----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Ivar Helbekkmo" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Peter Alling" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Friday, March 15, 2002 8:49 PM
Subject: Re: Which Spotmatic ?
> Peter Alling <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
>
> > I think that you can adapt the Spot F to take 1.5 volt cells with
> > just a bit of plastic to keep the cell properly insulated and from
> > rattling around in the battery compartment.
>
> Actually, this is another nice feature of the F, compared to the SP.
> The SP needs the PX400 1.35 volt cell, which is hard to come by these
> days, and needs special hacks like that. The F, on the other hand,
> originally used the PX625 1.35 volt, but can use the modern PX625A,
> which is 1.5 volts, but has the same size and shape. The meter in the
> F uses balanced circuitry that compensates internally for varying
> supplied voltage.
>
> -tih
> --
Having, and still having, all the Spotmatics and the fact that I have
horded 6 mercury batteries for the Spotmatics, I can say that I can exercise
a preference. I still have to opt for the original SP. This is based on pure
personal preference based on handling.
In the case of the SPII and the SP, I find that the hot shoe gets in the
way and leaves an impression in my forehead when I use it for action
photography. Otherwise, they are the same.
In the case of the "F", the reasons are different. Like the SPII, it has
a hot shoe. But, it allows full aperture metering. This should be a good
thing. However, the metering pattern in "full frame" rather than "centre
weighted". You might say, "so what". At open aperture, only the centre area
receives full illumination, the corners are affected by vignetting, and the
whole frame is evaluated by the meter. This will lead to some error as the
lens will surely be stopped down.
The metering with the SP and SPII is at the shooting aperture and the
whole frame will give a better evaluation of the proper setting. That is not
to say that the metering in the SPs is ideal. But it is to say that the
consistency within these bodies will be higher using stopped down metering
than wide open metering as in the "F".
Perhaps the greatest step forward in metering design came with the
advent of centre weighted metering systems. The latest cameras with their
multi-segment metering assumes that the user does not know, or need to know,
anything about metering and makes a best guess as to what the exposure
should be. This works perfectly for the standard user using colour negative
film with it wide exposure latitude. Pentax, in that regard has been
outstanding. However, beach and snow scenes, fool all metering systems in
all the cameras. That is where the experienced photographer will take over
and instil the "sunny 16" rule and override the meter.
Its time to go the bed.
Bob Rapp
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