sara
Well-known
Sell my M2 and buy an M6 because I hate carrying a light meter every time I want to take a new photo I have to measure light "just incase". :bang:
Bad Idea?
- Thread starter sara
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FrozenInTime
Well-known
Not at all a bad idea.
My first M was a M2 - which I eventually upgraded to a M6 ( which is still going fine after 15 years ) .
You also gain faster loading and the rewind will be kinder on your fingers.
My first M was a M2 - which I eventually upgraded to a M6 ( which is still going fine after 15 years ) .
You also gain faster loading and the rewind will be kinder on your fingers.
Merkin
For the Weekend
Instead of spending money to upgrade your equipment, spend some time and upgrade your mind. Teach yourself to not need a light meter. You would be surprised at how little time it takes.
huntjump
Well-known
if it frustrates you, and you don't feel comfortable guestimating based on your experience, i'd say you will be very happy with an m6.
Jobin
Established
I just went to a m2 from m6, still on my first roll so we will see how I am doing. Miss the black chrome though.
Moriturii
Well-known
Or you could just frequent judging light yourself. You'll be surprised how good one gets when actually practicing and trying everyday. It's like learning a language, you can't just study a new language once a week for two hours, you got to do it a little bit everyday. If you do that you'll be pretty good after a few weeks only. You'll soon realize that there isn't thousands of different light situation, once you memorize a dozen you'll be fine for 95% of all photos.
no right or wrong, just what you prefer
consider the Voigtlander VC II meter,
small and works great with the M2 or M3
also keep in mind
there are two flavors of M6
the classic M6
and the M6 TTL
the classic works more like your M2
the TTL works more like the digital M's (same direction shutter speed dial)
Stephen
redisburning
Well-known
funny, I just got done with scanning a roll where I shot about 10 shots in a manual camera then pulled the film to use in one with AE.
should have stuck with the first camera, I only got about 20 correctly exposed shots out of 36 and half came when I just did it myself.
AE and non-spot meters are fine when the lighting is consistent, otherwise I don't trust them.
just my take. <3 my M2 but I wouldnt say no to an M6.
should have stuck with the first camera, I only got about 20 correctly exposed shots out of 36 and half came when I just did it myself.
AE and non-spot meters are fine when the lighting is consistent, otherwise I don't trust them.
just my take. <3 my M2 but I wouldnt say no to an M6.
rlouzan
Well-known
Hi Sara,
Don't forget the Leica M5
http://japancamerahunter.com/2012/04/the-leica-m5-the-lost-leica/
Regards,
Robert
Don't forget the Leica M5
http://japancamerahunter.com/2012/04/the-leica-m5-the-lost-leica/
Regards,
Robert
ferider
Veteran
Yes, bad.
The correct approach is to keep the M2 and add an M6 🙂
The correct approach is to keep the M2 and add an M6 🙂
Merkin
For the Weekend
Seriously though, before you go getting GASsy, try the following.
First, go here: http://www.fredparker.com/ultexp1.htm
Read the whole thing all the way through a few times. Make a printout of the two charts and stick them in a small notebook.
Second, load a fresh roll of film in your M2, and go out with just the camera, the afforementioned small notebook with the EV chart in it, and a biro. LEAVE YOUR METER AT HOME. It is time to learn to swim by jumping off the high dive.
Use the sunny 16 rule and the EV chart exclusively to set your exposures. After each shot, in the notebook, write a description of the scene, the EV you thought the scene needed, and the camera settings you used.
Once you finish the roll and process the negs, go through and evaluate your images. Figure out which ones you nailed, and which ones you missed. This will help you to better learn the EV for a lot of various lighting situations. Sure, you will miss a few. Everyone does. You probably miss a few when you use your meter, too. Everyone does.
Do this for several rolls of film, and do it on a regular basis. You will quickly find that you just know what settings to use for a given situation without having to consult the chart. The panic you initially feel will quickly subside, and all it will cost you is time and a couple of sheets of A4.
First, go here: http://www.fredparker.com/ultexp1.htm
Read the whole thing all the way through a few times. Make a printout of the two charts and stick them in a small notebook.
Second, load a fresh roll of film in your M2, and go out with just the camera, the afforementioned small notebook with the EV chart in it, and a biro. LEAVE YOUR METER AT HOME. It is time to learn to swim by jumping off the high dive.
Use the sunny 16 rule and the EV chart exclusively to set your exposures. After each shot, in the notebook, write a description of the scene, the EV you thought the scene needed, and the camera settings you used.
Once you finish the roll and process the negs, go through and evaluate your images. Figure out which ones you nailed, and which ones you missed. This will help you to better learn the EV for a lot of various lighting situations. Sure, you will miss a few. Everyone does. You probably miss a few when you use your meter, too. Everyone does.
