Light meters
Metrastar Light Meter User manual
User manual for Metrastar Light Meter. 32 pages in English. Read the original PDF, download or print a copy without registration.
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- Brand
- Metrastar
- Model / document
- Metrastar Light Meter
- Document type
- User manual
- Language
- English
- Pages
- 32
- File size
- 2.4 MB
- Category
- Light meters
- Document date
- Not specified in catalog
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Page 3 · Read text
You will find on poges
l o n d l l T h e m o i n f e o t u r e s o f y o u r m e t r q s t q r
1 Detoiled description
2 Setting the film speed
3 Choice of meosuring ronge
4 Selective oreo meosurement
5 Operoting the meter
7 lncident light reoding
8 Checking zero odjustment ond bottery voltoge
1 0 C o l i b r o t i n gt h e m e t r q s t o r w i t h f i l m o n d
comero
1 1- 1 2 B o s i c m e o s u r i n g m e t h o d s
13-20 Reflected light methods
21 -23 lncident light methods
24 Technicol doto
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Brief inslruclions for use
Sef film speed by turning tronsporent cover [ 5 ] with the finger-
grips, until film speed scole [ 7 ] shows the desired speed.
Set to correct meosuring lqnge by turning knurled ring t4 I in
either woy (direction indicotors t11 l). Use white triongulor index
m o r k l 1 2 l i n b r i g h t l i g h t , t h e b l q c k m o r k ( n o t v i s i b l e i n r h e
illustrotion)in poor light. Alwoys use the white mork for outdoor
shots.
Seleclive oreq meqsurement by selecting the desired subject oreo
w i t h v i e w f i n d e r [ 8 ] .
T h e m e t r o s t o r i s s w i t c h e d o n b y s l i d i n g s w i t c h t 1 ] d o w n ,t o s t o p [ 2 ] .
Hold lhe reoding by slowly letting go of switch [1 ], which locks
the pointer.
Reoding of operture ond shutter speed on scoles [5 ] ofter od- \
j u s t m e n t o f i n d e x m o r k [ 1 2 ] o n d p o i n t e l [ 9 ] t o t h e s o m e z o n e
of zoned scole 1141.
Set for incident light reoding by sliding inregroting sphere [1J ]
over photo resistor lens [ 15 ].
c h e c k z e r o o d j u s t m e n t q n d b o t t e r y v o t t o g e b y s l i d i n g s w i t c h [ 1 ]
beyond stop [ 2 ], ofter pressing in the stop. Zeroing is checked
in the poor light meosuring ronge; the bottery voltoge in the
bright light ronge; pointer [ 9 ] must point to red bottery check
m o r k [ 1 0 ] . ( S e e o l s o i n d i c o t i o n s [ 1 7 ] . )
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Your metrostor
precise by controlled measurementwith viewfinder
and narrow measuring angle of only 180
highly sensitive because it has a cadmium sulphide (CdS)
cell
dependoble even in poor light, because of the large
. measurement range extending over two
scales
cleorly orronged because of automatic switching from low
to intense light conditions
simple trnd eosy because of single-handed operation and
pointer locking
verrolile because the meter can be used tor 6
different methods of light measurement
sofely protected in the ever-ready case
*. ";&!a*ilie"View original page 6Page 7 · Read text
Detqiled description W i t h t h e m e t r q s t q r y o u w i l l h o v e r e c e i v e dt h e c o r r y i n gc h o i n ond the'ever-reody cose, which protects the instrument from s h o c k s o n d o t h e r m e c h o n i c q l d q m o g e . T h e m e t r q s t q r i s placed in the ever-ready case by sliding it from behind under the l at c h i nt o t h e ca se .Th e chain is hooked into ring t5l.Y o u c a n h a n g t h e m e t r o s t o r a r o u n d y o u r n e c k ; t h u s i t w i l l a l w a y sb e r e a d y f o r immediate use without being in the way when taking pictures. All that is necessaryto use the meter is to lift the lid of the case. l f y o u r a t h e r u s e y o u r m e t r q s f q r w i t h o u t t h e c h a i n y o u l e a v e the broad snap hook with the attached ring in the ring t5I to protect the meter from dropping out of the case. Should you, however, prefer to carry the meter on the camera carrying stldp, it is easily attached by means of the two slits in the back of the ever-ready case and by slipping the strap through the chainringon the broad snap hook. 1 www.orphancameras.comView original page 7
Page 8 · Read text
Setting the film speed
The speed of your film is set on scole [7 ], in ASA or DlN. Two
finger-grips on tronsporent cover I5] qre provided for t h i s
purpose.
