FSU exposure meter recommendations

fidget

fidget

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Hi, I thought that I should get an FSU light meter to go with my FSU kit. I use a Gossen digisix at the moment which is just fine, but not quite in keeping with the cameras. Leningrad meters look to be readily available, although there are quite a few models to choose from. Anyone got a recommendation or some spec on the range?

No sunny 16 for me! never works for me when it ain't bright.

Dave...
 
there are selenium leningrads which dont work today and sverdlovsk 4 -6 which are good price-quality spot meters-the problems they are bulky(when with AA battery adapter - originally on mercury)
 
I use a Leningrad-4 which works fine. Also got a leningrad-8 somewhere but the metering give different results to the 4.

If you can pick up a good L-8 then it'll be super-light and you should love it. Only problem is actually getting one that works!
 
A different direction is to get a nice VC or VC II meter. They don't look out of place at all on an FSU body, and they're small, accurate, modern, and useful for any non-metered cam.

Gene
 
I got a Leningrad 8 a couple of weeks ago on eBay (from a seller in Ukraine) for £6. For that price I thought it was worth a gamble, and I was lucky that it is very accurate. I've been out with it a couple of times and I'm very happy with it - it handles a wide range of lighting conditions and film speeds, is light and fairly small, and of course it needs no battery!
 
Although strongly tempted by the CV meter, I would heartily endorse the Leningrad 8, which is certainly much better built than it's immediate predecessor. I bought mine in the mid-late 80s and it remains perfectly accurate, giving comparable results to the meters on my SLRS. Kept dry and in the case, an 8 should give excellent service for many years to come.

Cheers, Ian
 
Thanks for the recommendations. It sounds as though all the Leningrads are battery-less? Not sure what a VC / CV meter is, one that mounts in the accessory shoe?
 
fidget said:
Thanks for the recommendations. It sounds as though all the Leningrads are battery-less? Not sure what a VC / CV meter is, one that mounts in the accessory shoe?
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I've been thinking about getting one myself. Here is a write-up: http://cameraquest.com/voivcmet2.htm

Stephen is a good fellow to deal with. I have seen prices $40 less than his.
 
I used to have the VC Meter II from Cameraquest. Nice accurate meter that shoe mounts and looks good on just about all cameras. I only sold mine because I needed to learn about incident metering. Highly recommended.

William
 
Jocko said:
Although strongly tempted by the CV meter, I would heartily endorse the Leningrad 8, which is certainly much better built than it's immediate predecessor. I bought mine in the mid-late 80s and it remains perfectly accurate, giving comparable results to the meters on my SLRS. Kept dry and in the case, an 8 should give excellent service for many years to come.

Cheers, Ian
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Ah!, kept dry! I seem to remember reading (probably on this forum) that it is damp which kills off selenium cells. So If I get one which works, I could use those little silica gel bags in a tight case when it's being stored.
 
Oh sh_t! Since starting this thread a short while ago, and looking at thE bay for light meters, I snagged another FSU RF cam, she's going to be ..er...very "disappointed with me", again. wonder if I can get the seller to throw in a Leningrad 8? Worth asking my Ukraine seller, I guess.
 
There is a possibility to get old Selenium meters working again with the use of solar sells from pocket calculators and the right resistor. (I don't know which one) It may depend on the working resistance of the spool which turns the needle.
My Zenit E lightmeter is working since '73, my grandfather used it frequently and it is still working. I'm wondering for how long...

http://www.xs4all.nl/~tomtiger/zenrep/meter.html
 
I also use a Sverdlovsk-4. It's a great and very capable exposure meter. I like its semi-spot coverage and accuracy as well.
 
fidget said:
Ah!, kept dry! I seem to remember reading (probably on this forum) that it is damp which kills off selenium cells. So If I get one which works, I could use those little silica gel bags in a tight case when it's being stored.
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You got it fidget! But to be honest I don't think that would be necessary. The meter comes in a good, sturdy case and so long as you don't leave it in the shower.... just somewhere sensible - maybe the airing cupboard!

Cheers, Ian
 
I'm doing fine with a selenium Leningrad (circa 1958), bought from used camera vendor in Tallinn. I'm mostly shooting by the sunny-16 rule though, only using the meter to check very shadowy scenes, and at dusk.
 
I've got a Leningrad 4 and Sverdlovsk 4.

Both work well in good light, but the Sverdlovsk is more versatile, working well in low light, being sorta-spot and having an incident option.

You don't have to use the AA batteries and associated battery pack, since you can use any 3.75-4.5 volt battery that you can make fit. Just fit the batteries and run the calibration routine.
 
claidemore said:
I believe the Leningrad 6 uses batteries, AA if I'm not mistaken.
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A sudden yearning for a FED again after 45 years SLR forced me to dig out my Weston V (new in 1963) only to find it very dead. Hadn't touched it since 1980 when I went TTL metering. So I had to look around for a non-selenium solution and found a Leningrad 6 with cds, so yes, it has a small hearing-aid battery (of course, there may not be a replacement when it goes flat, but if so I'll just go back to that other world where things still work).
 
Thanks for your suggestions and info. I got a Leningrad 4 (because it was very cheap). This is a selenium meter (no bats) which agrees vey well with my Gossen, guess I'm lucky. The only thing is that it's big, is the 8 a smaller meter? I'm also wondering about the Sverdlovsk-4, looks very interesting, do you look through a viewer?
 
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