Help I'm a new M 240 owner

[jpreisch]

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I just purchased a new to me m 240.  I have previously owned a Digilux 2, a m8, an x vario, and numerous digilux's.  I currently own in addition to the 240, a Q and a Type 109.  So I'm not or trolling when I say I need help.

When i enter the set menu and look at exposure metering I see I have set Multi-field...When I look at the camera menu I see that I am in classic mode, But I could choose Advanced.  What is the difference between these two menu's.

How am I metering and...What is the BEST way to meter with this camera?

 

[david strachan]

Hi Jim

Multifield works only if you have the camera in live mode..i think. I really haven't fussed too much with it.

I always leave all my digi-cams on the most basic settings.

 

I just leave my M-P in classic...and roll the exposure for another shot, if i don't get what i wanted on chimp.  I mainly use chimp for focus check.

 

Even if you use "multi-field" it may not be what u want anyway...

 

Doesn't matter which mode you use, you'll often find it's not the exposure you want, so roll the exposure wheel, and take another picture.  In the "old days" it was called bracketing.  

 

Congratulations on the M240...for me first upgrade since a couple M8's ...and something which allows live-view....hoooray.

 

...

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[jdlaing]

Yes. The advanced metering modes work in live view mode only. 

[Jeff S]

15 minutes ago, jdlaing said:

Yes. The advanced metering modes work in live view mode only. 

Not as Michael explains.  One has to accept, however, shutter lag since metering is still off the sensor, just not in live view mode...

 

[jdlaing]

That’s right. As soon as you press the shutter release the camera goes in to live view mode to meter off the sensor when advanced metering mode is set.

[Jeff S]

One needn’t be in live view mode to use advanced metering.

Jeff

[Exodies]

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The “menu” metering mode lets you choose between classic and advanced. Classic has no other options, the meter is a centre weighted reading taken before the shutter opens. This is the best mode for most purposes and lenses down to 28mm.

Advanced mode has three options in the “set” menu. The reading is taken off the sensor with the shutter open. Live view can be off or on. The shutter is open all the time so when you take a shot the reading is taken, the shutter closes, it opens and closes for the shot, then opens again to resume metering. 

I use advanced, spot metering with 21mm; the centre weighting covers too much of the scene. I use the EVF (ie live view) with this lens so the extra shutter operations are there anyway.

Exposure is an art, not a science so you can’t rely on the meter too much.

Edited February 13, 2019 by Exodies
Typo.

[jdlaing]

9 hours ago, Jeff S said:

One needn’t be in live view mode to use advanced metering.

Jeff

When the shutter is open and the sensor is active you are in live view mode. Period.

[Jeff S]

1 hour ago, jdlaing said:

When the shutter is open and the sensor is active you are in live view mode. Period.

You don’t have to first be in live view mode when you push the shutter button to use advanced metering.  Period.  

Jeff

 

[jaapv]

Live view is when the LCD is active and reading from the sensor. That has nothing to do with metering. As explained in this thread there are a number of metering options.

Classic mode is when the camera measures center-weighed from the shutter curtain. The shutter will open and close once when the btton is pressed.

However, you can preselect the advanced mode in the menu, even if the camera is in classic mode. It will only apply the selection when advanced mode is set.

If you switch the camera to advanced metering, it will apply the preselected advanced mode. As the metering is read off the sensor the shutter will be open in this mode. The camera will take the reading, close the shutter and take the shot.

[jdlaing]

2 hours ago, Jeff S said:

You don’t have to first be in live view mode when you push the shutter button to use advanced metering.  Period.  

Jeff

 

No you don’t. But when you have advanced metering set an push the shutter button and the shutter opens and the sensor is hot it is in live view mode. 

 

And jaap.......yes it is. The sensor is metering off the image it sees and just not writing it to card. Sending the image to the lcd or visoflex is just another step. 

[jaapv]

1 minute ago, jdlaing said:

No you don’t. But when you have advanced metering set an push the shutter button and the shutter opens and the sensor is hot it is in live view mode. 

 

And jaap.......yes it is. The sensor is metering off the image it sees and just not writing it to card. Sending the image to the lcd or visoflex is just another step. 

Depends whether you define live view as viewing the lcd or as the sensor viewing the scene. I think the most common interpretation is "I see the scene on the back of the camera"

[Jeff S]

Plus the more practical distinction that the user needn’t activate live view mode, which is what they care about, not some technical inner working of the metering and associated quick and temporary sensor reading.  What they will care about, however, is the resultant delay, which I already noted. 

Jeff

[bocaburger]

I don't recall what metering pattern I have set but it doesn't matter because I'm permanently in classic mode therefore the only pattern is the centerweighted one reading off the shutter blades.  I'm used to how it reads and what situations fool it.  Sometimes I take a reading with the finder filled with blue sky at 90 degrees away from the sun.  Sometimes I take a reading off a finder-filling mid tone.  Sometimes I take a finder-filling reading of the palm of my hand and add 1.5 stops.   What I never do is use the advanced metering.  The multi-field metering (judging by the results) is far more fallible than any multi-field meter in any SLR I've used starting with the Nikon F5, and no less fallible than the classic M metering; and although spot metering is probably more precise, advanced metering involves lag and doubles the wear and tear on the shutter. 

[jdlaing]

36 minutes ago, bocaburger said:

I don't recall what metering pattern I have set but it doesn't matter because I'm permanently in classic mode therefore the only pattern is the centerweighted one reading off the shutter blades.  I'm used to how it reads and what situations fool it.  Sometimes I take a reading with the finder filled with blue sky at 90 degrees away from the sun.  Sometimes I take a reading off a finder-filling mid tone.  Sometimes I take a finder-filling reading of the palm of my hand and add 1.5 stops.   What I never do is use the advanced metering.  The multi-field metering (judging by the results) is far more fallible than any multi-field meter in any SLR I've used starting with the Nikon F5, and no less fallible than the classic M metering; and although spot metering is probably more precise, advanced metering involves lag and doubles the wear and tear on the shutter. 

A wise choice.

[jpreisch]

Thanks for all the help

Jim

[250swb]

On 2/13/2019 at 5:19 PM, jdlaing said:

No you don’t. But when you have advanced metering set an push the shutter button and the shutter opens and the sensor is hot it is in live view mode. 

 

I suppose the distinction is similar to the good old 'tree falling in the forest' conundrum, can it be 'Live View' if nobody is able to view it? The saying 'if you find yourself in a hole, stop digging' also comes to mind.

[Exodies]

I can’t believe the sensor is in live view mode with advanced metering and LV switched off. Not only will the screens be off but the processor won’t be reading the image off the sensor at N frames a second. To do otherwise would be incredibly stupid.

[jdlaing]

3 hours ago, Exodies said:

I can’t believe the sensor is in live view mode with advanced metering and LV switched off. Not only will the screens be off but the processor won’t be reading the image off the sensor at N frames a second. To do otherwise would be incredibly stupid.

Think about it for a minute. How would the camera read the metering if the sensor wasn’t on?

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[Exodies]

Sensor on, limited range of pixels sampled for the exposure measurement. Worlds away from total readout.