Filter fqctors (should you occosionolly use o filter) ore token into
occount by multiplying the meosured shutter speed by the filter
foctor. For exomple, o. filter with q 5X foctor will chonge o
meosured shutter speed ol 1l'tzssecond lo llzs second.
lf o certoin filter is left on the lens more or less permonently, it
is eosier to moke the necessory odjustment on film speed scole
[7 ]. The ASA speed is then divided by the filter foctor, ond the
new volue set on the ASA scole.
Note. Only the ASA scole con be used for this purpose, not the
DIN scole. Do not omit to return the film speed setting to
the originol number when the filter is removed.View original page 8Page 9 · Read text
Choice of meosuring ronge
Y o u r m e t r q s t o r h o s t w o m e o s u r i n g r o n g e s , o n e f o r b r i g h t
light ond one for poor light. Switching from one ronge to the
other is done outomoticolly when you turn knurled ring [4 ] until
index mork l12l of the other meosuring ronge comes opposite
zoned scole 114j. lt is immoteriol in which direction you turn, os
i s m o d e c l e o r b y t h e t w o o r r o w s [ 1 1 ] . W h i t e m o r k [ 1 2 ] i s f o r
bright light, the block mork (not visible in the illustrotion) for
poor light. When the pointer deflects in the bright light ronge
to just below the second zone of the zoned scole, you should
switch over to the poor light ronge.
Out of doors, the white ronge should olwoys be used in order
'saturating'to prevent of the photo resistor. Avoid pointing
t h e m e t r o s t c r t o t h e s u n . T h e s o f e s tw o y i s t o f o r m t h e h o b i t
of closing the ever-reody cose between meosurements.
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Seleclive oreq meqsuremenl
Viewfinder window t8l shows the exact subject area measured by
t h e m e t r o s t o r . T h e l e n s i n f r o n t o f t h e p h o t o r e s i s t o r[ 1 5 ] a s
w el l as t h e vie wf in d e r lens [15], are selected so that t h e m e a s u r i n g
angle corresponds almost with the angle of view of a 155mm lens
of miniature cameras. The angle of measurement is therefore so
small that you can select for measurementthe most important part
of the subject, which thus becomes decisive for the exposure. The
m e t ro st o r o f f e rs t he advantageof selectivearea m e a s u r e m e n t .
m i n i a t u r e f o r m a t 2 4 x 3 6 ( t 5 0 m m )
r a r e a m e a s u r e db y m e l r o s l q r
*ffi
f ormot 21lax 21lt in. (t 75 mm)
1 5 5m m l e n s
I a r e a m e a s u r e d b y m e t r o s t o rView original page 10Page 11 · Read text
O p e r o t i n g t h e m e t r o s l q r
To toke o reoding, slide switch [1 ] ogoinst stop [ 2 ]. This frees
the pointer ond switches on the bottery. The index line on switch
[ 1 ] i s t h e n l i n e d u p w i t h t h e g r e e n m o r k o n t h e h o u s i n g . T h e
colourless mork denotes the "off" position.
A s s o o n o s p o i n t e r [ 9 ] c o m e s t o q s t o n d s t i l l ,l e t t h e s w i t c h r e t u r n
slowly. This locks the pointer in position. Now odjust (with knurled
r i n g t 4 1 ) t h e w h i t e ( o r b l o c k ) i n d e x m o r k l 1 2 l o p p o s i t e t h e
zone indicoted by pointer [9 ]. Scoles [ 5 ] on the opposite side
then show the correct combinotions of lens operture ond shutter
speed you con choose from.
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I
iltrs tsr
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f:;
The operture scole extends from (/1 to ll45; the shutter speeC scole
in t he w h it e me o su rin g ronge frorn 1 minute to'loooos e c o n d , o n d
in t h e blq ck me o su rin g ronge from 8 hours to tl,ooose c o n d . l f y o u
wcnt to know the lens operiure for o eine cqffi?erq,just reod off
the f/nvmber opposite the shutter speed corresponding with the
n u mb e r o f f ro me s p e r second (lltsfor 8 f. p. s. r/sofor 15 f . p . s . , e t c ) . ) .
