wlaidlaw Posted May 25, 2009 Share #1 Posted May 25, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have just ordered a VC11 meter from Stephen Gandy, mainly for use on my IIF. For years I have, for the most part. managed without a meter and not too many disasters. I do have a Polaris spot meter but this is the size of my IIF and too big to carry around. However last week I was using T-Max 3200 but pulled to 1600 ISO and I just could not get my head round the exposures, as a result most of the pics were rubbish. I therefore decided to get get the VC11. Has anyone used this and got any thoughts on it? Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted May 25, 2009 Posted May 25, 2009 Hi wlaidlaw, Take a look here Voigtlander VC11 meter for M and LTM. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Pangur Ban Posted May 25, 2009 Share #2 Posted May 25, 2009 It's excellent, though I've found it useful to tape over the battery cover as that part of it isn't very effective. Everything else about it is perfect, though it is quite expensive. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MPerson Posted May 25, 2009 Share #3 Posted May 25, 2009 Wilson - it's a nice small and discrete meter. Not had a problem with the battery cover. One tip - when you have set the the ISO, adjust the aperture dial with the side of your thumb using the knurled edge that way you avoid changing the ISO accidentally. My son has one on his CL and I nick it occasionally for the M2 if I don't want to take the Weston. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/85908-voigtlander-vc11-meter-for-m-and-ltm/?do=findComment&comment=910442'>More sharing options...
jc_braconi Posted May 25, 2009 Share #4 Posted May 25, 2009 it is a must have one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wizard Posted May 26, 2009 Share #5 Posted May 26, 2009 Got one on my M3. Efficient and unobtrusive. Its measuring angle corresponds approximately to that of a 90mm lens, so you can use the 90mm brightlines in the finder to do semi spot metering. Once the button is pressed, the meter stays on as long as you are doing adjustments. You will like it. Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted May 26, 2009 Author Share #6 Posted May 26, 2009 A friend told me a good tip to compensate for the speeds on my IIF still being 25/50/100/200 (in respect of the shutter curtains' age I try and avoid 1/500). You set your ISO 1/4 or 1/3 stop faster on the meter and then you don't need to do any mental calculations. I will have to try this on the VC11 when it arrives. One of the things that attracted me to the Polaris spotmeter was that it has old fashioned speeds available on it. I suppose with the wide latitude of modern films, this may be being too picky. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wizard Posted May 26, 2009 Share #7 Posted May 26, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) (in respect of the shutter curtains' age I try and avoid 1/500) Wilson, no need to do so. The shutter curtains move every bit as fast at every other speed you set. In other words, the velocity of the curtains is always the same, the only thing that changes is the width of the gap between the two curtains (the gap gets smaller with shorter speeds). Basically what you do when setting different speeds is to change the delay of the second curtain. Regards, Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted May 26, 2009 Author Share #8 Posted May 26, 2009 Wilson, no need to do so. The shutter curtains move every bit as fast at every other speed you set. In other words, the velocity of the curtains is always the same, the only thing that changes is the width of the gap between the two curtains (the gap gets smaller with shorter speeds). Basically what you do when setting different speeds is to change the delay of the second curtain. Regards, Andy Andy, I had always understood as well as the slit width changing, the curtains also had to move faster at higher shutter speeds. If you have a look it at the blinds with the lens removed it certainly appears that way. Now I have not got a Leica with any slower speeds than 1/25 down with me in France but I have looked at a FOCA III (1950's French camera about half way between a Leica and a Contax, with a fabric blind focal plane shutter), which I would assume would be identical in principle. On 1 second the second curtain seems to travel in a relatively leisurely fashion. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted May 26, 2009 Share #9 Posted May 26, 2009 Early press cameras had separate controls for slit width and running speed, and a table to show which combinations gave (more or less) which speeds. These were monstruous 13x18cm size focal plane shutters and the curtains traveled at a majestic speed. Remember those racing car shots by Henri Lartigue, with the elliptical wheels? There have inded been 35mm cameras with varying travel speeds, including the classical Contaxes. This was because their slit widths were fixed before the release (the curtains were mechanically coupled to each other and ran as an ensemble) but at least from the first commercial Leica I in 1925, and as far as I know with the 'Nullserie' cameras too, Leica used the same system: Curtains travelling at a non-variable speed independently of each other, speeds adjusted only by varying the time lag between them. The old man nearly from the Age of Oskar Barnack Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted May 26, 2009 Author Share #10 Posted May 26, 2009 Lars, Maybe the curtains are running slowly on my FOCA III set at 1 sec due to the need for a CLA or should that be NGR (Nettoyer, Graisser et Reviser). Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wizard Posted May 27, 2009 Share #11 Posted May 27, 2009 Maybe the curtains are running slowly on my FOCA III set at 1 sec due to the need for a CLA ... Wilson, THAT jumped to my mind when I read your previous post . I am, however, positive in that the shutter curtains of all modern Leicas (which means everything except the Nullseries) do travel at a constant speed. The only change occurred when the sync speed was changed from 1/25 to 1/50. The newer shutters with the shorter sync speed have curtains that move faster than those of the older models, albeit still at a constant speed. Regards, Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyplopatissier Posted July 23, 2009 Share #12 Posted July 23, 2009 I put a VC meter on my M6, so you can at any moment control the light without using the camera. kind regards André Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcraf Posted July 23, 2009 Share #13 Posted July 23, 2009 it is a must have one. +1; It's excellent. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brent1965 Posted July 23, 2009 Share #14 Posted July 23, 2009 I use mine with my 1959 G, it's great, looks part of the Camera, and fits nicely size-wise. 30degree field is sensible too. I did make a point of taping the bottom battery cover closed, on two occassions when taking the meter off camera body in the field the lightweight plastic cover opened and the little batteries fell out. It's not a tight & secure cover. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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