Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/01/07

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Subject: Re: M6 meter not sensitive enough?
From: Dan Cardish <dcardish@microtec.net>
Date: Tue, 07 Jan 1997 22:32:10 -0500

At 12:37 AM 08-01-97 +0100, Nico wrote:
>Hi, I have an M6 not long ago, and recently, I was shooting with my 50/2
>Summicron at a well lighted nightclub with T-Max 3200. The red led arrows
>seemed to suggest me more light (One arrow facing right >), but as soon as
>I turned the aperture ring to the right, the arrow dissappeared. I
>continued turning until f/2, and didn=B4t see any arrow again. I turned the
>speed dial again and again until 1 sec and nothing happened. I then turned
>the film speed to 6400 and still nothing happened.

[snip]

The minimum sensitivity for most M6s is (for ISO 100) 1 sec at f1.0
(equivalent to an ev =3D0).  Changing the ISO setting of the camera will not
change the sensitivity of the meter.  So using ISO 200 film the minimum
setting on the camera will be 1/2 sec at f1.0.   Extending this to ISO 6400,
the minimum setting that will work on the M6 is  1/60 at f1.0.  or 1/30 at
f1.4, or 1/15 at f2.0.  These are all equilvalent to an ev reading of 0,
which is the lower limit for the M6 (and most other cameras, for that
matter).  If the light levels are lower, then the meter will not work.  (I
hope my math is right, but you get the point!).

Remember also that the M6 meters through the working aperture.  Thus as you
close down the lens, less light hits the meter's cell.

Dan C.