Light meters
Spotron meter User manual
User manual for Spotron meter. 13 pages in English. Read the original PDF, download or print a copy without registration.
13 pagesEnglish2.4 MB PDF

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Document details
- Brand
- Spotron
- Model / document
- Spotron meter
- Document type
- User manual
- Language
- English
- Pages
- 13
- File size
- 2.4 MB
- Category
- Light meters
- Document date
- Not specified in catalog
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Page 3 · Read text
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"\f illiam Tell" and "spotron "
Of. course, you remember """"' the famous story o[ the renowned patriot archer, his little son
and the target apple placed on the head of his own son.
But, how is the story of "Villiam Tell " related to the Spotron Professional Exposure Meter?
Let's supp-ose you happened to be the very scene of the shooting and wanted to make a close-
up shot of the moment when an arrow hits the apple. How-woulJ you level your camera to get
a dramatic.close-up shot ? Hold the camra close the side of the boy ? \(ell, this will not bJ a
good idea because you are likely to be hit by the arrow.
The safiest and most ef.fective way is perhaps to--locate the camera near to Telt, the shooter,
and to use a telephoto lens. But there is. one difficulty : How to determine the correct exposure
lor the apple placed on the head of the boy standing far away from his father.
Here Spotron plays active part in determining a correct exposure for a distant obiect, in this case
.the small apple, when using a telephoto lens. You only-look through the v;ewfindei of Spotion
and .loca.te the apple within the circle in the centre of the viewfinder. The correct exposure
can be determined by simply reading the scale where the needle has come to rest.
Let's shift the Spotron activities to the interior of the United Nations Headquaters. On the ' Delegates froi platform, a delegate, caught _in spotlight circles, is doing an epoc-making speech.
the participating nations are listening - every one showing a different eipression on his'face.
Some faces are lighted up with pleasure, some delegates are making wry'faces and some are ma-
king-notes etc. Shooting such selective pictures ii the best opp6rtriity for, the photogr"ph".,
to show their professional skill. However, the difficulty is that'th. ,..rr.. unj.,' *ijer' r.ar-
ying light conditions. Here again Spotron determines instantly the correct exposure"r" for each subiect.
"' and taking sport p-ictures in gymnasiums.and na-tural life pictures of scattered animals are only
two more examples of the countless possibilities of the Spotron Professional Exposure Meter.View original page 3Page 4 · Read text
Venmo @mike-butkus-camera Ph. 2083 PayPal Name Lynn@butkus.org www.PayPal.me/lynnbutkusView original page 4
Page 6 · Read text
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The scale on the screen has a dual calibration.
The upper scale (l{) is for bright light, rhe lower
scale (L) for dim li9ht.
o
Under strong outdoor light, the meter is already
in operating condition. Therefore, the reading can
be taken from the upper scale (H) as soon as the
pointer has come to rest. Under poor light con-
ditions the needle will not move automatically. ln
this case you have to press in the button at the
front of the meter and take the reading fromt he
lower scale (L)
4. Vhen using a cine camera, you will find the
correct f-stop on the ring (3) opposite the frame
speed you are using on the ring (2) 1615 14 t3 t2 il l0 I 87
5. Vhen using a filter, you can determine the ammm 500 250ll! 1256l . 6012. 3016 15e I I
correct exposure by simply putting the filter on 10182 28 { 5.6 s rl rbz?the Spotron lens during the measuring. This com-
pletely eliminates complicated filter factor calcula-
tions.
Note : After using the meter, be sure to turn the switch to 'OFF', not to have drain of mercury
battery.View original page 6Page 7 · Read text
Mechanism o[ Spotron
L. L. Scale
The L. L. scale can be seen on the screen in
the viewf inder. Light Level reading can be
taken direct from the scale.
As already explained in " Directions for using
the Spotron ", the upper scale (F{) is for bright
light while the lower scale (L) is for dim light.
The rings on the lens barrel
There are two movable rings on the lens barrel.
Ring (5) shows L.L. numbers 2-18 (l), shutter
speeds I 25 sec. - I /8000 sec. and cine camera
speeds 8-128 frames per second (2). On ring
(6) you will find f-stop numbers (3) as well as
film speed numbers in ASA and DIN (4).
