Excuse me if I am being thick, but ...

[Steved53]

What gives?

I was just playing around with my Sekonic lightmeter (which is set on one third of a stop setting), and comparing it to my D2H (also set on third of a stop setting)

When you go below a second on the Sekonic, the readings are as follows:
0.8, 0.6, 0.5, 0.4, 0.3 and finally 4 (a quarter of a second). Now this, I think you will agree is quite intuitive.

When you go below a second on the D2H (and the D70 and F100) the readings are as follows:
1.3, 1.6, 2, 2.5, 3 and finally 4 (a quarter of a second). Now, maths was never my strong point, and perhaps I am being exceedingly thick, but what are they on about? It would have been quite simple to have replicated the same readings as the Sekonic.

There must be a simple explanation for this, but I afraid I cannot see it. I cannot see an easy way to transfer the readings from the Sekonic to the camera when within this lighting range, without having to think about it.

Please put me out of my misery.

 

[AFS]

Nikon:
1/1.3 sec=approx 0.77 sec
1/1.6 sec=0.625 sec
1/2 sec= 0.5 sec
1/2.5 sec= 0.4 sec
1/3 sec= approx 0.3 sec.

All of nikon's speeds are given as fractions, with the exception of over 1 second, in which case they are given in full second increments with the " after them. For all nikon shutter speeds below 1 sec, imagine a 1/ before the number. Sekonic chose to use decimals to approximate this.

 

[Steved53]

Thanks for the response Harrison.

Couldn't Nikon have made it more complicated? Sekonic also uses fractions for everything below a second, except for the 5 positions between one second and a quarter of a second. This makes sense to me.

I can live with 3 for 0.3 or one third. 2 for 0.5 or a half second is a no brainer, but 2.5 makes me think of a quarter and 1.3 and 1.6 makes me think of nothing, unless I have a calculator in my hand.

I realise that many people don't bother with a light meter any more, but for those that do, please tell me I am not alone in thinking that this is seriously counter intuitive.