Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/05/12
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]<html> I have an M6, a 35/2 ASPH, a 50/2, and a 90/2.8. <br> I use the meter in the M6 only when I am forced, and <br> the rest of the time I use a Minolta IVF meter which does <br> normal incident metering as well as flash metering.<br> I have been using the flash meter for the first time this week <br> and have a few questions. I use a $45 lightweight Nissin <br> pocket flash on the M6 since it is very simple and the M6 does <br> not do anything with more advanced flashes anyway, so why <br> put a $400 flash on the M6.....<br> When I use the flash meter in front of a model, I set the meter <br> to the appropriate film speed and I set the shutter speed on the <br> meter to 1/45, since there is no 1/50. I then pop the flash, and <br> let's say the meter recommends f/8. From my understanding, <br> this means that I need to set the M6 to 1/50 (approx) and f/8 <br> to get a prefect exposure of the subject at the measured distance. <br> Is this right? Am I on track here? <br> OK, now if I want to get fancy and simulate a minus 1-2/3 for standard <br> fill flash, how would I work that in? I tried placing a mini-softbox on the <br> flash head, and remetering the flash, and I fould the softbox cuts the <br> light by 1 to 1.5 stops. Is this a good method? It sounds good to me <br> because not only would I be getting as close to the desired level of fill <br> as possible, but I would also be diffusing the light with the softbox.<br> Is stopping down the lens a stop going to do the same thing as cutting <br> the flash by a stop (with softbox)?<br> For outdoor situations, with ASA 100 film (like Astia, my favorite), on a <br> sunny <br> day, when I need that light touch of flash to fill in shadows under <br> eyebrows and <br> on shaded sides of faces, is my M6/Minolta/Nissin combo going to work well? <br> If a model is in partial shade, where do I place the flash meter to get the <br> correct reading? I have found that with 100 film, and at 1/50, the meter <br> says a very small aperture, like f/11. Am I getting into "poor lens <br> performance" <br> territory by going down to f/11 and f/16?<br> I know some of you will say "use your R8 for fill flash" but I really <br> prefer using the <br> M6 for my outdoor portrait/glamour work now. The only own side is the 1/50 <br> shutter speed, since I have to use a tripod now for almost every shot, and the <br> models have to stay fairly still.<br> Thanks for whatever tips and advice anyone can offer........<br> Francesco<br> <br> <br> <br> Francesco Sanfilippo, <br> Five Senses Productions <br> webmaster@5senses.com<br> <br> <font color="#0000FF"><u><a href="http://www.5senses.com/" eudora="autourl">http://www.5senses.com</a>/<br> </font></u> <BR> </html>