Do this for several rolls of film, and do it on a regular basis. You will quickly find that you just know what settings to use for a given situation without having to consult the chart. The panic you initially feel will quickly subside, and all it will cost you is time and a couple of sheets of A4.
ark8012
Established
jsrockit
Moderator
I agree with how you feel. I always prefer an in camera meter.
Rogrund
Antti Sivén
Sounds like a good idea to me. I started with a M2, which I sold and got a M6.
Then I bought a new M2. 🙂
Then I bought a new M2. 🙂
sazerac
Well-known
I'm pretty good at guessing exposure, but still like the in camera meter for confirmation. I usually set the camera to what I think it should be then tune in the last half stop by exposing for the area that is important. The M meters are semi-spot so it helps to visualize the are that the meter is reading.
Chris101
summicronia
I found that when I carried an M4P and a digisix light meter, I would meter once or twice, and figure out the range of settings to use, and then just set them for the individual shots. When I use my OM-1n, which has a meter built in, but does not do AE, I meter every shot and adjust to set the camera based on my meter reading. So having a meter in the camera actually costs me more time spent taking meter readings than using an external meter.
sara
Well-known
Hello everyone thanks,
Firstly to those who said the teach myself exposures etc, it's not about that. I roughly know what's what but there are cases where I really have to shoot fast like in fashion shows backstage (where I really don't want to use the digital camera), and of course I can use a light meter but in the environment I work in, I really really need a light meter. Trust me, I've been using the M2 for 2 years now and it was a hassle shooting because it took me so long. Sure you can say it's my fault for taking so long but when people want proper photos for work and for use, you cannot f*** it up. Sometimes I end up carrying the bloody digital camera as well. I just want to carry one camera really...
If I was going on a holiday, fine, I can use and guess the light, as I have done so since I have bought my M2.
Second reason - I am a girl. I know we have large bags but wheN i take photos, I want to travel light, not carry bulky things in my little bag 😛 The bag is for make-up.
I'll have a look around.
But when I had my OM2n and the light meter, I shot more photos.
With my M2 and no light meter, I haven't shot as much.
Firstly to those who said the teach myself exposures etc, it's not about that. I roughly know what's what but there are cases where I really have to shoot fast like in fashion shows backstage (where I really don't want to use the digital camera), and of course I can use a light meter but in the environment I work in, I really really need a light meter. Trust me, I've been using the M2 for 2 years now and it was a hassle shooting because it took me so long. Sure you can say it's my fault for taking so long but when people want proper photos for work and for use, you cannot f*** it up. Sometimes I end up carrying the bloody digital camera as well. I just want to carry one camera really...
If I was going on a holiday, fine, I can use and guess the light, as I have done so since I have bought my M2.
Second reason - I am a girl. I know we have large bags but wheN i take photos, I want to travel light, not carry bulky things in my little bag 😛 The bag is for make-up.
I'll have a look around.
But when I had my OM2n and the light meter, I shot more photos.
With my M2 and no light meter, I haven't shot as much.
huntjump
Well-known
+1 on this approach.
Steve M.
Veteran
Get an M7.
I'd like to believe that I could train myself to go w/o a meter, but I don't. Was just taking some shots of my wife indoors to test 2 lenses. Took a reading off her face, walked back to the camera, got ready to shoot, and a cloud must have passed by because it got darker. Sure enough, the light had changed by 3 stops in 5 seconds. I don't think it's possible to accurately guess low light photography except by relying on the exposure latitude of film and/or trying to fix things later. It's far too subtle, as anyone w/ a spot meter can quickly verify. In my case, Linda's face was one value, her dress top another, and the wall behind her also was different.
A center weighted meter like you find in an M6 can only give an average reading. An M7 doesn't have a spot meter (it should, for that sort of money), but it has AE. Really speeds up the shooting process, instantaneously makes metering corrections, and there's absolutely no reason it wouldn't be as accurate as manual metering, assuming you know how to use it.
I'd like to believe that I could train myself to go w/o a meter, but I don't. Was just taking some shots of my wife indoors to test 2 lenses. Took a reading off her face, walked back to the camera, got ready to shoot, and a cloud must have passed by because it got darker. Sure enough, the light had changed by 3 stops in 5 seconds. I don't think it's possible to accurately guess low light photography except by relying on the exposure latitude of film and/or trying to fix things later. It's far too subtle, as anyone w/ a spot meter can quickly verify. In my case, Linda's face was one value, her dress top another, and the wall behind her also was different.
A center weighted meter like you find in an M6 can only give an average reading. An M7 doesn't have a spot meter (it should, for that sort of money), but it has AE. Really speeds up the shooting process, instantaneously makes metering corrections, and there's absolutely no reason it wouldn't be as accurate as manual metering, assuming you know how to use it.
Ezzie
E. D. Russell Roberts
+1 works a treat on an M4-2 too. Not tried a metered M, don't feel the need either.
