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Reflecting Meter in camera with no film cartridge


Andrew Jackson

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I'm planning on using my Minolta Autopak-8 D4 as a reflected meter, but I'm not sure exactly what the ISO would be set at on the meter without a film cartridge in it. Anyone know? Thanks!

 

 

Put your camera on a tripod and use a film cartridge that you know is being read accurately and then compare that to when there is no film in the cartridge, just make sure the camera is pointed at the exact same scene and to not let more than a couple of seconds to go by when comparing if this test is being done outdoors.

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Put your camera on a tripod and use a film cartridge that you know is being read accurately and then compare that to when there is no film in the cartridge, just make sure the camera is pointed at the exact same scene and to not let more than a couple of seconds to go by when comparing if this test is being done outdoors.

 

 

The only problem is that I do not have a super8 film cartridge anywhere. I have an incident light meter, and I did the grey card thing....but I'd rather do it mathematically than by using the meters...

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You will get more consistant results using an external light meter. With the costs of film, development and transfer being what they are as well as the format offering the least margin of error in terms of exposure, I would strongly recommend using the incident meter.

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You will get more consistant results using an external light meter. With the costs of film, development and transfer being what they are as well as the format offering the least margin of error in terms of exposure, I would strongly recommend using the incident meter.

 

 

I was just going to use it as a reflecting light meter when having a practical in the frame or when needing to like film a television screen or something like that.

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Does every camera have the same ASA default rating when there is no film cartridge in the camera?

 

No. Just as some cameras read more/different speeds than others, they have different defaults, though 160 is very common, as every camera can read it and it was often the highest reading available. But if a camera reads up to 400 ISO, say, it may default there.

 

The camera in question, a Minolta D4, will default at the highest reading because it is a pin design. If it is a sliding lever design, which you see on Nikons, it will default to the lowest reading available to that camera.

 

Rick

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