Leica MP Metering - is this normal?

[Turtle]

Hi,

Lots of meters differ in their readings, but both of my MPs need to have films set 2/3 stop slower than they do on my Mamiya 7, Bronica RF645, eos 3 etc. I have never really worried about this, but wonder if it is the same for the rest of you? To give you some insight, I rate many films at box speed in other cameras when using Xtol 1+X or DDX - faster in flat, dull conditions, but with my MPs I have to set an exposure of about 250 for my 400 speed films and with 100 speed films, 64 is generally what I use. With slow speed developers the speed has to be dropped further of course.

Both MPs agree to within 1/3 of a stop.

Just wondering if this is the norm for the meters in the MP/M7 to be optimistic.

 

[awilder]

My experience with the M6, M6 TTL and MP (owned at different times) is that their meters have always been spot on to within a tiny fraction of absolute accuracy. Why not simply check it against a good hand held reflective meter like a Gossen? It should easily match to well within 1/3 stop if metering a uniformly lit surface like a blank wall.

 

[usagisakana]

The meters are set up for slide film most likely. It's not uncommon to have to rate ttl meters a bit higher for negative film, at least that's what I've heard.

 

[peter_n]

My experience with the M6, M6 TTL and MP (owned at different times) is that their meters have always been spot on to within a tiny fraction of absolute accuracy. Why not simply check it against a good hand held reflective meter like a Gossen? It should easily match to well within 1/3 stop if metering a uniformly lit surface like a blank wall.

This is my experience too with M6TTL, M7, and MP bodies. They are all remarkably accurate (I use negative film) and are virtually identical with Megatron (Weston clone) and Minolta meters.

 

[PATB]

My MP's meter track my sekonic 308S and the spot meter of my Nikon D80. Actually, I use DDX and my negatives are overly dense with box speed of Tri-X if I tend to overexpose (which I did when using D-76). I can rely on the MP meter 100% and am actually surprised something so simple can be that good.

On the other hand, my M7II's meter is a ^%$*)* and has a tendency to underexpose if I am not careful (yes, I did the bulb trick and know the hot spot of the meter). With Tr-X on DDX, I still have to set my meter for 320 or 250. My solution is to use Delta 400, which I can shoot box speed on the M7II with DDX.

 

[john neal]

Hmm, interesting - my MP overexposes by at least a stop 🙁