Those with meterless rangefinders: how do you set your exposure?

Those with meterless rangefinders: how do you set your exposure?

  • I spot meter everything. Usually twice.

    Votes: 34 3.7%

  • I use a handheld incident meter with every shot.

    Votes: 135 14.7%

  • I only meter when I think the light has changed.

    Votes: 390 42.4%

  • I use the sunny 16 rule almost exclusively.

    Votes: 211 22.9%

  • I use an EV chart.

    Votes: 43 4.7%

  • I have been shooting long enough that it is intuitive for me.

    Votes: 107 11.6%
  • Total voters
    920
I'll admit it - I wander around muttering things like 'Sunny 16' and 'looks like medium shade, perhaps light', while twiddling the shutter speed dial randomly; and then whip out the L-208 when nobody is looking.
 
Meter

Meter

I use a Unittic Sunset Model 65 hand meter (ca.1972). I keep one eye on the ground for shadows to monitor the light. I use it with color negs, B/W, and chromes'. I also use it with my TLR and Hassy. I have it on an adjustable strap which can be worn around the neck or around the right wrist.
 
Sunny 16, but I've got a pocket meter if I feel it's required. I found in bright sunshine, Sunny 16 really does work perfectly, in darkness, I just shoot wide open at 30th second, and hope for the best. For in between, I may meter.
 
I've been doing it by eye. Black-n-white can be pretty forgiving, and when I blow it completely, so be it. We ain't talking great art here.
Lately I discovered a lightmeter app for my iPhone, which--while cumbersome--gives me a confirmation or refutation of my last few exposures. I find that I'm usually no more than a stop off, which is well within my printing abilities.
 
I am new to meterless rangefinder cameras, just couple of rolls through my M2, although I've been using other meterless for some time already. With TLRs I tend to meter almost before every exposure,sometime twice. Weirdly, with the M2 I usually find myself sunny-sixteen-guesstimating despite carrying the lightmeter in the bag - and with most of the films and in most of the situations the exposures are brilliant. Only indoors and with slow films it seems to be a bit trickier..
 
I estimate 100% of the time with M's and Rollei's. Don't own a meter. Once you practice enough, it's not necessary to use a meter. Even with slides (which I shoot mostly) or in low light.
 
I habitually give myself a choice of negatives. If outside in full sun with Eastman XX, I set the shutter to 1/250, and make an exposure at F11. If I feel strongly about the subject, and it is static and not changing, I will make a second exposure, at 1/250 at F8.

Good to have a choice of negatives, when I get to the printing step.
 
Anyone here finds they shoot more with meterless cameras? That's my case and I don't really understand why ; maybe it's more fun.
 
rogue_designer said:
I usually grab a couple of ballpark meter readings (sun, shade, open shade etc.) for wherever I am. Then adjust by eye as I go.

I might take a more careful reading if the situation is tricky, or I'm spending more time working on a particular subject.

But for general street, grab a few readings and then play it by ear... err... or by eye.
Click to expand...

Yup. same here. It's taken a bit of getting used to for me coming from digital, but I'm always surprised at how accurate the sunny 16 rule is. 3-4 stops less for shade, etc. I use the Pocket Light Meter app on my iPod touch when I start to second guess myself. I'd highly recommend this app. It acts as a spot meter on the iPhone/ipod touch4G. I've tested it against a calibrated Sekonic L-758 and found it to be accurate within 1/3 a stop! And it gives you the option of adjusting +/- EV too, so you can compensate for any discrepancies.
 
I spot meter the brightest point and the darkest point and using zone system decide from there what I am looking for relating to where I put shadows and highlights.
 
Look at the sky, then look at the shadows. Adjust for the subject. And bingo, no meter needed.

The sky gives you a starting point (ie, sunny, overcast, evening/morning whatever) - look at shadows to see how much light is falling where you are (more contrast = more light, less contrast = less light) - and judge the relative lightness of your subject.

I've even shot rolls of slides this way and rarely missed a frame. When in doubt bracket.
 
It's surprising how dark "deep shade" can be. I was hiking in the Giant Forest in Sequoia N. P. over the summer - at noon it can be 5-7 stops darker than in full sunlight. Only a meter can tell you this.
 
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