M6 Meter Underexposes: Repair or Not?

[raid]

I bought a very nice looking Leica M6 (0.85) a few months ago from a gentleman at PN or RFF, and I now only realize that the meter is off and it gives me one stop underexposure. 🙁


I already am adjusting my exposures accordingly by setting the ISO dial one stop slower. Is it worth it to actually send the M6 for meter adjustment or is this a costly issue? I wonder whether such an underexposure is linear in its effect or whether different lighting situations may be off differently?

I am a little annoyed that a costly camera has such a problem.

What would you do?


Raid

 

[rogue_designer]

how are you comparing the exposure?

One stop I personally wouldn't worry about - I would compensate precisely as you are already doing (it's not as though I pay attention to the box speeds to begin with).

 

[Steve Bellayr]

There are a number of repair services willing to give estimates. A camera of that age may be due for a cla anyway.

 

[Todd.Hanz]

out of curiosity...how have you decided the meter is off. I have noticed you have been shooting alot of BW400CN lately so I hope your not judging the camera based on the labs results, just curious.

Todd

 

[raid]

out of curiosity...how have you decided the meter is off. I have noticed you have been shooting alot of BW400CN lately so I hope your not judging the camera based on the labs results, just curious.

Todd

Todd,
I know pretty well the appropriate exposure from experience, but I also checked it against a Pentax digital spotmeter. I take so many photos that I pretty much know the correct exposure. I am just upset that the recently bought M6 has this problem. I might as well have bought another M3 instead.

I first noticed this problem as we were taking photos in Marburg, where Kent (RFF member) commented on how I could possibly "challenge" a Leica meter. It was very clear to me that the camera's meter was not showing the right exposure for a "Sunny 16 Day". Photos were too dark at the start of my trip until I realized the meter's fault, and then all exposures came out better.


Regards,

Raid

 

[raid]

There are a number of repair services willing to give estimates. A camera of that age may be due for a cla anyway.

Steve,
This may be it. Some well-known person like Sherry Krauter may take $200-$250 for a CLA. Is there a less costly alternative repair person who does a great job ?

Raid

 

[raid]

Just had a total project set back as a result of my M6 classic meter failure. Not sure what is going on, but Don (DAG) states that, "worst case- main circuitboard needs replacing-$290.00 just for the circuitboard & $100.00 to install but that doesn't happen too often. The problem could just be an open circuit".

Should run you around 300USD for a full CLA.

I cannot stress enough, that if you buy a M6 (classic/TTL) second hand, get it serviced! This is the only way you can be sure that the instrument is functioning to spec. The best thing you can do for such a great instrument is to keep it to the proper tolerances.

However you could just pull the batteries and disregard the meter.

I am considering the "taking out the batteries approach".
My M6 is the model before the Classic. I don't know if the M6 (0.85) is any better or worse with respect to meter failure than your Classic M6.

Raid

 

[Todd.Hanz]

Todd,
I know pretty well the appropriate exposure from experience, but I also checked it against a Pentax digital spotmeter. I take so many photos that I pretty much know the correct exposure. I am just upset that the recently bought M6 has this problem. I might as well have bought another M3 instead.

I first noticed this problem as we were taking photos in Marburg, where Kent (RFF member) commented on how I could possibly "challenge" a Leica meter. It was very clear to me that the camera's meter was not showing the right exposure for a "Sunny 16 Day". Photos were too dark at the start of my trip until I realized the meter's fault, and then all exposures came out better.


Regards,

Raid

Ok., just curious.

You probably already know this but for the sake of discussion.

The Pentax digital spot meters are great but unless you are measuring the same area of reflected light then results will differ.

The metering field for the M6-MP is around 12mm, which changes depending the focal length used ( a wider lens will read more area while a longer lens reads less area or closer to what a 1 degree spot meter reads.)

To compare the differences in the way the two meters read you really have to be close to the subject and ensure you're reading the exact same reflected light.

It's been my experience that seldom will any of my handheld meters coincide exactly with any of my in camera meters, but one whole stop may be a little excessive.

It sounds like you have figured a way to compensate for the difference, good for you.

my 2cents,
Todd

 

[raid]

Ok., just curious.

You probably already know this but for the sake of discussion.

The Pentax digital spot meters are great but unless you are measuring the same area of reflected light then results will differ.

The metering field for the M6-MP is around 12mm, which changes depending the focal length used ( a wider lens will read more area while a longer lens reads less area or closer to what a 1 degree spot meter reads.)

To compare the differences in the way the two meters read you really have to be close to the subject and ensure you're reading the exact same reflected light.

It's been my experience that seldom will any of my handheld meters coincide exactly with any of my in camera meters, but one whole stop may be a little excessive.

It sounds like you have figured a way to compensate for the difference, good for you.

my 2cents,
Todd

Hi Todd,

I am aware of what you have discussed above. I pointed my M6 towards an evenly lit area on the street ground in front of me (and also later on the ceiling of a room) where the light was uniformly distributed across that area with same color and reflection. I asked Kent to give me his reading based on his Canon EOS, and that was another check for the same application. His readings also matched my spotmeter readings.

Once I adjusted the M6 meter by one f stop, I had full agreement. Thanks for your input, Todd.

I learned exposure settings for slow speed slide film photography via the spotmeters in my cameras (Canon F1N, T90) and then with the Pentax digital spotmeter. I compensate for the different shades accordingly.



Raid

 

[FrankS]

Raid, if I were you, I'd invest in a 24 exp roll of slide film. Take pictures in various types of settings/lighting conditions using the camera's meter for exposure settings, just to see how they come out.

 

[raid]

Frank: This is a good suggestion. I have hundreds of rolls of slide film in my fridge, so this is not problematic to do.

Raid

 

[clintock]

There are some services that Leica in NJ provide that wind up being cheaper than other places (like for example current model lens cleanings), something like adjusting the meter might be one of those things, wouldn't hurt to ask.

 

[ferider]

Hi Raid,

if it's just 1 stop it might be fixable by Don by just recalibrating the meter (i.e. cheaper than US 300). Send him an email
and see. Before, make sure you can reproduce the problem with new batteries.

Sorry to hear about it.

Roland.

 

[raid]

Roland: Do you mean that it could be the batteries? Now that would be a great solution indeed if the batteries are old or I have the wrong batteries in the M6. I will check out Don's opinion after making sure that the batteries are not the reasonfor the underexposure.

Raid

 

[raid]

There are some services that Leica in NJ provide that wind up being cheaper than other places (like for example current model lens cleanings), something like adjusting the meter might be one of those things, wouldn't hurt to ask.

Thanks for this tip. I will also check them out after making sure that I am having good batteries in the M6.

Raid

 

[ferider]

Roland: Do you mean that it could be the batteries? Now that would be a great solution indeed if the batteries are old or I have the wrong batteries in the M6. I will check out Don's opinion after making sure that the batteries are not the reasonfor the underexposure.

Raid

Could be, Raid. I remember reading somewhere that the camera is picky about it.
I use the CR 1/3N type and my M6 bodies are very accurate with it.

Good luck,

Roland.

 

[raid]

Roland: I will check out which battery type I have in the M6.
checked out: Maxwell LR44 button cells.
Are these the wrong type?

Raid

 

[FrankS]

I'm pretty sure mine are 76S. Had to change them recently, after 2 years.

 

[raid]

Are my batteries Alkeline and should they be ... ?

Raid

 

[mrtoml]

I have an M6 classic .85 and it underexposes by about a stop compared to my Bessa R. I have been thinking about the same issues as you, but it is in the repairshop at the moment getting serviced as it is jammed. When it comes back I will see if it has made any difference to the metering.