SEKONIC Super Microlite Meter User manual

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O PE R A T I N G      P R I N C I P L E S

T H E  S E K O N T C S U P E R M I C R O L I T E  E X P O S U R E M E T E R

    operates on a new and different  principle.    Its heart  is a
    cadntium sulphide cell which has the remarkable  properry
     of  acting  as an  electrical  resistor  in direct proportibn  to
    the amount  of  light  that  falls on  it.
        In  a  conventional  meter,  light  striking  a selenium cell
    generates the current which causes the needle  to  deflect.
    This  limits  the capabilities of such an instrument  since a
     relatively  large amount  of  light  is needed to  give-cell a mea-
    surable  reading.   In  your  Sekonic cadmium       meter,
    power  is  supplied  by  two  mercury   batteries.   The  light
    being measured serves to  activate the cadmium  cell aE a.
     resistor.   Thus,  infinitesimally  small  intensities  of  light
   may  be  measured  with  exact  precision.    In   fact,   ttre
     sensitivity   of  the  meter  exceeds  the  sensitivity   of  any
    known  kind  of  photographic  film  !     It may  now be truly
     said that anything  the eye can see, the camera can record,
    with  precisely measured and calculated exposures.

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SELECTIONOF LOW OR HIGH BRIGHTNESSRANGE
  N o t e d o t m c r k e d w i t h  t h e  l e t t e r   t ' L r'
( N o . 3 ) o n d d o t m o r k e d w i t h  t h e  l e t t e r
 , ' H rI           ( N o . 9 l   o n  e i t h e r  s i d e  o f    t h e
m e f e r ' s  h o u s i n g .  T o  s e l e c t L O W  o r
H I G H b r i g h t n e s s r o n g e , m o v e   t h e   t o p
d i o I u n t i l t h e r e d p o i n t e r  ( N o . 4 l p o i n t s
t o    t h e  d e s i r e d  r o n g e    i n d i c o t o r .  T h e
d i o f  r i m   i s k n u r l e d   t o m o k e  i t e o s y  t o
g r o s p .


     I n  b r o o d  d o y l i g h t o r     i n  n e o r - t o t o t
d o r k n e s s , s € l e c t i o no f b r i g h t n e s sr o n g e
i s  i m m e d i o t e l yo p p o r e n t .    I n o t h e r c o n -
d i t i o n s , p o i n t  t h e m e t e r o f o n y s c e n e
o n d p r e s s  t h e O N / O F F s w i t c h ( N o .  l 9 ) .
l f p o i n i e r   i s o n    ' r H '' o n d  t h e c o d m i u m
c e l l  i n d i c o t o r n e e d l e  ( N o . 8 )    f o i l s  r o
d e f l e c t , o r d e f l e c t s o n l y s l i g h t l y , r o t o t e
t h e p o i n t e r  t o   I r L '' .       l f  p o i n t e r   i s o n
 ' ' L ' '     o n d n e e d l e s w i n g s o g o i n s t t h e s t o p
o f  t h e o t h e r e n d o f  t h e w i n d o w , r o t o t e
t h e p o i n t e r  t o   r r H ''

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   THE COMPUTER
           p r e c i s i o n o n d o c c u r o c y

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   correct  exposure depends on the accurate use of three
 basic factors:  film sensitivity (ASA  rating), the amount of
 light which is permitted to strike the film ilens aperture or
 f/stop) and the time interval during which tight is permitted
 to  strike  the  film  (shutter speed in  still photograph or
frames-per-secondin movies).
  The first of these is a characteristic of the film you are
using. The second two are detcrr'ined  by the use of the
meter's computer.
  Your Sekonic's Super Microlite computer dials encompass
an  extraordinarily  broad  range  of  f/stop  and  shutter
speed settings (frames-per-second and f/stops for movies).
Aligning the exposure value needle (No. a) with  the  light
intensity needle (No. 13) gives you an extremely comprehen-
sive choice  of  shutter  speed/aperture  of  FpS/aperture
combirrations, any one of which will produce the same ex-
posure. How to choose the best combination for the result
you wish to achieve, is explarned in the following section.

