Canon LTM Tips/advice on using the QL17's built-in meter

Canon M39 M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
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SalmanA

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I recently acquired a Canon QL17 from a fellow forum member, and since receiving it a couple of days ago finished one roll of film (B&W C-41) through it. What I noticed immediately was that quite a few of my shots were overexposed by about 2/3 - 1 stop, and in most of those cases I was either using the built-in meter (shutter-pri mode) or that I had taken a reading using the built-in meter and then had compensated a bit manually on either side.

I am aware that the QL17 doesn't have TTL metering (or any of those sophisticated evaluative/matrix metering systems) but I was expecting better exposures using the built-in meter.

What advice/tips would you all have to give to a new QL17 user on how to effectively use the built-in meter, esp. in indoors situations when there is overhead ceiling lighting? I have up until now been used to using evaluative/matrix TTL metering systems on my 35mm SLR and digicams.

Thanks!
 
those shots look like the camera was metering properly, but was fooled by the light coming from the windows
 
SalmanA said:
What advice/tips would you all have to give to a new QL17 user on how to effectively use the built-in meter, esp. in indoors situations when there is overhead ceiling lighting? I have up until now been used to using evaluative/matrix TTL metering systems on my 35mm SLR and digicams.
Click to expand...

I have the GIII version and I find that the meter is very close, but in bright light, yes, it does overexpose by about 1/2 stop when compared to my Pentax. However, in the real world it gives properly exposed negatives quite consistently.

One principle I always try to abide by is that any meter reading is more of a suggestion as to what to shoot, as opposed to some kind of a commandment handed down to Moses. :) I'll quite often switch to manual and tweak if I disagree with the meter. For night shots with a lot of dark and very bright lights in some portions, it seems to grossly overexpose, so my guess is usually more correct than the meter.

One of the few things I don't like about the QL17 is that it doesn't have a match-needle mode, so you have to take it down from the eye, switch to manual, recompose ... ...
 
meter off the ground (point the camera down a bit), push on the shutter release to lock the exposure and then frame, focus and shoot.

joe
 
You didn't include the shots, but if you're shooting C41 film, an overexposure of 2/3--1 stop is usually recommended. What's more, I know I wouldn't even be able to tell if there was an overexposure, since the prints will not have overexposed highlights but just more shadow detail. So, unless you're shooting slides, I wouldn't give it a second thought.
 
Thanks for all the replies. I guess I've been spoiled by evaluative TTL metering systems for quite a while, and am now having to think through exposures for a change with my Canonet QL17.

Joe: thanks for the tip re: metering off the ground, I'll give that a try.

Nick: the first roll through my QL17 was Kodak's (C-41) B&W 400, and my observations were based off of scans of the frames as I didn't get prints made. You are right about over-exposing 35mm negative film a little bit, but in my scans there were a lot of blown highlights - more than I was expecting. I'll post some shots to my gallery when I get the chance.

In any event, I have a roll of colour film in the QL17 right now and hope to see better (different) results from it.

Thanks for the quick replies.
Cheers,
 
The QL17 was invented before any of these matrix thing and considered as a "good enough" in its days

meter is actually an average meter , not center weighted , not matrix.
Hence it consider the ENTIRE view/frame as 18% grey. ANY source of light that adds to or overwhelms that meter, will make it underexpose.

Therefore the suggestions to "point down" is valid.
It is just another way of looking for that 18% grey in the scene.
YOu might also point up , or sideways ,or any direction that has majority 18% grey.

Once you decided that you have got the metering at 18% grey, half shutter and it will lock the meter.
Then compose the shot, and fire

I simply just love the CANONET QL17. It has soooo much feature
that cameras double the price dont even have.
 
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