The M3 - now I am really learning photography

kshapero

kshapero

South Florida Man
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I admit I have owned and tried a lot of cameras (no regrets) but never could understand using a meterless camera. It was like why? Then I picked up a Yashica YF (which I will soon be selling). No meter. I ran 4 or 5 rolls through it and could not believe how much I was thinking through exposure; apertures, shutter speed and using ISO speed as a exposure shift regime. What an eye opener. All these years I was trusting the camera meter to make the decisions (yes even an M6 makes decisions for you). I found myself really thinking exposure and it was awesome. So....I got an M3 and of course it is more of the same only better (hence the forthcoming sale of the YF). So here I am, a photog buff of 35 years (started out with a Nikkormat FTN (still have it)) and I am learning the part of photography I pretty much skipped because I grew up on internal camera meters. Life is good and oh so unpredictable.:D
 
Yeah it's cool!

But it's tricky!

Sometimes (especially in low light) I check my decisions with an incident meter and I'm really off! And I don't mean just half or one stop! :)

Cheers,

Juan
 
Juan Valdenebro said:
Yeah it's cool!

But it's tricky!

Sometimes (especially in low light) I check my decisions with an incident meter and I'm really off! And I don't mean just half or one stop! :)

Cheers,

Juan
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Yes you are right. I have been using a Light meter app on my iPhone to assist. But even that requires looking at your reading, i.e. aperture and shutter speed.
 
Way to go Akiva! I def. feel more attuned to the light when I shoot w/ my meterless camera (but always w/ a hand-held meter), and tend to make better decisions about exposure.
 
I am still struggling with exposure using my new M3 even though I started shooting with a Pentax Spotmatic in 1970. It is amazing to find out how much I constantly think about exposure now having a meterless camera. I think I have also compounded things by learning to use and trust an incident meter at the same time. It is quite a bit humbling to be going through this now after so many years relying on an internal camera meter.
 
ironhorse said:
I am still struggling with exposure using my new M3 even though I started shooting with a Pentax Spotmatic in 1970. It is amazing to find out how much I constantly think about exposure now having a meterless camera. I think I have also compounded things by learning to use and trust an incident meter at the same time. It is quite a bit humbling to be going through this now after so many years relying on an internal camera meter.
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I hear ya, Joe, loud and clear but it is somehow liberating at the same time.
 
I started with direct sun: no mystery there... Nothing to think.

Then with overcast at 1/250 and Tri-X at 200, and that goes from bright overcast f/8, to normal overcast f/5.6-f/4, to dark overcast f/2.8-f/2, to lead/rain overcast at f/1.4-f/1, so the game is tough!

Then with zones in shadows on sunny days: those change a lot!

After some years of trying hard, I feel I'm just beginning!

Cheers,

Juan
 
Akiva, a great story. One that I agree with. I'd love an M3. I have an M4 and carry a VCII in my pocket. Trial and error.
 
It's funny, I owned an M3 for a few months after buying one along with a DR Cron (it was a bundle) and both the 2 rolls I shot with it made me learn how to use a meterless camera, by not trying to adjust exposure I managed to take some shots I would normally miss with my M6 because I would have the reflex of trying to adjust the speed or the aperture.

I know it's kinda silly, as I could just take the batteries off my M6, but still I had this interesting moment with that M3. I regret selling it a bit, but since I sold it to a friend, who knows, if he decides do sell it I'll be there to buy it back :) It had a fogged vf when I purchased it, but after a CLA its vf looked so much like new that i was smirking like a dork when I looked through it at the tech's office. buttery smooth as well, only after a year getting used to the M6 I could really tell the difference.
 
Good on you, Akiva...

I still find it fun to use the Soligor meter, the DSLR and the M3 back to back to check and also see the differences in the meter versus the camera meter versus what I pick. But, really, now you are going to start having fun like you never thought you would as you become "The Compleat Photographer"!:p
 
Wasn't kidding when calling this my dream combo:

1114597713_rfRtM-M.jpg


When it's too dark for the iPhone, I don't use a meter anyways.

Enjoy the best camera Leica ever made, Akiva :)
 
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