Sekonic 21 meter User manual

JI,,                                                       used for both reflected sEr(oN/,c           Yourand incidentSEKONIClight2Lreadings.may be
2r
                 A PHOTOCELI.


                  A HIGH-LOW CONTROL

                  A AUTOMATIC SWITCH



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Reflected liglrt rs the light reflected from subject.
Point tlie meter towards subject from camera position.
Precisely speaking, the brightness of the subject is measured
by this method.
Incident light is the light which falls on subject or scene.
Precisely, the illumination of subject is mdasured by this
method.
A PHOTOCELL, as you know, is the eye of an exposure meter. The one used
in the Sekonic 21 is a patent super sensitive photocell to permit reading a
very wider range of lighting conditions than any other light meter. A special
amlifier is built into the body of the Sekonic 2L f.or extremely dim lighting
conditions.
The Sekonic 21 is specially featured with a highJow light scales control; correct
exposure is automatically obtained under both high and low lighting conditions.
The said .high-low light scales switch control is adapted to be automatic in
operation. As you turn dial clockwise, Light Window is mechanically connected
to 'high light' photocell and a white (high light) indicator comes up. When
turning Dial in the opposite direction, the window is automatically switched back
to low light photo-cell, and a red (low light) indicator appears accordingly.
Another epock-making feature is thatl the Sekonic 21 permits reading a needle
indication from both rear and up sides.

SETTING THE FILM SPEED
   Turn the tab until AS.\ index number for tl.re 6lm r-ou
   are using is opposite the Triangle \Iark of .-\SA rr.inclorr'.

   APPLYING FILTER FACTORS
   Filter factors of 1.5 (indicated bi- the mark (o) ) and 2
   are shou'n acljacent to the Triangle i\Iark of ASA rvindorv.
   By'setting the apIr<tp1in1g  filter factor number rather
   than the Triangle NIark, opposite the light value shoufr"'
   b1' the meter. the reading thus obtained automatically
   corrects for that 6lter factor.

  SEETING DIAL  .
  Hold the meter in an\'\\'av conversant, but be sure not   to obstruct the cell u'ith 1'our fingers or the neck cord.  $  The needle u'ill move up s.ith the intensitl' of lighting
   conditions. Set vour AS.{ index number opposite the
   Triangle \Iark. Turn the outer dial unril a proper indi-
   cator is opposite the needle reading. Norv any combina-
   tion of f stolt and sl'rutter speed directlr.opposite  e
   other u'ill give cclrrect exl)osure.
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DIRECT READINGS IN LVS NUMERALS
                                    If your camera is equiped r,r'ith a s1'nchro-compur shutter, determine
                      exposure by using Light Value Scale.
                        After setting 6lm speed, take the meter reading as previously de-
                        scribed for black and u'hite film. The appropriate'Light Value'set-
                         ting is opposite the triangle marked 'Light Value'.
                      Set the Light Value scale of the camera shutter to correspond with
                     the Light Value given by the meter. Correct exposure u,ill now
                           result, even if either the f7lstop or the shutter speed is changed,
                      provided the Light value setting remains constant.



                                                                                                                                                                                         .  ot.               DIRECT READING IN POLAROID NUMBERS . . . .
ae.                   Polaroid cameras are not calibrated in f/stops and shutter      .l                but in a series of exposure numbers r.r'hich can be read direct onspeedsthe
\-$                  Sekonic 21. After setting the ASA number of your 6lm in ASA
                      rvindow, turn the outer dial until a proper indicator lines up witht
                        the needle reading, and set your camera with the red number opposite
                     the red indicator marked POLAROID. This method,may be applied
                     only vvhen the red indicator is opposite one of red numbers.

