Question about low speed (B1, B2, B4, B8, B15 B30) on Leica M5

[Summitar75]

Does the Leica M5 low speed (B1, B2, B4, B8, B15 B30) are supposed to
be working or accurate on a LEICA M5?

Miguel😕

 

[clintock]

Those b speeds are for reference to the meter reading, the shutter requires an external timer via a cable release for example, or just count using a cable release. A one second speed can be derived by using the self timer.
see-
http://yandr.50megs.com/leica/m5/m5.htm

 

[dreilly]

I'm going to reopen this thread. I understand the B settings on the M5 are for the meter. But will the camera actually meter with these? The meter in the M uses a reference line for the shutter speed, and a floating needle for the aperture/light setting. To get a good exposure, you combine the lines...the shutter speed reference line moves to the left as you get slower, but at B, it just stops. So it would seem to me that you can't really meter below 1/2 second.

Am I understanding this right? And is my M5 working right?

thanks
doug

 

[awilder]

The camera will meter at these speeds but only if the film speed selector is set sufficienty low such as ASA 25 which moves the shutter speed curve (line) further to the right. Basically, it can only meter accuately when all three lines can be made to coincide with one another. At higher ASA values, the shutter speed curve disappears at the B speeds.

 

[rolleistef]

normally yes, the M5 is said to have an accurate enough meter to measure speeds down to 30 seconds, but I don't remember at what aperture.
However, it's not sure if it does match reprocity failure.

 

[dreilly]

Ah-ha! Thank you, that does work. So, I could actually use the meter for low-light situations, I'd just have to set the ASA low and then extrapolate for a the higher ASA I'm actually using. Cool.

 

[awilder]

It only gives you a rough starting point. Reciprocity failure may require an increase in exposure so you'll need to bracket exposure. Frankly speaking, changing the film speed does nothing to increase meter sensitivity, only a faster lens (up to f/1.4) does that. It's easier to use the calculator dial on the camera back if you want to play with different combinations of shutter and apertures.