M4 problems

[Welland]

A few months back I got my first Leica, an M4. I coupled it with a Zeiss Biogon 35mm f2. (lovely lens)

I love the camera and the lens and have run about 10 rolls through it so far. I have to my standards had some really nice shots from it. Problem is Ive also ruined some opportunities which I feel if I had an in camera light meter would have nailed.

I am used to my OM1 which has a light meter and has served me well. Im learning about the exposures and have a light meter app and a weston master but I find it slows me down.

Should I perservere or should I cut my losses and sell the M4 to make way for an M6?

 

[Roger Hicks]

Personally I prefer light meters but equally, a modest amount of practice will enable you to judge exposures surprisingly accurately, surprisingly often.

Cheers,

R.

 

[zvos1]

Just bought nice VC II lightmeter for my M4....I can't believe how small this thing is...try it

 

[Welland]

Just bought nice VC II lightmeter for my M4....I can't believe how small this thing is...try it

Interesting, hadn't thought of that. How much did it cost?

Have you started using it yet?

 

[kbg32]

http://www.cameraquest.com/voivcmet2.htm

 

[mgermana]

I'm also a new M4 user, and I've been loving the Gossen DigiSix2. It's tiny and light and totally pocket-able. Most importantly, it has provided a great learning experience. I walk around the house and around the neighborhood with just the meter sometimes, just taking incidence readings and testing myself on what I think the EV will be. Won't be too long before I'm guessing closer to the mark more often.

With my D200 in matrix mode, I never know what the camera is really measuring.

Maybe I'm in the minority (globally speaking, not on RFF), but I'm rather glad to be shut of in-viewfinder distractions!

 

[kbg32]

The more you shoot without a meter, the better you'll become by judging the exposure.

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

i used the m4 and canon 50/f1.5
2 week ago and shot around 8
rolls of 400 iso film. Reading the
light outdoors isn't an issue generally
as Sunny 16 works well. It is
troublesome when there it is indoors,
or partially shaded, for that I used a VC
meter II.

here is an example:

I pointed the VC meter pointed slightly downwards,
then used the settings on my M4. If I had pointed
straight ahead, it would have resulted in underexposure.

raytoei

ps. while the m6 is an excellent tool, the m4 is too nice to
be swapped out.

 

[BLKRCAT]

My M2 always has the VC meter on it. Though outdoors I'm getting better with judging exposure, but its always good to double check against the meter

My only complaint is that I think the M2 looks much better without a meter on top!

Another option would be to find a decent M5. They have fairly decent pricing also. I would love to have one.

 

[Brian Legge]

I've come to prefer incident metering when possible. That makes in camera meters a fallback anyway. That said, if light is really changing fast I may take a R4M instead.

 

[k__43]

Put a Leicameter (M4 version) on top, your camera will look uglier but it works and you can get it quite cheap. It is shutter dial coupled so it will speed you up a bit.
I agree with the people that say try going w/o a meter it is really the fastest way.

 

[philipus]

Don't forget that smartphones can be used as meters. My current fave is iZoner (ios) which has lots of good functions, including spot meter.

A good app to memorise Sunny 16 is Expositor (also ios).

 

[rhl-oregon]

Another vote for the MR meter that couples with the M4 shutter speeds. It's good historically correct practice, if that matters to you (it does to me). With any of these top-plate meters, though, you'll still be separating the metering from the composing/shooting, so getting an M6 or M5 is one way to keep your metering/composing continuous, though the wiser advisers here point to treating the meter (whatever type) as practice to mastering sunny 16.

 

[maddoc]

Another vote for the VC II from me. I find it ugly when mounted on the camera but it is always there, is easy to read, has a wide range and the batteries last long and are easy to find. To go meter-less I can easily remove it and drop it into a pocket. The VC II is remarkable smaller compared to a Seconic Twin-Mate (L-208) or Gossen Digisix.

 

[Frontman]

I used to use a Leica MR meter on whatever M I happened to be shooting, but I stopped using it. Reading the light with your eyes is not so hard, and the time ot takes to aim the camera and meter, depress the button on the meter, turn the camera to read the meter, and then adjust your shutter speed and/or aperture, you will likely miss the shot anyway.

I usually set the aperture to f/5.6-8, and adjust the shutter speed to match the conditions. With practice it is quick and reasonably accurate.

Use your eyes to read the light and choose your settings, and then check your meter to see of it agrees, not vice-versa. In a little time you'll become proficient.

 

[Welland]

Thanks gang, good advice. i may just keep plodding away and admit i just need time to get it right

 

[furcafe]

Depends on your preferred shooting style & media.

IIRC, the OM bodies had some great metering options, including spot metering off the film.

I use both meterless cameras (including an M4) & those w/TTL metering (including an M6 TTL) & did not have problems learning to shoot w/an external meter. However, if you had a good work flow associated w/TTL shooting (&/or shoot a lot of slide film) & have no intention of getting other meterless cameras, then I think it's perfectly rational to cut your losses & get an M6 or other M body w/meter.

Thanks gang, good advice. i may just keep plodding away and admit i just need time to get it right

 

[sdotkling]

There is no substitute for learning to read the light. Burn a dozen rolls of the b&w film of your choice, guessing. Try to remember what you did when you screw up and adjust. Always use the same film, same developer, same everything. Don't get too attached to your pictures, because until you get good at it, you'll make mistakes and ruin them. Eventually, you'll be pretty close to spot-on. Amuse your friends by telling them the exposure for the scene you're in. They'll check it on their metered cameras and say, with some awe, "Wow. You're right."
That's what a Leica is for. M6's are for wusses.

 

[Welland]

There is no substitute for learning to read the light. Burn a dozen rolls of the b&w film of your choice, guessing. Try to remember what you did when you screw up and adjust. Always use the same film, same developer, same everything. Don't get too attached to your pictures, because until you get good at it, you'll make mistakes and ruin them. Eventually, you'll be pretty close to spot-on. Amuse your friends by telling them the exposure for the scene you're in. They'll check it on their metered cameras and say, with some awe, "Wow. You're right."
That's what a Leica is for. M6's are for wusses.

haha love that. You're my new favourite 🙂

 

[anjoca76]

Sunny 16 works and is very useful, but there is a learning curve. If you have a smartphone, get an exposure app. I use mine all the time with my M2. The light meter is my M6 does come in handy, but it's a spot meter and if you dont use it properly you can very easily take poor photographs. Even with an M6, you should still pick up a good external meter.

That said, there is something to be said for the convenience of a built-in meter. Try using an app for a while and if you still can't get the hang of it, get an M6. As great as the M4 is, if it's not for you, then that's OK.