Your Sekonic 21 is designed to give you
          DIRECT READING                  direct reading method by which you are
                                          not required to do any calculation at all.
                                               First of all, be sure to set your canlera
                                                    at l/100 sec. when your film is rated ASA
                                                100. Note exact position where the needle
                                                  lines up with the guide line, and read off
                                   a number on the guide line. This numeral
                                                 directly refers to the F value for your
                                       camera which has been set to the shutter
                                          speed of l/100 sec. at f. 11.
                                 Be sure to read off a. lower series  of, 2.8,
                                                 4, 5.6,8, 11, 16, 22 fior high light method,
                                   and an upper series of. 0.7, 1, 1.4, 2, 2.8,.
                                   4 for low light method.
                             When you are using a film of ASA 50,
                                           set the shutter speed of your camera at
                                      1/50 sec. The rest of operation is the
                                      same with the one for a film of ASA 100.
                                   For example,  if the needle indicates the
ASA IOO  T r/t00   t2   HIGH TIGHT        guide line 1.4.11 with high lighting-rnethod                                          in use, consider the numeral 11 of theASA 50  T r/50    t2   HIGH LIGHT                              www.butkus.uslower series as F value, now shoot' your
                                                subject or scene with l/100 sec. at f 11.

COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY


Color films have r.ery Iimited  Iati-
tu<lt,s and tlreref,rre require aecurirtc
exposure. 'f he Sekonic ll  is clesigned
ancl constructed to provide ltrecise
exposure readings for  this ty'pe of
film.
The same methods as described for
various ty'pes of subjects apply'rr.hen
using color film. Set the ASA scale
of the computer according to the film
rating given bv the film manufacturer.                  tCAUTION:  Color film  f.ielcls bestrcsults s'hen the subject cloe's not     -\h:rve too great a contrast range (clecp                       IFr
shitclo*'s ancl lrright highliglits).  I.'lat            %\lighting tlic.reforc viclrls most pleasing                        tffic ifct't s.                                                                i @                    *.=tr*a1

fl

                     ctosE-uPs
          Point the meter at the subject from
        a distance of about 4 inches. Avoid
                      -a shadow on the subject with             casting
         the meter; also preYent the light           source from shining directly into the      {'{
                            - meteE. The meter may be directed at
           the shadows and the highlights and
            the results averaged to yield a pleasing
            .averaSe exposure.

                                                                  :l                GENERAL SCENES
         'Aim your meter directly at the scene
          or center-of-interest from camer4 po-      ,J
               sition.
           Point the meter at the foreground to
            avoid'reading'  excessively bright sky.
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INACCESSIBTE OBJECTS
     Use the reflected light method. Take a close-up
      reading of any nearby object having texture and
       lighting similar to that of theft   subject, such as flesh tones,
       foliage, rocks and ground, etc.
     Your hand will'also serve for
     good flesh tone readings. Hold'J
     your h4nd so that the light
      strikes it at the same angle
      as the subject.       lry
T
       SNOW, SEA AND WATER SCENES
,T  Arm the meter at the subject.
     For more accurate exposure of objects nearby
     or of people, take a close-up reading, or use
      the method described in the next section.

TAKING INCIDENT TIGHT READINGS
                      The incident light meter is an embodiment of the
                            concept that the light reflected from subject is an
                            approximately 18 percent of the light that falls on
                                        subj9g,lt. Your Sekonic 2t can be converred to give
                        b-       light readings or register this 20fr of fght  .,
                                        subject simply by attaching the incident
                                                   t  Because of its simplicity and reliability,
                                      ident method is preferred by many advanced
                                  raphers for black and white as well as color
                           photography, and, if  properly used, assunes the
                              perfection in exposure without which really fine
                            photographs cannot be obtarned. The following sub.
                                Jects are rdeal for incident light readings.
                    1 A persou or persons with 4 Slreet snap-shols.
                                  opeu brtght bachground 5 Coby worh.
                                           Porlratls                      6. EsDecially color Dhoto-
                                   Nearby scene                  grafhy



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COPY WORK
    The Sekonic 21 is the meter most suitable for
     doing copy work whether in black and white
     or in color.
    Be sure to use the incident attachment. First
      place the meter with the light,window pointing
     upward on the subject. Then note needle read-
      ings by moving the meter all over the subject.
      In case the subject is not uniformly illuminated,
      adjust the lighting. (As the Sekonic 2l permits
      ol reading a needle indication from rear side,
         it is the master of correct exposure providing
     a very handy operation.)
      Determine exposure by taking a reading of the
      uniformly illuminated subject.

