piblondin Posted October 6, 2015 Share #1 Posted October 6, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) I got a brand new Leica MP in August and am having some problems with the meter. I just got my first roll of film processed and everything came out underexposed. I then compared meter readings in the camera with those from my handheld meter and the camera is giving a reading that's two stops underexposed compared to the Sekonic meter. I tried changing batteries in the camera, but it's still doing the same thing. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted October 6, 2015 Posted October 6, 2015 Hi piblondin, Take a look here New Leica MP Meter Problem. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Tony Mac Posted October 6, 2015 Share #2 Posted October 6, 2015 I got a brand new Leica MP in August and am having some problems with the meter. I just got my first roll of film processed and everything came out underexposed. I then compared meter readings in the camera with those from my handheld meter and the camera is giving a reading that's two stops underexposed compared to the Sekonic meter. I tried changing batteries in the camera, but it's still doing the same thing. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks! Obvious question but I have to ask...was the ISO on the back dial set correctly to match the speed of your film? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manoleica Posted October 6, 2015 Share #3 Posted October 6, 2015 Take a few test shots with both hand held meter and then as the camera meters. Have them D&P, send them of to Leica Technical. In the meantime I'm sure you can compensate for the issue.. The camera may have to return to its mothership for a little love.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
piblondin Posted October 6, 2015 Author Share #4 Posted October 6, 2015 Yes, the ISO does match the external light meter and the film. I tried spinning the ISO dial back and forth several times and cleaning the contacts on the rear door. I'm not quite sure what to do because I took six weeks in between having purchased the new camera and getting my first roll of film developed, which made me recognize and investigate the problem. I need the camera for my wedding weekend in two weeks and want to have an in-camera meter. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
piblondin Posted October 6, 2015 Author Share #5 Posted October 6, 2015 Take a few test shots with both hand held meter and then as the camera meters. Have them D&P, send them of to Leica Technical. In the meantime I'm sure you can compensate for the issue.. The camera may have to return to its mothership for a little love.. I'm a little afraid to just compensate. I rely really heavily on the meter and if it's off or inconsistent for my wedding weekend, I'll be quite unhappy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted October 6, 2015 Share #6 Posted October 6, 2015 I'm a little afraid to just compensate. I rely really heavily on the meter and if it's off or inconsistent for my wedding weekend, I'll be quite unhappy. If as you say it consistently under exposes by two stops adjust the ISO to compensate. So if you have a 400 ISO film in set it to 100 ISO, that will give two stops more exposure. In the meantime assure yourself you really are getting two stops under exposure and that it's not just a different metering pattern from your MP and Sekonic, so only test them by reading an unambiguous area of grass or a wall. You can check to see if the battery in your MP is the correct type or if the contacts need cleaning, and them question the photography side of things, had you been using a very wide lens, a 15 or a 12 for instance can fool the meter completely on some cameras, did you have a filter on the lens and forgot to compensate the exposure ( a one stop yellow can be dealt with by the camera meter, but some dense filters like a three stop red or ND may need extra compensation). Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manoleica Posted October 6, 2015 Share #7 Posted October 6, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) I'm a little afraid to just compensate. I rely really heavily on the meter and if it's off or inconsistent for my wedding weekend, I'll be quite unhappy. You use a Leica and are afraid to make use of the cameras ability to be manually compensated.. Surely you realize the camera and photographer must interact.. Get a book on "Wedding Photography" from your local library read up and practice. Use a digital and see how various settings correspond to real life images.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted October 6, 2015 Share #8 Posted October 6, 2015 Are you aware of the differences between the coverage of the meter in your MP and a handheld meter? Study your instruction manual and do a simple test as Steve has suggested above. It's unlikely (though not impossible of course) for a meter in a new camera to be off. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
