35mm Cameras - Metering stand-outs?

skorpiius · Jul 29, 2020

I'm doing a big clean out of excess cameras and equipment and this process is making me think about what I've got and what I might want to get.

In general, for action, flash, telephoto photography that now is covered by my Nikon dslr.

But I want to keep using film but in a more, contemplative, careful, relaxing type of photography. So still life, some landscape (I know, med format is better), etc. In the case of 35mm that means that film advance speed, AF speed, and anything required to 'catch the action' is irrelevant to me, but what isn't irrelevant is metering accuracy, particularly when shooting slide.

So all of the above is a long winded preface to my question, are there any SLRs that are 'above' the rest in metering accuracy? I know the Maxxum/Dynax 7 displays what honeycomb sensors are reading what, I'm curious about people's experience with that helping one expose better. I've also heard the Canon EOS 3 allow multiple spot metering points to be added to the overall calculation which sounds really interesting.

I already own a Nikon F100 and Pentax PZ-1, both having mult-isegment metering (10 and 8 segments respectively) so maybe those are really more than good enough, but curious what else is out there as far as top tier metering.

Or should I just turn on auto-bracketing and not worry about it?

Thanks!

Alan Gales · Jul 29, 2020

It's hard to beat Matrix Metering for in camera metering.

You could also use a separate spot meter and average your readings. A few 35mm cameras have spot meters built in. My 35mm Stereo Realist has no meter and I shoot slide film with it. I use the same Pentax Spot Meter that I use with my medium format and 8x10 cameras.

abruzzi · Jul 29, 2020

yeah, my Nikon FA has always exposed slide film pretty well with its matrix metering. I think there are few manual focus 35mm cameras with matrix metering, but in the AF era, there are lots. My Pentax MZ-S has always metered slide film accurately (it is also supposedly one of the few cameras that reads the DX exposure latitude indicators. What it does with that info, I don't know, but...)

Huss · Jul 29, 2020

I've had Nikon F100, Minolta CLE, Bessa R3a. Currently have Nikon F2As, F3, F4, F6 etc, as well as Pentax M cameras, Minolta XK, Leica Rs..

The standout is the Leica R9. Don't know what they did but it's metering always seems perfect. Next up would be the R7, Nikon F4 and F6.

flavio81 · Jul 29, 2020

skorpiius said:
are there any SLRs that are 'above' the rest in metering accuracy? I know the Maxxum/Dynax 7 displays what honeycomb sensors

You asked for accuracy, not fancy features...

Any really good camera with a spot or quasi-spot meter, plus your brain, will be excellent for accuracy.

What comes to my mind would be the Nikon F3, Canon F-1, and the machines with the spot meter (OM-4, Canon T90, etc)

destroya · Jul 29, 2020

for me, its the FA and the F4 with the small battery pack for color, or the fm3 is thrown in with B&W. I do get great results with slide film with my contax G, but since you have nikon lenses already......

john

MattKing · Jul 29, 2020

My assumption is that the OP is looking for a metering system that will quickly and efficiently give a high percentage of correctly exposed results without any user over-ride - a metering system that allows you to leave the camera on automatic and just take photos.
The various matrix metering (to pick at least one brand's label) options work quickly and quite well that way.
In my experience, the most accurate metering systems are ones that involve a large amount of experienced user over-ride. Most accurate, but certainly not the most convenient and quick.

AgX · Jul 29, 2020

The Canon T90 has an extraordinary metering. Basically the same kind of metering and display as with the Gossen Profisix and Lunasix F.

eli griggs · Jul 29, 2020

Canon F1 (2nd) and F1AE, the Canon A1, no an SLR but the Yeshica 35 is King in my opinion for color exposures, timer, and the XA, also another rangefinder, for exposure and timer.

Those last two camera's lenses must also help as well as the meter, but since they are no removable, we'll never know.

I was mostly an existing light documentary type photographer, who 'mastered' existing light with SLRs in the Army, where Flashes were no possible in the field and almost never used anywhere else, and those habits have continued to this day, though I'm working to use my Vivitars, the 283 and 285 more often in macro and as fill lights, and like when I first started using and adjusting for camera meters, in my first set of SLRs, a Spotmatic of some sort, a Yashica Super, a Mamiya 1000 DTL, which was very good, award winning (for me) camera/meter, and IIRC, a Pentax ?.

