Weston Master - Did I get lucky or what?

[jfserejo]

What a surprise it was when yesterday I received an old Weston Master V and put it to test with my digital DSLR!
After seeing that the meter was responding well to light I was curious to see how accurate it was!?

I choose a quick scene where was bright and dark areas, then decided to take 4 shots like this:
1- a reading in the brightest area and shoot according to the calculator values
2 - a reading in a shadow area and once again following the calculator values
3 - shooting with the average middle value of those two precedent readings
4 - compare with an aperture priority image taken by my E-300 meter

I used the same aperture in all shots and change speed according to the readings, including the aperture priority shot 4.

And here are the results:

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/8756/westonmastervtestic2.jpg

Not bad for old chemical and mechanical peace!? I'm so glad that I can really go out and shoot confidant with my new/old meter...

My best regards all,
Joao

[nikon_sam]

Nice...

I too picked up an old Weston Master II a few weeks ago...I compared it with my Luna Pro SBC and they totally agree with each other...
Hope I work this well when I'm 60 years old...

[Gumby]

Good for you, and nice test... it should really give you confidence in using themeter. I'm not surprised, though. The stories/fears of "degraded selenium cells" seems a bit overemphasized from my experience.

[eli griggs]

I have to say that you are lucky to have found a working Master.

I've bought a number of Weston IV and V meters, most described as working and all needed new cells or other major work. I had a pair of Vs fixed up at Quality Metric and am very happy to use these as working meters, though I certainty would have preferred to have lucked into well working meters like you have, Joao and Sam. I believe the repairs ran about $84 each plus shipping, something some may shake their heads at. However, I like the way these work and other than a Luner Pro or spot meter, would have no other for available light.

I will say that several old GE meters and an older Weston or two, etc, have come to me with good cells, just not any of the five or six Master IV or Vs.

Cheers

[MCTuomey]

i have two of the Master IV meters (one on loan to an RFFer in Germany, one in my bag). both made the trip eli describes to Quality Light Metric. excellent units. worth the cost to repair, imho.

[owenreading]

I was given an original Weston Master, pre-war, made of bakelite. It still works, and gives accurate readings. However, it's quite fragile, so I don't really use it very much. I might get myself a little VC meter to stick on the top of a meterless camera though. They look quite good.

[FPjohn]

Hello:

It is the functional dial, much copied, and the overall ergonomics , which make them matchless meters.

The Weston Master is a generalist, many other meters have "better" tech specs or specialized applications.

yours
Frank

[jfserejo]

It is the functional dial, much copied, and the overall ergonomics , which make them matchless meters.


I agree; The calculator or dial is the strong element of this meters. Helps us think in which tones we want this part or that part of the subject in a composition, taking the reading mid gray value as a starting point.

One other thing I like a lot is the marks of an average latitude of black & white film - very useful if we are going to develop the film our selfs.

Best regards all,
Joao

[Ron (Netherlands)]

Here are mine. I have two old bakelite Weston meters, one for photos and one for motionpictures: both are still working well. My favorites are the 3 Gossen meters.

http://www.xs4all.nl/~kpmg0072/Cameras/lightmeters.JPG