I missed this out earlier...

[venta]

Some people might remember me grumbling last year that my light meter had packed in. My camera is sufficiently antique that it has no integral meter, I had a handy little one which had formerly belonged to my Dad.

So, my parents gave me a new one for my birthday. Not new to be fair, as they're hard to find these days at sensible prices, but a professional-standard second hand one. While I was in New Zealand, it stopped working too.

So, I've gone back to using the old one (works if you thump it) instead of the new one (needle solidly refuses to move).

Last week, wimble very kindly donated me his light meter, since he has an integral one in his camera. Despite resembling an electric razor, his meter has much the nicest interface of the three. (To change scales on the old one there was a series of two buttons which interacted strangely to switch between 3 scales, on the newer one you remove a screen in lower-light situations, and adjust the dial accordingly. On wimble's there is simply one long sliding scale, and you line up a set of cross-hairs for your reading. Dead simple.)

Only, only... the first time I take it out (to Mountfitchet), it stops working in exactly the same way as the other two did - ie the needle shoots of one end of the scale, and refuses to move. What am I doing to these meters ? They often seem to start working again if I leave them alone - does anyone think they might be affected by static ? (I'm notoriously static prone, and it's the only explanation I can think of.)

Anyone got any (sensible) ideas ?

Comments

Oi!

[wimble.livejournal.com]

No need to rant at my light meter!

Which end did the needle shoot to? The left or the right? If it's the left end, there's no light getting in. If it's the right end, there's way too much light. That seems unlikely.

Unless... you were holding it the wrong way around, with the lens facing into your hand. In which case I'd expect it to go very dark, and, since the meters reverse, the needle would go right.

Or...

[wimble.livejournal.com]

You could just borrow my SLR itself, since I'm not using it. At least, with a battery in it, it's got a chance to retailiate if you attempt to shock it.

Like I said though, I'm not sure if our lenses are compatible, which might be restrictive.