from digital to M7,need metering help

[proenca]

Hello there,

I used digital SLRs for some years now,from Fuji S2, to Nikon D2x until a Canon 1Ds and got bored with them. It simple reaches a point were i feel i wasnt improving , since digital is well, free and I ran out of straw to feed my mules that carried my huge arrays of lens and gadgets. So I took a drastic decision and changed back to film, never using a rangefinder before and here I am with a Leica M7 and a 35 and 90 ASPH.

Very happy so far, size is perfect, ergonomics are wonderfull but I do have some questions, hope you experienced people can help :

first and all, Im used to have zillions of metering modes, however, and after reading my Leica manual times an times, I cannot really understand ( however with some few rolls tested so far , not that bad as I expected ) ; is it spot metering as I can see, and if so, which area ? The whole focusing square ? Half of the frame ? Which area is really used for meetering ?

the only quirk I have it is with compensation. The back wheel is a bit stiff to turn ( yes im pushing the button ) and not very practical if I want to bracket a shoot or two. Should I do with manually ? Ie, for example, take a reading , lets say 1/125 and f2 and then shoot manually at 1/125 , 1/90 and at a 1/200 ? Or bracket with exposure, since it does half stops ?

Just trying to get the max out of my M7, fabulous piece of work that gave me back the pleasure of shooting ( its simply that good ) and even with the M8 on the corner, I feel no rush to go back to digital again, film is rewarding me with a lot 🙂

Any other help or tips would be greattly appreciated , since I used my fathers camera ( Canon t70, film ) for 1 year or so then I bough a Fuji S2 and off we go. So Im not that experienced with film, please fell free to tip

 

[greggebhardt]

I have found the back wheel too stiff on both the M7-Ti and my current M7. I agree that it makes bracketing a pain. Bracketing with exposure is more easy and I think, from as hard as the wheel is to turn, is the way Leica wants us to do it!

 

[retrocam]

The metering area is the circular area within the frame lines that you are using (which is dependent on the lens that you are using). It is illustrated in the manual of the M7..."It is 2/3 of the short side of the applicable bright-line frame".

I bracket by using the shutter speed dial.

I used the compensation dial for backlit situations and night photography. +1 to +2 for backlit situations and -1 to -2 for night photographgy.

I hope this helps. 🙂

 

[Ken Davis]

I have found the 'unsophisticated' M TTL meters to be very accurate 95 times out of 100 but rather than bracket if I really think the meter is not giving me the best reading I'll meter of a more suitable area and hold the reading by taking half pressure on the release. If I want the ultimate insurance then I'll 'bracket'. I'll risk a shot from the auto reading, take one as above and then split the difference using the spot and triangles as a base. This is pretty fast and doesn't disrupt my 'flow' too much - hope this helps.