I feel, with exceptions like fast moving stage lighting and subjects, (which is where I used the A1 and Minolta spotmeter M for the F1AE) it's less the meter than the photographer, when it comes to getting the best of whatever meter/camera/film/lens combination you use on a regular basics.

I do use stand alone meters, the Pentax V, Lunar Pro F, Weston V's, in addition to whatever camera meters I have, but mostly from habit of confirming my chosen settings, and for the several cameras I shoot without meters, Hasselblad, pinhole, Diana, Minolta Autocord, Minolta 16, etc., even with Sunny 16, if there's time.

Understanding the exposure is more a photographer's task and path to good exposures, than the very best of light meters.

IMO.

skorpiius · Jul 29, 2020

MattKing said:
My assumption is that the OP is looking for a metering system that will quickly and efficiently give a high percentage of correctly exposed results without any user over-ride - a metering system that allows you to leave the camera on automatic and just take photos.
The various matrix metering (to pick at least one brand's label) options work quickly and quite well that way.
In my experience, the most accurate metering systems are ones that involve a large amount of experienced user over-ride. Most accurate, but certainly not the most convenient and quick.

Sort of. Once a meter accurately picks the 'good exposure' I often use exposure compensation or program shift to change according to my taste, but just wanting the starting point to be as accurate as possible.

MattKing · Jul 29, 2020

skorpiius said:
Sort of. Once a meter accurately picks the 'good exposure' I often use exposure compensation or program shift to change according to my taste, but just wanting the starting point to be as accurate as possible.

Ironically, if you work this way, you probably want to avoid using the more advanced evaluative or matrix metering. With those more advanced systems, it is difficult to know what parts of the scene they are basing their "decisions" on.

ic-racer · Jul 29, 2020

I believe Nikon put the most advanced matrix metering in the later cameras, so according to this diagram, the F100, F80, F75 and F6 would be the best. Since you already have the F100, you probably can't get much better than that in the Nikon system.

Paul Howell · Jul 29, 2020

My thinking is that last versions of pro level cameras will give the best overall metering, F6, EOS 1V, Minolta 7 or 9, Pentax Mz1. I have a Minolta 7 and 9, matrix is really good, and the Minolta 9000 has spot metering for shadows and highlight. Oddly enough the Sigma SA 7 and 9 also has very good matrix metering, never let me down. I sometime use the SA7 as a hand held meter when shooting LF.

John Bragg · Jul 29, 2020

Nikon F5 if the size doesn't bother you.

Pioneer · Jul 29, 2020

Nikon metering is a joke. It will give you a different exposure every time you use it. But, if that is what you want, by all means go for it.

IMHO the only metered 35mm worth owning is the Pentax LX. No other camera can meter like the LX. Other than that one camera everyone else would be far better off using a handheld meter.

flavio81 · Jul 29, 2020

MattKing said:
Ironically, if you work this way, you probably want to avoid using the more advanced evaluative or matrix metering. With those more advanced systems, it is difficult to know what parts of the scene they are basing their "decisions" on.

Exactly. I don't like matrix metering for that reason: No one has any clue of what the matrix meter will do. Too unpredictable!! I have matrix metering on a d**tal camera and in the end I use it on centerweighted metering, because I realized that putting in on centerweighted + applying exposure compensation using my brain, gave better results than matrix metering. I guess matrix is fine for subjects that are simple... and those would be metered just fine with a CW meter anyways.

When I used to shoot slides, mainly with the Canon A-1, i just used the CW meter plus exposure compensation, and my exposures came just fine for practically all frames... Same for the Canon EOS 5 which I preferred to use on centerweighted (CW) or spot mode. Slides came out just fine.

skorpiius · Jul 29, 2020

Pioneer said:
Nikon metering is a joke. It will give you a different exposure every time you use it. But, if that is what you want, by all means go for it.

IMHO the only metered 35mm worth owning is the Pentax LX. No other camera can meter like the LX. Other than that one camera everyone else would be far better off using a handheld meter.

