Leica M6 Underexposure Problem

[pperng]

Hi everyone,

I just bought a seemingly mint condition M6 that was manufactured in the 90s from a reputable camera shop. This is my first time shooting film. I've shot two rolls of film, one that was iso 200 and another iso 400; both, however, turned our way underexposed to the point that it was almost pitch black. I followed the light meter on the M6, which should have been accurate given that it was recently serviced by the camera shop. I even purposely overexposed a few shots on the second roll of film to see what kind of results I would get, but still, very very underexposed. For those of you who are more experienced with the M6 or 35mm film cameras in general, does anything come to mind as to what might be going on? Everything seems to be functioning mechanically...

Thanks!

P

 

[anitasanger]

Deja vu...

 

[johannielscom]

In case of self-spooled film: is it in the containers backwards? (ask me how I know...)

 

[anitasanger]

If you are purposefully overexposing with no change, it would point to a faulty light meter. Test meter against a known working one and go from there.

 

[GSNfan]

Pitch black negatives are not under exposed, those over exposed to the point of being useless.

 

[anitasanger]

Indeed. Under would be clear.

 

[newsgrunt]

just so we're on the same page,what is pitch black ? the prints or negs ?

 

[GSNfan]

In case the negatives were pitch black, I don't think he'd go to the trouble of printing them.

 

[35mmdelux]

Sounds like the roll was not spooled properly. Since there is nothing on the negs they turn out black. Make sure the roll catches before closing the camera bottom.

 

[newsgrunt]

underexposed negs=clear(ish)

overexposed negs=black or very dark/ dense

 

[pperng]

thanks for the responses! The negatives are very, very dark, which I now know means they are too overexposed? I'm pretty sure I loaded the film properly, especially since I can make out vague images on one or two of the slides. I'll try underexposing...

 

[newsgrunt]

ok, you just mentioned slides. are these negatives or slides ?

if slides, then dark=underexposure. overexposed slides=clear. what film were you using ? this might help us along

 

[Michiel Fokkema]

Just get the CLA. Any mechanical camera over 10 years old needs a cla.
I've had 2 M6's and they always were spot on. Although I thought speeds get slower when older, not faster.

Cheers,

Michiel Fokkema

 

[Livesteamer]

I would humbly differ. Two of my M6's are from 1985, have never been serviced and work just fine. Did the OP set the asa on the back dial? Joe

 

[pperng]

Sorry, I'm throwing carelessly throwing terms around. I was shooting with Kodak BW400CN 35mm film, and another cheap CVS iso200 film. Disregard 'slides.' After doing a bit more research, it seems that I need to keep the ISO setting on my M6 the same as my film speed--this could very well be the source of the problem. I've been shooting digital for the past few years and I would freely adjust my iso setting depending on available light...I'm going to keep this next roll of film at iso 400 and see if that solves the issue.

 

[anitasanger]

If you expose a film at an ISO that is different from the listed speed of the film, you are changing the way the film will have to be processed. If you expose over the box speed, you are pushing the film and there will have to be compensation during the processing. If you expose under the box speed, you are pulling the film and necessary development alterations will have to be made. Assuming you didn't develop this yourself, you would have needed inform the processor of what iso the film was exposed at so calculations and compensations can be made.

 

[notraces]

If the roll wasn't loaded properly - the negs would be clear -- not black.

Kodak BW400CN is a chromogenic film - you can under or over expose it by +-2 stops and be just fine -- so that's not the issue. If you exposed the CVS 200 at 400 - you underexposed by just a stop -- once again, not a big deal...

Go out -- shoot another roll at box speed -- and have it processed. If it comes out grossly over exposed (negs being black) - then -- you have another issue...

 

[Rob-F]

Did you set the film speed dial on the back of the camera to the film's ISO? Just thought I'd ask, since you may not realize the M6 does not automatically pick up the film speed the way some cameras do.

 

[Richard G]

You were playing around with the ISO dial with one film in the camera, but still, you would not have chosen ISO 25. Were you attending to the LEDs in the viewfinder, which is the light meter read out? Just as the ISO is not read by a DX reader in the film chamber, exposure is not automatic either. Is there a functioning battery in the camera giving you LED read out? Finally, are the dark negatives dark between frames or to the edge of the film out beyond the sprocket holes. That would suggest that you opened the camera baseplate before rewinding the film.

 

[mojobebop]

underexposed?

underexposed?

what you can also do before even shooting another roll
is to take a light meter, or the meter in your digital camera,
test the m6 against the light meter.

set the iso properly, then if it is way off you know the m6 meter is in need of repair.