Meters

[Ian Stanley <ian@mos.com.np>]

        After making the suggested adjustments to my MR-4 meter and
calibrating the film speed to agree with my modified spot meter I finally
got out into the world and used the thing.  I enjoy it for the times I want
to walk around with as little gear as possible and not look like a tourist -
which is hard if not impossible here.  When I want the most in accuracy and
I have the time I use a Pentax spot meter that was modified by Zone VI
Studios in Vermont.  At the risk of this sounding like a commercial I'll go
on as I very seldom have found a product and a company as good as this.
They modify the meter by installing superior photo-electric cells, step-down
baffles to eliminate flare, broad spectrum black infrared coating to
eliminate reflections, install four corrective filters to match the spectral
response of film and then the meter is calibrated to witin 1/6 stop of
linearity over it's range.  These things are accurate.  I have two of them
and use use them with my M4-P and for my large format work.  They have
traveled through Africa, Europe, North America, Asia, Tibet (overland by
motorcycle to Lhasa and Everest Base Camp) and all over Nepal.  I have never
had any trouble with either of them and they are still as accurate as the
day I bought them.  Sorry - this does sound like a commercial.  Living and
working where I do I always look for eqipment that will do the job and do it
without trouble as repair facilities are not close at hand.  That is also
the reason I use Leicas.

Ian Stanley
Kathmandu, Nepal