James's Light Meter Collection: Beseler PM1A Color Analyzer/Exposure Meter
Beseler PM1A Color Analyzer/Enlarging Meter USA
Maker: Beseler
Model: PM1A
Circa: 1975
Measure type: Enlarging/Color Analyzer

A color analyzer is a type of darkroom meter that also measures color balance in addition to enlarging times. This is a simple unit (the big-brother PM2 had several memory banks).

To use it you first make a print from a negative you like. You place the sensor box under a spot on the negative and null out the meter–skin tone is a common one. Then you put in the next negative, put sensor on a spot that has skin tone (or something you want to come out the same shade of gray), and change the aperture until the meter nulls out.

You do something similar with the color, except that you use a diffiuser to blend all the colors together. You start with standard negative (or transparency) and make a print you like. Then you put the diffiuser under the lens, put the sensor under it, and for each color channel (cyan, magenta and yellow) you null out the meter. For your next negative you place the diffuser under the lens, put the sensor under that, and the meter tells you which filters you need to print it.

This is the smallest of the Beseler analyzer line. Nice machine but never used it. If I ever need it, I would very likely use the PM2L instead.

The following is a comparison of the various Beseler analyzers.

Name Probe Type Probe Aperture Cosine Corrected Control Knobs per Channel Adjustable Sensitivity Memory Modules Optical Density Scale Display Size
Readability
Price
Comments
Beseler PM1A Photomultiplier 3.2mm no 1 no no no 2 in.
back-lit
$175
Photomultiplier in probe, meter nulls only, no linear readout
Beseler PM2 Photomultiplier 3.2mm no 1 no no no 4-¼ in.
illuminated
$400
Photomultiplier in probe, mirrorband eliminates parallax, 3 switchable memory banks built-in
Beseler PM2L Photomultiplier 3.2mm no 1 no no no 4-¼ in.
illuminated
$270
Photomultiplier in probe, mirrorband eliminates parallax
Beseler PM2M Photomultiplier 3.2mm yes 2 no yes ($37.50) yes 5-¼ in.
illuminated
$600
Photomultiplier in analyzer, morrorband eliminates parallax, program verify switch
Beseler PM3L Photomultiplier 3.2mm no 2 no yes ($37.50) no numbers ½ in. high
digital
$450
Photomultiplier in probe
Image
Beseler PM4L Photomultiplier 3.2mm no 2 no yes ($50) no numbers ½ in. high
digital
$975
Photomultiplier in chassis; fiberoptic cable; internally stabilized; program verify circuit. (1983)
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