35SP in Full Auto

[Cold]

I was just wondering if any of you had any experience using the 35SP in its completely automatic mode, and if so, how it went, assuming your meter was up to the task.

I'm considering bringing along one of my fixed lens rangefinders along with my digicam for St. Pats celebrations, and I'm trying to decide between my 35SP and my Canonet.

 

[Rodchenko]

Yeah. I do it a lot when I'm feeling lazy. Works just fine, if you remember to use the spot metering for backlit subjects.

 

[zuikologist]

I have used it too, works fine with negative film. There are some hacks apparently to force aperture priority too, but cannot find the link at the moment.

 

[farlymac]

I actually find that I get better exposures in Auto mode, than using the meter in Manual. I mean, I look at the reading I'm getting when in Manual and think "That can't be right?" since I do a lot of Sunny-16 calculations. But in Auto it works just fine. Go figure.

PF

 

[Rodchenko]

I use (or used, up to the last film *sob*) Provia 400X slide film.

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

I've had one or two since the late 60's/early 70's and no problems using it in auto with slide film, but you have to remember the spot meter button is there waiting to be used.

Regards, David

 

[KyleCharles]

It Depends

It Depends

Two things that you might want to keep in mind when using the SP in auto mode:

1. The camera's top shutter speed in auto mode is 1/250th sec.

2. In general, the SP favors slower shutter speeds with smaller apertures.

What this means is that the camera may make different decisions than you (or I) would make at the ends of the EV spectrum. For instance in auto mode at EV 8 the camera will select an aperture a little smaller than 2.8 and a shutter speed a bit slower than 1/30. Personally, I would choose a setting of 2.0 @ 1/60 for this EV reading (in most situations). At the other end of the spectrum, say at EV 15 the camera will choose a shutter speed only a little faster than 1/125 with an aperture a bit larger than F16. Again, in most situations I would personally rather be at 1/500 and F8 for this EV reading.

For me, the auto mode is only really useful in the middle EV range, YMMV.

The other thing that I dislike about the auto mode is the shutter lockout. It never really gave me that much grief because when i was towards the ends of the EV spectrum I'd be shooting in manual anyway.

If you do not have a owner's manual for the camera, you should download one and take a look at the EE working range chart on page 15. This will show you the decisions the camera will be making in auto mode.

 

[Cold]

Thanks to everyone who's replied so far (and thanks in advance to those who will hopefully chime in)!

As I mentioned, the other contender here would be my Canonet (G-III), as I don't really feel like hauling my FM2 around. While a comparison like this, in retrospect, would have probably been better posted in the fixed-lens forum, for those who've used both, would you rather have the full auto convenience of the 35SP or the shutter-priority of the Canonet?

I suppose there's also the metered manual of the SP, but that's a bit less desirable for this sort of thing, asking friends to hold the moment while you pull up, get your EV number, fuss with the dials, pull up again, compose, and shoot.

 

[zuikologist]

IMHO the lens on the SP is better and the spotmeter is usable. Full auto is not such an issue and full manual not so much slower than shutter priority on the Canonet.

 

[Dave S.]

"hacks apparently to force aperture priority"

"hacks apparently to force aperture priority"

I have used it too, works fine with negative film. There are some hacks apparently to force aperture priority too, but cannot find the link at the moment.

zuikologist: Could you, or anyone else, elaborate on your point about "hacks apparently to force aperture priority"? I would be very interested in this modification. I conducted a brief google search and didn't come up with anything about this.

Thanks!