PHOTOGRAPHY

14-7
Photoelectric Exposure Meters
The formula above is the basis of exposure meter design and operation,
since all exposure meters of the photoelectric-cell type are essentially
brightness-measuring devices. However, some may be used also as illu-
minometers to measure the illumination on the subject. (See Section 5.)
The meter consists of a photovoltaic cell, an ammeter of high sensitivity,
and a calculator. A hood or louver is provided in front of the sensitive
cell to limit the acceptance angle to approximately 30 degrees, a rough
average of the angle intercepted by the lenses of both still and movie
cameras.
The customary method of using a photoelectric exposure meter (bright-
ness type) is to hold it near the camera and point it toward the subject,
thereby assuming that the meter "sees" the area being photographed much
as does the camera lens. Frequently a scene may include large areas, such
as an open sky or a dark surrounding doorway, that may result in a bright-
ness indication on the meter scale having little relation to the brightness
of the subject. An under- or overexposure of the subject will result un-
less the proper precautions are taken. These include holding the meter at
such a distance from the subject as to include only the subject.
The design of some meters permits the removal of this hood so that the
cell will respond to illumination from an almost 180-degree solid angle when
making illumination measurements. When using a meter of this type,
a different method (often called the incident-light method) is used. The
meter is held close to the subject but pointed in the general direction of
the camera. The meter reading indicates the illumination on the subject.
Meters of this type usually include a provision in the calculator for arriving
at the correct shutter speed and lens aperture. If not, the formula given
on page
14-6 can be applied.
In motion-picture photography the lens aperture forms the only vari-
able, inasmuch as the exposure time is fixed by picture frequency. Ex-
posure meters designed for this work give /-numbers for a specific film speed.
Guide number system. Since it is not practical to employ exposure
meters in connection with the use of flash lamps, there has come into
general use a system of guide numbers which greatly simplifies the state-
ment and use of exposure information in connection with these sources.
(See Table 14-7.)
The five important elements affecting exposure in flash photography
are:
1. Brightness of the subject (affected by light output of flash source
used, reflector used, reflectance of subject).
2. Film rating.
3. Shutter timing.
4. Distance from the light source to the subject.
5. Lens aperture.