dave lackey
Veteran
Somehow, I find time to get bored when I have more than five minutes alone.
Good thing it happens rarely.
But awhile ago I was pulling my F2a from the bag and once again the shutter speed knob on the DP11 kept slipping off the body dial. This has driven me crazy for so long and is why I love the FM3a and rarely use the F2.
So I pulled it and noticed a broken spring and replaced it with one from my DP1. Seems a bit better now.
But now I want to shoot a roll of film with it. How do you guys shoot with the F2? I prefer aperture priority cameras (FE2,etc) but the F2 is a different animal.
Do you decide the speed you want beforehand and just change the aperture on the lens and let the resulting image just happen? Or do you set the aperture and adjust the speed knob? I find adjusting shutter speed while shooting to be cumbersome.
Good thing it happens rarely.But awhile ago I was pulling my F2a from the bag and once again the shutter speed knob on the DP11 kept slipping off the body dial. This has driven me crazy for so long and is why I love the FM3a and rarely use the F2.
So I pulled it and noticed a broken spring and replaced it with one from my DP1. Seems a bit better now.
But now I want to shoot a roll of film with it. How do you guys shoot with the F2? I prefer aperture priority cameras (FE2,etc) but the F2 is a different animal.
Do you decide the speed you want beforehand and just change the aperture on the lens and let the resulting image just happen? Or do you set the aperture and adjust the speed knob? I find adjusting shutter speed while shooting to be cumbersome.
Huss
Veteran
Depends on what i am shooting.
dave lackey
Veteran
I hear that..
But I prefer a faster easier shooting method. I was wondering if I am doing something wrong. It is a great camera. But short of paying to fix the DP11, I may be better off with what I really want... a DE-1.
What do you think?
Timmyjoe
Veteran
My F2 is set up with a DE-1 and I use if for what I call "relaxed shooting". Using Sunny 16, I figure out my light levels, set the aperture for the depth of field I want, and adjust the shutter speed accordingly. Works very well.
Robert Lai
Well-known
From years of using an F3 (and Leica M7), I'm used to setting the aperture first (to get the depth of field that I want), then accepting whatever shutter speed is needed for the exposure. I tend to do this even with my F2A. The shutter speeds are visible in the finder (as are your chosen f/stop, as long as you're not using an intermediate stop).
Any shutter speed faster than X-synch is continuously variable, up to 1/2000. That is, you don't have to use the shutter speed on the detents. You do have to stick with the fixed shutter speeds for slower speeds below 1/80, however. If you've used a mechanical shutter Leica M 1-6, you're familiar with the concept. The Leica allows you continuously variable shutter speeds except between 1/8 and 1/15, and 1/30 to the flash synch speed.
When I first started with the F2A, I initially thought that my meter was broken, as it wouldn't change position even though I was adjusting shutter speeds. I finally realized that an f/1.4 lens wide open in bright daylight needs very fast speeds. The needle then got "in the range" and started to work. So, you can peg the needle if you're not thinking.
Any shutter speed faster than X-synch is continuously variable, up to 1/2000. That is, you don't have to use the shutter speed on the detents. You do have to stick with the fixed shutter speeds for slower speeds below 1/80, however. If you've used a mechanical shutter Leica M 1-6, you're familiar with the concept. The Leica allows you continuously variable shutter speeds except between 1/8 and 1/15, and 1/30 to the flash synch speed.
When I first started with the F2A, I initially thought that my meter was broken, as it wouldn't change position even though I was adjusting shutter speeds. I finally realized that an f/1.4 lens wide open in bright daylight needs very fast speeds. The needle then got "in the range" and started to work. So, you can peg the needle if you're not thinking.
nikon_sam
Shooter of Film...
It all varies on which lens I'm using and how much DOF I'm wanting...although my meter works I've been using a hand-held one...also not sure if I've ever shot any color with this one...most likely loaded with 100 asa B&W...
dave lackey
Veteran
What kills me is taking my thumb and finger to the top of the DP11 just to turn the dial on top. If I could just spin it with my index finger keeping my thumb on the winding lever, it would be so much better but try as I might, I can't spin that bloody dial way up on the tower with my finger.
dave lackey
Veteran
What makes me angry is the coupling comes undone! Like that pin needs to be longer or something!
Huss
Veteran
it sounds like it needs to be Sover Wong-ed..
Paulbe
Well-known
Dave--I set shutter speed first and then turn the aperture ring to get the correct setting--not every time, of course, but 95% of the time..not sure what your shutter knob prob is--but should not be doing that. Jim at Vermont camera works charged me a very small fee to CLA an F meter head--drop him a note and see what he says.
