Hi, I've taken some polaroid pictures with my new LF camera. I used only a light meter (not film plane metering) and leaf shutter without any sophisticated aid l ike auto shutter (anyway I would continue doing this since I'm mostly in field o r at location taking landscape and architecture.) I felt very awkward to decide the exposure value when I took a first couple of films; particularly compensatin g for bellows extension and reciprocity failure using a lightmeter. My temporary procedure (using my Sinar) is as follows: <ol> <li>Determine the optimum depth of field of the object using the built in depth of field calculator. Set the aperture of shutter as indicated, then turn the foc using knob two stops (decreasing the f number on the scale of the calculator. No w the camera is set at the optimum depth of field. (The optimum depth of field i s the largest aperture possible to cover the object. The smaller aperture fails to cover this range. Is it correct?) <li>Meter the light in shutter priority mode (Sekonic L-508) because (my) leaf s hutter can only be set in full stop increments. <li>Measure the bellows extension. (What if the camera isn't at normal position (e.g.. tilted, shifted etc.)? Do I (still) measure the distance from the rear no dal point (approx.. center of lensboard) to the center of ground glass?) <li>Compensate the factor by decreasing the f number of the LIGHTMETER if it has an exposure compensation feature. (What if there isn't such a feature?) <li>Look at the reciprocity failure chart of the film in use. Then, compensate a ccordingly by decreasing the f number of the LIGHT METER in exposure compensatio n mode again. <li>Now read the f number. Of course now the f number is lower than the original value desired. So turn the dial of the light meter (Shutter priority mode) so t hat the shutter speed increases in full stops and the f number increases. Choose the combination where the f number is the lowest high to the original f number set in shutter. (Aperture increment is continuous so it's ok to be in fraction.) Set the shutter speed of shutter as indicated by the light meter. (If the shutt er speed is higher than 1 sec, do I use B or T with stopwatch?) <li>Wind the shutter, close the blade, set the film and shoot! <li>Ask if I'm doing right. </ol> I'm sorry if this is too long. But is this procedure correct? What procedure do you take in order to determine the correct exposure value? Thank you so much! Ma sayoshi