When word gets around...

[ChrisN]

It's funny what turns up when word gets around that you like and use old cameras. Tonight a friend handed me a plastic shopping bag, and said "here - this is for you". Inside the bag I find a Gossen Lunasix 3 light meter, and an absolutely huge Metz 45 CT-4 flash, with three dead battery packs and a charger. He said the gear had been lying in the bottom of a cupboard for years.

The batteries are all just starting to leak, including the two MR9 1.35v batteries in the Lunasix. Can I use 1.4v hearing aid batteries and recalibrate? Is this meter worth playing with to get it working?

Does anyone know where to find instructions for the meter, and the flash? I haven't started to search yet.

 

[Kim Coxon]

http://www.marquis-kyle.com.au/lunasixindex.htm

How's that for quick!

Kim

 

[dexdog]

Chris, here's a start.

http://www.marquis-kyle.com.au/lunasixindex.htm

dexdog (a.k.a. Mark)




D'oh! Beat to the punch with the same link!

 

[ChrisN]

Thanks - great minds think alike!

Now - what about that flash?

 

[Kim Coxon]

The Metz site has manuals for the 45 CL-4 and 60 CT-4. Perhaps one of these would help.

Kim

 

[ChrisN]

Thanks Kim. Yes - I should be doing my own research. I'll get into it tomorrow; it's three minutes to midnight here and I should be in bed! Good night all!

 

[Socke]

Hm, I have the 45 CT-5 I'm not sure but the CT-4 may be more modern than mine but I can scan the manual when I'm back home tonight

 

[oftheherd]

As you probably already know, the Lunasix was called the Luna Pro in the USA, and maybe elsewhere. So, if you run out of reference material on the 'six, search under Gossen Luna Pro. If you have never used one, they are very nice meters. Smaller and lighter than the Gossen Luna Pro SBC, but not as sensitive to light changes (minor), and don't have the system accessories. The SBC also is a zero null meter, which some people prefer. I usually prefer my Luna Pro as an everyday meter for its size and convenience over the SBC unless I need one of the SBC accessories.

 

[BJ Bignell]

I wish someone would give me a bag full of camera stuff... I especially wish for a bag with an 8x10 with full movements and a couple boxes of film! 😀

 

[Nikon Bob]

Chris

You could also try here http://www.gossen-photo.de/english/foto_sammler.html and here for merc battery substitutes http://www.criscam.com/ .

Nikon Bob

 

[Little Prince]

B J Bignell, were you not on some tour or something? How'd it go?

Sorry for being OT.

 

[Kin Lau]

Hm, I have the 45 CT-5 I'm not sure but the CT-4 may be more modern than mine but I can scan the manual when I'm back home tonight

Does the 45 CT-5 use a PC sync socket?

 

[Socke]

The CT-5 is a SCA 500 system, I have a hot shoe adapter with X-Sync and a PC-Sync.

And I can't find the manual :bang:

 

[Socke]

Ah! One just has to look hard enough, the manual was where I never expected it, in the cupboard with all the manuals. Obviously I haven't had much need for it for some time 🙂

And I found a CT-4 on the bay, looks pretty much the same.

So what might be of most interest to you, the battery cells in the powerpacks can be replaced. A friend who has a 60 CT-2 replaced the dead NCs with NiMHs and built a charger from a DIY kit.
I have six NiMHs in the AA battery cage, works fine and you get some 100 medium power flashes from a set of 2000mAh GP batteries.

I'll scan tomorrow evening, it's close to midnight and I have to catch some sleep now.

 

[ChrisN]

Volker - thanks very much. I noticed the cells in the battery packs looked like AA's, and I was planning to buy some nicads to try it out with (cheaper than NiMH!).

The only flash I 've ever used had a scale on the back to tell me what aperture to set for any particular distance. I gather this flash has a sensor to measure the light returning from the subject, and switch the light off at the right time? Can I use this with a Leica M, Canon P, or Oly OM10?

 

[Trius]

Chris: I have a non-functioning Super Pilot, which also uses the 1.35v batteries. I tried a hearing aid battery, but it didn't work because of the way the contacts are arranged. Your meter may be different, if so you probably won't have that problem. If so, you probably won't have to adjust. 1.4 is close enough to 1.35v, in my experience.

 

[ChrisN]

Thanks Trius - I've managed to get a pair of hearing aid batteries (1.4v) to work. The battery test function shows the batteries ok (needle in the red zone). I've only had time to do a quick check against a VC II, in good light, and the Lunasix is indicating just on 1 stop less exposure. Close enough for B&W work, I think! I need to do the comparison across a broader range of lighting conditions.

Now I'm like the man with two watches - never sure what time it is!