julio1fer
Well-known
Maybe a bit OT but I believe this is the likely place to ask.
This is a Russian supposedly good quality light meter. I found a manual in Russian . I don't understand Russian, but the pictures are nice and some of the specs may be guessed from the tables.
I'm using this meter with 3xLR-44 since the original PU-53 battery is no longer available. This gives 4.5 V instead of the designed 3.7 V.
Is anybody else using this meter or other designed for PU-53? What battery did you substitute for the PU-53?
Two more questions. First, there is a mysterious black button about 5 o'clock from the exposure wheel, anybody knows its function? (number 7 in the manual photograph)
Second, the meter is giving exposure for +1 stop. This is easy to correct, I just set the meter at 18 DIN when using 21 DIN film. May this be related to the higher voltage of the batteries I am using? Has anybody else experienced this same exposure offset?
Thanks for any comments.
This is a Russian supposedly good quality light meter. I found a manual in Russian . I don't understand Russian, but the pictures are nice and some of the specs may be guessed from the tables.
I'm using this meter with 3xLR-44 since the original PU-53 battery is no longer available. This gives 4.5 V instead of the designed 3.7 V.
Is anybody else using this meter or other designed for PU-53? What battery did you substitute for the PU-53?
Two more questions. First, there is a mysterious black button about 5 o'clock from the exposure wheel, anybody knows its function? (number 7 in the manual photograph)
Second, the meter is giving exposure for +1 stop. This is easy to correct, I just set the meter at 18 DIN when using 21 DIN film. May this be related to the higher voltage of the batteries I am using? Has anybody else experienced this same exposure offset?
Thanks for any comments.
Semushkin
Established
I use a later model, the Svedlovsk 4, with 3 1.5 v batteries as well. It can be calibrated to compensate for the voltage difference, see Calibration in
http://cameras.alfredklomp.com/sverdlovsk4/
Perhaps the Sverdlovsk 2 can be calibrated as well.
http://cameras.alfredklomp.com/sverdlovsk4/
Perhaps the Sverdlovsk 2 can be calibrated as well.
julio1fer
Well-known
Thanks for the link! It turns out that the Sverdlovsk-2 has a similar procedure for calibration or checking.
Here is the Sverdlovsk-2:

In this model , the black DIN-GOST scale (+/- in the Sv.-4) does not seem to be designed to rotate. The center black button does not have any slot, nor it moves when pressed and turned with reasonable force. Maybe this center black button has to be removed for calibration.
But, in any case I tried rotating the dial while pressing both the metering button and the black button at 5 o'clock with the sensor covered (you need an extra hand to do this). The LED comes off/on when 1/250 is close to a marked range in the dial around 5.6 (see photo). In my meter, to center 1/250 in the marked range, I had to turn the DIN-GOST scale so that it becomes set to 19 DIN instead of 21, i.e. 2/3 of a stop below 100 ASA.
This correlates closely with other trusted camera meters I have (I had estimated 2/3 to 1 stop below, by comparing measurements of flat lighted surfaces).
So, this is as good as calibration for me - just have to remember to set 2 DIN below the film ISO number
Again thanks for the help. If I discover anything else I will post.
Now, what is the table on the back??
Here is the Sverdlovsk-2:


In this model , the black DIN-GOST scale (+/- in the Sv.-4) does not seem to be designed to rotate. The center black button does not have any slot, nor it moves when pressed and turned with reasonable force. Maybe this center black button has to be removed for calibration.
But, in any case I tried rotating the dial while pressing both the metering button and the black button at 5 o'clock with the sensor covered (you need an extra hand to do this). The LED comes off/on when 1/250 is close to a marked range in the dial around 5.6 (see photo). In my meter, to center 1/250 in the marked range, I had to turn the DIN-GOST scale so that it becomes set to 19 DIN instead of 21, i.e. 2/3 of a stop below 100 ASA.
This correlates closely with other trusted camera meters I have (I had estimated 2/3 to 1 stop below, by comparing measurements of flat lighted surfaces).
