Voigtlander VCII or handheld meter?

Roger Hicks said:
Seconded. But neither approach is any use for shadow detail if the subect tonal range is long. The only way to be sure of shadow detail is to read the darkest area in which you want texture and detail, and key the exposure to that.
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If you are able to get close or have something to do a equivalent reading on, any reflective meter will do. Beyond that, it is spot meter time.
 
Keith said:
I now use a Sekonic 308s having been a fan of the VCII but felt I needed reliable incident metering occasionally.

I never did like using the VCII camera mounted ... for some reason I'd occasionally point the camera at the scene, adjust the meter to give me shutter speed and aperture then forget to transfer it to the camera. I did this time and time again to the point of it making me change to the 308s which is a pain because it's something else to carry ... I really really like in camera meters!
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Glad I'm not the only one who does that!
 
I have a MR-4 (purely for the optic) that I use rarely, a Sekonic L-208 twin-mate and the larger Sekonic 508. The twin-mate is easy to use and carry (neck-strap) but incident metering doesn't work reliable (tested against my 508). Problem with the L-208 is that the sliding white light-dome is to small in diameter (and the meter-cell to much recessed) so that it only gives correct readings when the meter is pointed into the direction of the light-(source).

So for the occasionally meter-reading (reflective), the Twin-Mate is a good and not to expensive choice.
 
wgerrard said:
Glad I'm not the only one who does that!
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And nice to hear it's not only me who can do such a dumb thing ... repeatedly! 😛

One day with my M2 I did it for about five frames of a 36 exposure roll ... I eventually started keeping the VCII in my pocket and using it hand held which solved the problem for some reason!

I find the replacement Sekonic L308s a bit cumbersome actually ... not exactly comfortable in a pants pocket and I'm not keen on having things hanging around my neck.
 
flip said:
Certainly, if you buy the VC, you are paying for the convenience. I hang it on the neck string if the shoe is busy and it's fine.
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I used both a VCII and the Sekonic L208. The VC is great, and pretty, but the Sekonic is handier, much much quicker in use (dials and a needle rather than blinking lights), much more reliable (doesn't get knocked out of position in your pocket, whereas the VCII dials can get disturbed even when on your camera), it can do incident metering... oh yes, and it's half the price.

Having both is not a bad idea, but if it's just one, for me the L208 wins hands-down.

The 208, by the way, is very small. This photo exaggerates the size difference due to perspective, sorry for lousy quality, but the 208 makes hardnly any bulge in your pocket.

Threemeters.jpg
 
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Keith said:
And nice to hear it's not only me who can do such a dumb thing ... repeatedly! 😛

One day with my M2 I did it for about five frames of a 36 exposure roll ... I eventually started keeping the VCII in my pocket and using it hand held which solved the problem for some reason!

I find the replacement Sekonic L308s a bit cumbersome actually ... not exactly comfortable in a pants pocket and I'm not keen on having things hanging around my neck.
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Maybe it has something to do with the fact that the meter is attached to the camera, so our brains decide that we're done after adjusting the meter's dials.

I agree about not liking to hang things around my neck. Maybe it's the way i walk, but whatever it is -- camera, meter, etc. -- just bounces up and down on my chest. Really irritating.
 
Sekonic L-208 Twin Mate Meter for me. I had a MR meter but hated using it. The theory is good but there seemed a bit of hassle to me. with the twin mate I take a reading and jst shoot. As i notice light changing i meter again. The more I do it I find that my "pre meter guess" is getting closer and closer to the meter reading.

I also like the twin mate to get readings off of one area or section of a subject. I could do that with the VC or MR but I find it more cumbersom to do so.
 
Deja Vu - I wrote about meters on my Blog this morning! I have Westons, a VC II, Sekonic L-208 and a newly acquired Studio Deluxe III (L398A).

My biggest problem with the VC II is the asa/iso dial will move if you are not careful when changing apertures and I know of other people complaining of that to. Got bitten too many times to use it that much now.

For a first meter, I would say try the Sekonic L-208, incident and reflective capable, very simple to use, affordable and you can mount it on the hotshoe or wear it around your neck - I prefer around my neck. If you get into using it in your workflow then you can always step up to a fancier meter later on.
 
I would get it calibrated/checked. If your in the US talk to:

George Milton at Quality Light Metric, 7095 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood CA 90028. Tel: 323-467-2265 Fax: 323-467-2284

That man can repair/refurbish/calibrate most meters and does a very nice job. That will then last you a very long time. 🙂
 
I use the VCII when I don't want to point meters at peoples faces, and/or only want to carry the camera.

But I do prefer a good hand-held digital meter, including incident and contrast range metering. Faster to use, too, for me at least.

Roland.
 
A hand held is going to be more versital in the long run.
That having been said, a good hand held spot meter might even be better.
 
Having both the VC meter and the MR-4 meter (and a number of handheld meters) I would go with the MR-4 meter. The MR-4 meter is IMHO a far better meter. The dials stay put (the VC is way too easy to change film speeds, shutter speeds and apertures without meaning too), it doesn't fall out of the shoe like the VC meter, and there are fewer manipulations with the MR-4 meter. The MR-4 meter is also cheaper and meters what you see in the viewfinder (the 90mm frame lines). I use the VC meter on my IIIG and I think I get a lot better exposures with the MR-4 meter on my M4.
A hand held meter is better for contemplative photos (i.e. the picture of the statue) rather than once in a moment shots. Still, if the choice is between a hand held and the VC only, I'd go with the hand held meter.
 
I'd recommend the MR meters too. As well as being coupled to the shutter dial they use a simple needle for the aperture - which makes it instant to estimate relative brightness ranges on a large-ish scale (it's no spot meter obviously). If you need an incident reading just measure your hand and a 1/2 a stop or so.

If you can only afford one meter in the foreseeable future, then you could try and find a late model (black plastic, not grey) Gossen Lunasix. These measure ridiculously low light, reflective or incident, and are still maintained by the manufacturers. At the end of last year mine came back from service (first time since I bought it in 1981-ish, though I left it too long) with the ISO calibration certificate showing the whole range was nowhere more than 0,15 stops out (that is more precise than most film!).
 
I purchased a VC II meter of of Ebay and I have to watch it because it goes off the ASA mark. I messed up two shots of 24 because it went off. I have to be careful with it. I have anothe VC I that is stiffer and never goes off the ASA, maybe it was newer or not used as much?
Joe
 
I have the CV II and am very impressed with its' unerring accuracy, BUT:

The ISO setting knocks off the setting far to easily, thanks to the protruding little post. I took a file to that to cure the problem.

The meter seems to work loose and fall off my M2 far too easily - I lost it on one day out, but luckily a kind person handed it in as lost property. Some very thin high density foam stuck to part of the underside of the fixing plate gives enough friction with the camera cold shoe to stop this happening.

The orange button position is not in the best place for Leica IMHO. It would be better on the left hand side so that you can more easily depress it with the camera at eye level.

And yes, it is way too expensive - but CV lenses are cheap, so that makes up for it!😉
 
You can tighten the ASA setting, instructions have been posted here. But the left hadn wheel (aperture?) still gets knocked out. Also, if you keep the meter in a pocket, the orange button is vulnerable to being left pressed down, and flattening the battery. Mine seemed to work much better on a Contax/Kiev, where it;s less vulnerable, but on my M3 and M4 it was a constant irritation. Looked great, though, and is pretty good in low light.
 
Can't imagine a better setup than a VCII painted to match your M2. 😀

Heck, it even fits inside a standard Leica neveready case while mounted--try that with ANY other shoe-mounted meter! It's the next best thing to in-camera metering on an M2.
 
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