Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/02/13

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: Re: [Leica] Leica metering questions with M3
From: Andrew Morang <a.morang@cerc.wes.army.mil>
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 10:59:59 +0000

Bud,

I use the MR-4 meter and have very good results with Kodachrome 25. 
Some suggestions:  

1.  Point the meter down towards the ground when you measure a typical
landscape.  This is an traditional practice that many photographers used
in the old days of broad acceptance-angle meters.  Too much sky usually
fooled meters.
2.  Try to get close to your subject.
3.  Make sure the meter is in good calibration - maybe it meeds a check
or new mercury battery.  

In the past, I used the selenium Leicameter and made sure to point it
down.  For me, it worked well because it integrated a broad range of
light values, sort of a primitive analog matrix meter.  You can use the
same technique with the Pentax Spotmatic or other SLR's that have 
averaging meters.

Another option:  Use a modern hand-held meter with an incident dome.  I
find that the incident reading is almost always perfect for landscapes
and urbanscapes.  I have a Gossen Luna-Pro Digital - it is compact,
accurate, easy to use.

Good luck,

Andy Morang
Vicksburg, MS