Re: [Leica] New M6 user

["Martin V. Howard" <marho@ida.liu.se>]

Fstop008@aol.com wrote:
>
>Is the light metering system antiquated technology?
>

To some extent, the light metering system in any light meter available on
the market today is antiquated technology, in that it measures light,
translates this into an electric impulse and compares to one (or more)
stored reference values.  OK, so matrix metering has several sensors and
many reference values (or patterns), but basically the same principle
applies.

As always, the light meter has no clue what it's being pointed at, other
than assuming it reflects 18% of incoming light.  Regardless of whether
it's a 1955 Leica MC, a 1984 Leica M6, or a 1998 Nikon F5 light meter.

From what I know, the meter in the M6 is accurate and reliable.  It meters
through the lens, off an area corresponding to about 2/3 the height of
the current frameline in the VF.  Compare this to "selective" metering,
i.e., not quite spot, but not the whole image area either (I think the
figure is 23% of the area, or something like that). It is up to you as a
photographer to know what you're pointing it at and to compensate (when
necessary) as necessary.

In other words, business as usual... ;-)

M.

- -- 
Martin V. Howard, Application Systems Laboratory,     | 
Dept. of Comp. & Info. Sci., Linkoping University,    | Just DOHH it!
SE-581 83 Linkoping, Sweden.  Tel +46 13 282 421,     +----------------+
Fax +46 13 142 231; marho@ida.liu.se; www.ida.liu.se/~marho