Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/12/05

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Subject: [Leica] Bad Exposure or Something Else?
From: red735i at earthlink.net (Frank Filippone)
Date: Sun Dec 5 19:13:23 2004

My opinion: You need to use a film with a lower contrast.  This scene is
pretty hot ( too many zones).  Color film is typically in the range of 5
zones from full light ( the sky) to full black ( the shade under the trees
or the tree bark or the sides of the buildings).  I would guess this scene
is in the order of 7-8 zones, maybe more.

If you like to use print film, try Fuji NPS ( I use it in 4x5 size, so I am
not sure if it is available in 35mm).  It has a very low contrast, for times
like this.

Comment.... the "problem" with an automatic camera using a spot meter (
which is what the M7 is), is that the meter reading is taken from the middle
1/3 of the scene, which does not take into account the darkness of the
buildings nor the brightness of the sky.  It made the trees a zone 5 (
middle grey).  In this case, meter manually with the built in meter, then
think through what is important before you set the camera manually and shoot
the picture.

There is an alternative.... B+W film which will hold 7 zones.

Frank Filippone
red735i@earthlink.net



In reply to: Message from r.s.taylor at comcast.net (Richard S. Taylor) ([Leica] Bad Exposure or Something Else?)