[ Home | Light Meters | Spectra Products | Order Desk ]
Who is Spectra Cine Research?
Spectra Cine Research Corporation ("Spectra") is a leading North American Company designing, developing, manufacturing, and marketing precision photographic and industrial light measuring instruments and accessories. Spectra's products include digital/analog exposure meters, spot meters, photometers and color temperature meters. They are distributed world-wide through 65 independent dealers and distributors located in the United States and 16 countries including Europe, Asia and South America.
Spectra's serves two main markets: 1) Photographic (cinematographers, cameramen, lighting designers, projectionists in the motion picture, television and theater industries); and 2) Photometric (a variety of specialists in industrial-scientific research). Spectra is one of the largest U.S. manufacturers of specialty Cinematographic instruments.
The company also operates a Metrology Calibration Lab traceable to the National Institute of Standard Technology (an institution that calibrates and certifies instruments for industrial and defense contractors). Spectra's Metrology Laboratory is a calibration laboratory traceable to the National Institute of Standard and Technology for light measuring Instruments. Instruments used for compliance with these standards must be calibrated and certified periodically at a NIST Traceable Laboratory. Presently, the following companies have calibration contracts with Spectra for their light measuring instruments: Northrop Corporation B-2 Division, Motorola and SE Laboratories.
A Brief Background on Spectra Cine Research:
In the mid-1930's,Captain Don Norwood invented the photosphere - a key part of the incident type exposure meter. It is through the photosphere that incident light is measured accurately, using what is called the Incident Hemisphere Principal.
In the early 1940's, Karl Freund, the Cinematographer on the Lucy Show, founded Photo Research -the former parent Company of Spectra Cine, Inc. Karl secured manufacturing rights for light meters utilizing the photosphere principle from Don Norwood. Mr. Freund started manufacturing exposure meters under the U.S. registered Trademark name of "SPECTRA" in 1948.
Following the expiration of Captain Norwood's Patent in 1960, manufacturers from Japan and Germany began manufacturing exposure meters with this Incidence Hemisphere Principal. Kolmorgen, a publically traded company on the New York Stock Exchange, purchased Photo Research in the mid-1960's.
In 1986, the photographic product line of Photo Research was acquired by two executives of Photo Research - President James K. Branch and Product Line Manager/ Marketing Director, Nasir J Zaidi. Mr. Branch and Mr. Zaidi formed a new Corporation, Spectra Cine Inc., with the main purpose of manufacturing SPECTRA(tm) Professional light meters.
For over 50 years, Spectra has been dedicated to providing Cinematographers with the most accurate, reliable and highest quality exposure meter available, Which has been recognized as the STANDARD in the motion-picture and television industries throughout the world.
Product Achievement Awards
Spectra Cine Research maintains a high standard of excellence in both product design and manufacturing. Spectra has won a series of awards for its products including three Technical Achievement Awards from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as well as an Award of Outstanding Achievement in Engineering Development from The American Society of Lighting Designers. Details are as follows:
The Spectra Film Gate Photometer is the standard in the 150 of film processing laboratories in United States. The Spectra Film gate Photometer received the Technical Academy Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
The Spectra Tricolor Color Meter was the first commercially available three-color temperature film balanced meter designed for cinematographers and still photographers. It received the "Technical Achievement Award" for design and development from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The Tricolor Color Meter was discontinued in 1988 after 12 years of production and over 12 thousand units manufactured.
The Spectra Cinespecial Exposure Meter was the first wide range exposure meter with cine features designed exclusively for the cinematographers. This meter received the highest award the Technical Achievement Award for design and development from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The Cinespecial was discontinued in 1988 after ten years of production of over ten thousand units.
The recipient of the 1989 Technical Academy Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the design and development of the Spectra Cinespot One-Degree Spotmeter. This meter measures the brightness of motion-picture screens.
Spectra Sudent Program
Annual Student Academy Awards "OSCAR": For the past four years the Company has been One of the major sponsor's of the Annual Student Academy Awards "OSCAR" along with Eastman Kodak Company, Directors Guild of America and Century Plaza Hotel.
The purpose of the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences "AMPAS", Student Academy Awards is to advance the arts and sciences of motion pictures through educational activities and to stimulate and encourage excellence in film making by university students worldwide. University film programs serve as training ground for many future professional film makers and, as such, could be strengthened through our and Academy Support.
The Company is pleased to be associated with this event and the Academy, which recognizes students efforts and strong commitment to film-making as an art form. The Academy "AMPAS" is an honorary association of film artists and crafts people whose purpose is to advance the cultural, education and technical process of motion pictures, the annual "OSCAR" Awards presentation being only one of many projects carried out on a year-round basis.
New Film-makers Program: The Company along with their Dealers provides special discount to students enrolled in motion picture studies to purchase Spectra Meters, this program can be expanded nationally.
Copyright © 1998 Webster Enterprises
photofriends@clubfree.com or (805) 222-7772