M2users : how you guys meter ?

[proenca]

Hi there,

Been taking pictures for a few years but even when I started ( Canon T70 days ) , my cameras had light meter built in.

I quickly learnt how to compensate but all my next SLRs and then DSLRs had lightmeters...

Then one day I got into a store and played with a leica.. the beggining of the end : got a M6 , one year later a M7 and then another year later a MP. MP was a joy to use although was stolen. Insurance paid and since I was in Singapore, got a spanking new M8 which I have for the last two years or so.

But I miss the MP. Can't afford one now.. but I was thinking about the M2.

Would prefer it to the M3 since I would like the 35mm frame and I dont like the google thing.

How do you M2 ( and M3 ) guys meter ? Gut ? Do you carry a meter all the time ? doesnt it seems tiring to meter the light every now and then ?

[Mongo Park]

Use a Gossen Digipro F. Its quite light and would have it hanging round my neck from cord - you forget its there. Alternatively, if also carrying my R7, I use its light meter.

[ruby.monkey]

Estimated exposure levels, backed up by a Sekonic Twinmate that travels everywhere with me. There's no real effort involved in popping it out of one's pocket to take a reading every now and then.

[helenhill]

As rubymonkey says" Estimated exposure"
Good old Sunny 16 / and a CV II meter in the pocket just in case...:)

Best to You -H

[John Lawrence]

These days I always use incident metering with a Sekonic or Weston Master V meter.

[SimonSawSunlight]

I have a Gossen Variosix F2 and an MC leicameter which I use sometimes, but I usually just take them out every 10 shots or so, if at all. it's pretty comfortable to meter once in order to get a more or less precise idea of the lighting situation and then just guess for the rest of the shots.

[Lilserenity]

I have been using the Leica MR meter, but also the Sunny 16 rule with a great deal of success. I tend to use the MR meter when in low light but outdoors I generally don't need to meter especially as I mostly shoot print film (b+w at that) which has a wide exposure latitude which is forgiving if you make an error (and quite big errors at that!)

[lic4]

my small sekonic meter works for me - I used to think I need to meter every shot, but it's easier to work, I think, by metering sparsely (for light and shadow) and figuring out the lighting changes mentally in between.

[hans voralberg]

Educated guess, when I can't guess I take out my Gossen Digisix

[januaryman]

As rubymonkey says" Estimated exposure"
Good old Sunny 16 / and a CV II meter in the pocket just in case...:)

Best to You -H

Ha! Same here. I have now taken to carrying the CVII with me all the time and testing myself. It's turned into a game I like to play and has me correctly guessing within +/-1 stop 95% of the time.

[funkaoshi]

I just guess based on the sunny-16 rule. I don't have a light meter at all. Usually it works out. It's trickier guessing indoors rather as light isn't as even.

[thirteen]

In daylight I have learned to estimate accurately enough. I just keep a CVII meter on the camera to check if I'm not sure.
Low light I'm not good at so I meter.

[cwatgo1970]

I have a shoemount Voigtlander VC meter which matches nicely on top of my M2. Outdoors it is generally right on target, but indoors I always fare better to set the camera a stop below what the meter suggest. It also matches nicely with my other classic cameras as well.

[Erik L]

if im outside i can just eye it. indoors i use a minolta flashmeter III, it was the cheapest digital meter KEH had :eek:

[cjm]

I guess based on memory or sunny-16.

[Melvin]

Sekonic Studio Deluxe II, never needs batteries, small, ergonomic, and looks cool. Not cheap, though. Also not usable for really low light.

[Yammerman]

Start out with a Sekonic 308 and then after a while I just wing it......or rather use my experience to judge when the light changes.

[Al Kaplan]

I mostly just "guess" based on experience but I always carry a Weston Master V with the incident light thing, "Invercone" Weston calls it, in a belt pouch. I almost never take a reflected reading. Incident is the way to go.

[aniMal]

my small sekonic meter works for me - I used to think I need to meter every shot, but it's easier to work, I think, by metering sparsely (for light and shadow) and figuring out the lighting changes mentally in between.

I agree - this is the best way to really get a good eye for light. I used to do it for years, and I noticed that when something really happened too fast for metering, I was still able to catch up. Obviously this was because I was doing a lot of metering in all conditions - you really get to know what types of weather gives what lightning conditions and so on.

[Bingley]

As rubymonkey says" Estimated exposure"
Good old Sunny 16 / and a CV II meter in the pocket just in case...:)

Best to You -H

Exactly. Generally, not a problem.

[Kozhe]

Sunny f16 is the funniest way for me :) I just don´t feel like using a meter at all...

[noah booshu]

I like old gossen luna pro's, just because they go to f/90. The voigtlander VC meters are fantastic as well.

[hans voralberg]

What on earth has f90 ??

[Tom A]

proenca, the easiest way is to standardize on your film (and pick one that will stay around, nothing worse than having to "relearn" every 6 month). Once you got your film and processing down pat, just shoot and guess - and try to remember when things did not work out and why.
It is not "illegal" to carry a small hand held meter (Gossen, Sekonic or VC) as a reference when you are not sure. In most cases your guess will be close and after a while you will be able to ignore the meter and just shoot. If it is a critical shot - meter (and bracket!!!), but for fast action - a meter slows you down and thats when it sometimes is better to concentrate on focus and speed than fiddle with the meter!

[calexg]

I look at my scene, and guess the exposure in my head. Then I use a Kodalux L meter to check my reading with the meter's. If I'm wrong, I try to remember to write down my initial thought, and the meter's. I try to recall previous lighting conditions to determine the proper exposure. I shoot Tri-X so if I make a mistake, the film is rather forgiving.

I try to write everything down so I can learn from my mistakes. Trial and error.

[Al Kaplan]

You can also use "guide numbers" just like you'd use with flash.

If you know that the exposure five feet from a lamp is 1/30 at f/4 then for that film and shutter speed you have a guide number of 20 ~ f/stop times distance equals 20. Thus:

3.5 feet you need f/5.6

7 feet you need f/2.8

10 feet requires f/2

14 feet requires f/1.4

A single reading and a quick look around the room to see what lights are on and where they're located and you should be able to figure exposure anyplace in the room. In places like offices, drugstores, super markets, etc., lighting is pretty standardized. Know the lighting in one Walgreens and you'll be on target at all the other Walgreens stores. Probably CVS too. Target, Walmart, K-mart, same thing. Make up a cheat sheet and carry it with you, maybe tuck it under the meter in its case or tape it to the back of your camers..

[CLE-RF]

In daylight I have learned to estimate accurately enough. I just keep a CVII meter on the camera to check if I'm not sure.
Low light I'm not good at so I meter.

Close to my modus operandi. My meter is a clip on Sekonic CDS meter. I have found that using the same speed film for a prolongued period of time helps to estimate more accurately. Once you have managed that, it's easier to compensate for a different speed film.

I'd estimate f2.8 @ 1/50th (using old DS M3, old scale shutter speeds) while using 100Asa film, so I know I can up aperture or speed one stop when using 200Asa.

And, when in low light or indoors, I meter. Or use the M5 :rolleyes: