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Sixtomat exposure meter.
The Sixtomat, manufactured by Gossen in Erlangen Germany, is
a exposure meter to be used for photographic and cine purposes. The meter
only measures reflected light. The sensor can be shut off for light by a
metal rolling blind. This roller blind protects the sensitive parts of
the meter like the sensor and the glass of the reading scale. The blind
is made of special V2a rustles steel.
The Sixtomat has been made in
different versions and also in different colors. Most common is the black
version rare are the dark blue and dark red versions. The first
production date is around 1950 and since then a large number of these
meter have been made. Later on this meter has been improved and merged
into the Sixtomat J the Sixtomat X2 and the Sixtomat X3. There are some
minor differences in the production versions like the color of the scale
on the film sensitivity knob and the knob itself. The meter has been
developed shortly after the Sixtus 2. The Sixtus 2 is the first post WW2
meter since 1936. The Sixtomat is a complete new design after the well
known
bakelite versions.
An application for the German patent was done on December 24 1949, the USA patent
for the Sixtomat was requested at June 2 1950
by P. Gossen & Co. GMBH Erlangen Germany under number 2,699,087. The inventors
are the son of Paul Gossen, Hans Gossen
and Erwin Pfaffenberger.
In December 1950
the American Cinematographer has placed an article in their magazine
presenting this meter; "Sixtomat. New,
Automatic Exposure Meter." The Sixtomat is being imported and
distributed in the USA by the Mitropa Corporation, New York City and
the retail price in that time was about US $32.50. This article
describes the function of the meter extensively.
It is clearly an automated version of his
predecessors, the Photolux, Ombrux, Blendux, Cimbrux, Sixtus,
Ombrux 2 and Sixtus 2. The red button
for changing the sensitivity of the meter is now incorporated in the
mechanism.
When rotating the knob, you can see the scale changing from
red to black or vice versa. A internal switch changes this sensitivity
accordingly, replacing manual pressing the button. It is a meter of the
next generation of Gossen exposure meters for photographic and cine
purposes, measuring reflected and incident light (some of them) by use
of what Gossen called the 'rollo' a movable blind. The electrical
function of the Sixtomat is still based on the older predecessors with
the red button on top. This button enables the meter to measure with
different light sensitivity. This function is incorporated into the
Sixtomat but invisible for the user because it is mounted on the axle
were also the knob is mounted. The sensitivity changes when the scale
goes from black to red and vice versa. In the newer versions of the
Sixtomat this function has been removed. The notch on the axle is still
there but the switch has been removed at the same time the metal roller
blind has been replaced by a diffuse one enabling the meter to measure
reflected light en when the blind is in front of the sensor. also to
measure incident light.
The first Sixtomat exposure meter, from the early fifties and still
available in the early seventies so it last for more than two decades. In a Gossen brochure from 1971 it
still available and in the meantime, more than 1.500.000 meters have
been produced. The types that are manufactured are as far as we know the
Sixtomat, the Sixtomat X2, The Sixtomat X3, the Sixtomat Deluxe I, the
Sixtomat J. Even between the meters of the same type, there are
differences in manufacturing. Also there are meters made in different
colors but of the same model, like the Sixtomat normally in black is
also in dark blue and even in dark red. The Sixtomat X3 has been made
with a complete transparent housing.
There are several versions of the Sixtomat from 1950 to the 1970th
onwards;
Sixtomat, first Sixtomat with metal roller curtain only for reflected
light.
Sixtomat, as above but with a 'L' on the read out scale and different
exposure times, for Leica?
Sixtomat-I deluxe, the metal curtain has been changed to a plastic one
enabling measurement of incident light
Sixtomat J, still figuring out what exactly the differences are
Sixtomat Dual,
Sixtomat X2, predecessor of the Sixtomat X3 except for the color finder
Sixtomat X3, Final Sixtomat for measuring reflected light, incident
light and color temperature. Sold until the seventies.
Sixtomat X3, version in a transparent housing
Sixtomat X3 with 'Tower' label', version for Sears.
See
versions for an
overview.
Gossen and Leica.
During time, gossen has made several Leica versions of their meters.
Some of them are recognisable by the word Leica or just the "L" on the
sacle or the meter itself but some others have no special mark but can
be recognised by the values on the scale.
Special thanks to Richard W Holzman
and Simon Spaans for additional information and articles.
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