Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/03/19

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To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: Hand held shots at 1/2 sec.
From: wsummerv <wsummerv@cris.com>
Date: Tue, 19 Mar 1996 07:38:35 -0500
References: <19960319063308.AAA8760@LOCALNAME>

D Khong wrote:
 
> Speaking about low light shooting, I shot my church choir with my M3 and
> 90/2.8 under artificial light.  My Gossen Sixtino 2 could not register the
> reading so I had to bracket with lens full open at f2.8 all the way from
> 1/30 sec to 1/2 sec.   Every shot was hand held, elbow braced against my
> chest, took my  deep breath and pressed the shutter gingerly.  I took 5
> bracketed shots on Ektachrome 100.   The exposure gradation was superb.
> What surprised me the most was that when viewed under 10x loupe the
> sharpness hardly deteriorated from 1/30 to 1/2 sec.  The hand held shot at
> 1/2 sec was definitely more than acceptably sharp.   I'm impressed!!
> 
> Dan
> Singapore.
> 

I've shot at night, almost exclusively, for the last five years.  Fortunately 
shooting handheld isn't a problem since the only camera I've had is a 4x5.  Having 
said that, Dan, if your meter can't make a reading at ISO 100, f2.8 & 1/2sec, either 
you used it incorrectly or there's something wrong with your meter.  The setting you 
quoted equates to an EA of 4 which is safely in the range of respectable meters.  
Perhaps your reading was heavily influenced by shadows in the shot, or you attempted 
an incidence reading with a defusion atttachment that was too dense.

This doesn't have much to do with shooting handheld, but it may save you a few rolls 
of film over time.  And who wants to waste film?

--
Wendell Summerville
photographer of people, places and things
wsummerv@concentric.net

In reply to: Message from dkhong@pacific.net.sg (D Khong) (Re: Hand held shots at 1/2 sec.)