If you really want to use a hand held meter then the Weston Master 5 is often to be seen on E Bay. Following on from John's comment that you can always use a different shutter speed, the Weston displays every combination of shutter/aperture that is available to you for any given ISO level (labelled "ASA" on the meter). From there, it is your choice which pair you want to use, from wide open and fast speed to stopped right down and a slow speed. Some older lenses won't play with the camera's automation (Helios 55s, Meyer Domiplan, Flektogon for example) so you have to do some of it by hand because the green button won't work.

Wonderful set and a great experience for you too. Thank you for sharing these - you are being too hard on yourself!

I'm really sorry to hear about that Maria. Virtual hugs and really real best wishes for your recovery
David

Both excellent. The bee is really well detailed (and I applaud your compassion for it)

These are from Rectory Woods in Church Stretton, Shropshire. A stream running through it has been utilised by its Victorian owner to form a wide, shallow pool in a leafy dell. The atmosphere changes with the seasons and the light and there is always something to photograph
Some watercolour artists had the same idea as me ....
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Compositional rules broken all over! Your comments will be appreciated

If you want to have a reversed lens on the end of some sort of extension AND control the aperture in the normal way from the camera, you need a Pentax 'A' series f1.7 50mm lens (£10 - £15 Ebay). Unscrew the vanity plate off the front to get at the front lens element and then remove it. Go to the back and unscrew the rear element and remove it. Screw a 49mm male/ 49mm male adapter ring (Ebay again) into the front of the now empty lens. Reverse ,say, a Pentax FA 35 - 80mm zoom onto the front of it and plug the empty lens into the camera. You now have a fully working diaphragm in what is essentially an extension tube and a zoom macro lens on the front ot it. The empty lens focussing ring acts as a variable extender for the tube part.

THIS IS NOT MY OWN IDEA -- Go to link for the original article by a one-time (?) member of this forum and loads of macro related information

The zonked out goose is quite amusing too but the pussycat takes the prize

The 'Vivitar' (Komine, I think) close focus is often found (on Ebay) as the Miranda 28mm macro - it's very good. Mine is in a K mount. The Takumar M42 28mm is excellent too but you need an adapter for it. Perhaps the best one is the Pentax 'A' series but they cost a bit more. Unless you are using a full frame camera, you will get away with the standard, cylindrical Pentax metal 49mm hood

The dark background makes it quite obvious that this was taken very high up where the air is so thin it is bordering on space. The Vogon intruder wasn't quite fast enough in its getaway to avoid being snapped (Don't worry. Most readers won't question how the photographer got up there to snap it)

Seriously. That's a fantastic capture

For flowers, I've had some excellent results with a Sigma AF 70-300 but you do need a tripod! One neglected macro lens is a Russian Industar 61 L/Z f2.8 50mm. It's M42 mount and not the easiest to get on with but the results !!