Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/12/14

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

Subject: Re: Measuring exposure with Leica M6
From: Dan Cardish <dcardish@spherenet.com>
Date: Sat, 14 Dec 1996 13:58:25 -0400

At 07:09 PM 14-12-96 +0100, Nicolas wrote:
>Hi, I am totally new to the M6 rangefinder way of working as before I had a
>Canon EOS which did everything or almost everything for me. It=B4s been 3
>weeks and 8 rolls since I changed everything I had and got my Leica and the
>Summicron 50/2.=20
>
>I've experienced a lot of difficulty in measuring the expsure, as I was
>totally used to precise spot metering with my former camera and now I find
>it confusing to measure with such an ambiguous zone that depends on the
>lens you have and the frame.
>
Its not really that ambiguous.  If you have a look at the shutter curtain
(after you've wound the shutter), the white circle shows you exactly what
part of the picture is being sensed by the meter.   Imagine that circle
superimposed over the film itself.   I never worry about exactly where in
the viewfinder the imaginary metering circle lies.  I just point the center
of the viewfinder at something of a tonality that I can recognize, and meter
accordingly.  I find it to be very accurate.  I usually get more consistent
exposures with my leica then with my auto everything Minoltas.

Metering off the palm of the hand is also a very accurate way of metering,
its just that I find that to be more practical with my Minolta 1=BA spot=
 meter
(I always have problems with shadows etc when I try to get close in with my
Leica).

Dan C.. =20