semi-ambivalent Posted October 6, 2015 Share #9 Posted October 6, 2015 A wild guess, but this is not a case of reflected and incident readings expected to be the same is it? In any case, as above shoot a test roll at 100 and process. ISOs are lab calibrated. Everything else is effectively an EI and everybody's is different, although two stops is a bit large. If W-day arrives and this is unsolved over-shoot like crazy and do clip tests later. And good luck. s-a Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
piblondin Posted October 6, 2015 Author Share #10 Posted October 6, 2015 You use a Leica and are afraid to make use of the cameras ability to be manually compensated.. Surely you realize the camera and photographer must interact.. Get a book on "Wedding Photography" from your local library read up and practice. Use a digital and see how various settings correspond to real life images.. I paid a $1,500 premium to have a new and presumably problem-free MP for my own wedding, and I think that's reasonable for the extra expense. I'm well-versed in photography with Leicas and otherwise, and I'm not sure I should apologize for my reliance on internal light meters in my cameras. I simply want to be shooting a camera I can trust for a very important event in my life, and I'm deeply disappointed that this one isn't going to work out. Again, I'm quite sure that the meter is off. I compared it against my M7 and M240 using the same focal length lenses. If anyone has a suggestion for how I might fix this issue myself, it would be much appreciated. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock Posted October 6, 2015 Share #11 Posted October 6, 2015 I would say that a hand held meter is preferable for a wedding, no matter how good the built in meter is. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
piblondin Posted October 6, 2015 Author Share #12 Posted October 6, 2015 I would say that a hand held meter is preferable for a wedding, no matter how good the built in meter is. I don't think I'll be carrying around a handheld meter at my wedding. I'm reluctant to even have a camera there! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted October 6, 2015 Share #13 Posted October 6, 2015 I compared it against my M7 Certainly the MP and M7 should provide comparable readings given the same film speed, focal length, aperture and shutter speed settings. If you are getting readings at variance using these two cameras, then it does sound like your MP is misbehaving. If it is a consistent misbehaviour then you can, as suggested above, simply set the ISO speed to a setting that compensates for the error. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinchers of peril Posted October 6, 2015 Share #14 Posted October 6, 2015 Yeah since the big day is so close you probably won't have time to get it looked at and fixed. It seems like the underexposure is fairly consistant (based on your previous posts), so I'd just compensate and then send it in after the wedding. Good luck, and don't let it ruin the day. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsgary Posted October 6, 2015 Share #15 Posted October 6, 2015 I don't think I'll be carrying around a handheld meter at my wedding. I'm reluctant to even have a camera there! Why not use your M7 ? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted October 6, 2015 Share #16 Posted October 6, 2015 Return it to the dealer and ask for a replacement as it's faulty. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
piblondin Posted October 6, 2015 Author Share #17 Posted October 6, 2015 Why not use your M7 ? That's what'll I'll most likely use. The problem with my M7 is that it drains batteries very quickly. I paid Leica $500 to replace the circuit board, which was supposed to solve the problem, but it didn't. Reluctant to part with the camera for a few months again, I've just held on to it with the idea that the MP would replace it. Anyhow, I'll just buy some spare batteries to keep with me for the weekend. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
piblondin Posted October 6, 2015 Author Share #18 Posted October 6, 2015 Return it to the dealer and ask for a replacement as it's faulty. I did return it and we'll see what they can do and how quickly. Unfortunately, they don't have any black MPs in stock at the moment. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsgary Posted October 6, 2015 Share #19 Posted October 6, 2015 I hope it comes back quickly, I would love a well worn brassy MP Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
semi-ambivalent Posted October 6, 2015 Share #20 Posted October 6, 2015 That's what'll I'll most likely use. The problem with my M7 is that it drains batteries very quickly. I paid Leica $500 to replace the circuit board, which was supposed to solve the problem, but it didn't. Reluctant to part with the camera for a few months again, I've just held on to it with the idea that the MP would replace it. Anyhow, I'll just buy some spare batteries to keep with me for the weekend. Run a test roll through that one too. s-a Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.