I am from Malaysia and new to Leica M. Used to the spot metering of Japanese cameras like Olympus and Minolta.

I find that M6-TTL meter is after setting at the correct exposure ( red-dot )always about one to two stops under especially in outdoor sunny environment. Not sure if this is a calibration issue of my M6 or had this been discussed in this forum and any kind advice ? I am using 50mm Summicron lense with the M6.

TIA

Simon

-- Simon Chew (chewhm@pop.jaring.my), August 07, 2001

Answers

The size of the spot that is metered is the white dot on the shutter curtain. This is the area of the frame that is read no matter what lens is in use. However, since the framelines in the finder are different sizes you must use your imagination (or a few tricks) to mentally superimpose the spot in the correct proportion to each frame. That said, it's difficult for me to tell from your description whether it's the M6 or pilot error. Here's the best way to tell. Take a camera you trust, meter a blank wall. Do the same with the M6. The readings should be indentical (or at least very close). If the M6 is still several stops off, then it needs adjustment.

-- Jay (infinityft@aol.com), August 07, 2001.

Since it acts like a spot meter, in which the spot is 2/3 the shorter dimension of the frameline of the lens currently mounted, using a 90mm, I do use it more like a big spot meter, and tend to search for a large patch of something to meter off of, rather than my subject itself.

I take it that, with a 35mm or wider lens, people tend to use it more like a center weighted or even full frame averaging meter.

What kinds of tricks make this easy to use...?

-- Tse-Sung Wu (tsesung@yahoo.com), August 07, 2001.

I've found that both my M6 and M6TTL need to be set at +2/3 stop compensation when calibrated to "Sunny f16" using a Wallace Expo-Disc or grey card. Or iow, I have to set the EI two clicks lower than the actual film speed or it'd be 2/3 stop underexposed.

The M6 meter works quite a bit like the spotmeter function in an Olympus OM-2S/3/4 although it sees more of the frame area. You have to be careful what you're metering.

-- John Hicks (jbh@magicnet.net), August 08, 2001.

My M6TTL meter readings are identical to the readings I obtain with a Sekonic L328 handheld meter when reading the same gray card, and both return the correct density on film when tested.

Godfrey

-- Godfrey DiGiorgi (ramarren@bayarea.net), August 08, 2001.

I use slide film in my TTL and my slides look the way I want them to. To test your M6 meter properly, you should shoot slide film as well. If it looks good it is good. If it does not, then get it fixed.

Cheers,

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), August 08, 2001.

Echoing several of the comments above, the surest way to check the meter is to use a gray card with the M6 TTL, then check the reading using another meter. They should both be deadon or at least w/in a half stop of each other...

-- Patrick C. Garner (pg@patrickgarner.com), August 08, 2001.

Thanks to all for the valuable comments ! Will try out gray card and a light meter to check if its calibration or "piloting" error.

Regards,

Simon

-- Simon Chew (chewhm@pop.jaring.my), August 08, 2001.

I find my M6TTL metering is very accurate. Caused it is spot metering, be careful of the black or white objects when metering. I'm from KL, Malaysia.

-- Raymond (raymondjctan@hotmail.com), August 09, 2001.