M 240 Exposure compensation ?

[Fang]

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Got my M recently but still have not figure out how to use the exposure compensation using the dail. Do I have to format my live view since I am unable to view the exposure compensation (6) in Live view mode as in the manual?

 

Anyone out there that can help me. My M9 , I can do that by pressing the shutter button half way and turning the dial.

 

Thank you in advance

[jaapv]

Simple answer: don't use exposure compensation. It is a guesstimate anyway. Use manual exposure and the spotmeter if needed. Your number of correct exposures will go up dramatically.

 

The exposure compensation is controlled by the thumbwheel btw.

[Fang]

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The exposure compensation is controlled by the thumbwheel btw.

 

Tried it but it does not work. The dial I was referring to is the thumbwheel - next to the thumb grip ?

[furcafe]

If you're trying to use exposure comp using the "thumbwheel"/setting dial (pp.184-185 in the manual), perhaps you're not pushing the "focus" button on the front hard enough? Many users (not me) have complained that it's too recessed/stiff to keep pressed (which you have to do to change use the setting dial).

 

Tried it but it does not work. The dial I was referring to is the thumbwheel - next to the thumb grip ?

[Fang]

If you're trying to use exposure comp using the "thumbwheel"/setting dial (pp.184-185 in the manual), perhaps you're not pushing the "focus" button on the front hard enough? Many users (not me) have complained that it's too recessed/stiff to keep pressed (which you have to do to change use the setting dial).

 

Thank you. Got it. It's the Focus Button in front that you've to press together with the Thumbwheel for Exposure Compensation in the M240. My mistake is to assume it to be the shutter button and the Thumbwheel as in the M9.

[brt]

Simple answer: don't use exposure compensation. It is a guesstimate anyway. Use manual exposure and the spotmeter if needed. Your number of correct exposures will go up dramatically.

 

The exposure compensation is controlled by the thumbwheel btw.

 

 

Unfortunately the Leica M has no spot metering and the matrix metering is lousy.

Of course it is possible to meter a complex scene manually. First meter your scene with a black horse and dial down your EV from middle gray to black. Then meter the white snow your horse is standing on and dial up EV from middle gray to white. Then calculate the contrast of your scene and think about a proper exposure.

An old Olympus OM4 will instantly do a multispot calculation with two tips of your finger and any modern pro or semipro DSLR will do it too. Use one of these cameras and you will have more correct exposures.

A Leica M is super slow in scenes with difficult and changing lighting and that is why you will miss the decisive moment every now and then. The true Leica afficionado does not need a meter, by the way.

[pedaes]

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Unfortunately the Leica M has no spot metering and the matrix metering is lousy.

 

Fact - the Leica M has spot metering option.

Opinion - the matrix metering is very accurate.

 

As with how to use exposure compensation, its all in the manual!

[dwbell]

Thank you. Got it. It's the Focus Button in front that you've to press together with the Thumbwheel for Exposure Compensation in the M240. My mistake is to assume it to be the shutter button and the Thumbwheel as in the M9.

 

Ah no, they took something that wasn't broke - and fixed it. Leica style.

[jaapv]

Unfortunately the Leica M has no spot metering and the matrix metering is lousy.

Of course it is possible to meter a complex scene manually. First meter your scene with a black horse and dial down your EV from middle gray to black. Then meter the white snow your horse is standing on and dial up EV from middle gray to white. Then calculate the contrast of your scene and think about a proper exposure.

An old Olympus OM4 will instantly do a multispot calculation with two tips of your finger and any modern pro or semipro DSLR will do it too. Use one of these cameras and you will have more correct exposures.

A Leica M is super slow in scenes with difficult and changing lighting and that is why you will miss the decisive moment every now and then. The true Leica afficionado does not need a meter, by the way.

Funny, mine has spot metering; I must have the luxury model. The metering in advanced mode is quite good, thank you. Normally I make do with the normal centreweighed metering, but especially a black horse in the snow works best with the spot. And yes, your system of metering is pretty slow...

