Voigtlander VC Meter II - experience?

[hoot]

Hi,

I currently use a meterless camera for street photography, and though it has given me a chance to improve my judgement, I still feel more secure with a meter in my pocket.

Up until now I've shlepped the gigantic Gossen Lunalite ('lite'? ha!) with me, but the sheer size of that thing (almost as big as the camera) makes it slow and cumbersome to use. Nowadays I usually leave my camera bag at home, taking just the fixed-lens RF strapped to my wrist, and fill my pockets with film. This means that the Lunalite must be shoved into another pocket (a big one) or clipped to my belt; the latter option being about as inconspicuous as having two Nikon F5's with flash units slung across my chest. ("What the heck is that black box on your belt, mister?")

So to make a long story short, I've been considering switching to the nice-looking Voigtländer VC II, which clips onto the camera itself and can be removed and pocketed quickly when no longer needed. So here are some questions:

* Can the VC II be used as an incident meter, with some sort of white cap attached? Is such a cap available anywhere?
* Is the VC II as sensitive as a good Gossen meter, meaning I can also use it to photograph in bars, subway stations, etc.?
* Is there anything else I need to be aware of before buying or when using the VC II?
* Where can I buy the VC II for cheap? (Can also be 2nd-hand).

Thanks!

 

[Paul T.]

it's a good meter, very senstive in low light - I've used it in a basement with artifical light only with no problems. I don't know of an incident attachment, but don't see why you couldn't make one if you found the right density plastic.

the only problem with the meter is that the wheels get knocked out of position easily on my M4 (but not on my Kiev, probably because of its case); the ASA dial occasionally gets knocked out of position.

I bought mine from Stephen Gandy, it was a good price and it arrived quickly.

Althought I have two lovely Weston meters with the Invercone, I only ever bother with the VC 11 now. If you absolutely must have an incident attachment, consider the Sekonic 208.

 

[wlewisiii]

I have the VC Meter II and love using it with my classics.

1) It only does reflective metering. If you wish, you could make a dome for it from, IIUC, a bit of styrofoam from a coffee cup. Personally I've never used incident metering much, even with my GE PR-1 that has the appropriate attachment. I tend to get an overall metering and then adjust from there based on my experiances and the type of film being used.

2) It is certainly seems sensitive enough to me. I use it at EV4 pretty regularly and have used it in bars in the past.

3) Nothing particular. It uses readily available batteries. When they start to go, the LEDs get dimmer, but the sensitivity is not changed.

4) I got mine new from Mr. Gandy as well. It's a reasonable price for a meter that can go anywhere and plug onto any camera with a shoe.

About the only time I break out the PR-1 any more is with my Speed Graphic. Perhaps when I refinish it ala http://www.cameraquest.com/nude.htm, I'll mount a shoe on the old gal and use the VC II with it as well.

William

 

[GeneW]

I've used the original VC meter for over a year now and it's a peach. I don't even carry it on the camera -- it's so tiny I just carry it in my pocket to take occasional readings. Like any meter it can be fooled, but it's a very accurate little instrument.

One simple substitute for incident light reading is to take a reflected reading off the palm of your hand in light that's the same as your subject, and open up one stop. This gives you a consistent equivalent of a greycard reading (which is much the same as an incident reading if I understand it correctly).

Gene

 

[hth]

I take a Gossen Digisix when I want a light meter for my meterless camera.

/Håkan

 

[hoot]

Thanks, all!

 

[breakaway]

I would agree it's a great light meter. I take it out with me even though i have the R2 to take street shots as the reading can be read off directly from the top of the camera.

 

[Roman]

I'd second Hakan - absolutely do take a look at the Gossen Digisix before ordering the VC meter - the Gossen is very sensitive, can do incident, and there is an add-on foot to put it in the flash-shoe of the camera; and I think it is cheaper than the VC, too!

Roman

 

[Roman]

PS: Just checked: the VC goes down to EV 1, the Digisix to EV 0; also, the Gossen allows you to use correction factors when using filters.
The VC looks more integrated on top of a camera though - I'd base the decision on two points:
-) you absolutely have to have incident metering (as you know, my personal favorite metering mode...), and you don't necessarily want to keep the meter on the camera (the Digiflash is really small) ---> go for the Gossen.
-) you want to keep the meter on top of the camera most of the time, and you don't absolutely need incident metering ---> go for the VC II.

 

[stephen_lumsden]

I was thinking about getting one also for my Kiev 4a and the Yashica-Mat in low light. Will it fit in the ERC on top of the the Kiev 4a?

rgds

Stephen

 

[Paul T.]

If it's the dome-shaped case, it will fit perfectly. It even fits in the Kiev 2 Contax copy case, if you squeeze a bit. You need to reposition the accessory foot, so will need a good jewellers' screwdriver, but VC supply extra screws in case you lose any. And as I intimated above, the meter works better on the Kiev than on an M leica, because the wheels don't get knocked out of position.

 

[BJ Bignell]

Karen Nakamura has reviewed the Digisix on her site, might be worth reading first: http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/lightmeters.html (scroll down a bit). She includes updates after one year, 15 months, and two years.

 

[hoot]

PS: Just checked: the VC goes down to EV 1, the Digisix to EV 0

Hmm, and the Lunalite to EV -6, right? Now I see why it's so big.

I'm still a rookie when it comes to light... would you say that for anything under EV 0 at ASA 3200, one would need a tripod anyway? In that case, a good solution would be to keep the Lunalite but couple it with a tripod for night photography, and pocket the Digisix whenever I left the tripod at home (as in, almost always).

Let me know if I'm completely off the mark here.