                                                   r3

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               SETTING  THE METER READINGS
                       INTO YOUR CAMERA     .  .  .

                  STILL  PICTURES
                      When a light reading has been taken and the
                         meter  needles aligned by  rotating  the  large,
                           outside  dial, each value  in  the shutter  speed            t
  Shutter  sbeed and f/stob       scale  (No.  12) has an  f/stop  value  (No.  1l)
  scales for  "Still"   Pholos-      directly  over  it.
                         Examples:                      .
                                                      , / r . 4       2    2 . t     4         t     r l                                                              cnd so f,orrh     $                           Joo       2tto     12,     6(l       | 5   E
                                                  ( On  the  slrutter  speed  scole "M"   meons
                         thousondths  of  o second; 2M  is l/2000  sec.;
                        500  is l/500   sec.; 8  is  l/8   sec.; 3// is three
                                                       f u l f s e c o n d s i 4 '    i s  f o u r   f u l l m i n u t e s . )
                         Any  of  these combinations  will produce the
                      same  exposure.  The  choice  depends  on  the
l'ratne s -per -secortd. and'f  / s tob    picture you want  to take.  Rapid  action, such
 scobc r4, ntooies.            as sports or baby pictures,  or when  the camera
                                     is hand-held  usually  require  a  short  shutter
                          speed, faster  than  l/100  sec., and a correspon-
                            dingly wide lens aperture.  Extreme  close-ups,
                        where  depth-of-field  is sharply  limited,  require
                            a  small  lens aperture  and  a correspondingly
                            long exposure time.  Choose your shutter  speed'
                          aperture combination to suit the subject matter.
                               Also, many  lenses exhibit greatest  sharpness
                        and definition  in  the  f./4 to  f./8  area.    If  your
                            lens has  this  characteristic, you may want  to
   EV or LVS Valuzs.

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How to select f/stop
ond shutter speed combinotions
 limit your aperture to this setting, and choose
 a correct shutter speed.
 MOVIES
 -_ In motion .pictu-re work, your shutter speed ts predeterminedby the frames-per_secondat
 which_yllr are shooiing. Most amateurs shoot
 at 16 FPS. Professional and sound speed is 24 FPS.     _ Or, you may want  to  shoot at  other
 s*eeds for special'slow-motion and speia-up
 effects. Your Sekonic computer cover-sa fuit
 range from  8  to  l2S frames-per-second and
 gives you the corresponding lens aperture foreach speed.
                                                                                                                             |)t+.:".,.".,  Frames-pe.r.secondscale (No. 2) appears-,-,movie".on             ," ."',"',,, n*"  *'tt,, .. the inner dial following the word
Corresponding                .lens apeitu.es (No. 1) appear-outerotrectly beneath each FPS setting on the
dial. Each frames-per-secondnum-eralis indica-
ted with a gold dot.- The gold dot thaL upp"ii,
Detween ,,24" and r,64,, represents ,.321'- and,,49"     FPS.
EV  (I.vs) VALUES
    your camera  ,lt               19equ.ippgdwith an EV (LVS)shutter, take readings in the manner desci-ibed.
The proper EV number for the set of shutter
:peed-aperture combinationswill appear in theEV window (No. l0).

