James's Light Meter Collection: Weston Model 627 Light meter
Weston Model 627 meter USA
Maker: Weston Electrical Instrument
Model: Model 627
Circa: 1933
Designer: Edward F. Weston
US Patent: 2,046,665
Original Price: $8.50
Cell type: Selenium
Measure type: 2D Incident

click for larger adSome meters look smaller when they're photographed, and I was surprised when I got this: it's about the diameter of an old Eisenhower silver dollar and an inch thick. It's got that shiny nickel case so it's pretty heavy and feels solid. The black metal plates are attached via a hinge to cover and protect it. It's really a neat arrangement. You just hold it up at eye level and aim it at the scene. It's meant to direct read for Super Pan movie film at 16 fps, which was (more or less) silent film speed.

There are several versions of this meter, each one calibrated for a particular camera (since the shutter speed and typical film varied from one machine to the next), so you can find a Leicameter version and a Bell & Howell Filmo version, and a couple more with small variations on the face.

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