Gossen Sixtar2 SBC

GOSSEN
Foto- und LichtmeBtechnik GmbH

Thomas-Mann-Strasse 16-20
o 90471 NOrnberg
Your SIXTAR 2 is a high value meter, representing advanced technology and
being preciseley adjusted. The built-in silicon blue cell provides for its superb
performance. Due to excellent filtering and low inertia that silicon blue cell will
permit especially fast readings.
Your SIXTAR 2 will solve your questions concerning exposure with reliability and
precision. This meter will give you the reassuring knowledge that you will be
able to obtain the correct exposure data for photos which are far above of what
is just considered to be the average. This instruction booklet will supply to you
useful hints for this purpose.
May we present to you the SIX.T ~ R 2
The SIXTAR 2 is one of the precision meters produced by
~
GOSSEN
a line comprising exposure meters, colour temperature meters, measuring instru-
ments for laboratory and darkroom as well as electronic flash meters.
On/of! switch and 2
pointer lock
Control ring for
follow pointer
3
f-stops 4
Exposure times 5
Large red zone 6
Zero mark 7
Lug for carrying cord 8
Diffusing sphere for incident light
measurement
9 f-stops
10 Cine film speeds
(frames per sec.)
11 Range changing
switch
12 Rotary knob for
setting DIN and
ASA film speeds
13 DIN and ASA
values
14 Index mark
for battery check
15 small red zone
16 Follow pOinter
17 Indicator needle
18 Table of Lux and footcandle equivalents
19 Zero adjustment screw
20 Battery compartment
21 Button for battery check Subject to changes without prior notice
------------..
Before Measuring
1. Setting the Film Speed
Turn the rotary knob (12) with your
thumb as shown in the illustration or
with a coin until the speed of the
film you ,are using will appear as DIN
or ASA rating (13) below the index
mark in the setting window.
2
2. Zero Point Control
Without operating the onloff switch (2) please hold the SIXTAR 2 in a horizantal
position and look vertically down on the indicator \17). The must
be at the zero point mark (7). Should there be a deviatIOn, set the mdlcator
needle (17) exactly to the zero point by turning the zero adjustment screw (19)
at the back of the SIXTAR 2. It will be quite sufficient to repeat this check in
long intervals only.
3. Testing and Changin'g Batteries
2 batteries 1,35 V, IEC MR 9 are being used in the SIXTAR 2. This designation
corresponds, i.e. to the commercially available types MALLORY PX 625, VARTA
V 625 PX or DAIMON 190.
It is advisable to check the voltage of the batteries from time to time. The
batteries are all right, when the indicator needle (17) will move to the index
mark (14) when the button (21) is being pressed.
Otherwise, new batteries must be inserted. For this purpose open the battery
compartment (20), by rotating the cover from the position "ZU/LOCK" to
"AUF/OPEN". Care should be taken to place the batteries correctly as to
their electric poles. (Please see diagram near the battery compartment.) Insert
the cover in such a way that the arrow will point to "AUF/OPEN" and then turn
it to "ZU/LOCK".
Then check the new batteries as above.
3
Measuring
The two measuring methods possible - reflected light and incident light
measurement -'are being described on the pages 4 and 5. It will largely depend
on what you are intending to photograph which method you will use. You may
rest assured that a hand-held exposure meter such as the SIXTAR 2 is equally
suitable for both methods.
After having set the SIXTAR 2 to the measuring method chosen, press the on/off
switch (2) until you feel a marked resistance. Now the SIXTAR 2 is in operation
and remains in this condition as long as you continue pressing down the switch.
You aim the meter and turn the control ring (3) until the center of the yellow
ring (16) on the top of the follow pointer will be centered exactly above the
indicator needle (17). The follow pointer (16) is coupled to the computer dials
entailing that you can read the suitable combination of f/stops and exposure
time on the scales (4, 5). For cine cameras the correct f/stop is the one
opposite to the selected film speed on the f.p.s. scale (10). Please see also
page 9.
4
Locking the Indicator Needle is possible, by pressing the on/off switch (2) still
further down beyond the slight resistance. Then the indicator needle is locked
on the value measured and you can easily set the follow pointer (16). This
is useful, when making "overhead" measurings or when measuring in low
light conditions, when you would like to read the indicated value in brighter light.
The Red Zones (6) and (15) are "off limits". Should the needle settle in either
one of those zones, switching over to the other measuring range is then a must.
If the needle (17) is in the small red zone (15), shift the range changing switch (11)
upwards and measure in the "high light range". If the needle is, however, in
the large red field (6), shift the range changing switch (11) downwards entailing
that the low light range is switched in.
5
I - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~ - - - - - ~
Reflected Light Measurement - Incident Light Measurement
o
1J
Reflected Light Method: the diffusing
sphere (1) is to be pushed to the
extreme right until it clicks into
position. For this type of measurement
you must point your SIXTAR 2 from the
camera position towards the subject
as shown in the illustration. The meas-
uring angle is 30
0
6
g
!
o
1J
Incident Light Method: move the diffus-
ing sphere (1) exactly to the central
