Graflex.org

ferlopezperez · Joined: 11 Feb 2003 Posts: 31 Location: Mexico City

I'm a new user of graflex, and I've got a big (maybe silly) question about the shutter speeds, my lens has 10, 25, 50, 100 speeds and my meter doesn't have those speeds, how precisely I can make the conversion? I mean, without making mistakes?
Somebody to help me

xyzphoto · Joined: 03 Jan 2002 Posts: 47 Location: Oklahoma

I would be glad to tackle your question, but I could give you a better answer if you will provide the shutter speeds and f stop readings of your meter and the f stops on your camera lens.
[ This Message was edited by: xyzphoto on 2003-03-14 18:03 ]

[ This Message was edited by: xyzphoto on 2003-03-14 18:22 ]

ferlopezperez · Joined: 11 Feb 2003 Posts: 31 Location: Mexico City

Hi, my question is quite silly, my minolta meter has the common shutter speeds: 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250, etc. but my schneider-xenar (135mm) has different shutter speeds, instead of the listed before, the lens has: 1/5, 1/10, 1/25, 1/50, 1/100 and the regular 1/250 & 1/500, how should I compensate this speeds with the ones measured with my meter? There must be a conversion factor or something like that. I will appreciate your answear.
I promise to show you my first "graflex shots". Thank you so much in advance.

RichS · Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2003 6:01 pm Post subject:

First off, you and many others could get much more technical about this. But I'll tell you what I do...
Fist thing is I don't worry about it. 1/25 is very, very close to 1/30. Same for 1/50 and 1/60. Yes, I do make a correction, but usually just a quick change of the f-stop. So if 1/25 is slower than than 1/30, it lets in more light. Have to close down the shutter a bit. Off hand I'd say I do about 1/3 stop or so. But I also do mental corrections for meter readings most of the time anyway to get shadows or highlights & such. You could get by with no correction unless you're shooting chromes. Even Polaroids get by with no correction most of the time. Probably the 1/5 and 1/10 are the farthest from current times, but a little shift in the f-stop still takes care of things...
When I use my Luna-Pro, I just look at the speed of the lens, say 1/25. Then look at the meter's closest speed, 1/30, and go down the scale by a third of a stop or so where 1/25 should be.
On top of that, some might argue that the current 1/30 is really the old 1/25 and they just made the numbers evenly divisable. I've read that in more than one book. Unfortunately, the shutter tester on new electronic shutters doesn't agree...
But unless you want to get critical or you're shooting chromes, don't worry...

ferlopezperez · Joined: 11 Feb 2003 Posts: 31 Location: Mexico City

Thank you so much, I was wondering something like that but I wasn't sure. This conversion is critical if you're shooting chromes as you say, and that's exactly what I'm gonna use.
Thank you again.

DenisP · Joined: 14 Oct 2002 Posts: 43 Location: Croatia, Europe

Henry · Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2003 7:12 pm Post subject:

That's what I love about my c. 1951 GE DW-68 light meter: the shutter speeds are just the same as those on my Graphex shutters. And there are no batteries! After 50+ years, it's still going strong---and it's accurate, too. I only fire up the Luna-Pro in low light situations, or for incident readings in bright conditions. According to the DW-68 instruction book, there were "multiplier masks" available which presumably reduced the light level for incident readings in bright light. I've been searching for these items without success. Anybody ever see them?

[ This Message was edited by: Henry on 2003-03-17 11:13 ]

ferlopezperez · Joined: 11 Feb 2003 Posts: 31 Location: Mexico City

Wow, where can I get a meter like that, here in México city it's a little bit difficult to find those equipments, and when you find them they're really expensive stuff.
Thank you for your information.

Henry · Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2003 1:05 am Post subject:

I got mine at a camera show in the Philadelphia area. Seller was a retired photographer who was clearing out his collection. Paid $15 (bargained him down from $20), which included the neck strap, the original box, and the instruction booklet. I don't think it had been used much, as the condition was near-mint. This is not a rare item by any means; I have seen a number of them at camera shows, as there is almost no demand for them except maybe by us "antique freaks" (antique users of antique stuff). Don't know if there are camera shows south of the border, but if there are that's where I'd look.

ferlopezperez · Joined: 11 Feb 2003 Posts: 31 Location: Mexico City

Thank you Henry, a couple of hours ago Denis Pleic send me a printable version of the zone system wheel, I'll try to use it. And in Mexico City there are no photo shows of used equipment, there are a lot of used equipment in downtown, there i guess i can find one.

45PSS · Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2003 4:55 am Post subject:

You could always go shopping here=
GE meters on ebay

If the link fails then go to ebay/home/photo/light meters/ge or other brand in the search box on the left.
Charles

_______________
While a picture may be worth a thousand words, a quality photograph is worth a million.

[ This Message was edited by: 45PSS on 2003-03-17 20:58 ]

[ This Message was edited by: Les on 2003-03-18 06:29 ]

alecj · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 853 Location: Alabama

Is it just me, or How did this thread get so WIDE?

Les · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 2682 Location: Detroit, MI

I suspect it's the link charles put in. I'll try to fix it.

Les

Yep that was it. Hey my first real Anchor Ref HTML tag that worked! for those that want to know the code was ( A HREF = "ebay search url") GE meters on ebay(/A)

just replace the parathenses with brackets.

[ This Message was edited by: Les on 2003-03-18 06:34 ]