All The Meters -
and Chronology

With special thanks to Lester A Pfeffer New Jersey for his permission to use this list, compiled by him in 1983. Dates are to the best of our knowledge and are complicated by differences between US and UK release dates for the same model.

We welcome comments, corrections etc. via our guestbook.

 

  

 

Start Date

In US Unless otherwise stated

 Model No

Description
??? E703 Lightometer - for general light intensity measurement rather than photography. May be 1937?
614 An "Illumination Meter" patented 1928
S85 A Lightometer but rumoured to have been used by Lichfield for photography.
756 Foot-candle meter used for Movie work including "Gone With The Wind" in 1939
1932 617 Universal - the original twin cell meter.
1933 627 (Type 1) Exposure meter for motion picture cameras. All 627s in the form of a jewellers loupe. Black metal cover, black plastic and chrome body. No dial
627 (Type 1) Cine Version
627 (Type 1) Leicameter Version.
1934 617 Type 2 Very much smaller, single cell version of the 617
627 Type 2 Cine Type II exposure meter (could be 1933?)
627 Type 2 Universal - smaller than 617 and with 1 cell
627 Type 2 Universal Cine
627 Type 2 Leicameter
1935 628 Studio in oak carrying case with 617 style cell. Green marble models as well as black.
650 Universal. Small and big pointer models. Film speeds on early small pointer models only to 64 others to 250 Weston. May have been a model 632 round shape.
1937 819 Cine - exactly like a 650 numbered out of series due to direct reading capability as on all future cine models. As with all future cine models, reads in half stops except 617 1/3 stops
603 An illumination meter often used for professional movie work
650 Filmo Cine - (in round design may be 632)
1938 650 Leicameter
850 Direct Reading Junior Cine
850 Direct Reading Styled like 650 only smaller
628 Type 2 Studio in oak carrying case with 650 style cell
1939/51(UK)  715 / S74 Master Universal - first of the master series.
1939/41 715 Leicameter
715 Bolex Meter Cine
720 Master Cine
1945 735/S141 Master II Universal. Made in grey as well as black all-metal case. Not made in UK as S141 till 1952
1946 - 1959
 736 Master II Cine In grey and black
1949 852 Cadet Direct Reading. First with ASA speeds. Built in double invercones on back
1953 L III Sekonic Master made under licence from Weston. Similar to Master II
? L-V Sekonic Master made under licence from Weston. Similar to Master III
1954 719 Photometer for light measurement in work places
853 Direct Reading
1956 854 Direct Reading - Green case large top dial and smaller under body (T shape)
614 Incident meter for movies in large case (From Popular Photography Directory)
737/S141.3 Master III Universal - first with ASA speeds. Cast aluminium case. S141.3 in UK 1956-1959
1957 S217.3 Master III Cine Last Weston cine model UK Made only.
1960 - 1962
 745 Master IV Pointer lock aluminium and black case. Made UK Only.
?? L104 Sekonic Master made under licence in Japan. Identical to Master IV except the name. Weston also sold a Sekonic made Weston IV branded version in some European countries
1963 - 1972
 748 Master V Universal. Pointer lock aluminium and grey case. Not made in the US.
1966 348 Ranger 9 Aluminium and black plastic case. US only not sold in UK
1968 548 Pixie with round case
1972 540 XM-1 Made in Japan by Sekonic
550 XM-2 Made in Japan by Sekonic, a cds model
560 Master VI Made in Japan by Sekonic until 1974.
1973 S461.6 Europa (Euromaster in UK) Made only in UK only till 1980. Very similar to Master V Aluminium and grey plastic case.

Final USA Production
1974
Final Japan Production
1980
Sangamo Weston (UK) stop production. manufacturing restarted by East Kilbride Instruments
1984
East Kilbride Instruments liquidated, manufacturing restarted by Megatron in London.
1985   Euromaster II made by Megatron in UK.
2010 Feb
Megatron stops trading. Weston meters are no longer manuactured. An era ends.
NOTE:All Weston models were made in black plastic except where noted. S models were made in UK and possibly some in Hong Kong by Sangamo Weston. Other models made in US in Newark. Models with white screens are UK and black are US. Centre dial nickel US, chromed UK.

So, to summarise the main newer models, manufacturing locations and launch dates:-


 UK Manufactured
 US Manufactured

Standard
 Cine
 Standard
 Cine
 Leicameter
 Bolex
Universal
 1947 S74/715
 1952 S74/720
 1939 715
 1939/41 720
 1939/40 715
 1939/40 715
Master II
 1952 S141/735
 1952 S141/736
 1946 735
 1946 736

Master III
 1956 S141/3
 1957 S217-3
 1956 737


Master IV
 1960 S461-4

* see below


Master V
 1963 S461-5





Euromaster
 1980 S461-6




Euromaster II
 1985












* The Master IV 745 SER was made in the UK only and distributed in the US by Daystrom. The 745 SERW was made in Japan by Sekonic and sold by them under their name as a L104 as well
as Master IV in the US.


 


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