M10/10p metering

[David33316]

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The led meter in the viewfinder of my camera seems to be very in accurate. I turn the aperture ring and the led's respond very slowly or lag. I get the red dot for perfect exposure differently each time I try it. The exposure meter on the back of the camera works perfectly. Shouldn't they be the same? I know I'm missing something here, need some help here. Thank you in advance! 

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[jaapv]

It is centreweighed. When you fiddle with the camera, you are measuring different parts of the subject all the time, changing the exposure. You may have set the non-manual exposure to multi-field.

[David33316]

It is set to multifield!! I'll change it and try again. Thank you so much for the idea. 

[Dennis]

Here you can find more information about it: 

 

 

Welcome 

[adan]

The M10 (and M240, for that matter) has two completely separate metering systems, for use with 1) the classic window viewfinder and 2) Live-view or EVF.

1) Classic viewfinder version meters off the shutter curtain. Because the viewfinder is a fixed "28mm field of view" with cropping lines for longer lenses, the visible metering area will change with different focal lengths. See the users' manual to learn about this classic metering mode that dates back to the film M6 in 1985. At all times it is a very tight (almost spot) center-weighted meter.

2) The live-view/EVF meter reads scene brightness using the image sensor itself. Has user-selectable metering areas. Downside is the shutter must be open to use it. Again, read the user manual.

[David33316]

Hi Adan, I appreciate your response.  I realized that their are 2 different metering systems but wasn't sure which was which, so your response cleared that up for me.  Let me specifically talk about using the viewfinder only.  I used to use m film camera's and am familiar with the metering system.  I would love to be able to use the m10 through the viewfinder only for focus and exposure without using visoflex or the rear display.  The problem I'm running into, when I meter on a tripod once I get the red dot exposure correct, if, I then move the aperture ring it take's 2 or 3 click each way to get the arrow.  The manual indicate's when I go a stop either way I will get the arrow.  I'm not getting that and the reading I get this way is not consistent with the live view reading on the back of the camera.  I just need to know if I'm missing something or this is how the led's respond.

I would really appreciate an answer on  this.  I have read this area in the manual and I don't find it very concise, that's why I'm reaching out to a fellow user, thank you!

[Dennis]

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2 hours ago, David33316 said:

The problem I'm running into, when I meter on a tripod once I get the red dot exposure correct, if, I then move the aperture ring it take's 2 or 3 click each way to get the arrow.

The logical answer is that you are in Auto mode on something, not 100% manual. Because if you are in manual, you should be able to see the arrow among with the red dot together (slightly under or over exposed), after changing only half stop. Then one stop only arrow. 

[mujk]

Yes, metering in manual mode behaves funnily when auto ISO is enabled and is, of course, not fully manual at all.

Two clicks on a Leica lens is one f-stop, so that should bring up only the arrow (on Zeiss lenses this requires 3 clicks). I have found that if correct exposure does not coincide exactly with a click position, two clicks is in one direction may still leave the dot on, together with the arrow. This is completely normal.

[David33316]

Hi Mujk, you nailed it.  That's exactly what I'm experiencing.  Now at least I know there is nothing wrong with my camera.  It's a little disappointing that it's not more precise.  Probably has something to do with metering off the shutter curtain.  Thanks very much for your response, I was getting ready to send it back for repair.  I'm not happy when it's not in my hands!

 

Thank you

[adan]

1 hour ago, mujk said:

Yes, metering in manual mode behaves funnily when auto ISO is enabled and is, of course, not fully manual at all.

Correct. But even in pure manual operation, the M meter arrows can stay on for many aperture clicks.

They do not indicate a one-stop error, they indicate a one-stop OR MORE exposure error.

It is perfectly possible to walk outside with the ISO set manually to 3200, and the lens to f/2.8 - and have to click the aperture all the way to f/16 for "correct exposure" to indicate. Or conversely, go indoors with the ISO set to 200 and the aperture to f/11 - and never get a "correct exposure" indication at all. Just too dark for ISO 200 at any aperture (unless the shutter speed is changed, also).

Anyway glad you helped.

Edited May 18, 2020 by adan