So what is the "secret" of Electros light metering ?

[Iskra 2]

Testing the "Electro Magic Meter", let's see, did the the red light or the yellow light come on, or were they both off, or was it the wide latitude of the film, too much to remember, whatever. 🙄 That funny adjustable curtain over the meter seems to do something.😀 Is there some "bokeh" evident that might be similar to a Sonnar, Summar or Elmar?🙂 Who needs a Leica? 😛 Regards. :angel:

 

[George Bonanno]

Thread Killer...

Thread Killer...

Then wouldn't the meter be more easily "fooled"when
you turn the camera 90 degrees to shoot verticals?

Chris

Not at all... think about it.

Yashica users must have faith that their camera will expose properly.
After all, they only have two little lights to go by.

Maybe the scant exposure information provided is a good thing.
It keeps the photographer from intervening, thereby messing up the pics. 😉

Chris

Chris, You should get an Electro 35. There are literally tons of them on eBay... cheap. Then see for yourself what the "two little lights" can do.

The secret... "It's a Sharpie Trick"... Similar to the so called magic exposure that the Olympus XA's are famous for.

Best,
George

Iskra 2... nice one !

 

[darrylasher]

Yashica users must have faith that their camera will expose properly.
After all, they only have two little lights to go by.

Maybe the scant exposure information provided is a good thing.
It keeps the photographer from intervening, thereby messing up the pics. 😉

Chris

When I started using the Electro again, it was kind of unnerving... for about a day. There are arrows in the viewfinder telling which way to turn the aperture ring. Literally, which way: left or right, not up and down. Then there's the slow shutter speed warning, just to let you know it will expose, but you might not want to hand hold. The over-exposure warning is just what it says.

Anyway, halfway through the first roll, I didn't worry about it any more.

Cheers,
Darryl

 

[jlw]

This is one of those cases in which 'analog' can be better than 'digital.' Modern digital metering systems measure the scene illumination as a discrete value, then compute the required exposure data. This can be calibrated very precisely, but it also means that the system works only within specific numerical limits.

In older AE systems, the meter cell is an electrical analogue to the film, and by careful choice of values the designer can make it respond to light electrically in roughly the same way that the film will respond chemically. In effect it's an electrical model of the film's behavior. For example, a CdS cell loses efficiency in very dim light... but so does film, so if the values are carefully designed the meter will mimic the film's behavior, at least approximately.

 

[ndnbrunei]

The Electro 35 shocked me with it's metering ability. It begs you to explore the possibilities. Under very low light condiions the shutter can stay open for "ages" - a tripod is essential as well as a good ear to hear that tiny little click as the shutter closes.

 

[geezer]

Great observation!!!

 

[BillBingham2]

I agree, a great thread.

Having been around computers for many years now, I have to believe that if the developer thought about mimicking the analog circuit to cover for reciprocity failure they could do at least as well, if not better. It is not easy, but it can be done, a few more gates on the chip and a little more time thinking.

I still love that old Nikon Centerweighted feel or a good hand held.

B2 (;->

 

[ChrisPlatt]

Interesting speculation. But reciprocity failure varies from film to film.
Which 1960's emulsion was the Yashica autoexposure system designed
to compensate for?

The true champion of long autoexposure is the original Olympus OM2...

Chris

 

[Trius]

Yeah, OM2 ... not-"N" Gotta get that puppy a spa treatment.

 

[Iskra 2]

Interesting speculation.

The true champion of long autoexposure is the original Olympus OM2...

Chris

How did OLY do it?😕 😕

Regards.

 

[FrankS]

The secret? I always thought it was fairy-dust.

😉

 

[Iskra 2]

Ok, Ok ......... now I see ......... Oly Fairy-dust and Yashica Magic. 🙂

Old sorcerors and magicians who designed those cameras must be all gone now.😀 Regards.

 

[darrylasher]

I could tell you... but then I'd have to kill you.

 

[Trius]

Yes, Maitani has retired. 🙁

 

[ChrisPlatt]

Yeah, and don't forget the sharpie trick.

Chris

 

[Jeremy Z]

Backlighting, snow, and night scenes will fool the Electro every time.

IMO, the true champion of light metering is the Olympus OM4, with its multiple spot metering and highlight & shadow biasing capabilities. With this system, Olympus admitted that the photographer had to think a bit to get perfect exposures. But when coupled with the right technology, it indeed produced perfect exposures, every single time.

In night scenes the Electros still overexpose, because they don't know that a lot of the scene is supposed to be black, not gray. In the snow or on the beach, it underexposes, because it doesn't know that pure white does not equal gray.

Modern cameras try to do the thinking for people. Then, people wonder why their pix look like crap. The simple answer is that people refuse to think through how things work these days. They want a push-button, no thought answer for everything.

 

[rollo]

Have to agree about the OM4 being the king of metering. I believe they use the same system in their DSLRs today. However, having sold all for a digital rangefinder, I found a mint Electro GT bought 3 years ago for peanuts, in a cupboard. It's so mint I'm afraid to touch it let alone risk any film scratching the insides. 🙄

I doubt there's any significant secret to the Yashica's metering system. There are only so many systems you can employ to evaluate the exposure without going to multispot and averaging. I suspect that the reliability of the shutter may account for a lot. Couple that with reliable analogue circuits and that's as good as you could have expected of the day.

We know that Yashica made a lot of effort with the quality of their electronics in some models, e.g. goldplating contacts, and it's my guess that capacitors, resistors etc. were well sourced for tolerances and reliability. The early ad at
http://www.yashica-guy.com/document/moonlight.html boasts of solid state circuitry so rugged it should never need repair. They must have had confidence in their components from day 1.

It's a shame the knobs and dials aren't a bit tougher. I'll just have to be gentle.

 

[rollo]

Have to agree about the OM4 being the king of metering. I believe they use the same system in their DSLRs today. However, having sold all for a digital rangefinder, I found a mint Electro GT bought 3 years ago for peanuts, in a cupboard. It's so mint I'm afraid to touch it let alone risk any film scratching the insides. 🙄

I doubt there's any significant secret to the Yashica's metering system. There are only so many systems you can employ to evaluate the exposure without going to multispot and averaging. I suspect that the reliability of the shutter may account for a lot. Couple that with reliable analogue circuits and that's as good as you could have expected of the day.

We know that Yashica made a lot of effort with the quality of their electronics in some models, e.g. goldplating contacts, and it's my guess that capacitors, resistors etc. were well sourced for tolerances and reliability.

It's a shame the knobs and dials aren't a bit tougher. I'll just have to be gentle.