Heliar 15mm on M4p

[cris_doepp]

Tomorrow I am going to buy me the Heliar 15mm for my M4p. Normally I

use a Leicameter for setting speed and aperature. But I'e to remove

it for the 15mm viewfinder.

So I'm not very experienced in setting the right speed and aperature

without a lightmeter.

Is it necessary to use a lightmeter with 15mm or is there perhabs a

formular for setting the right speed at f5,6`?

 

thanx

cris

[paul hart]

Unless you are very adept at estimating exposure (I am not, and I take it you are not either) you will need a meter.

 

In my experience (I have the 12mm VC lens) you have to meter very carefully with these superwide lenses because of the risk that large amounts of sky will throw the reading.

 

The other problem (not to do with metering) is keeping the camera truly horizontal - it seems easy until you try these lenses, where the slightest error is punished mercilessly! The Voigtlander spirit level is an amazing device that sorts the problem. It sits next to the finder (you need the double mount) and you can look through one then the other just by slight eye movement.

 

Enjoy the lens - well made and fine quality optics, it opens up a new range of opportunities. Ever wondered what a Leica 12 or 15mm would cost?!

[peter_white2]

On a clear sunny day you can simply use the "Sunny 16 Rule". The output of the sun is pretty constant. So the proper exposure of an object in direct sunlight at midday should always be the same. The rule is this; set your shutter speed to the number closest to the ASA of your film. SO, with ASA 125 film, like Plus X you would set the shutter speed to 1/125 sec and then set the aperture to F:16. Any other combination of shutter speed and F stop that gives the same exposure will also work, of course. So if you want to use F:5.6, (openning up 3 F stops from F:16) you would use a shutter speed of 1/1000 sec. The exposure will be the same, and the film will almost certainly be properly exposed.

 

Beware of clouds, shadows, haze, late afternoon and early morning light, and situations where the subject will get more than the typical amount of illumination, such as someone standing in a field of new snow, where light is reflected off the snow back on the subject.

 

The focal length of the lens won't have any effect on what exposure to use.

 

The film box will have exposure recommendations for various lighting conditions. You can use those with confidence as well, especially with negative film.

 

For slide film, you might want to pick up a good hand held meter. My favorite is the Sekonic L408. It has a 5 degree spot and an incident function.

 

PJW

[richard_ilomaki]

Cris:

 

There's nothing different about a 15mm lens when it comes to exposure-they're all the same.

 

What you CAN do is get the Voightlander twin shoe, made for exactly the purpose you describe. It fits into a Hotshoe and has two identical sockets into which one can slide the viewfinder as well as a meter-either a Leicameter or the really grest CV meter.

 

Cheers

[john_collier2]

The Leicameters work just as well as handheld meters.

[peter_white2]

I'm not sure what you mean by "work just as well". One of the nice features of the Leicameter is its coupling the the shutter speed dial. If you use it with the Voigtlander adapter, it won't be coupled. And you still have to switch to a 90mm frame to know what it's metering. I've never liked the need to press the frame selector and the meter switch simultaneously.

 

With a handheld such as the L408, you get a tighter field of view at 5 degrees, and you get an incident meter.

 

It seems to me that the only advantage to the Leicameter on an adapter is that it's kept conveniently attached to the camera. You can do far more with a handheld.

 

So, the two work very differently.

 

PJW

[lacey_smith4]

2 cents worth.

 

specific meter aside, extreme wide angles (12,15,21, maybe 24) are a different tool than a 35,50, or 90, and metering tends to need to be averaged. The comments about the M6 or Bessa metering including too much sky are correct, but so are some other considerations, that would come into play if you are using the Leicameter (which covers the angle covered by a 90).

 

Take a person backlit in an open field. With a 90, head and shoulders, or a 50, or 35, you are still exposing for the Subject -- perhaps 2 stops darker than the ambient average. On the 90 shot, in particular, the exposed-brighter surroundings help set off the subject, the person's face which you have wanted correctly exposed.

 

with a 15, however, the Subject must be the total Environment, which may/may not be a "perfect" exposure for the person's face. Your sky, now occupying a huge chunk of your picture, or the surrounding park, must be reasonably exposed, so the bulk of the frame is not washed out. You may split the difference, or just go for an average reading.

 

If I were using a limited view meter (as your Leicameter would be), I would just point it groundwards, and get an average reading. Alternatives, incident meter is nice. Or, don't worry so much and just shoot, maybe bracket once. Same considerations with architecture, cityscapes and landscapes -- except for the sky issues, average a reading over the total frame. Relatively few circusmtances (in my view) justify spot or limited metering with a 15 or 21, whereas it is almost the rule for longer lenses.

 

But, remember, with the 15, typically the total Environment is the subject, not some isolated component.

[Alex_Es]

Dear Cris,

 

 

 

The 15/4.5 will take a little getting used to, but once you're

 

accustomed to it you will love it, I promise you. (I use mine in

 

street photography.) Exposure is should not going to a problem. I've

 

used mine with onboard meters with no problem. A handheld meter

 

should be okay. You might try a double shoe Voigtlander bracket with

 

the new VC meter and the 15mm finder but that, in my experience, is a

 

bit of a pain in terms of rewinding and top heaviness.

 

 

 

Have you ever felt a desire for an M6? The Heliar is a gas on the M6

 

and a real gas on a CLE, Hexar RF and (I would imagine) an M7.

 

 

 

Best,

 

 

 

Alex

[al_kaplan1]

I've recently seen a fantastic meter for the 15 advertised for as little as $75.00 plus shipping, in silver finish, $25.00 extra for black finish. It gives you a center weighted reading of the full coverage of the lens, the whole 120 degrees! It's almost always spot on with the correct exposure, no bracketing required. It uses the 15 finder for framing the metering area, and reads through the actual 15mm lens you'll be photographing with. Amazingly this meter also has an integral film transport system and shutter assembly in case you might want to take pictures USING YOUR LIGHT METER! The model designation of this remarkable meter is Cosina L. In the USA it's often marketed under the Voigtlander name.

[lutz]

Got me, Al! Nice point.