Sverdlovsk-4 light meter: any tips?

[spiderfrank]

I just found the light meter in the title

info here: http://cameras.alfredklomp.com/sverdlovsk4/

my model is an "inner market" one, with the symbol of the owl. I put two LR44, made the calibration (1/3 of stop "out"), and it seems to work as it should.

in the site of Alfred Klomp there is a link to the manual, that's in cyrillic (ok: babel-fish...)... My question is: should I use the table in the back to correct the measures ? Does anyone here use this light meter?

thank you

Franco

 

[uhligfd]

1/3 of a stop out compared to what?

Or do you use every film/sensor at face value ISO? That would be senseless. You need to calibrate your films/sensors if you are as picky about 1/3 stop out light meters as you seem to be, BY ALL MEANS, saddle the horse from the front, the film!

 

[spiderfrank]

???? what do you mean?

I put the "correction" to one third of stop to have the same values of my Canon EOS, that I know is good... that's all.

 

[Joao]

Franco, I own and ocasionally use a Sverdlovsk-6, which has a lot of similarities with your model - I have used the S-4 instructions to calibrate it. I've never used any table and it seems to be correct - at least I get what I expect. But perhaps I'm not very demanding...
I'm not aware of any English translation of the manual, if you find one, let me know.
Regards
Joao

 

[rbiemer]

I have a pdf of an english translation of the manual. One of our members--"Rich C"?-- had it available online for a while but that link isn't good any more. PM/email me with your email addresses and I can send it.
Once you have it calibrated, you should be good to go.
If I recall correctly, the table on the back is similar to the exposure tables that used to be included with film. Sort of a sanity check, I guess. If the meter is giving you some wildly different reading than what the table recommends, it may need re-calibrating.
Alfred's page really is about the best, most complete page of info on the web that I've seen.
Rob

 

[spiderfrank]

thank you very much, rbiemer!

 

[Mablo]

I've been eyeing a Sverdlovsk-4 meter lately. One of my friends showed me one and it seemed to be very usable. If you still have a pdf of the english manual, I'd be grateful to receive a copy. My email is nooky dot hesum at gmail dot com.

Thanks!

 

[rbiemer]

Mablo,
I just sent you an email with the file attached.
Enjoy!
Rob

I've been eyeing a Sverdlovsk-4 meter lately. One of my friends showed me one and it seemed to be very usable. If you still have a pdf of the english manual, I'd be grateful to receive a copy. My email is nooky dot hesum at gmail dot com.

Thanks!

 

[Mablo]

Great!

thanks a lot rbiemer!

 

[wolves3012]

I use the Sverdlovsk 4 regularly and I make no corrections to what readings it gives (except where you might normally distrust any meter). I use a computer backup battery in it. Two cells is not enough really, it's supposed to work off 3.75 volts. The PC battery is a nominal 3.6V.

 

[spiderfrank]

I bought one of those batteries and tried to use it on my Sverdlovsk. Still, after some time of "testing", I think it's not costant in the response to the light. I tought it was caused by the "bad battery", but it is the same with the 3.6 Volt...

 

[Spyderman]

I have and use a Sverdlovsk-4.

I use it with 2 LR-44 and it gives readings up to 1/3 off compared to my brother's Sekonic digital spotmeter. Good enough for me - heck my cameras can olnly set shutter speed in full stops 😀

I think comparing it to Canon EOS is not a precise enough method to calibrate a spotmeter. Try to find someone with a real spotmeter, or talk to someone in a camera shop - maybe they would let you test some spotmeter in the shop.

Still, after some time of "testing", I think it's not costant in the response to the light.

I came to the same conclusion - in lower EV it's almost spot-on with my brother's meter, but in higher EV, it seems it reaches the limits of the technology (CdS light sensor) and it's about 1/3 to 1/2 off. I wouldn't use it for slides, but for negative film it's good enough for me.

 

[Bigpaul]

I use an S-4 regularly with my Kiev cameras, and find it pretty accurate (once calibrated as per the instructions). Mine has the AA cell battery pack, which I believe was packaged with the S-4 when new. This takes 3 AA cells, totalling 4.5 volts. The downside is that it doubles the size of the meter and makes it quite heavy, but in some ways I find it easier to hold with the pack attached. The only design feature that I don't like is that it is difficult to use with one hand..........the simple needle meters are better in that regard..........but I put up with that for its' excellent semi-spot capability.

 

[nzeeman]

i use 3 batteries lr44 but those that are used in hearing aid devices. they are 1.4V (so you will be around 4.2V in total which is totally ok for sverdlovsk) also they are zinc and people say they age better than alkaline - alkaline lose voltage over time so measuring also differ while zinc have always the same voltage until dead...

 

[rbiemer]

To quote from http://cameras.alfredklomp.com/sverdlovsk4/:

Power supply

The Sverdlovsk has an interesting relation with its power supply.​ Mine says 'supply voltage 3–4 V' without any further explanation, so I guess the electronics are just very liberally designed to allow use under less than ideal circumstances.​ However, it appears there's a one stop readout difference between supplying 3 or 4 volts.​ If you're going to use this meter, I'd recommend you calibrate it first using the self-calibration procedure described below, or by gauging it against a known good meter.

The native power source for the Sverdlovsk is the Russian 3-RTs-53 battery (3,75V nominal at 0.25A). Price one rouble, guaranteed lifetime 1.5 years, and out of production since the fall of the Soviet Union.​ However, mine is going strong on four PX625's (they don't really fit the compartment, but with some squeezing...​),​ and the possibilities for modification are endless, as long as you provide the necessary juice.
Calibration

The Sverdlovsk has a 'power checkup' switch that doesn't seem to do anything, but is in fact the centerpiece in an ingenious calibration procedure:

1. Set the film sensitivity to 100 ASA, or 64 GOST if you own a domestic model.​ (You'll find that this speed is specially marked.)
2. Set the ± dial to zero.​ Set the speed dial to 1/2000s (the extreme end of the scale).
3. Completely cover the sensor for twenty seconds.
4. While keeping both the power checkup switch and the metering button pressed, and with the sensor still covered, start rotating the dial.
5. The LED should extinguish when the triangle at f/8 or f/5.6 is within the limits of the rectangle at 1/250s.​ This means your batteries are okay.
6. If your batteries are not okay, correct with the ± dial as necessary to make the match.

Note that this both checks the batteries and calibrates the meter.​ If the light fails before the 20 seconds are up, your batteries are obviously low.​ If the meter somehow drifted off calibration, step 6 will compensate the error.

The battery I use is a "Saft" brand 3.6v battery marked "LS14250" and is very slightly too tall/long but it does fit.
When we first started talking about this meter and battery options--3+ years ago?--I had just put this one in my meter and it is still fine. Though, now that I am more aware of how long it's been in the meter, I will be getting another one to keep in the bag with it!
Rob