i might as well seek the advice of more experienced people while i'm at it.

Thanks guys
 
You don't usually need a gray card for a medium to wide shot of average subjects. Also remember that you might not be able to stand in the same lighting as the subject or even get an assistant over there. A gray card is nice to have when you're working in closer to your subject, but you can get away without it unless you are dealing with strong backlight.

However if you're shooting a snowy landscape or a close-up of a face with unusually dark or light skin, the reflected light meter will try to expose it as 18% gray. That's not always a bad thing, but it's remarkable how much exposure metering has to happen in your head. That's when a gray card can give a point of reference.

Just try to make a note of what you do so you can use the experience as you keep shooting. It's good to get used to your own meter; even a calibrated meter has its own unique opinions.
 
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