How do I learn to use my M7 without lightmeter?

[bronney]

good read guys.

shayalen,

I just want to point out that after I got used to sunny 16, I only meter once outdoor, once indoor and shoot the day without metering. The latest work's with RVP's and a lens I specifically bought for the trip and haven't used once.

Almost the whole set are slides:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bronney/sets/72157618875757241/

I am sure some of them are way off the comfort zone for slides but they came out "ok" when viewed with a projector. I've only shot 2 years, probably less than 200 rolls. What I learned from Canada (I grew up there btw) and from Hong Kong (I currently live and work there) was; in hong kong with the constant haze and shaded streets from the skyscrapers, I can pretty much shoot the whole day (sun up of course) using a max of 2 - 3 stops anywhere. But in Toronto, the clouds shades the sun so fast that you could frame a scene and right before fire it could be -2. Easy 4 - 5 stops of craziness.

For landscapes you can just wait it out but if you're doing streets, you gotto be real quick getting that 2 stops. Here's a fail shot:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bronney/3645299461/in/set-72157618875757241/

The open space in Canada also means a lot of contrast which depending on one's taste, shooting slides might not have been the best idea with a voigtlander lens at that time. But it sure was fun ^_^. Even though there were failed shots, it's great lesson and very relaxing to shoot the M2 like an IXUS 🙂

 

[RichardB]

Since we solved your M7 problem, let's take a stab at your exposure wants.

You will recieve advise on this forum, some good and some just plain crap.
First, I don't understand your wanting to use your M7 without the meter? Second, I don't know if you are lacking in fundamental knowledge of exposure because of a history of using AUTO Digital equipment to take photographs or some other reason?
If lacking a knowledge of exposure fundamantals, I would suggest reading some basic books and finding a class at an Art College where they still teach fundamentals.
If not lacking fundamentals, I would suggest your rethink using a camera without any exposure metering. I'm sure a photographer from 60 years ago would say, all this modern exposure equipment is great! If you have ever used the old selenium meters powered by the light they read and the problems with exposure that resulted, you would gain a sense of how good the equipment of today is.
At the most I would suggest using your M7 in manual to determine the correct exposure reading of a scene. The M7 is a somewhat center weighted system and can give a fairly accurate reading from different parts of a scene to be photographed. Using exposure fundamentals and a Zone System of some sort, you can then arrive at your exposure.
Of course the vertue of the M7 is that it somewhat takes all that out of your hands in AUTO. But Leica did recognise that an AUTO system such as the M7 will not always give the correct exposure and that is why they included the Shutter Lock feature where a partial depress of the shutter button will hold the exposure reading. Most AUTO systems now have many standard scenes programmed into memory and can determine the correct over all exposure based on many exposure readings taken in the scene. The M7 cannot do this so some interpretation is needed. Good luck!-Dick

 

[shayallen]

Thanks for your thoughts Dick... I want to eventually get a M4(although I am not sure which one) as a back up body and I want to know how to read light just because I just want too. I always really enjoy doing things the hard way. I am "lacking in fundamental knowledge of exposure" because I bought my first digital camera (Nikon D90) last December. Although I feel I am learning peaty fast moving from digital to Leica M7 and doing all my prints in my own darkroom. (check out my gallery) I just really want to understand where all this came from.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Dear Shay,

'Just because I want to' is often the best reason of all.

For some basics, you might care to look at

http://www.rogerandfrances.com/photoschool/ps iso speeds.html (ISO speeds)

http://www.rogerandfrances.com/photoschool/ps film welcome.html (wecome to film)

http://www.rogerandfrances.com/photoschool/ps basics expoguide.html (a very rough guide to guessing exposure)

Tashi delek,

R.

 

[flip]

This is a funny thread. :-D

I wish I could apply sunny 16 perfectly much in the way that I wish I could do complex arithmetic in my head. I desire more consistent accuracy, so I often have the equivalent of a slide-rule with me: a S16 chart. Even so, why use a slide-rule when I can use a calculator? Enter my VCII - more accurate than S16 or the chart, but smaller than a Sekonic (a veritable computer, to continue the analogy).

If you can get consistently good results using your noggin, then I'll envy you. Best of luck!

 

[martin s]

What Keith said!

and one of these, not a reflective meter, the sticker on the left is at f16 at 1/film-asa so one can see imediarly by how many stops the light is off.

sorry about the photo, it's a digicam and I don't know how it works

This absolutely made my day 😀

martin

 

[shayallen]

Maybe I should sell all my Leica stuff and go back to my Nikon D90 and shoot it on full auto! If you don't understand why I want to do this or your disagree with why I am doing this means very little to me... But if you would like to help me to learn how to do this I would really appreciate it! I do really enjoy all the back and forth on all these threads! Its kind of my new hobby. Thanks for ALL your replies I find them very helpful and entertaining!

 

[RichardB]

Thanks for the information as I understand your history better and it is as I surmised. Learning to meter your own exposures is a worthwhile endeaver as is doing your own darkroom work. I spent many many years in darkrooms and although I never likes the darkroom work, it was the only way to get the quality one wanted.
I think the members of this Forum can answer specific questions about exposure but to teach the history and fundamanetals requires reading a a number of basic books or a course from an acredited College or Art Institute. I have friend who works for the Milwaukke Institute of Art & Design and thet still use film cameras to teach the basics. Your Public Library should be a good source of reference material especially older texts that don't deal with Digital cameras.
Learning exposure fundamantals is not something that will come overnight. When I taught photogrpahy to Graduate Students at the University of Wisconsin, I insisted on using color reversal film to learn exposure because the image that you expsoe for is what you see on the processed film. Using B&W as the medium to learn with, introduces the variables of film processing and printing wich are two seperate learning experiences on thier own, so if one can only have one variable i.e exposure its a lot easier.
Unfortuneately, reversal fim prices and processing can be expensive these days so find a low cost film supply and have Walmart develop your reversal film.
That said, be aware that many scenes cannot be photographed sucessfully with only one exposure or without lighting. The brightness range of the scene may exceed the ability of the film to capture the range. That is why Professionals use lights. The newer digital cameras can take mulitple images with different exposures and the software can put these together to yield images that film could never capture.
Purchasing am M4 as a backup sounds like a waste of money to me. Your M7 will certainly do all you want and unless you require the instant choice between lenses, a second body is a waste. Spend the money on film.
I use a simple Zone V system for exposure and it has served me well over the years. I do have Nikon FM and FM3a that replaced my Nikon F's but they also have simple center weighted meter systems as the M7, so are very compatable exposure wise.
AS I stated recognizing a scene that cannot be photographed correctly without external lighting is as important as determining the exposure of a scene.
Good luck and do not think you will be come proficient overnight as it will take time and lots of film.-Dick

 

[SolaresLarrave]

I'm not quite sure about this... but I think the M7 has an electronic shutter. In short, you cannot use it fully without batteries; the camera has only two mechanic shutterspeeds: 1/60 and 1/125. You'll want to ignore the meter if you want to use it as if it were a meterless camera... but then, why bother with an M7? You should have bought any other meterless Leica if you had this in mind...

But then, it's your choice and prerogative. Have fun!