Re: [Leica] Re: Meters

["Dan Post" <dpost@triad.rr.com>]

I can see the scene now!
The photojopurnalist comes up to the scene of a fast breaking news story -
they are asked for their credentials... Then someone asks,

"Say, aren't photojournalist supposed to use METERS?"

The PJs exchange puzzled looks, the one steps up and says,

"Meters! What Meters; We don' need to show you no steenking meters!"

Raucous laughter all around- cut to the astonished look of the questioner,
and Jim Brick standing at the sideline

Fade to Black

Seroiusly- even though I will often pop the trusty ole Weston Master V into
a jacket pocket, I will often use the 'Sunny 16" rule whan it is obviously
sunny or close to it outside- I've done it for over 30 years, and while
metering is grerat for those places where the eyes can fool you, sometimes
it is better to 'point and shoot'- Trust the metering to "By guess and by
God!"
Metering is for the most part just a 'suggestion'- when I do the occasional
scenic, I will actually take several meter readings of shadpws, highlights,
make an exposure, then bracket the hell out of it anyway!!!
The relatively unsophisticated metering of the M6, despite its close
resemblance to the supposedly outdated match needle metering of a couple of
decades ago always seems to yield a surprisingly good negative- always!!
But then, I am one who worries when the camera purports to have an IQ higher
than mine- Never trust a camera with an IQ in the triple digits!

Dan ("85") Post



PS- My bumper sticker says, "I may be slow, but I'm ahead of you!"
- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Durling" <durling@widomaker.com>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Wednesday, March 07, 2001 8:24 PM
Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: Meters


> When I shot news film in the late '70s I often went without a light meter.
> If I left mine home I was better off with no meter than with one that
> belonged to the TV station whose condition I didn't know.  THE SECRET WAS
> SHOOTING EVERY DAY.  The camera had a clear reflex finder with a
> ground-glass circle in the middle.  We could often judge exposure by how
> dark the focusing spot was.
>
> This was on reversal film, although the film chain that put it on the air
> could probably compensate for some variation in exposure.
>
> Mike Durling
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Sal DiMarco,Jr." <sdmp007@pressroom.com>
> To: "LUG >for posts" <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 07, 2001 6:56 AM
> Subject: [Leica] Re: Meters
>
>
> > Luggers,
> >     Jim is right for critical work knowing how to use and using a meter
is
> a
> > must......
> >     Also, while Le Grande Henri worked without a light meter.... Two
> > important points have been overlooked. One, he worked in black &
white....
> > you can live without a meter in b&w, not with transparency material.
Two,
> > he has NEVER printed his own photographs. If he did, I'll bet my
favorite
> > Leica  he would have mastered the use of a meter.
> > Happy Snaps,
> > Sal DiMarco, Jr.
> > Philadelphia, PA
> >
> >
>
>