Re: [Leica] Re: white dot and metering

[Ted Grant <tedgrant@home.com>]

> Ted Grant <tedgrant@home.com wrote:
> 
> > Does your camera., M6 or whatever model, give you correct exposures?

Brougham responded:
> Last time I checked, it doesn't.  It tells me what setting to dial in
> if I want the object the meter is reading to be rendered as a mid
> tone.  I found it quite helpful to look at the size of the dot on the
> shutter and be able to then realize what the approximate meter
> sensitivity is when I'm looking through the range finder.  I hadn't
> even noticed that white dot when I first got my M6.  Until this
> discussion came up previously, I was ignorant.<<<<<<<<<<

Howdy Brougham,
I  wouldn't want this to deteriorate into a pile of exchanges on M6
metering as I use mine constantly and shoot as soon as the two little
arrow heads indicate, "shoot now!" And they work.

I know that I can check what the meter "white spot coverage" is by
looking in the viewfinder in relation to the frame lines, but I never
do!  I keep it simple,  I don't think about things like that and shoot
when the red arrows light. And so far since 1965 when I purchased 3 M6's
at the same time, none of them have ever failed me with this method.

Those of you who have my Sir William Osler medical book can see that
this method does appear to work rather well, as many of the images are
shot with M6's and the "Red arrows light, shoot!"  With no thought of
where the meter white dot was covering.

So I suppose my crusty remarks stem from how I use my machines without
much mental concern at what the camera is doing trusting it from
experience, which inturn allows me complete concentration of what is
happening in the viewfinder. However,  if I see the exposure indication
isn't quite what I like, (often I'm still wrong and the M6 arrow heads
are right!)  I manually make a tiny/quick change due to gut feelings.

> If I wanted an auto everything camera so that I didn't have to know
> how to create an image, I wouldn't have bought a Leica.  I see nothing
> wrong with trying to figure out how one's gear works.  The more
> knowledge you have, the better equipped you'll be to make decisions.<<<<<<<<<<<

Quite true, but don't you think the more one messes with the numbers and
dials, the greater the potential of screwing things up? I look at my
Leicas, M&R as part of me when I'm working them and I trust what they
indicate when they say "shoot now," simply because with that non techie
method they've never failed me.

> C'mon, Ted.  You're a master at this.  By now, photography and Leicas
> are second nature to you. <<<<<<<<<<

Thank you kind sir.  And I suppose my simplicity of description comes
due to that "second nature"
experience and with all my years in I tend to think everyone on the LUG
has the same time in.

>>>>>>>>>Why belittle somebody trying to learn?  I'd rather Dan asked
questions about how his Leica works than read messages about how broken,
used cameras aren't pristine like new
> ones.  Or what lens is best at f5.6 with no more than a 4x enlargement.<<<<<<<<<<<

I agree implicitly! However, it has never been and never would be my
intention to belittle someone honestly seeking to learn how any Leica
works.  And I apologize if you took my note in that manner as it wasn't
my intention whatsoever. 

It just seemed some of the questions could be answered so simply by
reading the M6 hand book. I also realize one can get a super speed
answer quickly by asking it on the LUG compared to  reading page after
page of information.

Anyway, I really do my picture taking as quickly as I can with the least
bit of concern for the mechanics of the camera as long as the end result
is right. Yes I check out every new camera body or lens I purchase and I
run a roll through it immediately.  And as long as the negs look OK
that's it.  On to the work! Or happy snapping the family with nary a
thought that it needs a bunch more figuring out how it works and why.

May I relate to my first "computer experience" with 18 million questions
to my oldest son who was attempting to teach me fundamental how to.  I
asked so many questions about how it did this, that and every other
thing computers do, son was getting very annoyed with the "old lad!" :-)

When he finally told me to stop asking all the questions of how does it
do that,  and just do what I was told and never mind how the machine did
it.  Knowing how it does things is not really relevant as long as it
does what you want it to do correctly without giving one iota of thought.

And that's basically how I approach the use of cameras since I started
50 years ago and I suppose that's also part of why I can't understand, 
why so many questions come on the LUG that are really of no relevance to
just taking good old fashion neat pictures.

If I've offended anyone I'd like to offer my humble apologize as no
offense is or was intended.

However, knock off this white thing already! :-)
ted