Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/02/17

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: Re: [Leica] Leica M5(metering)
From: Malcolm McCullough <blayne@mbox2.singnet.com.sg>
Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 00:41:56 +0800

>
>Thus, when quoting the sensitivity of a TTL light meter in a camera
>specs are usually given as:
>
>EV 1 @ 100ASA and F1.4
>
>By the way, this would be equivalent to
>
>EV 0 @ 100ASA and F1.0.
>
>Hope this clarifies the point I was trying to make.
>
>
>Mark Hammons
>

Right. I think you are still missing my point. I am not misunderstanding
the use of EV, film speed and aperture, I am trying to suggest a better
way. What I am saying is that the EV method is less useful than simple
shutter speed and ASA.
For both the cases quoted above, the identical information can be given
more simply and directly as two pieces of data: 1 second for 100 ASA. That
is directly related to the ONLY things that you can set on an M5 or 6: ASA
and shutter speed. EV is not indicated on M5 and M6s.

As you point out, 
<<If you are in EV 1 light and you have
a camera with built in meter that is just barely reading the light with
an F1.4 lens on the camera, will the camera be able to meter the
light if you put an F4 lens on the camera?  The answer is no.  The
EV 1 light will be cut down by another 3 f stops and will be below the
minimum sensitivity of the camera's meter.>>

Now, replace EV with a shutter speed and it becomes independent of the lens
aperture. You point out that just because you can measure at EV1 with an
open f1.4 lens it doesn't mean that you can measure at EV1 with an open f4
lens. But if you can measure at 1 sec with an f1.4 lens, you can measure at
1 sec with any lens at any aperture. That is why I believe that shutter
speed and film speed are better indicators for stopped-down TTL metering
systems.
Does anyone out there see what I am attempting to say?

Regards,
Malcolm