Question on Minolta 5 degree viewfinder

[raytoei@gmail.com]

( I searched this forum for "5 degrees" but did not find the answer so I am posting this question here).

My Minolta 5 degree viewfinder arrived today.
Pictured above is the GE light meter, my Autometer III with the 5 degree viewfinder (bayonet mount), the light diffusion attachment, the reflective attachment, and on the extreme right, an screw-mount viewfinder attachment.

You can view a higher resolution image here.

My question is 3 parts, if you could point me to the right direction, I will be most grateful:

a. I think this 5 degree viewfinder (8034-156) was meant for another autometer (IV ?). What is the EV adjustments for my Autometer III ? (The manual mentions about a +3 EV if Iwere to use an older viewfinder not a newer viewfinder here as is the case here).

b. I bought the screw mount viewfinder (the one on the right) in haste and it doesn't fit into the Autometer III at all. Is this meant for the Autometer II ?

c. Lastly, I found my reflective reading accurate when comparing with DSLR, however, incident light was off, often resulting in a much higher EV number, to compensate, I had to put tissue paper into the white bulb diffuser to dampen it. Has anyone experienced this problem. Could it be due to the age of the plastic diffuser causing the inaccurate reading ?

thanks !

raytoei

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

I searched the most excellent butkus.org and finally figured out the mysterious rightmost "screw-mount viewfinder" , it is none other than the "Reflected Light Attachment" for the Minolta Autometer Professional.

cheers!

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I have an Autometer IIIF. The 5 degree bayonet attachment wasn't really meant to be used on the Autometer series, it was for the Flash Meter III, Flash Meter IV, and Flash Meter V. With one of those three meters, there's no compensation needed, the meter reads accurately with the attachment. The Autometer III was made to be used with the 10 Degree II attachment, which I have. With that attachment, the Autometer III reads correctly. You can put the 5 degree on the Autometer III but you have to give more exposure than indicated (2 and 2/3 stops if I remember right, I'd have to hunt up my manual for it). This is bad because it cuts the low-light reading ability of the meter by that same amount.

 

[sevo]

The Flashmeter III and up have a pin which registers the collar depth on attachments and compensates accordingly. IIRC you'll have to dial in the compensation on older Flashmeters and Autometers up to IV.

Sevo

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

The Flashmeter III and up have a pin which registers the collar depth on attachments and compensates accordingly. IIRC you'll have to dial in the compensation on older Flashmeters and Autometers up to IV.

Sevo

That pin is present on the Autometer III and up as well. The Flash Meter series have an additional lever that is engaged when the 5 deg. attachment is used (at least the Flash Meter IV does).

 

[sevo]

That pin is present on the Autometer III and up as well. The Flash Meter series have an additional lever that is engaged when the 5 deg. attachment is used (at least the Flash Meter IV does).

Sure? I can't find anything lever-like, neither on my 5° nor on my FM IV, which could provide an extra coupling. And the pin by itself already does a switch by 3 EV, which seems to be appropriate.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Sure? I can't find anything lever-like, neither on my 5° nor on my FM IV, which could provide an extra coupling. And the pin by itself already does a switch by 3 EV, which seems to be appropriate.

The pin depresses when any reflected light attachment is fitted and adjusts the readings appropriately. The 5 degree takes a different exposure change than the 10 degree and 30 degree attachments. The Flash Meter IV does have a lever thats moved by the mount of the 5 degree attachment, perhaps the 5 degree does not work automatically on the Flash Meter III ?

 

[marduk]

That pin is present on the Autometer III and up as well. The Flash Meter series have an additional lever that is engaged when the 5 deg. attachment is used (at least the Flash Meter IV does).

That is interesting. I don't see this additional lever on my Auto Meter IVf. Right now I have a 30 degree reflected light attachment (with a white plastic ring on the underside that depresses the pin on the meter) and the incident light sphere (without ring, doesn't touch the pin when mounted). I find that I have to compensate +2EV when taking incident readings. Does that mean I have the wrong diffuser sphere? Also, I'm thinking of buying a 5 degree attachment. AFAIU I must be looking for the one with white plastic ring near the mount, is that correct?

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Your meter might be defective, as no compensation is needed with the incident dome. The domes do not have the white ring to depress the button, because the button in the UP position tells the meter that an incident dome or flat diffuser is mounted. Minolta did make a domewith a neutral density built in for use in very bright light. I do not know if manual compensation was needed for it or not....it could be that you simply have the wrong dome, the ND version, and it requires compensation, unlike the normal dome.

So you could have the wrong dome, easy fix, buy the standard dome. Or your meter might need repair.