position over the cell window. With
the sphere in this position the SIXTAR 2
will measure incident light and must be
pointed from the subject towards the
camera as shown by the arrow in the
illustration. With this method there
is no longer any limitation of the
measuring angle.
I
J
When using reflected light measurement you measure from the camera position
towards the subject. It is an easy method for uncomplicated cases. The SIXTAR 2
scans the total light reflected from the subject within a solid angle of 30
0
The effective reading therefore depends not only on the intensity of the
illumination, but also on the colour and brightness of the subjects themselves.
Thus, under identical illumination, the indicator needle will be deflected less
by dark objects than by bright ones. The exposure meter reads and sums up
the individual details of different brightness in the subject and indicates an
average value. As a consequence, scenes or subjects having strong contrasts
in brightness or colour should be measured according to the incident light
method described below for obtaining better results. When photographing open
landscapes comprising a large part of the bright sky, it is advisable to point
the SIXTAR 2 slightly downwards when measuring. Close up measuring is also
to be recommended. The small measuring angle of 30
0
permits aiming the meter
exactly. You can thus scan the various parts of your subject and determine
whether it comprises contrasts or does have well balanced distribution of bright-
nesses.
7
In Incident light measuring the light is being measured from the subject towards
the camera. Thus the SIXTAR 2 receives and measures all the light falling on
that part of the subject which faces the camera. Naturally, the dilferent bright-
nesses of the various details in the subjects are not taken into account. There-
fore, this'. method is ideal for subjects with strong contrasts and very bright
and very dark areas. It will be considerably safer to get perfectly exposed
photos under these conditions than the reflected light measurement, just try
it with your SIXTAR 2 and you will easily get the proof.
If you cannot stand at the subject position, take an incident light measurement
towards the camera, choose a position which receives the same light as the
subject. In this case, do not aim the SIXTAR 2 direct at the camera, but in
parallel to the connection line between subject and camera.
8
Reading the Scales
'2, '4, '8 etc. are fractions of seconds,
i.e. '12, , / ~ , '/a seconds etc.
Unmarked numerals 1, 2, 4 etc. are full
seconds.
1 m, 2
m
, 4
m
etc. are minutes.
1 h, 2h are hours.
,.--------12
r---36
,----48
Cine filming speeds
(!ntermediary values)
,
Chie Frames per Seconds and
Corresponding Exposure Times
72
Please note that on certain motion
picture cameras the exposure time at
speed 18 does not correspond to
'/'6 sec. Please check the instructions
for your camera to find the exposure
time which will correspond exactly to
the filming speed chosen by you.
9
Table on the Back of the Meter
illumination Values in lux and footcandle
The table (18) on the back of the SIXTAR 2 shows the approximate illumination
values in lux (Ix) or footcandle (fc), corresponding to the scale readings obtained
with incident light measurement. For this purpose the meter must be set to
18 F DIN and the reading be taken at f-stop 8.
The SIXTAR 2 can be considered as lux-meter only under certain reserves,
because according to definition, illumination values are to be measured with
a flat light receiving surface. Whereas the SIXTAR 2 is being provided with a
spherical diffusor destined for measuring the photographically effective light.
Photographic subjects are, in most cases, three dimensional and they are
illuminated from many different directions (sun, sky, reflections from buildings,
trees, grounds etc.).
Brightness In candela per m'
The reflected light method measures the light being reflected by the subjects, i. e.
brightnesses. This rating will show how much light is being radiated by a given
surface (m'l; measuring unit "candela per m'" (cd/m').
When comparing the two measuring values, the following relation is valid: the
measuring values for reflected light measurings, expressed in cd/m', are about
'/,4 of the lux values obtained with the incident light method. Examples:
Exposure times at 18 DIN an f-stop 8 8 minutes 4 minutes 2 minutes
Ix (with incident light measuring) 0,7 1,4 2,8
cd/m' (with reflected light measuring) 0,029 0,058 0,116
10
Reciprocity Failure
Photography in dim lighting conditions means abnormally long exposure times.
This results in the Schwarzschild Effect (so called Reciprocity Failure) with all film
types. The measured times mus tbe extended, if underexposure is to be avoided
in this sort of shot. The degree of failure differs for each film type and it is
for this reason, that it is not taken into consideration on the scales of the
SIXTAR2. , ,
In addition, reciprocity failure causes changes of colour balance with colour
films which must be compensated for by using correction filters. Some types of
sheet colour film come with special data sheets giving recommendations for
use with abnormally long exposures. In other cases, it is best to apply to the
film manufacturer concerned or a colour laboratory for their latest recommend-
ations.
-L,. ....." .....
11

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Foto- und LichtmeBtechnik GmbH

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