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Minolta Spot Meter Instructions

A photographer has many tools at his/her disposal when it comes to getting the perfect picture. Spot meters are used by professional and advanced amateur photographers to find the perfect light meter to shoot at. Spot meters are pointed at specific targets within a frame. The spot meter gives the photographer a meter reading for the target that can then be used on the camera. The photographer can use this spot meter reading to determine the meter for the entire picture.

Parts
- The Minolta Spot Meter F is utilized with film SLR cameras. No assembly is required after purchase other than insertion of batteries. Primary parts to be aware of regarding care are the lens, eyepiece and external display. The meter also comes with a strap that connects to an eyelet for easier carrying. A tripod socket is also located on the meter. One AA battery is required. The external display is in both analog and digital.
Speed Settings
- The meter can be set to correspond with the film speed of your camera. The meter has an ISO/TIME button. Please press this button to show ISO on the external display. Use the increase and decrease buttons on the meter to set the film speed. Film speeds are for ISO readings only. Pressing the ISO/TIME button again allows you to set the shutter speed. This is also done with the increase and decrease buttons. The external display will show TIME, and the reading next to it is shutter speed. If the reading has 's' or 'm' next to it, this is the speed in either seconds or minutes. If nothing is by the reading, the time is in fractions of seconds. For example, a reading of 60 will be 1/60 seconds. Settings can be set between ambient lighting and flash mode using the AMBI/FLASH switch.
Light Measurements
- The fNo./EV display is used for either setting your f-stop measurement or exposure value. In F-number mode, the reading will correspond with your shutter speed setting. The number that appears on the display is the aperture reading your camera should be set at based on the shutter and film speed selected. Changing the shutter speed will affect the aperture reading. EV mode allows you to look at various lighting conditions and gives the reading in exposure value.
Calculating/Reading Exposure
- The easiest way to use your spot meter and measure your lighting is to use a mid-tone reading. For the area of your picture, point the spot meter towards the subject you are most concerned with. Considering this is the subject you are shooting and focus of your shot, one reading is all you need. Set your shutter and film speed prior to viewing the subject and then place in f-number mode. Underneath the lens is a measuring button. Press this down while focused on your subject. After viewing and releasing the button, the external display will show the meter reading for an average exposure of the subject.
Contrast/Brightness
- If the scene you are shooting has very light and dark areas that contrast with the focal subject, then a mid-tone reading might lead to over- or under-exposure of the other areas. The spot meter can be used to take multiple exposure readings and average them out. This gives the photographer the best shooting exposure for setting the camera. The spot meter has highlight, shadow and averaged readings that can be saved and shown on the external display.

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