Curious about this, can you elaborate?

skorpiius · Jul 29, 2020

flavio81 said:
Exactly. I don't like matrix metering for that reason: No one has any clue of what the matrix meter will do. Too unpredictable!! I have matrix metering on a d**tal camera and in the end I use it on centerweighted metering, because I realized that putting in on centerweighted + applying exposure compensation using my brain, gave better results than matrix metering. I guess matrix is fine for subjects that are simple... and those would be metered just fine with a CW meter anyways.

When I used to shoot slides, mainly with the Canon A-1, i just used the CW meter plus exposure compensation, and my exposures came just fine for practically all frames... Same for the Canon EOS 5 which I preferred to use on centerweighted (CW) or spot mode. Slides came out just fine.

You bring up a good point, it's not like no one could take amazing slide photos in the days of cw metering. Now I'm wonder if advanced metering is more PR and less needed.

jwd722 · Jul 29, 2020

Pioneer said:
Nikon metering is a joke. It will give you a different exposure every time you use it. But, if that is what you want, by all means go for it.

IMHO the only metered 35mm worth owning is the Pentax LX. No other camera can meter like the LX. Other than that one camera everyone else would be far better off using a handheld meter.

I had no idea that my Nikons were using me as the butt of their joke...damn!!

MattKing · Jul 29, 2020

skorpiius said:
You bring up a good point, it's not like no one could take amazing slide photos in the days of cw metering. Now I'm wonder if advanced metering is more PR and less needed.

If using a camera in demanding situations that require quick response to changing circumstances, matrix or evaluative metering can be amazingly good.
If you have the time to work more slowly, and the knowledge and experience to take advantage of that time, you can achieve a bit more accuracy.
And you did ask about accuracy

RalphLambrecht · Jul 29, 2020

skorpiius said:
I'm doing a big clean out of excess cameras and equipment and this process is making me think about what I've got and what I might want to get.

In general, for action, flash, telephoto photography that now is covered by my Nikon dslr.

But I want to keep using film but in a more, contemplative, careful, relaxing type of photography. So still life, some landscape (I know, med format is better), etc. In the case of 35mm that means that film advance speed, AF speed, and anything required to 'catch the action' is irrelevant to me, but what isn't irrelevant is metering accuracy, particularly when shooting slide.

So all of the above is a long winded preface to my question, are there any SLRs that are 'above' the rest in metering accuracy? I know the Maxxum/Dynax 7 displays what honeycomb sensors are reading what, I'm curious about people's experience with that helping one expose better. I've also heard the Canon EOS 3 allow multiple spot metering points to be added to the overall calculation which sounds really interesting.

I already own a Nikon F100 and Pentax PZ-1, both having mult-isegment metering (10 and 8 segments respectively) so maybe those are really more than good enough, but curious what else is out there as far as top tier metering.

Or should I just turn on auto-bracketing and not worry about it?

Thanks!

I never had any trouble with Nikon's matrix metering in any of their cameras.

StepheKoontz · Jul 30, 2020

The off the film metering used in an OM-2n is the best metering of any camera I've ever used. It's metering the light in real time off the film, so even if the light changes during the exposure, it's spot on. I mainly shot slide film with mine and after shooting with it for a few months, I quit bracketing as the shots were always perfectly exposed. Unless you want to do something creative with the exposure, EC was never needed. I wish modern dSLR metering could somehow meter off the sensor like this camera did off the film.

AgX · Jul 30, 2020

ic-racer said:
I believe Nikon put the most advanced matrix metering in the later cameras.]

Matrix metering has its advantage at automatic exposure, but that seems not what the OP is after.

skorpiius · Jul 30, 2020

Thanks for all of the discussion, this definitely gave me some things to think about, and I think @MattKing made a great point that the kind of photography I wish to do isn't really where high tech metering was felt to be needed, it was in the kind of action photography where one might not have time to figure out the perfect exposure, The kind of photography that I started out saying wasn't my focus with my film cameras. Thanks everyone.

guangong · Jul 30, 2020

I use the semi spot meter of my Leicaflex SL and SL2, plus brain (see Flavio81 above). Results have always been more than satisfactory. Same idea using Leica M5.

35mm Cameras - Metering stand-outs?

skorpiius

Alan Gales

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skorpiius

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