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        BALANCING  LIGHT

                                           I N D O O R S           ( p h o r o f l o o d        l i g h t s )
                    The two  basic kinds  of  lighting  are  " key  "  or
                   main  light and  " fill-in  "  light which gives shadow                         detail.  Your  Sekonic meter  is a highly  accurate       iI
means of controlling  the  ratio between these two  lights-
  Let  us say you want  a key  to  fill-in  lighting  ratio  of 4 to  1.  That
is, key  light  is to be four  times  as  bright  as fill-in  light.   Move  the
photosphere  to  incident   light  position,  covering  the  light  window.
Point  the meter  at the key  light  source, from  the subject's  position'
and take an incident  light  reading   for  any shutter  speed.   For  ex-
ample,  f./Il  at  l/50  sec.  Now,  point  the  mater   at  the  fill-in  light                   l.l
source.  Move  this  light  toward  or away from  the subject,  or add or
subtract  lights  until  the meter  reads  f./5.6 at 1/50 sec.
  Since each f/stop  down  the scale indicates  one-half  the brightness
of  light, and f/5.6  is two  f/stops  f.rom  f./Il,  the  fill-in  light  will now
be one quarter  as bright  as the key.  Use the same system  to deter'
mine  lighting  ratios between key and any other  lights.

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   FOR  BLACK   AND  WHITE   PICTURES     ASA ratings  are conservative measurements of a film's      l
     true speed. They  allow a safety factor of one full f/stop    on the  side of overexposure.  With  a precision tool like  $
    your Sekonic meter  to  help you measure light, you can
     safely double the ASA rating of the film, and produce more
     richly detailed pictures.  The resulting number which ybu
     set in the ASA window of your meter is called the Exposutrer
     Index.      Take exposure readings in the shadow area of your sub-   F
     ject,  if possible.  Black-and-white film has great latitude,
    and, if the lighting ratio  is less than 16 to 1 (4 f/stops), the     highlight areas will  still retain detail.                              rr

   FOR  COLOR  PISTURES
    ASA ratings are accurate for  color films, and must be

r8

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 followed precisely.  Color  film has  f.ar less latitude than
black-and-white, and exposures must be made with greater
care.  Take readings in the highlight area to avoid  " wash-
 ing out "  detail through overexposure.  If  lighting ratio  is
greater than 4 to   r  (2 f/stops), use a  reflector to throw
more light into the shaded areas.
  Dimmest moonlight, brightest  sunlight-brilliant   photo-
floods,candlelight-movres, stills......inevery kind of picture
situation under every  kind  of  lighting  condition,  your
sekonic Super Microlite  meter   will  prove  itself an  in-
valuable photographic tool.

  on the following seven pages ,you will  find a group of
typical picture situations, with instructions  for using your
sekonic Super Microlite meter  to  best advantage in each.

                                                                                                                     t 9

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                          LANDSGAPES
                            AND
                              SCENICS





      For reflected light readings, point the meter slightly
    downwards to avoid glare from the sky, or shade the
      light window  rvith your hand as you would shade your
    eyQSfrom  the sun.   If  mist  cr haze is present, or   if
     farthese areas are extremely  bright  (snow-capped
    mountains, for example), set lens aperture Il2 f/stop
     smaller than indicated by exposure meter.  For  ex-
    ample, if the meter reading is f/5.6, set your camera
    between f/5.6 and f/8.

      For incident light rea<iings,do not shade the meter.
        If mist or haze is present, close lens aperture tlZ f/stop
     as indicated above.

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 SUNSETS





  To silhouette objects against a brilliant sunset, use
your Sekonic meter in reflected light position, pointing
the meter directly at the sun.
  To keep detail in foreground objects, use the meter
in incident  light  position, pointing  the photosphere
directly  4t the sun.
  For portraits  shot against a sunset,  it  is advisable
to supplement the sunlight with a fill-in flash mounted
on the camera.  This will avoid dark shadows on your
subject's face.

