I have a Lordomat C35, which has light meter on top. I cannot for the life of me figure out how to use it. There is a large ring, under a smaller one. The large ring can be rotated, has shutter speeds marked on it, and has two slots in it. These slots line up with ASA and DIN numbers. The top dial has f-stop markers on it, with a diamond at f8. The right hand side of the meter has a swinging needle, with alternating light and dark bands on the case around the window.

I can figure out how to set the ASA, but for the life of me I can't figure out how to get an exposure reading. Does anyone have any idea? I have a picture of the meter which I can mail to anyone who would like to have a look.

Stephen Hayward Calgary, Alberta Canada

-- Stephen Hayward (stephen.hayward@home.com), March 30, 2001

Answers

Sound like a pretty bog-standard lightmeter to me.
You point the sensitive end at the subject, the needle swings, and you follow the black or white/silver band that the needle points to down to the dial. You then set the marker on the rotating dial (probably the little red diamond in this case) in line with the black or white stripe.
From the dial you can then read off the different combinations of shutter speed and aperture that give the same 'correct' exposure.
Check the meter out by setting it to 100 ASA, and pointing it at a patch of grass in full sunlight. You should get a reading of f/8 to f/11 at 125th of a second.

Figuring out the function of the meter's the easy bit. Getting a meaningful exposure reading is an entirely different matter.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), April 04, 2001.