Wi t h v e ry h ig h f ilm sp eeds cnd pointer cleflections ( i n t h e l o s t
zo n e o f t h e zo n e d scole) the shutter speeds of the m e q s u r i n g
r o n g e n o t i n u s e w i l l b e v i s i b l e . B u t i t i s i m p o s s i b l et o m o k e o
mi s t ok e, sin ce t h e sh u tter speeds of the other meo s u r i r r gr q n g e
o re p ri nt e d o n o b o ckground of different colour. F u r t h e r m o r e ,
th e y s ho w ve ry g re o t differences compored with t h e s h u t t e r
sp e e d s of t h e me o su ri ng rqnge in use, e.g. B hours o d j o c e n t t o
'lrcoo second.View original page 12Page 13 · Read text
Incident light reqding
I nc i d e n t lig h t re o d in gs ore obtoined by sliding integ r o t i n g s p h e r e
[ 15 ] o ve r t h e p h o t o resistor lens, until it click s i n t o p o s i t i o n .
With this method - in controst with the reflected light method -
the reoding is token from the position of the subject, pointing the
meter towords the comero. The viewfinder is not used in this cose.
Further remarks o n incident light measurementare t o b e f o u n d o n
p a g e s 2 1 . . . 2 3 .
7
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Checking zero odiustment qnd bottery voltoge For'both these checks,press down stop [2] flush with the housing, push down switch [1] as far as it will go and hold switch in this position.The white line on sliding switch [1] then points to the red dot on the housing. Zero odiustmenf (0-adjust) is checked now by switching to the black measuring range. The photo resistor is then switched off and pointer [9] should return to the zero mark. Should this not be the case, just turn the zeroing screw [18] on the back of the m e l r o s t o r w i t h a s m a l l s c r e w d r i v e ru n t i l t h e z e r o p o s i t i o n i s obtained. It is not sufficient just to cover up photo resistor lens [15] for zeroing, as in the measuring position, the m e t e r w i l l s t i l l p a s s current.View original page 14
Page 15 · Read text
The bottery is checked by switching to the white measuring
range, whereby the white line on switch t1 I will point to the
r e d d o t o n t h e h o u s i n g ( s e e t o p o f P a g e 8 ) . P o i n t e r t 9 l
w i l l b e o p p o s i t e t h e r e d b o t t e r y c h e c k m o r k [ 1 0 ] , w h e n t h e
bottery is in good condition. But when the pointer is on the left
of the red mork, the bqttery needs replocement. This is done by
u n d o i n gs c r e w [ 2 0 ] o n t h e b o c k o f t h e m e t r d s t c r r w i t h o c o i n
(obout 5 turns ore sufficient) ond turning the bottery chomber
c o v e r [ 1 9 ] i n o c l o c k w i s e d i r e c t i o n u n t i l i t i s p o s s i b l e t o r e m o v e
the bottery ond insert o f resh one. Note thot the new bottery must
be inserted in the correct position, os indicoted on the cover of
the bottery chomber.
b a t l e r y g o o d
b a t l e r y n e e d s r e p l a c e m e n l
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-
f t is best to use only MollorylPX-Jff botteries which are specially
made for use in exposure rffii/ Mollory PX-t3 batteries will
also operate, provided no readings are taken at lower temperatures
than 100 C below freezing point (140F). Both batteries have a
lifetime of about 2 years at normal use.
lf necessary,other batteries of the same dimensions can be used,
as long as pointer [9] points to the red check mark when the
battery voltage is tested. The pointer must not deflect beyond the
red mark.
A practical hint:
Before starting on a journey, it is a safe precaution to replace an
ageing battery.
The batteries Mallory PX-625 and PX-15 can be obtained at your
photo dealer.
Colibrotingthe melroslor with film ond comero
Y o u r m e t r o s t o r w i l l g i v e y o u e x o c t e x p o s u r e d o t o f o r o n y
type of film, os long os you set the meter to the film speed
recommended by the moker. But if your personol preference is
for o more fully exposed, or even o slightly less exposed picture,
we recommend you to check the combinotion of film, comero
ond meter by meons of q few test exposures, slightly increosing
or decreosing the film speed setting for eoch exposure.
't0
.-'%,,View original page 16Page 17 · Read text
Bosic meqsuring methods
N o w y o u h o v e c o m e t o k n o w y o u r m e t l q s t q t r y o u w i l l f i n d
on the following poges o few brief explonotions of the vorious
m e o s u r i n gm e t h o d sy o u c o n u s e w i t h t h e m e t r q s t c t t .
