M8 -/+ Ev

[Artorius]

I've read most everything, but I still need a quick way to change EV. I mean, even the D-Lux 3 is faster. Anybody find a shortcut?

 

[DaveSee]

I've read most everything, but I still need a quick way to change EV. I mean, even the D-Lux 3 is faster. Anybody find a shortcut?

This may seem more like "short-circuit" than "short-cut", yet I too was curious about the drizzle concerning "not having another button to do X like I do with my Y" and EV "correction"...

So, here's what I've learned, using the M8, thus an empirical observation(golly!).

IF you use the "A" shutter setting, then the EV "correction/compensation" will accordingly adjust the in-camera metering and shutter speed to your "a tad darker, Hal... no, sorry, make that lighter by +1".

IF you use non-AE, "manual" shutter speed settings, and you trust the M8 meter LEDs(at best EV 1 to 18, in use), then the EV settings will effect the "under/over/spot on" LED display. Seems a bit like setting your watch 5 minutes fast so you won't be late, IMHO.

THUS: if you use A(E), the only "short-circuit" of AutoExposure(Shutter Speed) is through the SET menu... which, if you're satisfied with the aperture, is the shortest path. In non-A(E)/"manual" mode... well, just "use the Histogram, Luke" and leave the EV settiing at "0"(...for consistency).

I've used A(E) twice: once, because it was novel and unknown; the second time to understand better what the "EV adjustment" ballyhoo was with regard to the M8. Coming from film and a hand-held meter and no A(E) available, the EV thing has no usefulness: I /have/ found a "chimp+INFO with RGB histo" of a test fire the most helpful and trustworthy indicator of potential shots in an environ... looking for "too much blue or red" for WB, and keeping the highs just right+ of center.

Would be interested to learn how the EV setting is useful in non-A(E) mode with the D-Lux 3.

rgds,
Dave

 

[jaapv]

Two tips: Go manual: and use the triangles ( centre dot only - spot on, left triangle plus dot half under, left triangle only 1stop or more under, etc.) Added advantage: measure just the part you want ot without needing to half-depress the shutter when recomposing. I'm sure that is the way Leica intended this to work for finetuning exposure..
The other : put you most used shooting situations, including the ISO and EV compensation, in user programs. But that still takes a push, a scroll, a push and a push, but only once for all settings.

 

[Ben Z]

To me, Autoexposure isn't Auto if I have to judge a scene and alter a compensation setting. May as well set manual in that case. In my years as a slide shooter I came to the conclusion that AE gave me good results in a high percent of cases only if it was either a highly-sophisticated evaluative/matrix meter (like the Nikon F5 and Canon 1V, the 6-segment kind in the F4 and Leica R8 didn't cut it) or a spot or semi-spot in conjunction with exposure lock. Leicas have neither. The M7 I briefly flirted with had the M6/MP "wide area spot" which in many cases took in too much area to be useful with AE+lock, and the M8 meter seems to have an even wider and more asymmetrical pattern. The exposure latitude of digital is closer to slide film than C41, so my experience from slides applies. I've also experimented with a VC-Meter in the shoe, and a handheld meter. Comparing to the M8's meter, I suspect the M8 is programed to underexpose, probably to keep from blowing out the highlights (shadow recovery from slight underexposure on the M8 is phenomenal compared to my 20D). To say another way, if I'm using a hand meter, with ISO 160 set on the M8, I'll set my meter to 200 and it will agree with the M8 onboard meter (320=400, 640=800 etc).

 

[dougdarter]

Just open or close 1 stop. Amounts to the same.

 

[etherfarm]

To date the auto exposure in the M8 has been pretty decent but not decent enough for me to want to use it. I'm with Jaap. Go manual. Turn one dial (shutter speed or aperture) or the other one way or the other a click or two off a metered center. Nothing could be faster and you don't have to fiddle with the hard-to-find AE lock.

 

[Artorius]

And that is my other problem

And that is my other problem

To date the auto exposure in the M8 has been pretty decent but not decent enough for me to want to use it. I'm with Jaap. Go manual. Turn one dial (shutter speed or aperture) or the other one way or the other a click or two off a metered center. Nothing could be faster and you don't have to fiddle with the hard-to-find AE lock.

AE lock. I thought I had it set up right, but I was wrong. I will go the manual route, although I do like the A mode.

BTW, thanks for the responses.