leica m6ttl meter in pakistan

[michael_bialecki]

Hello everybody,

 

First I would like to thank everybody for their responses, especially

the one from Knut Schwinzer on the Dalai Lama reference, I think that

it was the first time that I laughed in days, so thanks..On changing

the batteries, yes I have done that, but I will admit I am using

alkaline now, purchased in Peshawar, but as soon as I am done writing

this I am going to look for some lithium batteries.I am aware of the

sunny f/16 rule and that is my back up plan. As of cleaning the

contacts, I am also gonna look for an eraser, Sherry Krauter told me

to try and find a white one. As of treating my camera roughly, I take

pride in the way that I treat my Leica and I have had the thing on my

lap for the last 4 months because the buses in Nepal/India/Pakistan

run over the largest potholes and sometimes I get worried that a hard

knock will throw my rangefiner off, so my domke bag has been in my

lap the last couple of months, so at least my body is an extra

cushion. On the work that I have been doing, well after my shutter

was repaired in Bombay I went to Delhi, I was in the market in

Paraganj when the bomb went off, killing 16 people, I was very lucky

to have avoided any shrapnel..As a result I have 2 double page

spreads in Paris Match this week of the bombing. I am here in

Pakistan for another 2 weeks and today I visited Balakot, which is a

village that was completely destroyed. I managed to shoot about 40

pictures and did not have any problems with the meter, but I am still

going to clean the contacts tonight. Once again thanks alot for the

advice and I will not even get into the lessons that I have learned

on this trip...Michael Bialecki

[lawrence_bochkis]

(in a very quiet voice) buy a second body.

[Troll]

Even Cartier-Bresson always carried a backup body.

[ilan_g]

Michael, do you mind posting a link to some of your work?

<p>

I couldn't find anything on <a href="http://www.gamma.fr/">http://www.gamma.fr/</a> (as you suggested <a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00E2Lw">here</a>) nor on <a href="http://www.parismatch.com/">http://www.parismatch.com/</a>...<p>

 

Thx,<br>

Ilan

[kaiblanke]

Michael,

 

Leicas are tougher than you think: when I have been in Nepal I had my M2 stored in my backpack and not sitting on my lap, and they withheld days of travel quite well. But then I had a back up body (another M2, in another backpack) just in case. Everything went well, but my (external) meter broke after some days, so I had to use sunny 16 for the next weeks on chrome film. But more than 90% of my pictures turned out well - no problem. Just be confident in sunny 16 (shady f4-5.6) and keep on shooting!<div></div>

[fredus]

Would be great to see some picture of your work !

 

Fred

[ben z]

<i>As a result I have 2 double page spreads in Paris Match this week of the bombing.</i></p>

 

What issue and pages? I think Barnes&Noble or Borders carries Paris Match, I'd love to see those photos.

[frederick_muller]

Michael, do you have a bye-line, or do you use a pen-name? I'll definitely check out this week's issue and look for your stuff.

[frederick_muller]

By the way, Michael, did Sherry say WHY it was particularly important to use a WHITE eraser rather than some other color to clean your battery contacts?

[xavier_dalfort]

Hello

 

As for the last comment, I have an answer. The white Eraser such as Staedrler cleans our the fold contact but does not remove nor it scrapes the contacts end.

 

It's an auld'trick I learned when I was working in the Air Traffic Control system of Lahore and Karachi (provided by Thalès France).

 

Peshawar is really the Far West of the 2000. But It is fun.

 

Was using a Pentax P30n and a Minox 35 then:

http://xavierf.b.free.fr/Galleries/Pakistan/Pak.html

 

Enjoy.