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MOVIE CAMERAS AND YOUR SEKONIC 2I



YOUR MOVIE CAMERA has a fixed shutter speed
for any given "frames-per-second" setting; thus you
need choose only the one lens opening or f/stop
that goes with the actual shutter speed of your
movie camera. Figures corresponding to the numbers
of frames, from 8 to 64, are engraved on the dial.
Find the number of frames of your camera on the
dial and determine f/stop opposite the number.

a        EXPTODED VIEW OF YOUR EXPOSURE METER

                                                HIGH LIGHT
                                                                                                                                           I    ATOR
                                                 LOW LIGHT                                                                                                            EEDL[l                                                                          INDICA1TOR  L".-/




    A BRIEF ANALYSIS of what your exposure meter is and how it operates will
       help you use it to best advantage. Your meter has a photo'electric cell which
                  light energy into electrical energy. A tiny galvanometer then measures
        that"onu"rt,amount of eneigy by moving a pointer across a calibrated scale . . . thus
       making an actual measurement of light.
       Then, *ith   computer as proriided on the (neter, you relate the light measure'
                                                                                                   of                    "speed or "exposure index" or your film and obtain combinations       ment of the
        f/stops and speeds usable for perfect exposures with your camera.
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Any combination of f/stops and shutter speeds thus indicated by the computer on
    your meter resul-ts in the same amount of light reaching your film. Your choice of
    which combination  tci use depends on one of two factors:
         (l)  If your picture must "stop" action or movement, use a combination with a rela-
             tively fast shutter speed; or
       (2) lf you are more concerned with depth-of-field, choose a combination with a
             relatively small f/stop, or lens opening.
        I
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   ff

TECHNICAL DATA

   The exposure to photograph an average scene is determined by these formulae:
                                 Exposure Time in Seconds      For Reflected Light
                                       Relative Aperture (f/stoP)            K. A2                   l=-_.-                     Brightness, reflected light, in Candles per sq. ft'          R.S                      ASA Film Index
      For incident Light            Incident Light in footcandles
                       ASA Calibration Constant, Reflected light                Ae       r+'l   :-  c.             I.S           ASA Calibration Constant, Incident light
              SEKONIC 21 Meter:  K:  1.3
                           C :22.7q
  ;\                         WARRANTY
  l.The SEKONIC 2l has been carefully inspected before shipment. Should it prove
    to be defective within 90 days after date of purchase, it will be repaired or re'
    placed free of charge. This guarantee does not apply to meters which have been
    mishandled or tampered.
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CARE AND USE OF YOUR METER
     Always remember your exposure meter is a delicate instrument and should be
       treated- as such. The following precautions will help you give it a long and
        satisfactory life:
tI     DON'TS              ' 1. Subject your meter to any sudden jarring or dropping which can very easily
    I        damage the sensitive mechanism.
          2. Expose it to extreme temperatures.
 t"'  DO'S a                 neck cord furnished with the meter as added insurance against          3. Usd               ]p
                            -- g.            droi:-\
            -4. Store your meter (preferably in its carring case) in a safe, dust-free place.
          5. Check "zero" setting periodically, at least once, or twice a year. Should you
            find that the needle dose not register "zero" when the cover is closed and.
             all light is prevented flsrn !€,adhing the photo-electric  cell, the " zero " ad-
           justment screw on th€{-re4r ef your meter may be turned in either direction
           to bring the needle to a "zero" position.
      Proper use of your meter will always give youI     good results. If you find that your negatives or   tt     transparencies are regularly over-exposed you can
       compensate by using a higher ASA index number
      than that indicated by the manufacturer of the film;
      in the case of under-exposure, use a lower ASA
      index number. With proper care the " SEKONIC
     2L will give you years of accurate trouble-free
        service.