Best meter(ing) for Screwmount setup ?

[subhash_tiwari]

Recently picked up a gorgeous IIIg, a VC 35/2.8, and a Summitar from

Tamarkin for a reasonable price. My Leica meter M will not fit, of

course. And my Gossen incident/reflected light gave me somewhat

unpredictable results. Decided maybe a "spot" meter was the answer.

Wondered what most people do ? Spot meters tend to be bulky, defeating

the very reason for buying a screwmount body & lens. Would love to

hear how others approach this issue, including the mechanics of

checking/rechecking the changing light as they move about ?

[canfred]

The little VC meter is accurate enough for chromes. Check Camera Quest.

[richard s.]

Second Manfred. The VC meter is excellent. I have a Leica II and use it with an external

50mm viewfinder (which I highly recommend) and the VC meter (first version). The meter

is small, light and for me at least, very accurate.

[paul_neuthaler]

Subhash, you don't need a meter at all: "Sunny 16" it. You'll get proficient in no time. The little IIIG with 35mm V/C is a great, compact street shooter -- don't mess it up by metering!

[lesley_jones]

I wouldn't worry too much, especially if you're only shooting B&W. There's so much latitude in the film that there's plenty of room for error. I pushed some HP5, but the lab got the processing wrong and I was still able to use the majority of the frames. For your information, I use a 25 year old Leningrad 7 meter with a Leica IIIb, but I agree that "sunny 16" is an excellent way to go

[luis triguez]

I agree with the above responses. I only take the advantage of an old Sekonic if the circunstances are dificult to calibrate, but mostly of the time it remains into my pocket and use the 16 rule 90 per cent of the time. It's quite easy if you shot negatives.

[anthony_brookes5]

I only use B&W in my Leica III and always Ilford XP2 Super. The latitude is 50ASA to 400ASA so you can almost always guess a satisfactory exposure. If I need to check I use a Gossen Lunar six.

[subhash_tiwari]

Thank you all. The VC meter may be an option, but what thrills me is the prospect of becoming skilled enough to "read" the light without a meter. I do use Ilford XP-2 super, which does have wide lattitude, tho' probably not "50 to 400 ASA". But thats another story-

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00E2GZ

[Troll]

Learning to expose correctly without a meter is a lot easier than you would think. I had the meter become eratic in my Nikkormat on a once in a lifetime trip to USSR, so that I didn't know if it was indicating correctly or not at any time. I just set the camera manually using the instructions in the film box, and got back 30 rolls of perfectly exposed Kodachrome II. Within a week, I could estimate exposure accurately without referral to the guide. I also have a IIIg, and you're right -- it IS a gorgeous camera.

[john15]

As mentioned, your eye-brain connection, with a little practice, makes for an excellent meter. For awhile I carried small hand-held meter around and measured light under a wide variety of conditions and now I have a good feel for exposing any 100/400 ISO film. Anyway, Leica people like to "think" about their photography, so this will give you another thing to think about. A Leica bonus! Anyway, what's a reasonable price for a IIIg from Tamarkin? I didn't know that they were known for their "reasonable" prices.

[subhash_tiwari]

Of course, John, "reasonable" is subjective, but I thought an almost perfect IIIg (save a semi-circular mark from the tripod), with the metal body cap and original instructions (not copy), mechanically perfect (tho' not "CLA'd") for $899 seemed reasonable. This seems even more so when compared with similar or higher prices on eBay, without the benefit of trying/holding the item before forking out the money. Also, the Summitar (no fog/scratches/marks/oil/ etc.) was $279, and the VC 35/2.8 (like new) was $159. Tell me what you think.

[bob haight]

The sunny 16 rule is good in higher bright conditons, cloudy to bright sky, but not much help in low light conditions, wide open at low shutter speeds or indoors. Close ups are tricky too. Good to have a meter handy which you know how to use.

[jeff voorhees]

Perhaps, if you are serious, buy a Weston. It will teach you to learn to read brightness in footcandles. Learn the Exposure Formula, master that and you won't even need the Weston.

[stephen_w.]

Don't buy another meter looking for the "Holy Grail", learn to use the one you have for non-daylight conditions. Yes, you'll need a meter. Don't fall for the false pride of others that think they can judge all lighting conditions, because it's anecdotal based upon their supreme skill and experience, and compensating for the eye's iris adjusting to varying light levels, subjective, IMHO.

[jeff voorhees]

Stephen W-

 

IMHO indeed. We all have them :)

[dan flanders]

Before and shortly after WW2 there were very few meters available and very few photogs could afford them. Several generations had learned to use the Sunny 16 or one of its variants with reasonable success even with the early Kodachrome films available. When we were finally able to afford meters we used them mainly to verify our judgement and found them useful in extreme situations while depending upon our own evaluations for the routine. Now several generations have learned to depend on the meters and never developed their own judgment. When the meter misbehaves or goes out they are lost. By all means obtain a reliable meter if you can find or afford one, but your own judgement is the most reliable tool you can have. Up the Sunny 16!

[stephen_w.]

Of course, one may always bracket and "waste" film, as the lighting intensity and temperature in a Casablanca bar is quite different than in a Bangkok, for example. Been there, done that.

 

Daylight, open shadow, no problem.

[aadewar]

You really can get by without a meter, especially if you keep track of settings that work,

and notes about conditions, such as shadows, being able to read the date on your watch,

etc..

 

But when I use the Gossen Luna Pro, I do notice the "good" exposure percentage goes up.

[john15]

Subhash: 900 bucks seems like a good deal considering the condition. I'm looking for a nice LTM [though I'll probably stick a CV 35 and bightline finder on it]. Maybe I'll give Tamarkin a whirl.

[mukul_dube]

As someone said, what's printed on the film carton is fine for good light. For low light, any meter -- reflected or incident -- which can give a reading should do. After you've run a couple of rolls through in different conditions, you ought to be able to guess well enough for the latitude of current B&W and C-41. A tip. It may be unwise to use an incident light meter before photographing a tiger's molars.