Bosicolly, there ore two methods to determine correct exposure:
the reflected light ond the incident light methods.
With the reflected light method, you meosure the light
reflected by the subject (subject brightness or luminonce);
With the incident light method, you meosure the light folling
on the subject (strength of light or illuminonce).
In most cqses you will be qble to delermine the correct exposule
by the reflected light method.
obove right: reflected light meosurement
b e lo w rig h t: in cid e n t light m eosur em ent
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di}s;*Jiitai*^,;.iView original page 17Page 19 · Read text
Reflectedlighrmethod
The reoding is token from the comero position. The viewfinder
r . " , o f t h e m e t r q s t o r o l l o w s y o u t o s e l e c t f o r t h e e x p o s u r e
t determinotion the most importont subject detoil. For exomple,
when you photogroph o londscope, you con exclude the bright i
s k y b y t i l t i n g t h e m e t l o s t t r r d o w n w o r d s o n d o n l y t o k e o
reoding when the sky hos disoppeored from the viewfinder imoge. \j
This ovoids underexposing the londscope. There is never ony
I need to shield the meter with the hond.I
II
Close-upreodings
Should the viewfinder show too lorge o port of the subject oreo,
should the most importont subject detoil be too smoll, you conli "r opprooch the subject os closely os necessqry ond conditions
permit. But tqke good core thot your own shodow does not foll
on the port of the subject being meosured, ond select on overoge
brightness, if no speciol effects ore desired.
'd
At very short distonces, the difference in porollox between view-
finder lens and photo resistor lens will become apparent. For
exomple, ot o distonce of 9 inches, the porollox difference will
omount to one quorter of the viewfinder width, i. e. the meosure-
ment field is displaced to the right against the viewfinder image
by this proportion.
l 3
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; r . ; i " , - - - - r b e # : - - , . * * t . . * s d . , . * ; dView original page 19Page 21 · Read text
Substitutesubiect
.
It can happen that it is not possible to take a reading of the I
subject you wont to photogroph, or thot it is visible only during
1-o short period. In such o cose, o substitute subject con be meq-
sured insteod. But note thot the illuminqtion of the substitute sub-
ject must be the some os thot of the reol one, ond both subjects ,
should hove the some overoll brightness. lf this is not the cose, for *,
o dorker substitute subject, you con decreose the exposure
correspondingly, ond vice verso.
;An extremely "hondy" subslitute subject is your own hond, but
it should be held in such o woy thot it is lit in the some woy os
the most importont port of the reol subject.
Meosuremenl of subiect conlrosl
i
This is o very useful method when the subject shows unusuolly
greot contiost, ond there ore mony different subject brightnesses. l
The zoned scole will give o quick indicotion of the controst ronge, ,
cs eoch white ond grey zone corresponds with on increose or
decreose of one stop, ond correspondingly either holf or double ,'-
the exposure.
ln o simple form this method consists of toking two reodings,
one of the brightest ond one of the dorkest subject port, which ,l
ore eosily identified through the viewfinder. The octuol exposure
will then lie holfwoy between the two reodings. For exomple,
if you lind ll11 for the brightest spot, ond f/2.8 for the dorkest i
(using the some shutter speed), you will expose al 115.5ot un-
chonged shutter speed. You then hove o lotitude of two stops
in both directions. :
'
l 5
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,idffiiar,"s\i&*-;,,"; ,..-,*,*br.s*x. .-,--.u*d-,View original page 21Page 23 · Read text
Some remorks on vqrious exposure determinotion methods 9.*
t,*
Almost every subject presents oreos of vorying brightness. When 1i
m e o s u r i n go v e r y d o r k p o r t w i t h y o u r m e t r q s t G t t , y o u w i l l II
overexpose the lighter oreos of the subject. Should you only I ,
meosure the brightest ports, on underexposed picture will result.
In order to ovoid both these mistokes, ond when no speciol effects
ore intended, you should select with the viewfinder of your l
m e t r q s t o r e i t h e r o n i m p o r t o n ts u b j e c t p o r t w h i c h i s o f o v e r o g e -i,
brightness,or on oreo contoining both bright ond dork ports in
equol meosure. The photogrophic imoge will then correspond
with the brightness.distributionof the subject. This is, however,
only volid for block-ond-white films. ,.s-
iThe most importont ports in o colour reversol tronsporency ore !.1!
the brighter imoge ports, since overexposure in this case is a
for greoter evil thon underexposure.
lf skin colouring is to be rendered correctly, the close-up reoding
method is best, since it excludes oll other subject ports which
should not be meosured
With both types of film we recommend stopping down to the next
f/number when o bright port hos been meosured os the most
importont subject detoil, ond other ports of the subject oreo ore
even brighter. This ovoids overexposing the highlights.
