Soon-to-be New Leica M3 user

[Warren T.]

Hi Patrice,

Congratulations on your M3 and welcome to RFF 🙂. You have some good advice already. Personally, I would recommend that you pick up a small handheld meter (like the Sekonic L-208) and learn to use it. Even if you don't need it when you're outdoor and going with Sunny-16 rules (it works well), you will have the meter with you and available when you run into a difficult lighting situation for the first time and you won't have a clue how to estimate exposure. In time, you will rely less and less on the meter. For film, I agree that either Tri-X for true B&W, or Ilford XP-2 for C-41 process would be appropriate.

At least initially while you're learning, you may find it useful to keep a small notebook around to jot down your exposure setting for each frame so that you can see how the setting affect the way your negatives look (density, contrast, etc.)

By using a fully manual, meterless camera like the M3, it forces you to think not just about the correct exposure, but you will begin to see the importance of how lighting must be an integral part of your subject and composition.


--Warren

 

[robklurfield]

It's just like expecting a new baby. Whatever surprises come when it arrives, I'm sure you'll be delighted.

 

[johannielscom]

Google 'exposure calculator' and check out the images. There's lots of designs, I particularly like the disc-shaped aluminium exposure calculators. They are small and flat, you can stuff one anywhere and they give a good starting point for your exposure. Film latitude easily covers the occasional one-stop error.

Welcome to the forum, OP!

 

[tyrone.s]

Welcome to the forum. Should you get a meter or not? Hmm, a real belt, suspenders or both (or none!) question. I think that it depends what you want to learn by not using a meter.

There's lots of good advice here. Fred Parker's The Ultimate Exposure Computer is a good place to start reading online. Andy's Handy Exposure Calculator is a nice little paper tool that you can print and use to evaluate exposure (Google for links). A read of 'The Negative' by Ansel Adams might be of interest in helping you think about the question - "What am I metering?" when you evaluate a scene.

Still for all that, I'd recommend that you do get a meter as well. I did the whole no meter thing a few years ago. Did I learn anything about exposure? Sure. Did I become a better photographer? Maybe 🙂 But I did become more informed. In retrospect I would say that if you have a meter (not your DSLR - bulky) you can estimate the exposure based on some understanding (whether that be sunny 16 or a knowledge of EV's) and then compare that on the same film with a second photo based on what the meter thought was 18% gray and a correct exposure. To my mind this makes 'guessing or evaluating' the correct exposure into something of a controlled experiment (you thought / the machine thought). Otherwise you could take a whole heap of photos just by guessing (which is fine) and then not really have anything like a baseline to compare them with. And indeed if both you and the meter get it wrong, well that's a good learning experience too.

I did this in the Australian desert and was amazed at how often the light was tricky to judge (everything was really high contrast). I really learnt that the light is always changing and that I found it not so informative to only get well exposed photo's in the middle of the day in bright sun and not really have anything to compare against for all the tricky situations where I got it wrong.

Of course you could always forget the meter, and simply bracket. Or use f8 and film speed / shutter speed and 'be there'.

Cheers

Tyrone

 

[patrice]

Thanks everyone for the advice. This is incredibly helpful! All the messages, without exception, contain extremely valuable advice for someone like me who's just starting with an M3. I'm taking it all in. Just reading the messages is enlightening. I can't wait to receive the M3 now, it's getting worse and worse...

I'll probably take a course in B&W film photography - one is starting in 4 weeks and there are still spots available. RichardB suggested that, and he's right. Coming from digital, there are so many things I have to learn concerning film. I'll just have fun shooting before the course begins and practice as much as I can - I know a bit, I'll be able to shoot a few rolls before the course...

It's amazing to see where my questions led - there are so many possibilities and techniques. There are many diverging views about the necessity of metering. The experience of Marcelo reflects mine a bit. I tend to believe like him that necessity is the mother of development, hence my idea at the beginning to consider going meterless. We'll see. There's also perhaps no need to go the hard way and mess up without any guide. The messages are mixed concerning this, some advising to just go with sunny 16 and experiment, others insisting on the need for a meter to learn. Food for thought.

 

[ferider]

Welcome, Patrice.

Learning to get exposures with b+w film the way you want is not that hard. What is hard would be carrying around your dSLR as just your meter!!! Do yourself a favour and cut down on neck and camera-bag clutter, get yourself a Gossen Digisix or Sekonic L-208 and use it to meter.

I second that. Having a meter is very important, even if you only use it occasionally. I find my photos of scenes with easy-to-guess exposures actually mostly boring. 🙂

I recommend to have a look at Thomas' flickr stream, he is a master of difficult light situations !

Roland.

 

[patrice]

I just came across this:

http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2009/05/a-leica-year.html

And it seems like a radical version of what I'm trying to achieve. I'm all for it, and I intend to do like the guys says: go with a Leica for a year with one lens, and just that, and shoot and learn!

The superb advice I am getting here will prove helpful to achieving that goal.