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Confused About Aperture Display When Using M Lenses


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There is probably something about this topic somewhere on the forum, but I could not find anything offhand. Of course, I am not sure how to search about it, because I am not really sure what to call it. The situation is this: I've had my SL for several months now, but today was the first time I mounted an M lens (Nocti 0.95) on the camera. With the lens wide open, I focused and pressed the shutter button halfway down. The display said the aperture was f/1.7. When I stopped the lens down to 5.6, the display said the aperture was 2.8. When I set it back to 2.8, the display said the aperture was 4. This confused me, so I took a few shots anyway, and everything was just fine, meaning exposure was right on. So I mounted a WATE, and when the lens was wide open, the display correctly indicated f/4. When I stopped the lens down to f/8, the display said the aperture was 5.6. And again, several shots at different apertures all yielded correct exposure. Well, you get the idea. What am I missing?

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Is there ANY coupling between lens & camera transmitting ANY information?

Mechanical or electric?

Give the answer to Yourself....

Comparing the measured light situation between the little window and TTL will give an approximate result, "better than nothing".

Thomas

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So you're saying that $12,000 worth of photo gear cannot tell the photographer what aperture he is using? Sorry, this makes no sense to me.

 

It does when using native lenses. M lenses aren't native.

 

Hence the use of an adaptor to make them work.

 

The M adaptor can read the 6 bit code but again this is a mechanical interface so it can read which lens you are using but no other data.

 

Considering M lenses have no electronic components how did you expect an M lens to communicate with the SL? With M lenses you do what M photographers do. Look at the lens or count clicks.

 

Gordon

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...

 

The M adaptor can read the 6 bit code but again this is a mechanical interface...

Gordon

No, this even not mechanical, it's only one static information about widest possible f-stop, nothing more.

Mechanical interface is e.g. Nikon F-stop moving fork visible turning the exposuremeter's mechanic.

Until AI-invention those lenses were not able to give info about widest f-stop, so you had to turn f-scala each time open & close once when changing the lens.

Of course most later systems of SLR did connect mechanically internal the lens, but on Nikon it was visible ouside.

Leica lenses from the early 30ies till today can be used on M cameras, but none of them connects f-actual stop info in any case.

Thomas

Edited by duckrider
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So you're saying that $12,000 worth of photo gear cannot tell the photographer what aperture he is using? Sorry, this makes no sense to me.

 It does ..... but it is an estimate and most of the time is near enough.

 

If you want it to be accurate the $5 mug behind the $12000 gear needs to look at the marks on the lens .....  :p

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So you're saying that $12,000 worth of photo gear cannot tell the photographer what aperture he is using? Sorry, this makes no sense to me.

These guys are just messing with you. The simple solution is to take your Nocti to your Leica dealer and ask them to clean the contacts, while there you may as well ask them to check the bokeh hasn't worn out, both jobs should take no more than a few minutes.

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So you're saying that $12,000 worth of photo gear cannot tell the photographer what aperture he is using? Sorry, this makes no sense to me.

 

The aperture is on the lens ring. duhh... it doesn't have electronic inside the lens to transfer data to the camera body. what you see on 6 bit coding lens is just a coding bit like computer zero one value. thus the camera only aproximate the aperture. and thats why you have can select the lens model if you use non coded lens. 

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So you're saying that $12,000 worth of photo gear cannot tell the photographer what aperture he is using? Sorry, this makes no sense to me.

If you're concerned about the value proposition, research the equipment before you buy it. You're using completely manual lenses with an adapter on the SL. There is no transmission of aperture data possible with these lenses.

 

It works the same way on the digital M bodies.

 

If you want a digital interface, use the native lenses. Obvious enough.

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The same problem exits with using R lenses on the SL with a Leica adapter. Even though the R lens has ROM contacts, it will not pass the f/stop correctly. It will come close sometimes but hardly accurate. As stated above, whenever you use an adapter, you are open to compromise.   :)

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So you're saying that $12,000 worth of photo gear cannot tell the photographer what aperture he is using? Sorry, this makes no sense to me.

 

 

Of course the camera tells the photographer what aperture is being used: the photographer should look at the lens. 

What's listed in the viewfinder isn't limportant when you're not using a dedicated lens. 

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So you're saying that $12,000 worth of photo gear cannot tell the photographer what aperture he is using? Sorry, this makes no sense to me.

So you're saying that you are buying a $12,000 worth of photo material without doing your due diligence ? Sorry, this makes no sense to me.

 

[emoji6]

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So you're saying that $12,000 worth of photo gear cannot tell the photographer what aperture he is using? Sorry, this makes no sense to me.

 

I see you own digital M cameras, so surely you're familiar with how they record the aperture information? Why would the SL be different to an M? Your post makes no sense to me. 

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These guys are just messing with you. The simple solution is to take your Nocti to your Leica dealer and ask them to clean the contacts, while there you may as well ask them to check the bokeh hasn't worn out, both jobs should take no more than a few minutes.

 

 

The Leica dealer installed the AF firmware upgrade on my Noctilux when I took mine in to have the contacts cleaned.  Well worth it!

Edited by IkarusJohn
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  • 1 year later...

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