Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/06/01

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Shooting With a Super Wide Angle Lens?
From: "Greg J. Lorenzo" <gregj.lorenzo@shaw.ca>
Date: Sat, 01 Jun 2002 13:35:11 -0600
References: <3CF8E028.6050705@shaw.ca> <000b01c20987$ac9b77a0$633f4d18@gv.shawcable.net>

Hi Ted,

I took a mental note regarding metering from one of your earlier posts 
on this subject and I am using your method so far.

The viewfinder line-up method you suggest is also a good check.

I do have a light meter to which I can compare your metering method against.

I'll make sure I have a cold beverage available to turn to if my first 
few rolls produce the expected/unusual angle results.

Regards,

Greg

Ted Grant wrote:

>Greg J. Lorenzo wrote/asked:
>
>>>I wonder if someone could provide me with some newbie pointers on
>>>
>>shooting with a super wide angle lens?
>>
>>I just acquired a Voigtlander 12 mm for my M6 from Dr. Yao and having
>>never used any lens wider than 28 mm I'm finding the perspective
>>provided through the supplied finder rather daunting.
>>
>
>Hi Greg,
>If you use the M6 meter and there's lots of sky area, trust me there's going
>to be, which I'm sure you've already learned with the 12mm! ;-)  The chances
>are you'll under expose unless you point the camera down eliminating about
>half, if not more of the bright area.  Line up the red light and or
>arrowheads and that's your starting exposure.
>
>If you have a hand meter, incident preferably or whatever you're accustomed
>to, and use it at least at the beginning until you get the feel of onboard
>M6 readings with that wide angle lens. In this fashion with the hand meter
>you'll have a better success ratio of OK exposures.
>
>No question on this one..... make sure the camera is as close as you can get
>it..... horizontally and vertically straight!!!!!!! Otherwise you'll have
>leanies and bendies the likes you've never seen. ;-) That is, unless you
>want them. As this lens can provide the wildest distortions you can imagine,
>very effective under some circumstances for wild looking scenes.
>
>Although I work my 15's, both M and R lenses hand held, it takes some
>practice lining the camera up straight. Because the slightest tilt any
>direction can wipe out your pictures. And with the 12mm if I were using it,
>the chances are 99% would be on a tripod with a level.
>
>One little trick while hand holding that works rather effectively for me.  I
>set the shot up through the wide viewfinder, pick the centre spot.  Then I
>change my eye to the camera viewfinder making sure I'm still on the
>identical centre point, then use the edges of the viewfinder to ensure the
>camera is held straight using any vertical or horizontal lines in the scene.
>Then shoot! 99% of the time it works and the lines are straight!
>
>Apart from this, the rest you'll learn on your own about not having your
>feet and fingers in the frame! ;-)
>
>Good luck with it as you're about to embark on some very wide and wooly
>picture taking. :-) Actually you'll love it and start looking for every
>possible situation to make completely different looking pictures than any
>other guy on the block, unless they have a 12mm super wide. Have some fun,
>shoot lots.
>ted
>
>Ted Grant Photography Limited
>www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant
>
>
>
>--
>To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html
>



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Replies: Reply from Jeffery Smith <jls@runbox.com> (Re: [Leica] Shooting With a Super Wide Angle Lens?)
In reply to: Message from "Greg J. Lorenzo" <gregj.lorenzo@shaw.ca> ([Leica] Shooting With a Super Wide Angle Lens?)
Message from Ted Grant <tedgrant@shaw.ca> (Re: [Leica] Shooting With a Super Wide Angle Lens?)