[brt]

Fact - the Leica M has spot metering option.

Opinion - the matrix metering is very accurate.

 

As with how to use exposure compensation, its all in the manual!

 

I am willing to learn. Did I miss something?

According to the German Leica M240 specs the camera measures in the following modes: " Mittenbetont, Selektiv- oder Mehrfeldmessung" which translates to center weighted, selective and matrix measurement. Spot metering is typically related to a 1° spot circle, which is what e.g. a Sekonic L-758 flashmeter does. A Hassie 205 FCC with a Planar 80mm lens measures at about 4°. Leica selective metering measures a much broader circle.

The matrix metering is lousy, because it works in LV only. Shutterlag in LV is unaccepable. Instead of the decisive moment you might depict a blinking eye, a frozen face or something else unwanted. The M 240 is slow in LV and you might miss the second and third shot exactly in that short moment, when your model is irresistibly laughing with her eyes.

Besides that I do not like shoot in this silly live-chimping mode.

[Paulus]

I am willing to learn. Did I miss something?

According to the German Leica M240 specs the camera measures in the following modes: " Mittenbetont, Selektiv- oder Mehrfeldmessung" which translates to center weighted, selective and matrix measurement. Spot metering is typically related to a 1° spot circle, which is what e.g. a Sekonic L-758 flashmeter does. A Hassie 205 FCC with a Planar 80mm lens measures at about 4°. Leica selective metering measures a much broader circle.

The matrix metering is lousy, because it works in LV only. Shutterlag in LV is unaccepable. Instead of the decisive moment you might depict a blinking eye, a frozen face or something else unwanted. The M 240 is slow in LV and you might miss the second and third shot exactly in that short moment, when your model is irresistibly laughing with her eyes.

Besides that I do not like shoot in this silly live-chimping mode.

 

In my opinion the light metering of the M 10 works perfectly. You only have to know what you are doing. It's a good tool which one can be used badly. IMO this tool works great if you can master it. Like every tool, you have to learn to how use it, but if you have used an M6,7,8,9 it's no problem at all to get the light metering you want. I also understand, that if you are used to cameras which do all the work without you thinking, it's a bit of a drag.

 

if you see the pictures, IMO there is little wrong with the camera:

 

Ballonvaart en landing in Moerenburg: "Trying to catch a Virgin." - pauljoostenfotograaf

 

Moerenburg na achten - pauljoostenfotograaf

 

Peenetalf

[Jeff S]

I am willing to learn. Did I miss something?

According to the German Leica M240 specs the camera measures in the following modes: " Mittenbetont, Selektiv- oder Mehrfeldmessung" which translates to center weighted, selective and matrix measurement.

 

Just look at the 'set' menu under exposure metering and you'll quickly see choices of center weighted, multi-field or spot. These apply when in 'advanced' metering (or LV), not classic mode, as the manual states. Not sure what specs you're reading.

 

After learning what the camera does, effective metering requires effective thinking. Just as it always did. No magic....although an incident meter, when it can be used effectively, is pretty magical.

 

Jeff

[jaapv]

I am willing to learn. Did I miss something?

According to the German Leica M240 specs the camera measures in the following modes: " Mittenbetont, Selektiv- oder Mehrfeldmessung" which translates to center weighted, selective and matrix measurement. Spot metering is typically related to a 1° spot circle, which is what e.g. a Sekonic L-758 flashmeter does. A Hassie 205 FCC with a Planar 80mm lens measures at about 4°. Leica selective metering measures a much broader circle.

The matrix metering is lousy, because it works in LV only. Shutterlag in LV is unaccepable. Instead of the decisive moment you might depict a blinking eye, a frozen face or something else unwanted. The M 240 is slow in LV and you might miss the second and third shot exactly in that short moment, when your model is irresistibly laughing with her eyes.

Besides that I do not like shoot in this silly live-chimping mode.

Shutter lag? For all practical purposes nil on my camera...You should read the manual, though. The camera has got an optical viewfinder. The little hole on the top left...

