RE: [Leica] sm question

["Stewart, Alistair" <AStewart@gigaweb.com>]

Guy,

1. It should stay open on T, but sometimes the adjustment goes out. If the
body needs a CLA it'll be fixed, otherwise how often do you use T. If
never/rarely, live with it or get a locking cable release

2. The film speed indicator can be used to over-ride the DX setting...OK,
just kidding. It is a reminder only.

3. I meter for light (not shutter speeds :=>), and the meter translates that
into EV's and then into acceptable f stop/shutter speed combo's. So remember
when you had the shutter on your M6 set to 1/60, but to get the LED's evenly
lit the aperture ring was just past 5.6, on its way to 8? Well for the same
exposure you can set your IIIf rd shutter speed dial to 1/75, and move the
aperture ring on your elmar to 5.6.  If you get an analogue meter calibrated
in 1/3 stops (like a lunapro) you'll soon get the hang of the new settings.
Plus, with modern print film, the latitude is so huge you'll soon lean the
5, 6, 8 whatever setting you need 90% of the time to get good prints. (1/25
= 1/30, 1/75 = 1/60, etc.) Or...you can adjust your (mental) rating of the
film speed (email me if you want info on that). If you want to meter outside
only, get a Gossen pilot or scout.

4.  Earlier versions of the 35/3.5 elmar are great lenses. Avoid the later
rectilinear version - it's much bigger. If you need speed, buy a Nikon
35/1.8, or a bayonet early 35 'cron, and take the bayonet mount off to
reveal...the thread mount! The Leica 35 finder is the best, largest and most
expensive. 28/2.8 canons are good, but like several other canons take an
imposible to find 40mm filter/hood. Look at the Kobalux - the 28/3.5 is
outstanding, so is the finder. 

Hope that this helps. Errors are the result of too much caffeine.

best of light,

Alistair

- -----Original Message-----
From: Guy Bennett [mailto:guybnt@idt.net]
Sent: Thursday, September 02, 1999 6:00 PM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: [Leica] sm question


lugnuts,

very recently bought a iiif rd + elmar 50/3.5 - i camera/lens combo i have
long lusted after. i managed to load it after (only) two tries (not much
worse than the m when i first loaded it), having trimmed the film leader
with a pair of scissors. i am now shooting my first roll of film with it,
and am as excited as hell! i've gone to the archives and researched the
iiif info, and yet a question or two remain (and there will undoubtedly be
others):

first of all, the proper working of the slow speed dial. if i'm not
mistaken, to use the slow speeds i've got to have the big dial set to 1/25
(my slowest speed on that dial), then i can use the slower speeds on the
smaller dials, right? well, going through the shutter speeds, which all
sound great, i found i can't get the the shutter to remain open on t. it
stays open a good long while, but does shut without my doing anything. is
this normal? if so, what am i doing wrong?

does the film speed indicator serve any purpose other than remind me what
film is in the camera? if not, it's not very useful for those of us who
rarely dip below 100 asa (referred to a 'fast film' in the accompanying
manual, which boasts a 35 cent price tag), or have i missed something?

is there a definitive answer (should such a thing exist) to the question of
these 'international' shutter speeds and how one meters properly for them?
i've taken my first few shots metering with my m6, just to see if all is
working as it should, but will undoubtedly purchase a small lightmeter (a
lunapro, most likely, unless there are similar models you feel strongly
about). aside from shutter speeds both cameras share, i'm going to have to
compensate one way or the other when i use 25, 75, 100 and 200. any
suggestions?

finally, since i can't imagine i'll use only the 50 with this camera, what
suggestions have you in the wide angle range (specifically 28s and 35s)?
hopefully something that would not be too rare (and thus too expensive).
what wide angle sm lenses really shine?

thanks for your answers and suggestions.

guy