Paul
Paul
Huss
Veteran
Thread jack on/ This is why the M5 is the greatest film Leica ever made! Turn the overlapping shutter speed dial w one finger with the vf to your eye. /Thread jack off
it'sawhat?
Established
Dave I thought everyone used thumb and finger to adjust speed. but you do have a problem with the wonky dial it needs service.
dave lackey
Veteran
I agree with Huss about the finger only use of shutter dial. It is a shame I can't afford an M7. But I can look for a chrome DE1. The F2 is a delight otherwise!
fireblade
Vincenzo.
On bright sunny days i set the aperture and dial in the SS, and on cloudy days or darker scenes i like to set the shutter speed, and adjust the Aperture.
jbielikowski
Jan Bielikowski
I praise Nikon for such "weird" position of the shutter speed knob with DP-1 (meter is dead on mine) so I see numbers when pointing camera lens down, somehow very handy when pre-setting exposure once in a while when conditions change and I don't want to fiddle too much with the camera. Sure DE-1 is sexy as hell but too pricey and when my repairman finally will have some time to take care of the DP-1 metering gonna be handy, damn the dial on the top is such a clever design. Right now I'm trying to design a nice wooden grip for F2, so I could hold it in right hand for hours when walking.
Wulfthari
Well-known
Well, I just point at what I want to shoot...and I shoot! Simple as that!
I just came back from town, I shot a roll of Delta3200 with my F2AS, mostly night cityscapes, and I found this thread...weird.
When I want to shoot "aperture priority" I simply set the aperture (for instance 1.8 with the 85mm) and I turn the shutter speed until I just see the "o", it's easy for me, perhaps your camera is not 100% in good shape.
I just came back from town, I shot a roll of Delta3200 with my F2AS, mostly night cityscapes, and I found this thread...weird.
When I want to shoot "aperture priority" I simply set the aperture (for instance 1.8 with the 85mm) and I turn the shutter speed until I just see the "o", it's easy for me, perhaps your camera is not 100% in good shape.
Robert Lai
Well-known
Back to the thread Hi-Jack. Yes, that overhanging shutter dial on the M5 is great. That's why I have an M5 also, or will have when it's back from overhaul with Gus Lazzari.
After that comes the shutter dial of the M6TTL and M7, which are large to turn with your shutter finger, and turn the right way for the meter indicators in the viewfinder too.
The M1-4 with an MR (MR-4) meter is surprisingly good. It gives you that big shutter dial, and the continuously variable shutter speeds make sense with the meter. It is also a semi-spot meter, with the 90mm lens field of view.
The CL had something similar, but in a vertical plane.
Canon EF and A1 had the overhanging shutter dial too.
You should get the meter head fixed on your F2A. It's not hard at all to adjust the shutter speed with the big knob on top.
After that comes the shutter dial of the M6TTL and M7, which are large to turn with your shutter finger, and turn the right way for the meter indicators in the viewfinder too.
The M1-4 with an MR (MR-4) meter is surprisingly good. It gives you that big shutter dial, and the continuously variable shutter speeds make sense with the meter. It is also a semi-spot meter, with the 90mm lens field of view.
The CL had something similar, but in a vertical plane.
Canon EF and A1 had the overhanging shutter dial too.
You should get the meter head fixed on your F2A. It's not hard at all to adjust the shutter speed with the big knob on top.
dave lackey
Veteran
So you guys just adjust shutter speed with one finger?
Not possible for me!
Not possible for me!
Robert Lai
Well-known
Hi Dave,
Yes, one finger usually does it on my F2A and F.
That's why the original tiny dial on an M3 is so frustrating, because I have to take the camera away from the eye in order to set it.
With the LTM Leicas and their "wind first, then lift up the dial to set" shutter speeds, shooting is entirely shutter priority.
Yes, one finger usually does it on my F2A and F.
That's why the original tiny dial on an M3 is so frustrating, because I have to take the camera away from the eye in order to set it.
With the LTM Leicas and their "wind first, then lift up the dial to set" shutter speeds, shooting is entirely shutter priority.
Steve Bellayr
Veteran
Coincidence: Today I took out an F2 (no meter) for the first time. Loaded it with Tri-x. Took a reading with my cell phone lightmeter app and began. It was no different than any other camera. I set the shutter speed on my app at 1/125, which is my preferred shutter speed.