M6 in between aperture f stops.

[anitasanger]

While shooting with my m6 classic/summicron today, I noticed that sometimes regardless of the aperture shutter speed combo, i couldn't get the arrows to light up perfectly equal. When this happened, I triedovinf the aperture in between set f stops and the arrows matched. Is this a common practice and is this how the system is designed to work? Also, can the same thing be done with shutter speed? Thank you.

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Yes, apertures can be set in between the click stops. Proper exposure often requires an in between setting, and some lenses are made with clicks at half-stop settings. All the Leica lenses I've used are this way, while the Zeiss M-mount lenses have 1/3 stop clicks. This makes setting more precise exposure easier.

Shutter speeds on the M6 cannot be set at in between settings. The shutter will fire at one or the other of the speeds you've set between if you do, so it will probably throw off your exposure. Set shutter at the full-stop settings only and use the aperture to fine tune.

Someone is inevitably going to post that I'm wrong because they 'know' that Leicas can be set to in-between shutter settings. Older Leicas (M2, M3, M4, M5 only) can set in between settings, but not the later models . (M4-2, M4-P or M6 canot set in-between settings. Don't know about the MP but I think it has the M6). So your M6 cannot.

[anitasanger]

Perfect! Thank you very much, this helps me a lot. I wish I'd thought of
It earlier!

[sebastel]

sorry, chris, i have to object ...
my M4-P works with in-between-settings of the shutter time! only between 1/8th and 1/15th it won't work.

i did not try it with the M6, which is no longer mine, so i cannot comment on that one (based on my personal experience).

regards,
sebastian

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

sorry, chris, i have to object ...
my M4-P works with in-between-settings of the shutter time! only between 1/8th and 1/15th it won't work.

i did not try it with the M6, which is no longer mine, so i cannot comment on that one (based on my personal experience).

regards,
sebastian

I know the M6 doesn't because I have the instructions open in front of me and thats what the book says. I might be wrong on the M4-P, but I believe it has the same shutter as the M6, as the M6 is just an M4-P with a meter. The M6 shutter will fire on in between settings but you don't get an in-between shutter speed. Do you have the instructions on your camera? I don't have a copy of the book for the M4-P so you may be right.

[sebastel]

yes, the manual states so.
it's available at
http://www.devicemanuals.com/guide/Cameras/Leica-manuals.html (http://www.butkus.org/chinon/leica/leica_m4-p/leica_m4-p.htm)
(by the way, a great resource for other manuals, too)

page 14 says:

"... It clicks home
at every engraved speed value and except
for the range between 8 and 15 any
intermediate speeds can be set and are
fully effective."

my guess for the M6 would be, that the same applies there, too - just the metering won't work. (only a guess!)

regards,
sebastian

[zerobuttons]

Could anyone with that knowledge elaborate on exactly why it should not be possible to use in-between settings with an MP for instance? I know it states in the manual for the MP: "Intermediate values may not be used." regarding speed settings. But isn´t the shutter speed on an MP adjusted by means of a curve, meaning that the click stops on the shutter speed dial are only there to engage contact points for the meter?
(I do know there are further clockwork-like complications involved with some of the lower shutter speeds).

Sorry if I´m sort of hi-jacking this thread in favor of an MP question, but maybe the answer to both me and the OP explaining the technical reasonings is the same.

[akk2]

no in between shutter speed for M6, sorry.

Time for a M7 :)

[anitasanger]

Thanks everyone.

[Sam N]

The primitive meters on rangefinders are easily tricked and they aren't going to be accurate to within half a stop. Unless you're shooting slide film a 1/2 stop of exposure one way or the other won't really make any difference.

I say don't worry about in-between clicks and just shoot at one or another.

[delft]

Found these links that give hope for intermediate speeds (allthough te meter won't recognise them).
http://nemeng.com/leica/006b.shtml
and someone even measured the in-between speeds:
http://photo.net/leica-rangefinders-forum/00BJmC?start=10

Speedy new year,

Dirk