Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/09/20

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Subject: [Leica] Re: Leica Users digest V11 #82
From: kabob@tiac.net (Bob Keene/Karen Shehade)
Date: Mon, 20 Sep 1999 09:20:32 -0400

>
>Date: Sat, 18 Sep 1999 11:54:27 +0200
>From: "Anthony Atkielski" <anthony@atkielski.com>
>Subject: Re: [Leica] Consistent underexposure problem
>
snip

>If the camera is defective, I should just throw it away.  I only get shafted
>like that once, and then I write off the vendor as a crook.
>
>> In the meanwhile, you can adjust the ASA setting to
>> compensate for the error and go take some more pictures
>> to see if that solves your problem.
>
>I considered that, but I felt that changing the ISO rating would be
>cheating.  I
>should be able to get things right with the meter set correctly.
>
>> Presuming that the M6 meter is properly calibrated ...
>
>Is this not a safe presumption?  Do M6 cameras often have meter problems?
>
>> Take a light reading with the incident meter, then try
>> metering the scene with the M6.
>
>Looks like I'm going to have to buy a meter.  Which brand is a good brand?  Why
>an incident meter and not a spot meter?  I usually take pictures of things that
>are relatively far away (landscapes, buildings) and an incident meter might not
>be very practical, unless it can be both incident and spot, somehow.
>
>  -- Anthony
>

Anthony-

Don't be an idiot- EVERYTHING in life has an occasional defect or
miscalibration! Do you mean if you bought a car and it didn't start one
morning, you'd throw it away and never buy the same manufacturer!?
And you don't have to go out and buy a meter, borrow one from another
photographer...
In certain lighting conditions the M's meter will be fooled- *you* have to
learn when that happens and how to correct for it.
Example- I'm shooting a bride and groom in front of a window- I aim the
camera at their feet to get a reading of the shadows- 'cause if I just aim
at them, the window will give me a reading that will underexpose their
faces by about  2 stops! Fine if I want a silohuette (sp?)- but one must
know the limitations of the camera's meter.

M6's don't "often" have meter problems, but yours might have one. That's
why you have a warranty. Yes, it can be frustrating. But don't kill the
messenger! Once you've gotten used to the M, you'll probably love it! Or
not. Rangefinder camera systems aren't for everyone.....

Bob Keene