Help with old Bowens Flashmeter

[wonderer]

Hi all.

So im fannying around in my spare room playing with my new kit and white backdrop and need a wee bit of advice.

I want to start using a light meter to get exposure right on faces while blowing the background and have an old Bowens SSR MK ll Flashmeter. Is this any good ? I cant afford a decent light meter at the moment and wondering apart from its age is it a good piece of kit? I mean flash is flash right so would this still give me an accurate reading?

Also would anyone know where i could find a manual for it as i know not how to use it :bonk:

cheers in advance

 

[Garry Edwards]

I don't know that particular meter but a meter is a meter is a meter, so it should be fine.

I'm only guessing here, but my guess is that you take an incident reading in the usual way, i.e. with the meter immediately in front of the subject and with the receptor pointing towards the camera (or towards each light in turn if the receptor is a flat one) and then press/release a button to 'prime' the meter, then fire the flash to take a reading.

If you could post a picture of it on here, that may help

 

[wonderer]

I don't know that particular meter but a meter is a meter is a meter, so it should be fine.

I'm only guessing here, but my guess is that you take an incident reading in the usual way, i.e. with the meter immediately in front of the subject and with the receptor pointing towards the camera (or towards each light in turn if the receptor is a flat one) and then press/release a button to 'prime' the meter, then fire the flash to take a reading.

If you could post a picture of it on here, that may help

Its this old one. Im sure its fine but dont know how to take a reading from it.

http://www.photographyattic.com/product-168

 

[Coaster]

I used to use one of these on a regular basis. The incident light reading on mine was spot on.

 

[Garry Edwards]

Well, the obvious starting point is to set the ISO. ISO is the same as ASA (American Standards Association) which your meter uses.
Go to the subject and place the meter immediately in front of the subject. Your meter has a flat receptor (ideal for flat artwork but less than ideal for 3-dimensional subjects) so you will have to point it directly at the key light to get an accurate reading.
You will have to press one of the buttons to prime it for a reading, then fire the flash and read off what I assume to be the aperture, I'm guessing that one of those pink bits will light up to indicate the aperture. Trial and error should tell you which buttons do what.