M7 not showing film speed on switch on

[thedirektor]

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Hello Dear Leica friends. Interesting thing happened today. Loaded a roll of Rollei Nightbird into M7. Set ISO manually to 640 (recommended speed). On switch on the ISO does not display. This very useful feature has worked before for 100, 200 and 400 ASA. Anyone know why the speed isn't showing and what I can do to get it to show ? Have never used the DX feature as I'm not sure how well it works. Also, I know that the camera is registering the 640 speed as I checked with an iPhone meter. So the light meter and A setting is working. Would love to hear any opinions, advice. Many thanks. 

[thedirektor]

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[Matlock]

37 minutes ago, thedirektor said:

Bueller ? Bueller ? ...... Anyone ??!!

Is the film you are using DX coded? if so the film speed should flash when a manual setting is set for the first 2 seconds.

[thedirektor]

Thanks for responding.  I don't use the DX setting, preferring to set manually. As far as I know, the Night Bird doesn't have a DX code. And I am rating it at a different speed to the box ISO, so am obliged to use use manual ISO setting. Does using the manual setting not override the DX auto setting ?

My question was why doesn't the film speed flash up ? It regularly did when I manually set 100, 200 and 400 ISO. Maybe it's the 640 it can't handle. Not a huge problem. Just curious that's all. All best. IB

 

Edited April 26, 2022 by thedirektor

[thedirektor]

5 hours ago, Matlock said:

Is the film you are using DX coded? if so the film speed should flash when a manual setting is set for the first 2 seconds.

 

[Matlock]

19 minutes ago, thedirektor said:

Thanks for responding.  I don't use the DX setting, preferring to set manually. As far as I know, the Night Bird doesn't have a DX code. And I am rating it at a different speed to the box ISO, so am obliged to use use manual ISO setting. Does using the manual setting not override the DX auto setting ?

My question was why doesn't the film speed flash up ? It regularly did when I manually set 100, 200 and 400 ISO. Maybe it's the 640 it can't handle. Not a huge problem. Just curious that's all. All best. IB

 

The speed should show for 2 sec at any speed you set if the film is non DX (the DX speed would flash if the film is DX coded), 

[thedirektor]

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1 hour ago, Matlock said:

The speed should show for 2 sec at any speed you set if the film is non DX (the DX speed would flash if the film is DX coded), 

And that's the mystery.....on switch on, the speed doesn't show !! Ah, Leica, that's why we love you....love and infuriation all at the same time !!

 

[wattsy]

16 hours ago, thedirektor said:

And that's the mystery.....on switch on, the speed doesn't show !! Ah, Leica, that's why we love you....love and infuriation all at the same time !!

 

If you manually change the dial to, say 800 or 1600, with the same film loaded, does it flash '800' or '1600' when you turn it on? In other words, is it just 640 that isn't working as expected or is it all manually set speeds when using films lacking a DX code (I know you don't set the camera to DX mode but it's not clear whether your previous use of 100, 200, etc. is with films that are DX-coded)? Peter @Matlock is correct that, for a non-DX coded film, the camera ought to display the manually chosen film speed for 2 seconds.

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[thedirektor]

Dear Ian, Thanks very much for responding.  I've just tried different manual setting (100 and 400 ISO) and the flashing 5000 stills comes up. Previously I have used standard films such as HP 5 or Kodak Gold and the manual setting has always flashed up - but those films always had modern DX coding. From reading various fora it seems like a non-standard film like Roller Redbird throws the settings off. My real query was that even with the flashing 5000, will the meter still rate for the manually set speed ? Using an off board meter it does seem to do so. All  best IB

[trisberg]

If you set it to DX then what does it display? If it still shows 5000 then the camera must think that your film cartridge is DX coded for 5000 ISO even if it is not.

-Thomas

 

[wattsy]

6 hours ago, trisberg said:

If you set it to DX then what does it display? If it still shows 5000 then the camera must think that your film cartridge is DX coded for 5000 ISO even if it is not.

That sounds like a good explanation. The camera DX must be reading the Rollei film canister as coded for ISO 5000 film. 

[wattsy]

9 hours ago, thedirektor said:

I've just tried different manual setting (100 and 400 ISO) and the flashing 5000 stills comes up.

I think that's the crucial info you didn't mention before. I think @trisberg has hit the nail on the head. The camera is reading your film as if it is DX coded for ISO 5000. As such, it appears to be behaving correctly by flashing that speed for 2 secs. Presumably if you set the dial to 5000 or to DX, the camera will display 5000 on start up without flashing?

[thedirektor]

5 hours ago, wattsy said:

I think that's the crucial info you didn't mention before. I think @trisberg has hit the nail on the head. The camera is reading your film as if it is DX coded for ISO 5000. As such, it appears to be behaving correctly by flashing that speed for 2 secs. Presumably if you set the dial to 5000 or to DX, the camera will display 5000 on start up without flashing?

Thanks Ian. All this because I'm trying to use up a weird film I bought 5 years ago - no idea why !! I normally only shoot Kentmore 100 and 400, Kodak Gold 200 and sometime FP 4.