Voigtlander VC Meter Copy? The "DOOMO D"

David Murphy

David Murphy

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Has anyone tried this strangely named light meter which is being sold on eBay, the "DOOMO D"?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/DOOMO-D-Ho...304671?hash=item595bec569f:g:9IIAAOSwx8pfxEl1

It appears to be a copy of the Voigtlander VC meter. It's less than half the cost of a new VCII meter. VC meters are wonderful, but quite expensive. I assume this new meter is made in China, which can sometimes present quality concerns (but not always).
 
I have one!

It seems pretty accurate, at least compared to the phone apps I used successfully before. I've had a few cases where I've been susicious of the reading, but I think it might be due to the hood being within it's field of view, no issues when using a smaller 35mm lens. I assume this would be an issue with the VC meter too.

kRRmQaQ.jpg
 
Although $115 is less than half the price of what the CV meters have been selling for it still seems outrageous. However, if they decided to just as blatantly rip off the MR4 Leicameter design - at that price - I'd be first in line to get one!
 
I’d worry about the electronics from China. I have two Voightlander meters. I mount them in the hot shoe on my MP-4 and also carry one as a supplemental meter. I have a working Leica meter but it eats batteries, unlike the Voightlanders. Personally cost is not a factor in choosing a camera accessory, rather quality.


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I have the VC Meter, but I am now using my phone for metering. The app cost me $4.
 
I don’t have much concern over the quality, but the blatant copying is disheartening. They didn’t even bother to go beyond Codina’s 1/2000 top speed.

There are other Chinese cottage-made shoe mount meters with similar form factor to the VC meter out there. Difference is they utilize a control dial plus a convenient OLED readout over the twin analog dials - somehow resembling how a handheld meter works. Those are what I’d pay cash for.
 
My friend showed me this last August. I wouldn't waste money on this. Seems a bit stupid to save only half the money of a vc ii to get a low quality build and support rip-off culture.
 

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Well, may that as it be, but voigtlander doesn't make them anymore, and the prices are quite high of the NOS/used ones. So it's logically somebody will jump on it. And i've seen some more pictures of it then just how it looks. It's machined from billet aluminium, so they're pretty sturdy, and to be honest a PCB with that amount of electronics on it, can't go much wrong with.

They do look miles better then the reveni as well, let's not even discuss build quality or looks of that thing (3d printed).

Also, they're working on a version 2 from what i can see in some pictures on their website, which looks really nice, with an oled display, and a single dial on top of it.
 
FYI I’ve seen close to a dozen offerings from various Chinese cottage makers:

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7TP06N.jpg


7TPQB1.jpg


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The last one got creative and squeezed in a beefy chip that enables aperture and shutter priority, exposure compensation, variable reflection index and sensor sensitivity ratio, plus USB charging, for around $35.

I really do think they can be much better than mere carbon copies of Voigtlander.
 
Using such a meter makes a beautiful camera less beautiful. Is it worth it? I prefer just having my phone with me, and use the meter as needed.
 
I don't care about how my camera looks I care about well-exposed images.

Link to that meter used on the Rolleiflex please?
 
raid said:
Using such a meter makes a beautiful camera less beautiful. Is it worth it? I prefer just having my phone with me, and use the meter as needed.
Click to expand...

I agree, but the ergonomics of camera meters are inferior to many purpose-built meters which can be easily operated with one hand and with the press of a single button without having to unlock a phone (no gloves, no sunglasses) tap on an app to launch it, tap on the button to take the reading, turn off phone again.
 
I have several meters, if needed in cold weather (in sunny Florida). For many years my main meter was a Pentax Digital Spot Meter. I am used to using it with camera without meters. I have a CV Meter too. I often use my phone for quick photos before I use my camera. I can then quickly also meter the scene with the phone.
 
I have a Pentax Digital Spot Meter and use it all the time - for LF and ULF on a tripod. I find handheld meters cumbersome and annoying when using cameras not on a tripod, fumbling with them while shooting, especially if I'm out at an event or something where photographs are fleeting. I prefer in-camera meters or meters attached to the camera in some way for 35mm and some MF.
 
I have the VC meter .. it works well, at least as well as I expect. I also have the Leicameter for my M4-2, and four Sekonic meters ... And most of what I use nowadays is a free app on the iPhone that does nearly just as good a job.

(The phone app I like the most is "Light Meter Wheel" ... very very simple interface that lets you see all the values at a glance.)

Somebody copied the VC meter ... Eh? Most of my meters are copies of other meters that came before, some almost exactly.

G
 
Godfrey said:
(The phone app I like the most is "Light Meter Wheel" ... very very simple interface that lets you see all the values at a glance.)

G
Click to expand...

Thanks for the recommendation, Godfrey. I've been using the Lumu app which does a pretty good job but has a few quirks. I'll give this one a try.
 
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