Exceptionol circumstonces, which generolly necessitote o correc-
tion of the reoding, ore for exomple snow ond night scenes, ond
ogoinst-the-light shots.
Snow scenes
When snow occupies more thon four fifths of the viewfinder imoge
o f y o u r m e t r q s t o l f y o u s h o u l d g i v e o n e s t o p m o r e , e . g .
f/5.5 insteod of f/8.
17
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i.-lr .^g*""*-l*g<-*-"""-V, :..r+;j-*iJ*-@;d".,,..*,View original page 23Page 25 · Read text
scenesNight
t *, ond generolly with subjects presenting lorge,With night scenespoorly lit oreos within the frome of the film formot, you will ob- .$*x .
toin correct reodings when the brighter ports of the subject fully ?
fill the window of the viewfinder. lf it is not possible to come E Iiclose enough to the subject, in this cose you should decreose the l
exposure by one or two stops - depending on the oreo occupied i
by the poorly lit subject port. J
,
Lqterqllighting ond ogoinst-the-lightshols
When toking ogoinst-the-light pictures, such os outdoor shots with
the sun low in the sky, there ore three exposure possibilities,
which will result in the finol picture being similor to the following:
The brightest pqrts ore correctly exposed; objects or persons
appear as silhouettes.
The brightest parts are overexposed; the shadow parts are
correctly exposed.
The brightest parts are slightly overexposed; the shadow
ports ore slightly underexposed.
For the first cose, yoU select the brightest subject ports in the
viewfinder; for the second cose the shodow ports. For the lost
cose, you toke o reoding of the shodow ports ond give obout
one stop less exposure.
With loterol lighting, the subject controst method (see poge 15)
is recommended, or you con use the incident light method which
will be discussed in the following pages.
x Night scenes often require very long exposures. In order lo ovoid under-
e x p o s u re t h r o u g h r e c i p r o c i ty fo ilu re , o lo n g e r e xp o su re sh o u ld be given thon
indic q t e d b y t h e m e t e r . S i nce vo rio u s typ e s o f film b e h q ve d iffer ently in lhis
res pec t , w e c o n o n l y g i v e o ve ry ro u g h ru le o f th u mb fo r the incr eose in
e x p o s u re: m e o s u r e d e x p o s ure s in th e n e ig h b o u rh o o d o f 1 0 0 se c onds should be
mult iplied b y 4 , w h i l e t w i c e lh e vq lu e su ffice s fo r me q su re d e xposur es in the
regio n o f 1 0 s e c o n d s . Y o u co n o b to in th e e xo ct d q to fo r yo u r por ticulor type
o f lilm f ro m t h e f i l m m q n u f o ctu re r.
l 9
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,ur*rrffig*r#,:* -,l;:*Li;; :.-.'i:.,.1:,View original page 25Page 30 · Read text
Generol remqrks on incident light meqsurement
The incident light method is porticulorly useful with complicoted
lighting conditions, for exomple with loterol lighting or ogoinst-
the-light shots. Also when the subject shows strong controst bet- $rween subject ond bockground brightness. ,',
'mleThe "measuringi.field" of the t r,o s f o r in the case of incident
light meosurement, is the entire spoce in front of the meter,
becouse the integroting sphere olso tokes into occount lighl
which does not octuolly foll on the subject from the front. i*.I
As we hove olreody seen on poge 11, the incident light method
meosures the light folling on the subject. Colour ond brightness
differences in the subject do not influence the reoding. Only
when the most importont subject ports ore extremely bright is it I:
odvontogeous to close the diophrogm down by 1/z to 1 stop, i
ond vice verso. l.I h
irI
Reflecfed lighl or incident lighl measuremenl; slightly more or less expo-
sure according lo your own specific fasfe,'fhe mef roslor w;lf always
conlribule to the obtaining ol maximum pleasure lrom your hobbyl
ln conclusion,we wish you every success with your metroslor!
23View original page 30Page 32 · Read text
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METRAWATTA G N U R N B E R G
5000 9 61 printed In germanyView original page 32Related documents and language editions
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PDF verified 2026-10-10.