So, this is as good as calibration for me - just have to remember to set 2 DIN below the film ISO number
Again thanks for the help. If I discover anything else I will post.
Now, what is the table on the back??
Semushkin
Established
Comrade Julio,
I am happy it works! I like your Sverdlovsk-2, if you find anything more about it please post. I confess ignorance about the table in the back. It seems speed in Seconds versus NT, whatever that is , at Gost 65 and 5.6 apperture, but what is NT?
I am happy it works! I like your Sverdlovsk-2, if you find anything more about it please post. I confess ignorance about the table in the back. It seems speed in Seconds versus NT, whatever that is , at Gost 65 and 5.6 apperture, but what is NT?
julio1fer
Well-known
Comrade Semushkin,
I can recognize some of the Russian characters, even if I don't understand the language. There is something like "diafragmi 5.6" at the end of the text, above the table in the back. I suspect this is a light measure equivalent of the readings.
I'm going to get someone to read over the Russian manual and report; there should be some bit about calibration buried there.
I can recognize some of the Russian characters, even if I don't understand the language. There is something like "diafragmi 5.6" at the end of the text, above the table in the back. I suspect this is a light measure equivalent of the readings.
I'm going to get someone to read over the Russian manual and report; there should be some bit about calibration buried there.
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Semushkin
Established
julio1fer said:Comrade Semushkin,
I can recognize some of the Russian characters, even if I don't understand the language. There is something like "diafragmi 5.6" at the end of the text, above the table in the back. I suspect this is a light measure equivalent of the readings.
I'm going to get someone to read over the Russian manual and report; there should be some bit about calibration buried there.
Comrade Julio,
That's is 5.6 diaphragm, which means apperture.
You have a manual? Try to ask Vladislav Kern of ussrphoto.com perhaps...
I think he is also a member here.
Have you tried online-translator.com for short passages?
Best of luck Comrade!
julio1fer
Well-known
Thanks Comrade! My Russian manual, linked at the beginning of this thread, is made of scanned PDF images, so I can't run it through the auto translator. But I will find a human one and report back.
ErnestoJL
Well-known
Tovarisch Julio:
Can you scan the manual and send me a copy? I guess (even when I do not speak russian) that I can do something about.
Besides, If you think that your meter is off calibration, this may be caused by the difference in battery voltage. To correct this, try inserting a silicon diode 1N4007 in series with the battery to reduce the voltage from 4.5 V to 3.8 V that´s closer to the original battery voltage.
Email me (or PM) if you need a written diagram on how to do it.
Hope it helps.
Saludos
Ernesto (desde la otra orilla).
Can you scan the manual and send me a copy? I guess (even when I do not speak russian) that I can do something about.
Besides, If you think that your meter is off calibration, this may be caused by the difference in battery voltage. To correct this, try inserting a silicon diode 1N4007 in series with the battery to reduce the voltage from 4.5 V to 3.8 V that´s closer to the original battery voltage.
Email me (or PM) if you need a written diagram on how to do it.
Hope it helps.
Saludos
Ernesto (desde la otra orilla).
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Semushkin
Established
ErnestoJL said:Tovarisch Julio:
Can you scan the manual and send me a copy? I guess (even when I do not speak russian) that I can do something about.
...
Tovarisch Ernesto,
See the link (yellow letters) in post #1 in this thread. The manual is there. Calibration in these meters can make up for voltage differences supposedly.
Dasvidania
Tovarisch "Semushkin"
ErnestoJL
Well-known
Semushkin said:Tovarisch Ernesto,
See the link (yellow letters) in post #1 in this thread. The manual is there. Calibration in these meters can make up for voltage differences supposedly.
Dasvidania
Tovarisch "Semushkin"
Cpacnba Semushkin.... I didn´t notice the yellow link (first glance too fast!).
This evening I´ll try to do something with the manual.
Dacbndahya
Cheers
Ernesto
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