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                    BABIES  AND  PETS





  These subjects  will  not  sit   still  and  " watch the
birdie,"  so use bounceiight  to cast an even illumina'
tion over the entire room.  Direct your lights upward
toward the white  ceiling at a 45" angle.  Place your
tights about 2 f.eet below  the  ceiling.  Use incident
or reflected light readings

    If  direct  light  iS used, keep the  lighting  ratio  re'
latively  flat-about  2 to 1.  Babies look best in  flat,
 " high key "  lighting, anyway.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       It

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       BACKLIT  PICTURES


r#

        The su*, or other main source of light behind the
        subj.ectcauses a rovely halo  or-iigtrt ;;;;"athe    sub- i        ject's head. To preserve this rfr?r.lng-;ff;;   without        gnderglposing. faiiar                                 .detair, use you.- s"r.*i.   meter
          ln rncrctentlight positjon. Take one reading-i?wardfrom-the
        subject's position with the mete. poinGa         the
       camera.  Take  a second readinf  with  ihe  meter        p-ointedat the sun.  Set your came?a *ia*iirletween        the two readings.
 *
              - For a fast rule-of-thumb setting,                                          lake a reading in        the           ,normal .way gnd open one fuTf 1/stop beyond the        reaolng rnclrcated.t
 *

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              PORTRAITS
             INDOORS


                                              "
  For men, character  counts.  Strong ^sidelig.hting
and-wide-lighting ratios...'..aswide as 16 to  l, bring
out the chalactei  lines in a man's face.                            I
  For women, glamor  is the words.  Arrange your
t<ey-iigtrtat aborit a 45" angle from the camera.  .$q"p
ntt'-i""tights close to the camera position. Keep light'
ing ratio no more than 4 to 1.                                                                                     lI
  Use your Sekonic meter as described on page 17 to
balanci: lights.  Then, turn  off fill-in ligltts and take
meter readings with key light only.

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                   PORTRAITS
                OUTDOORS



 ;


        The same principles apply. For women, flat, frontal
 *       lighting with  narrow  lighting  ratio ;  strong  side-
        lighting for men with wide lighting ratio.
            - Photcgraph women on a hazy day for a  soft,  dif-
       fused effect, or place them in bpen-shade. Men can
       take much stronger, harsher light.
               If  lighting contrast is stronger than desired, use
*2.     3. newspaper, a pillow slip or sheet to  reflect more
         light into the shaded areas.I

l
.{" -*
-

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            COPYING





                  Arrange two floodlights at a 45"
                 anqle to the work to be coPied, so
                   that the light f rom each falls evenly
on the surface to be photogiaphed.-of            Then, -cover the
surface with a piece    wh-ite cardboard of approxi-
mately the sami: size.  Hold the ON/OFF switch of
vour meter down, point the meter downward, dir-ect-
iy at the subject,' about six inches from   it.  Move
the meter ov-er the entire area to be photographed,
watching for  needle deflection.  Re'arrange  yqur
lights  u"ntil the needle stays steady in one. position                    i-
aJthe meter scans the subject. Remove the white
Uou.a. Hold the meter at fhe camera position and
read exposure in the normal manner' using reflected
light procedure.                                     -
                                                                     l

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 HOW  TO COMPENSATE   WHEN
 USING   FILTERS

   Filters are flat pieces of tinted optical glass which,
 when nla9ed in  iront  or  iiie  rens, iuioru-'sin."certain        of light :glg..               .and                   permit others to baii.        they
 obstruct some light, exposure compinsition-must  bbmade when filters are used.
  c-onsult the manufacturer's literature or the retailer
 to learn the  "filter  factor"  of tle  filG;  y;;';"re  using.Divide        this         numler                    into                         tn" aSA                                                                 fi-ffi;                                           .;;;i"i;iihtand    set       the           resurting               number                               in the                              As--A";indow.
E X A M P L E :
    K o d o k V e r i c h r o m e p o n , A S A g O d o y l i g h t
     d o u b l e d  f o r E x p o s u r e  I n d e x -   l 6 0
    Y e l l o w - g r e e n  f t f t e r , F i l t e r F o c t o r : 2
     1 6 0 d i v i d e d b y 2    i s 8 0 .  S e t g 0   i n A S A w i n d o w
         (tungsten) coror firms may be used outdoors___Indoor*r_th            A  conversion filter.   In  thii Lase the     ?  .t'yp"
manltacturer  indicates an indoor a'd outdoor AsAnunrber:
    K o d o c h r o m e T y p c A :   A S A    l 6
   W i t h T y p e A  c o n v e r s i o n  f l l t e r , A S A  1 2
  r-hir number shourcrbe set in the ASA windowwithout any compens4tion.

