Rapid exposure compensation

[ho_co]

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Peter's technique also yields itself well to simplified bracketing. For example:

 

Start with 1/250 at f/8. Take picture. This is un-compensated exposure.

 

Press release half way to lock exposure. Open aperture by, say, 1 stop. Take picture. This is +1 stop exposure.

 

Now lens is at f/5/6, and camera will meter 1/500.

 

Press release half way to lock exposure. Close aperture by 1 stop. Take picture. This is -1 stop exposure.

 

You've now done a set of three exposures at one stop intervals. And the best part is: you're back where you started--the lens at f/8, camera metering 1/250.

 

Good that you posted the technique, Peter!

 

--HC

[dannirr]

Aha! thank you for the clarification.

 

Danni

[innerimager]

HC- I like that bracketing around a lot! As to the continuous shutter on all M's, I've read that only the M5 is in fact accurate in between settings, while the others will change exposure but by unpredictable steps. I may have been misled, or may have misread, (or both). But as you say, even if is not a distinct feature of the M5, the 5 is a very fine piece of kit....Peter

[psquared]

I guess Ms and Rs are different. On my R9/DMR, if you lock exposure in Av mode and change the aperture, the shutter speed changes automatically to compensate for the new aperture.

[ho_co]

As to the continuous shutter on all M's, I've read that only the M5 is in fact accurate in between settings, while the others will change exposure but by unpredictable steps.

Peter--

I won't argue, but I believe they all behave similarly.

 

They all have the same flash synch speed and are discontinuous around that point.

 

All the M's before the M5 had both a high-speed gear train and a low-speed gear train, and a point at which the camera switched from one to the other. At that point, the speeds are obviously also discontinuous.

 

The rub is that the M5 did away with the low-speed train. That's why the low end of the shutter ends at 1/2 sec instead of 1 sec. The lower speeds are less accurate in the M5 than in the cameras with a dedicated slow train. But for the same reason, you are correct, the M5 lacks the cam changeover and is discontinuous only at the flash synch speed, while other cameras have that one additional point of discontinuity.

 

I believe I'm correct that the speeds are incremental on all mechanical M Leicas at all speeds except those two. And since M2's and M3's had different cam changeover points (and I don't remember what they are), the easiest way to avoid getting technical would be to explain that "you don't know for sure" with cameras other than the M5.

 

I'm willing to be convinced, but clearly Leica didn't do a good job of getting the message out except to us technical types (), so I guess either answer is good. I don't think I've ever used the M5 or the M6 off a click-stop anyway.

 

Again, thanks for posting the quick-compensation trick. "A poor workman blames his tools," but you told us how to use the M8 better.

 

Sincerely,

--HC

[innerimager]

HC- Thank you very much for this detailed description of the factors involved. It seems that "a little knowledge" may well have confused more than enlightened. And I'm certainly glad if my M6 TTL and M8 have continuous speed dials. best....Peter

[ho_co]

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Peter--

Thanks for not taking my response negatively. I admit I may be wrong, and will gladly admit it if so. Don't want to argue, and in fact, there's so little difference between what you and I said that there was no call for me to be so nit-picky.

 

--HC