Affordable Light Meter and 120mm Slide Processing Recommendations? (UK)

[spencer]

All,

Sorry I'm part of the digital generation but recently decided to dig out my first camera (Agfa Super Isolette, given to me by my Dad) and see if my grasp of photography has improved in the intervening 18 years since I last used it.

Although I found the camera in the attic reasonably easy I couldn't find the accompanying light meter (Weston Super I think, probably in the same place as the instruction manual and lens hood). Any recommendations on a good AND affordable light meter I can buy to go with it? At the moment I am using my Canon 10D as a light meter which is a) bulky and b) seems a bit silly.

Also I have bought a couple of rolls of Agfa slide film (Provia) to run through the camera. Any recommendations on places who can process this cheaply? Initially I just want to make sure the camera is still in full working order (original bellows seemed light tight, shutter mechanism seems good, film advance works).

The camera came with two closeup filters but I have no idea how to use them. The case is marked CENEI and the filters say Germany and Ceneiplan, one says 10 and the other 20. Any suggestions?

Finally the only bit which doesn't seem to work too well is the self timer. When you cock and enable it it can sometimes count down and fire the shutter but at other times it stops moving until you give the camera a light knock/shove. Any ideas if this function can be fixed/resurrected?

Thanks all.

 

[FPjohn]

DigiSix

DigiSix

Hello:

I might suggest a Gossen DigiSix or DigiFlash. A more expensive classic alternative would be a Weston Euromaster.

yours
Frank

 

[ErnestoJL]

Let´s go step by step.
For the meter, there are several options regarding how much do you want to spend.
Cheap and limited:
Gossen Pilot II (or Sixtino in Europe)
Bewi Quick
Any Weston (calibrated in ASA-ISO).
Metraphot
Chep because the price shouldn´t get higher than USD 70 for the Weston, which is the most expoensive of them. The others two would run for less than USD 30 as worst, usually you can get anyo one of those for less than USD 15. The metraphot is expensive, because it´s a collector´s item, however is a very good and dependable meter.
Limited because they are based on selenium cells and it means they won´t be of much help for low low light.

Not too chep but almost unlimited:
Gossen Lunasix III (or Luna Pro in the US). One recalibrated for silver oxide or alkaline batteries can be obtained in good condition for USD 65...100 depending on external condition, caser, and if the accesories are available/or included (Labor, Tele, etc. ) the price would be about USD 150.

Ther closeup lens / filters you mention were made By CENEI in Germany, which was a very well known factory of optical accesories of very high qualityduring the ´50s through the ´70s. Perhaps you can place a frosted glass in the focal plane and placing the lens in front of the camera lens, check the minimum focusing distance, with shutter at B.

Regardiing the self timer, the usual is to open the shutter and drop some few drops of Ronsonol (lighter fluid) inside the self timer mechanism to remove the dry grease. I would try to operate it several times until it works without stopping, before trying other means to fix it.
If you are not familiarized with this types of shutters, I wouldn´t recommend you to try to open it and fix it by yourself: the cleaning fluid can drift to other places (shutter blades) and the shutter would end stuck, requiring it to be dismantled and cleaned thoroughly.

 

[edodo]

Nice meter

Nice meter

How about a little bigger meter but nice anyway that is the Sekonic studio master series

 

[Toby]

For processing try peak imaging http://www.peak-imaging.com/. For an affordable lightmeter try a second hand sekonic 308b

 

[P C Headland]

Cheap and good, with ambient and semi-spot capabilities, and an ability to use almost any battery that will physically fit:

- Sverdlovsk 4

Should be able to pick one up for less than $30.

 

[clarence]

This thread is really old. I've got a cheap but accurate Horvex selenium cell meter for sale in the classifieds.

Clarence