dpattinson Posted July 25, 2007 Share #1 Posted July 25, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) So, my recently purchased MATE is coded - and I've tried setting lens detection on. I'm never prompted to indicate which focal length I have selected, however I've checked the exif data and it appears to allocate 28/35/50 depending on the shot (I think it's random). Does this agree with other people's experience? The MATE is the only coded lens I have, so I have nothing to compare it to. DAvid. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 25, 2007 Posted July 25, 2007 Hi dpattinson, Take a look here Lens detection for MATE. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
gravastar Posted July 25, 2007 Share #2 Posted July 25, 2007 As far as I know all 3 focal lengths of the MATE should appear correctly in the EXIF data when lens detection is enabled. The camera uses the 6 bit code AND the selected frame lines (detected by two switches) to determine the focal length in use. It's possible there's a discrepancy between the frame selected and the switch operation. Some examples of the first generation MATE are known to have dodgy frame selection - it's one of the improvements made in the second gen version. The second gen. version has 3 separate depth of field scales and takes a 49mm filter, the first gen. takes a 55mm filter and the same large hood as the 21mm and 24mm ASPH. If you continue to get random focal lengths in the EXIF data try gently moving the focal length selector ring past the 28mm and 35mm stops and see if the correct length is reported. If so you know you have a frame selector/switch mismatch problem. Bob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ho_co Posted July 25, 2007 Share #3 Posted July 25, 2007 David-- You should never get a 'lens choice' menu with the 28-35-50; the M8 determines which focal length you're using automatically, not at random. See http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/29844-28-35-50-tri-elmar-coding.html#post313004 for how it should work. If it's not doing that, something is wrong. --HC Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpattinson Posted July 25, 2007 Author Share #4 Posted July 25, 2007 thanks guys, I think I'd mixed up whats been posted regarding the WATE having a seperate menu. I have the second gen (need those dof scales). Will do a test and see if they are correct. It occurs to me that they could have just had the WATE bring up 'wrong' but different framelines on the M8, then they could have inferred the focal length by noting the detected lens is a WATE and mapping '50mm' framelines to say '18mm' FL. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted July 25, 2007 Share #5 Posted July 25, 2007 David They could indeed but as HC has explained, they felt they didn't need to because the lens requires an external finder and at the time it was designed, they didn't realise the camera was going to need to know. That simplified the mechanical construction of the lens because the mechanism of the MATE relies on the difference in tension between two springs - one in the lens, one in the camera - to select the required frame, which is why some older M's need servicing to work with the MATE if the frame selector lever gets sluggish. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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