Light meter into screwmount

[giellaleafapmu]

I remember that a few years ago I read an article somewhere of a chap who installed a lightmeter into a screwmount Leica. The design was pretty straightforward with a white dot pictured on the curtain and the light sensor facing the sensor (a-la M6) and, besides the questionable practice of drilling holes into a classical camera, the implementation was pretty neat with a simple three leds layout in the viewfinder. Now I can no longer find the article anywhere in the web, can anyone help me finding it (or maybe that chap is one of you?).

GLF

 

[a.noctilux]

Leica IIIb TTL ?
http://www.huws.org.uk/

Funny idea.

Arnaud

 

[giellaleafapmu]

Yep, thank you!

GLF

 

[Murray Kelly]

Also see http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39554&highlight=ttl+meter+project

by Spyderman. Don't know of any outcome.

There was reference to a Russian site where a pair of darlington transistors were made (4 transistors) and put in a small board. That could be simplified by using a darlington transistor pair. I have a bunch of PNP darlingtons if anyone is serious.

 

[zuiko85]

Looking at that type of project would make me spring for a VCII meter.

At least that can be moved from camera to camera.

 

[johannielscom]

Bookmarked this thread for the links!


COOL😎!!!

 

[giellaleafapmu]

Looking at that type of project would make me spring for a VCII meter.

At least that can be moved from camera to camera.

From a practical point of view maybe but keep in mind that sometimes people do thing just because they can. You know, when you buy a lathe for whatever project you have in mind you almost always pay way more than what the final product would cost but there is that bug which keeps telling you that this will be YOUR thing, your creature, something nobody else will ever have unless they go through the same amount of sweat and pain as you do. The real reason is not having an old camera with a cumbersome meter which works based on the f16 rule, it is to have built a light meter to have your old camera work TTL. Also, as I already mentioned several times, don't underestimate the amount of knowledge you gain from building stuff, even when you fail you still learn a huge amount of stuff which sometimes will be useful to you.

GLF

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Reminds me of the guy who was turning his Leica M into a digital camera a few years ago. Never learned how that turned out in the end.
It wasn't one of those Zorki adaptions either.

 

[Jonathan]

It was the same guy, Huw.
A Kodak sensor in a M2. I think battery life was the problem.
A top bloke!

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

Trouble with those projects (bitter experience) is that when I'm finished I know what I should have done and why but as I've sworn never to touch one again it's of little practical use. Sometimes I think I'll make two and the second will be a doddle but then I wonder what I'd do with two of the things...

Regards, David

 

[Murray Kelly]

I've got most of the details worked out but 3 things remain.
1. Do I need it at all?
2. Battery(ies) and where to place them.
3. One LED would be enough. It's just gone on or just gone off. 2 don't give any more information. It's closer than guestimating the f stop.

Following from 3 you wouldn't need a switch if a lens cap or even closing the never-ready case would make the chosen LED go 'off' .
With the tiny current drawn by darlingtons and a high CdS cell dark resistance the battery would last near shelf life.

Not all rangefinders would be accommodating but the FED2 is a good contender.

Hi,

Trouble with those projects (bitter experience) is that when I'm finished I know what I should have done and why but as I've sworn never to touch one again it's of little practical use. Sometimes I think I'll make two and the second will be a doddle but then I wonder what I'd do with two of the things...

Regards, David