Re: lightmeter for an old M

[dlevy@worldy.com]

If you want a facsimile, try the Gossen Pilot with the shoe adaptor. Mounts
on top of the camera. Needs no batteries and is quite accurate when you get
used to it. I think its a Pilot III. When I got the adaptor, it was US$7.50.

At 10:35 PM 12/20/96 -0600, you wrote:
>>I may go the route of purchasing a pre lightmeter M body. Can anyone
>suggest a
>>few good lightmeters on the market? I could then go to some local places
>and
>>request to look at some. Also, what are the common prices for these
>things?
>>
>Around $50-$600+ . On the bottom end, you might consider something by
>Gossen or Sekonic. The Gossen Scout is very small and light and needs no
>batteries. For around $250, you can start looking at Sekonic digital
>models, usually with incident light-metering domes. Spot meters occupy the
>higher price realms. Unless speed is of the essence, I prefer spot meters
>for most situations. I use these in combination with the Zone System.
>
>>...And a highly subjective question....what is the BEST  pre lightmeter M
>to own? I
>>had thought of the M4-P. 
>
>Had I found a nice one at an attractive price, I'd have gone this route
>myself. As it was, for my 3rd and current M, I got myself an M4, as it was
>a bit cheaper at the time. I think the M4 has more of the classic Leica
>look, along with most of the modern conveniences. It also has a self-timer,
>which can be handy if you've ever gotten to the top of a mountain, only to
>realize that your cable release was sitting at home. I've also had good
>luck with the maligned M4-2 (my first M), but I admit that from the start,
>it had a rangefinder problem, though 200 or so dollars later, it was fixed
>and did not trouble me again. The Leica that I most regret selling was a
>late-production M3 which I had purchased for $550. Having snapped it up
>sight unseen without any preparatory research, I loved the classic looks
>(those levers and knobs are gorgeous) but was dismayed by the clunky film
>loading and lack of rapid rewind or 35mm framelines. Today, I'd have hunted
>down a rapid film loading conversion and probably could've worked around
>the other two issues just fine: For $550, I could've laughed all the way to
>the bank :-) But I was kind of impulsive, and was just eager to get my
>money back at the time: Chalk that one up to experience.
>---------------------------------------------------
>Specializing in interesting, quality junk.
>Sherline items sought
>---------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
>
Brian Levy, J.D.
Agincourt Ont.
dlevy@worldy.com