[brt]

Just look at the 'set' menu under exposure metering and you'll quickly see choices of center weighted, multi-field or spot. These apply when in 'advanced' metering (or LV), not classic mode, as the manual states. Not sure what specs you're reading.

 

After learning what the camera does, effective metering requires effective thinking. Just as it always did. No magic....although an incident meter, when it can be used effectively, is pretty magical.

 

Jeff

 

Hi Jeff,

you can read the specs here:

http://de.leica-camera.com/assets/file/download.php?filename=file_7533.pdf

Scroll down to page 2, Belichtungskontrolle, Belichtungsmessung

Selective metering and spot metering are different metering modes and they should be used for different purposes. An old EOS 1V for instance can meter in Evaluative Mode (Matrix), Partial Mode ( Selective, 8% of viewfinder) and Spot Mode ( 2% of viewfinder, not with Leica). In Evaluative Mode the metering can be linked to the active autofocus point. In this mode you can apply an exposure compensation for zone 6 and meter a caucasian face in a difficult lighting situation with excellent results frame after frame without much thinking about exposure or focussing. I have an M6 and I use it rarely, when I want that Leica look. For everything else a SLR or current DSLR is much more easy to use.

[Jeff S]

 

you can read the specs here:

http://de.leica-camera.com/assets/file/download.php?filename=file_7533.pdf

Scroll down to page 2, Belichtungskontrolle, Belichtungsmessung

Selective metering and spot metering are different metering modes and they should be used for different purposes. An old EOS 1V for instance can meter in Evaluative Mode (Matrix), Partial Mode ( Selective, 8% of viewfinder) and Spot Mode ( 2% of viewfinder, not with Leica). In Evaluative Mode the metering can be linked to the active autofocus point. In this mode you can apply an exposure compensation for zone 6 and meter a caucasian face in a difficult lighting situation with excellent results frame after frame without much thinking about exposure or focussing. I have an M6 and I use it rarely, when I want that Leica look. For everything else a SLR or current DSLR is much more easy to use.

 

We're talking about the M, not Canon, and I don't need to translate from German when the English specs provided on the Leica site are clear; it includes the same words I already posted, not the words you use.

 

Whether you like what Leica provides is your issue, but the English specs, whether on the camera menu, in the manual or on the Leica site are consistent and unambiguous.

 

Jeff

[jaapv]

Hi Jeff,

you can read the specs here:

http://de.leica-camera.com/assets/file/download.php?filename=file_7533.pdf

Scroll down to page 2, Belichtungskontrolle, Belichtungsmessung

Selective metering and spot metering are different metering modes and they should be used for different purposes. An old EOS 1V for instance can meter in Evaluative Mode (Matrix), Partial Mode ( Selective, 8% of viewfinder) and Spot Mode ( 2% of viewfinder, not with Leica). In Evaluative Mode the metering can be linked to the active autofocus point. In this mode you can apply an exposure compensation for zone 6 and meter a caucasian face in a difficult lighting situation with excellent results frame after frame without much thinking about exposure or focussing. I have an M6 and I use it rarely, when I want that Leica look. For everything else a SLR or current DSLR is much more easy to use.

Sheez. I just read a few books on exposure way back when I was eighteen. I haven't met a camera yet with the brains to do the thinking for me...

[jaapv]

We're talking about the M, not Canon, and I don't need to translate from German when the English specs provided on the Leica site are clear; it includes the same words I already posted, not the words you use.

 

Whether you like what Leica provides is your issue, but the English specs, whether on the camera menu, in the manual or on the Leica site are consistent and unambiguous.

 

Jeff[/QUOTe]Actually the German page is 100% clear in this. It is nothing like the poster is suggesting

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[algrove]

My English manual is very clear (to me).

[Jeff S]

Actually the German page is 100% clear in this. It is nothing like the poster is suggesting

 

I was fairly certain of this, even without having seen it. But thanks for the validation.

 

I'm not sure if the poster is better off reading about the specs, or not reading about the specs.

 

Jeff

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[MarkP]

Better off reading with specs