Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/08/06
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]DG Wrote: >>An M6E, or even a CLE, if it had a spot meter, an AE lock and a larger = RF base would be a perfect camera for me. I could, as I wrote earlier, pick = my spot, lock it and frame my photo. All the while saving valuable seconds over a photographer using a manual camera.<< My experience leads me to differ with this statement (the part about savi= ng valuable seconds over a photographer with a manual camera). I have an M2= , an M6, and a couple of other brand cameras with AE and exposure lock. Th= e one most easily put to use, and the quickest for me, is the M2 (cameras don't get much more "manual" than that). The auto exposure system for my= M2 is me. While wandering around I now have the habit of estimating exposure of scenes that look interesting. As a matter of habit I carry t= he M2 and with a selected shutter speed approriate to my surroundings (in anticipation of something presenting itself). I change the selected shutter speed frequently as lighting changes or as action picks up or slo= ws down. I do this not prior to taking a photograph, rather I do it as I wander around. From there, should a photo present itself, it is a simple= matter to adjust by feel where the aperture setting I want should be for the exposure my internal meter (my brain) tells me is needed. I can do this as I am bringing the camera up to eye level, and do so without actually looking at the aperture setting. Once at eye level I do a quic= k focus (if necessary) and shoot. Most often I have found that being close= on focus is sufficient unless shooting wide open, in close. This system takes practice (I am not 100% yet but am getting better at it= as each day passes). As I get better at this approach I find that I can (in terms of speed) get the shot quicker than I can with my other cameras= should if I take time to meter per the cameras internal meter system. Th= is is especially so if I need to expose for some other part of the scene, lo= ck the exposure (when using a camera with AE lock), reframe, focus and shoot= =2E = The other advantage I find with this system is that the less time my came= ra is at eye level the less likely it is that people are aware they are bein= g photographed. I have a better chance of catching them in natural expression or activity. People seem to react differently when they know= they are being photgraphed (my mother is the worst offender I have experienced. She's quite photogenic as herself but will always put on th= e same stupid looking forced smile when she is aware of being photographed)= =2E = = I prefer to take advantage of the wider latitude of print films. = Improvements in print film in the last 5 years have been significant. I can't help but feel that those who shoot only chrome are missing some advantages of the progress made. It works for me. best, Don =