[Leica] Leica R8 vs Nikon F5 light metering

[ted grant <75501.3002@compuserve.com>]

Pascal wrote:

<<<<<Does the F5 system lead to  "better" results (or a higher number of
usable shots) than the R8, as one  could imagine, or is this just hype?>>>

Pascal,
I don't know what the Nikon F5 would create better than 36 perfect frames
on any given roll under every kind of light you can imagine.

I mean what could the Nikon give you anymore than a perfectly exposed
frame? The R8 does that all the time by just pressing the button. :)

The R8, roll after roll has consistently exposed my film for over 16 months
and never once failed to give me a properly exposed frame. And that is
without taking any other meter readings, "press picture taking button
camera does the rest!":) Remember, "Keep it simple stupid!" :)

It is quite phenomenal! This includes night scenes, traffic at low light
levels, polarizer filters attached, statues with water falls and changing
colored lights. Sun rises and sets! All perfect frame after frame. ASA
ratings from 100 to 6400!

Quite frankly, if there is a danger in it's infallibility it is, I have
stopped bracketing simply because, "part of bracketing is to cover your ass
for exposure". But the R8 is so damn accurate that you stop thinking about
bracketing and then miss out on the "special effects" created through
bracketing.

My personal feelings on many of the electric "metering hype" and other
electronic thingies on Canon and Nikon is over kill. Now guys and gals
don't get all in a knot, what do you want? A camera that functions quickly,
quietly accurately and most important "Simple like"? 

Or some monster of electronic packed machine making gobs of money for the
manufacturer giving you 8 million wigglies in the meter that really don't
mean diddly squat when you just put the camera up and take a nice quick
picture!:)

Hell if Nikon and Canon put their R&D into the same quality of glass as
Leica, they'd be at the same sales percentage increase Leica is after
coming out with the R8.  Sales records higher than the other two
manufacturers.

But, this did start out about metering. As far as my experience has been
the R8 is picture perfect under the most amazing light conditions I've put
it through! And I don't believe Nikon with it's wunderkin metering multi
whatever it is system is going to make the exposure any better than an R8!

Don't forget now, that's my "humble opinion!" :)

ted