M42(-compatible) camera with spot metering?

[Lucius]

Slide film can be the best way to master exposure.

Part of the reason for my shooting it (not the greatest, but still).

 

[Lucius]

I actually can't see why a high-contrast situation would be any trickier for a center-weighted averaging meter.

I guess I mainly had in mind the kind of high-contast chiaroscuro scenes where an averaging meter would result in overexposed highlights and underexposed shades.

you could also accomplish the same thing by moving closer to the subject to meter then farther away to shoot. I still think it's a rare one, though. And one does need some averaging here.

Yes, but moving back and forth isn't always practical, and one tends to be lazy. And of course I didn't mean a real one-degree spot meter, but a 'selective' meter of the kind found in the T70.

 

[Lucius]

This has been a great discussion, all -- I'm learning a lot and enjoying everyone's opinions.

I second that -- thanks everyone enormously!

At the very least I have confirmed there's no perfect solution for the problem formulated in the OP ;-)

 

[BrianShaw]

… and for me this thread revived an interest in an old camera with M42 screw mount that I’ve been storing without using. Thanks!

 

[bluechromis]

Those Mamiyas may meet the criteria -- except for size/weight.

And since Lucius has added a bright viewfinder to the long criteria, I'll throw in the Minolta XD-11. ONE of its claim to fame was its bright viewfinder -- in a very small package. That's still a pricey camera, but it's less expensive brothers are relatively cheap. No spot metering.

http://www.subclub.org/minman/xd5.htm

I have used my Minolta XD-11 with adapted M42 lenses and it works well. The XD-7 is the same camera. I have also used adapters with a Minolta SRT-102. The XD-11 has several advantages over the earlier camera. It is comparatively small and light with a shutter that is quieter than older cameras I have. The XD-11 had one of the more advanced metering systems of its day. It is a center weighted rather than a spot meter that some say was a precursor to modern matrix type metering. You can see both the f/ stop and s. speed settings in the viewfinder. It has flash sync. at 1/100 sec. My biggest complaint about it is that it can be hard for me to see the meter indicator lights in viewfinder in low light situations.

 

[bluechromis]

I have adapted a Canon Eos 650 that i bought for a ridiculous price , in perfect condition but the AF that didn't work, i've changed the focusing screen with a traditional split image, aperture priority works
perfectly, it has spot button if you need spot , and you'll have the features of a modern camera, bright screen, no mirror vibrations, 30 sec. 1/2000 speed to use with old lenses.|

I have used a Canon EOS Rebel G and Elan 7 with M42 adapters and they do work. The drawback of these models is that there is not an option to install a view screen for manual focusing. These have sophisticated and accurate metering systems, but not a tight spot meter. The exposure has been right on for me when shooting E-6. With the way that modern evaluative/matrix metering works, one may not miss the spot meter. Although the M42 lenses do not autofocus, with some adapters, the the light in viewfinder indicating good focus will come on. So I move the focus back and forth till the green light comes on and get sharp focus. I have found that some adapter brands work better than others on EOS, I'm not sure why. Although the Rebel G and similar entry models are disdained by camera snobs, they are inexpensive and remarkable light and quiet for a motor drive camera. It could be way to check out the use of M42 on the EOS system without committing to the expense of a fancier model.

 

[xkaes]

At the very least I have confirmed there's no perfect solution for the problem formulated in the OP ;-)

The perfect solution is an incident meter, either in the form of a EXPO-DISC, a coffee cup, L'EGGS panty-hose container with the built-in TTL meter -- or a hand-held meter (usually smaller than a spot meter).

If nothing else, an EXPO-DISC -- or similar approach -- can be easily used to verify the TTL meter reading. Take a few shots -- each with the TTL meter and another according to the coffee cup/EXPO-DISC/incident method. You'll quickly see which produces the better results.

 

[Helge]

Thanks for the link, your diatribe and the ensuing discussion are incredibly instructive and entertaining!

I guess my main issue with the T70 is I can't find a comfortable grasp that would allow me to press the exposure lock button.

Thanks. Halfpressing is fine too.

 

[Lucius]

Halfpressing is fine too.

With halfpressing I tend to either lose the reading or activate the shutter too early, though I guess it's a question of practice.

 

[Lucius]

The perfect solution is an incident meter, either in the form of a EXPO-DISC, a coffee cup, L'EGGS panty-hose container with the built-in TTL meter -- or a hand-held meter (usually smaller than a spot meter).

Though not quite to the problem of the OP (m42 body with a spot meter)! But thanks for the coffee-cup trick -- something to try out, once I manage to find a styrofoam cup (it seems nowadays coffee is mostly sold in card cups).