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                  In  photographing   small  objects,  exposure  corrections   are needed
           because  of  the  extension   of  the  bellows  of  iarger  cameras,  or  the
            use  of  extension   tubes  and  similar   devibes  with  other  kinds  of
            cameras.     If  the  object  bein!  photographed   is closer  to  the camera
             than  ten  times   the  focal  length  of  the  lens being  used,  exposure
           compensation  will  be necessary.
         EXAMPLE:   Focol length ol lent,2"
                                   It oblect lr clorei thon 20"  lo tha lant, lnora arpororc  wlll bc rrqulrrd.
                  Procedurelr or followr:
             For comercs  equlppcd  wlth  ground-glort   focudng
             Take  a reading   in  the  normal  manner,   using  either   incident   or
              reflected   light.      It  reflected   light   is  used,  hold  the  meter  at  the
              lens  position   of  the  camera.      If  incident   light   is used,  hold  the            meter  as  close  to  the  subject  as possible,  pointing   directly   at  the  *
             canera.
               With  camera  aimed  and  focused,  measure  the  size  of  the  image
            on the ground  glass.  Then, measure  the size  of  the  object.   Divide              the  smlller   number   into  the  larger   to  determine   the   ratio   of                    III
              magnificatign   or  reduction.      (It  image  is larger  than  subject,  refer
                to  magnificition    table.     If  image  is smaller  than  subject,   refer   to
              reduction   table.)    Find   the  corresponding   correction   factor  and
               m.ultiply  the exposure  by  this  number.
          EXAMPLE:    Oblcc  lr  l)2". lmage lt  4l'
                                  Itr' dlvlded Inlo 4i"  fu 3
                          reitlo ol nognltlcatlon b 3 to  I
                    expoture correcllon toclor  It  l6
                Open tenr 4 t/.lo?t  or lncreote crrotlt?a  rlme by l6
              For comercg  urlng  cxlcnslon   tubee
                Ccnsuit  the  manufacturer's   specifications  or inquire  of  the  dealer
                to  learn  the  correction   factor   for  the  tube  being  used'   (Most
             tubes  have  the  correction   factor  engraved  on them.)    Multiply.  the
2 8         exposur€  by  this  factor.

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   MICROPHOTOGRAPHY
   AND TELEPHOTOGRAPHY

      To determine exposures in photogra'
    phing  microscopic or  telescopic sub-
      jects, move the photosphere to reflected
      light  position, uncovering the  light
    window.  Focus the instrument.  Hold
     the light window of the meter snugly
     against the exit optic or the eyepiece
     of the instrument, allowing no other
      light to enter the light window.  Take
    an exposure reading  in  the  normal
    manner.
     Where a special camera adaPter is                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            liI    provided,'remove the camera and hold
     the light window of the meter in the       .
                                      will                          lens     position              the camera                                occupy.   lJ                               manner.                         normal                          in the          a reading    Take

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    EV  (Lvs)  numbers may  be  converted  to  equivalent                                1
    cancllepower per  square  foot   (Cd/tt'z)  evaluations for                                                                                                                                       It
    reflected light,  or  lux evaluations for  incident  light'  by

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          l    using the table on the opposite page.
                                                                                                    {      with  photosphere in reflected light position (light window          ,r#
    uncovered) take  a  reflected  light  reading  holding  the
    meter within  six inches of the surface of the area being
    measured.  The  resulting EV number and  its  equivalent
     cd/ttz value will be found in the table.
      For  lux valnes, move the photosphere to incident light
    position (light window covered).  Hold the meter  at the
    area to be measured, pointed to the light source.  Refer
     to the EV number obtained and  its equivalent lux value
     in the table.

3 2