Operation Manual

Bracketing / 139
BRACKETING
Many attractive subjects are very rich in contrast, i.e.
they have both very light and very dark areas. The
eect can be quite dierent, depending on which
sections you base your exposure on. In such cases,
the bracketing function on the Leica M9 – in aperture
priority mode – allows you to produce several alter-
natives with graduated exposure, i.e. using dierent
shutter speeds. You can then select the most appro-
priate picture for further use, or use image processing
software to create a picture with an exceptionally high
contrast range (HDR).
The following options are available:
– 4 graduations: 0.5EV, 1EV, 1,5EV and 2EV
– 3 numbers of pictures: 3, 5 or 7
– 2 sequences: Correct exposure, over exposure(s),
under exposure(s), or under exposure(s), correct
exposure, over exposure(s).
Notes:
• When using the bracketing function, all AUTO ISO
settings (see p. 128) are dened:
– The sensitivity automatically determined by the
camera for the rst picture is also used for all
other pictures in a series, i.e. this ISO value is not
changed during a series.
– The settings in the AUTO ISO sub-menus are inef-
fective, i.e. the full shutter speed range available
on the camera can be used.
• Depending on the initial shutter speed, the working
range of the bracketing function may be limited.
Examples (in each case with dened aperture set-
ting):
– Metered shutter speed
1
/
1000
s , bracketing series
of 5 pictures/2EV: limited function as the -2EV
picture would require
1
/
16000
s .
– Metered shutter speed
1
/
125
s , bracketing series
of 5 pictures/2EV: unlimited function as the -2EV
picture is possible with
1
/
2000
s .
– Metered shutter speed
1
/
1000
s , bracketing series
of 7 pictures/1EV: limited function as the -3EV
picture would require
1
/
8000
s .
– Metered shutter speed
1
/
500
s , bracketing series of
7 pictures/1EV: unlimited function as the -3EV
picture is possible with
1
/
4000
s .
• Regardless of this, the specied number of pictures
are always created, which means that several pic-
tures in a series may have the same exposure.
• For series of 7 pictures, only the 0.5EV and 1EV
graduations are available.
• Bracketing is not available in ash mode. If an
attached ash unit is switched on, no pictures are
taken.
• The function remains active until it is switched
o in the menu. If it is not switched o, a further
bracketing series is produced each time you press
the shutter release button.
Setting the function
1. In the image parameters menu (see p. 103/119),
select Bracketing (4.2.5) and there
2. set whether you want to switch the function on
or o.
3. In the main menu (see p. 102/119), now select
Bracketing setup (4.1.9),
4. select No. of exposures , Sequence , and/or
EV increments in the sub-menu, and then
5. the desired values and options in the respective
sub-menues.