 

[xkaes]

The solution to spot metering -- or any TTL metering -- is incident metering.

 

[bluechromis]

The Canon FD mount cameras can use M42 lenses. The FTb has a fairly small 12% metering area. I think the F1 has a screen to do 3% spot.

 

[Lucius]

The Canon FD mount cameras can use M42 lenses. The FTb has a fairly small 12% metering area. I think the F1 has a screen to do 3% spot.

Yes, but the FTb is rather heavy for my liking.

 

[George Mann]

Yes, but the FTb is rather heavy for my liking.

Listen. The most capable cameras happen to be among the heaviest.

What you need to help you with it is 2 things. One is a unique strap system made by USA Gear, called the TrueSHOT Camera Chest Harness Strap that uses your back and shoulders to support the camera.

I use this strap to successfully support even my 3 pound Nikon D2x.

The second is a butter grip, which is available for a wide variety of cameras (but not the Mamiya currently).

 

[RalphLambrecht]

If you shoot a lot slide film then I would just bite the bullet and get a more modern camera, something with spot, matrix, and average. If you don't like AF just turn it off. What you need to watch for are bottom end models that may not have spot or matrix. The Minolta 5 is not expensive has spot and matrix. Matrix 14 cell, same as the Minolta 7. Both Nikon and Canon are options as well.

I find a Nikon matrix metering to be unbeatable.

 

[Helge]

Though not quite to the problem of the OP (m42 body with a spot meter)! But thanks for the coffee-cup trick -- something to try out, once I manage to find a styrofoam cup (it seems nowadays coffee is mostly sold in card cups).

Styrofoam is not good. You need to calibrate the meter particularly for that, it’s steals way too much light and in an unpredictable way. A dedicated diffusion disc or just a piece of quality opal acrylic is far better.

 

[BrianShaw]

I’ve seen styrofoam cups used as flash diffusers but never as makeshift incident meter diffuser. In both cases it seems a good meter and experimentation is required to understand the parameters in those applications. There are likely easier ways…

 

[xkaes]

Listen. The most capable cameras happen to be among the heaviest.

Have you checked out the Minolta MAXXUM 5? That's the most full-featured film camera I have, and also the smallest and lightest -- and has spot metering.

 

[xkaes]

Styrofoam is not good.

All the ones I've tried are as accurate as my Minolta incident meters. Maybe you forgot to drink the coffee first.

 

[Helge]

All the ones I've tried are as accurate as my Minolta incident meters. Maybe you forgot to drink the coffee first.

Styrofoam is too thick and eats much of the light.

 

[Paul Howell]

I've used Styrofoam in a pinch and found that it does work, no issues in terms of how much light is transmitted.

 

[MattKing]

Instead of styrofoam cups, go back to before 1991 and find the plastic cups that L'eggs bras were sold in

 

[xkaes]

As I've already mentioned twice, they were L'EGGs pantyhose. L'EGGs is called L'EGGs because it's pantyhose, not bras.

L'EGGs eggs come in various shades. Make sure you get the WHITE one. It fits lenses up to 67mm or 72mm as I recall. About the same price are the various EXPO-DISC products sold under various names -- but harder to find.

As to styrofoam cups, they come in various sizes, but make sure there is no writing or decals or printing. Just get the plain white ones. Their biggest limitation is that the are easily damaged.

It's a great, cheap way to discover the benefits of an incident meter.

 

[Autonerd]

I guess I mainly had in mind the kind of high-contast chiaroscuro scenes where an averaging meter would result in overexposed highlights and underexposed shades.

I think you're talking more about a dynamic range problem. That's just a film issue. But again, a true spot meter is not going to help unless you can accurately find the 18% gray tone. (You have to be accurate -- merely finding the middle tone won't help because you can't adjust lightness in printing/scanning since it's a slide.) I still thing a center-weight meter would be your best bet.

Aaron

 

[Autonerd]

Part of the reason for my shooting it (not the greatest, but still).

(Earlier quote cut -- that slide film can be the best way to master exposure.)

Technically, you can do the same thing by learning to read a B&W negative. The difference being that your development needs to be consistent, which E-6 is (or should be if the machines are working right). Back In The Day, I learned to do it by negative density. Slide film just lets you show off a little -- but as I mentioned earlier, we used to get the best results from our Velvia with a tad of overexposure (which we cheated by cranking the ASA dial one notch). Did we truly nail the exposure? Nope. We intentionally got it wrong, and that gave us better slides.

Aaron