Re: [Leica] opinions on M7 vs. MP

[Ted Grant <tedgrant@shaw.ca>]

Rick Dykstra asked:
> to all M7 users:
> please provide a step by step run through of how you use the camera.
> My hesitation in switching from M6 and M6 TTL is the issue of needing
> to meter-lock with every potential exposure.  I don't use the A mode on
> my R8's for this reason.  With the M6s (and R8s), I meter once for the
> scene I'm shooting and then don't need to do it again unless the light
> or the shooting angle changes.<<<

Hi Rick
My M7 use operates on the KISS  principle. ;-) You know the old "keep it
simple stupid" which is fitting for me as I hate to think about how I'm
taking the picture and just shoot what motivates me. ;-)

On the kind of work I do I use 58, 72, 85 bodies at the same time, makes
life easier and less annoying having to change lenses.

I set them on AE and forget about it! Period!

Then shoot the motivating moment that caught my eye without thought other
than focus and composition. A glance at the shutter speed as it flashes in
the viewfinder and as long as the camera has selected a hand holdable speed
the exposure is made.

This year during the first 4 months working on Women in Medicine I shot
using that method in many levels of light and almost non-light conditions,
never missed an exposure. Yep several hundred rolls in exactly that manner
with nothing more than AE and shoot! KISS mon ami, the simplest manner of
picture taking. :-)

>>I don't use the A mode on my R8's for this reason. <<<,

You use your gear absolutely the opposite I do. I rarely ever work them in
manual nor did I use my R7's in manual. Working the R8's I do 99.9 percent
of the exposures on "A" and let the camera select the shutter speed as
that's the KISS method and I rarely miss an exposure.

The only time I do anything different is switch to the "spot meter" when a
lighting condition requires it's use.

Some folks have to be so mentally involved in the methodology of picture
taking they must take all the fun out of it thinking about all kinds of
stuff instead of just taking pictures for the fun of.

Even when Sandy Carter and I worked on the "Women book" it was long 12 hour
days but, there was always an element of fun to it in what we felt were our
"hopeful successes" of the day. To me photography has always been great fun,
sure it's my profession but just don't bug me while I'm concentrating of the
subject.

Therefore I want the simplest method of equipment operation that assists in
making the results successful.  ERGO.... An M7 and AE! ;-)
ted











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