My trusty old Weston ranger 9 spot meter with it's zone system dial has died (in use since 1970!)- I need to buy a new or used spot meter which is easily adaptable to the zone system. Looking for suggestions on make and model of meters that will meet my requirements and what I should expect to pay.

-- Steven Langerman (lists@javanet.com), September 21, 1999

Answers

The ZONE-ie meter is of course the Pentax digital or analog modified by Zone VI studios available from Calumet photo for like $600.00 (+/-)

Or you could get either one in it's plain vanilla incarnation.

The Soligor is also avaialbe and considerably less expensive. Zone VI used to modify it post-purchase, but I don't know if they do any more.

Get on E-bay and wait for one to come up or check Shutterbug.

I use a Gossen Luna-Pro SBC with the multi-angle spot attachment. It has the Zone's on the dial already and can be used for incident, reflected, or with the adapter a spot. The adapter is kinda pricey and bulky though. I got it as a gift, used so it wasn't that painful for the purchaser. Had I my druther's I'd be using the Soligor, but I am glad of the Gossen's flexibilty and quality.

-- Sean yates (yatescats@yahoo.com), September 21, 1999.

p.s. If you've been using the Ranger 9 and liked it, why not get it fixed?

If you're hooked on Westons you could get the Euro Master, a copy of the Weston Master IV I believe, from a fellow in Belgium, John P. Grepstead I think his name is?

-- Sean yates (yatescats@yahoo.com), September 22, 1999.

I have both analogue and Pentax spot meters, and highly recommend both. The digital is smaller, whereas it is sometimes a fight to fit the analogue into a coat pocket. However the digital readout can sometimes be difficult to read in very bright light, and it takes some time to get used to the 1/3, 2/3 lights - the analogue scale with moving arrow does show more intuitively the scale of light intensity that you have to grapple with.

-- fw (finneganswake@altavista.net), September 27, 1999.

The Soligar is good value for the $. A couple of buddies that use the pentax digital have taken a look at my analog Soligar and seem to think it is simpler to use. It depends on whether you are a digital or analog person.

-- Gene Crumpler (nikonguy@worldnet.att.net), September 27, 1999.