Change of battery
Remove the back cover (8). \(/hen replacing the
battery make sure you insert it properly. lt the
battery is placed incorrectly, the needle will
www.butkus.us swing in the wrong dirction.View original page 7Page 8 · Read text
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Battery tester
In order to get an exact measuring, the CdS cell must be
maintained under a constant voltage. Therefore, the Spo-
tron Professional Meter is equipped with a test meter for
a convenient voltage checking. The life o[ a mercury cell
is quite long and replacing the battery once in a year is
usually more than sufficient. But the 22)( volt battery
lasts a ralatively shorter time. So the battery tester will
be needed for checking the 22)l volt battery.
Follow those simple instructions for testing the voltage.
Press the button for poor light conditions and spot any
obiect which shows L. L. value of L 10, them release the
button. lf the needte rests at H I 0, the mercury battery
is still in good condition. lf the needle moves to the right side of l-{
l0 the mercury battery has to be changed immediately as this is a sign
of a voltage drop.
How to read the battery tester
Turn the switch to 'BC' position. lf the needle of the test meter
remains in the blue zone, the battery is good. But if the needle moves
into the red zone the 22)l volt battery is no longer good and should be
replaced immediately.
Fig. of last page is a graphic presentation showing the rate o[ battery
deterioration.View original page 8Page 9 · Read text
Example of an actual measurement
t. You are using a f;lm of ASA l0O. As per instruction l, turn ring (5) until ASA 100 is opposite
to the mark (A). Turn the Switch to 'ON' position.
2. Centre the desired obiect within the circle of the viewlinder
3. Let's say the needle stops at number l4 on the scale. Therefore you have to transfer L.L. l4
and to the lens barrel. Turn ring (5) until L.L. 14 stands opposite to the red dot. On ring (2)
(3) you will find now all suitable f-stop and shutter speed combinations which you can select'
General Description
The Spotron Professional Exposure Meter is a high quality spot exposure meter equipped with a pre-
cision CdS cell and with optical components similar to those used in pentaprism type single lens ref-
lex cameras.
The most important thing in any picture taking is the determination of the correct exPosure. The
speed of the different films on the market today varies from ASA l0 to 2000 or even higer.
Also there are wide varieties of light intensity, from dim candle light to glaring direct sunshine.
Therefore the correct exposure must be determined from atong an infinite variety of combinations
of film speed and light intensity.
Picture taking conditions are also very much different in their specific fields like still and movie
isphotography, telecasting and videorecording etc, The Spotron Professional Exposure Meter
i.sig*d'to meet all requirements and to determine the correct exposure in the simplest way for
every specific field.View original page 9Page 10 · Read text
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Characteristics and indications for using the Spotron
l. \(/ith conventional exposure meters, the light acceptance angle is 45o to 90o giving only an
average exposure of the obiect. Vith the Spotron Professional Exposure Meter, the light acceptance
angfe of the CdS designed 61 2o. Therefore it is possible to measure only the reguired portion of
the obiect from the camera position without approaching the obiect. This also makes special effects
photography much easier.
2. lf you desire an average measuring, as obtained with a conventional exposure meter, you have
to take about three measurements, from highlight to the darkest shadow, and note each L.L. reading.
The total of the L.L. reading thus obtained divided by three will give you the required ayerage.
3. For all photography with artificial light condition like movies, telecast, commercial portrait and
studio photography. Spotron is indispensable for adiustment of light intensity based on the meastre-
ment taken from highlight to darkshadow, and at the same time essential for exact exposure measuring.
4. The importance and the effects in measuring the correct exposure when using a telephoto lens
have already been explained.
5. For stage and indoor sport photography, exposure can be measured right from your seat.
6. fieasuring the intensity of illumination is another one of the applications o[ Spotron in the
photographic field. A typical example is the measurement of the outside illumination of a building
at night. The light intensity at various points of the buiding can be measured from practically any
convenient spot.
7. The scope of application is still wider, including copying, close-ups, research and science pho-
tography.View original page 10From the M. Butkus archive. Original publisher and archive notices are retained.
Check the model and edition against your equipment.
PDF verified 2026-10-10.