We have demonstrated a resolution of 0.8 meV [full width at half-maximum (FWHM)] for threshold photoelectron measurements using a steradiancy-type zero kinetic energy photoelectron (ZEKE-PE) analyzer and the high resolution monochromatized vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) undulator synchrotron radiation of the chemical dynamics beamline at the advanced light source (ALS). Using this high resolution ZEKE-PE energy analyzer to filter prompt electrons and by employing a proper voltage pulsing scheme adapted to the timing structure of the ALS, we have achieved a resolution of 0.5 meV (FWHM) for pulsed field ionization photoelectron (PFI-PE) measurements with little contamination from prompt photoelectrons produced from direct photoionization and autoionizing processes. The experiment scheme presented here is generally applicable to PFI-PE studies using multi-bunch VUV synchrotron radiation at other synchrotron radiation facilities. ©1997 American Institute of Physics.