Help - R3 metering with 1 or 2 cam lenses

[mdanesi]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I have an R3, a 3-cam 50/f2, a 2-cam 135/f2.8, and single-cam 35/f2.8 & 90/f2.8. With the 3-cam 50, auto metering works fine and exposures look good to me. However, when I use my other lenses with no third cam, the meter does not seem to function at all. Even when I stop down with the lever on the right side of the lens, the meter needle stays up at or above the 1000 mark in most light conditions (It moves down to 500 or 250 in bright sunlight.) Changing f-stops doesn't have any effect on the needle. I thought the meter should work properly in stopped down mode with my 1 and 2 cam lenses. I'm not a real experienced leica user, so any help would be appreciated!

(I'm new to the forum - if this question should be listed in another area, please let me know! Thanks....Mike)

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[wizard]

I believe all Leica R camera models do need the 3rd cam to meter properly. They do not need the 1st and 2nd cam though, so you may also use so-called R-only lenses, which only have the 3rd cam.

 

Andy

[PasMichiel]

You can have a look here:

 

Photoethnography.com - Classic Cameras

 

or:

http://members.lycos.co.uk/JemK/Pic-A-Week/cams.htm (maybe point 5 is the thing that don't work)

 

It tells a bit how it works. When you want your lenses modified to the 3cam. It is possible. Ask for it in Solms. Estimated 100 to 200 euro each lens. But you have to check by it's number, if it is possible. Just send a mail with the numbers for a quotation.

[poynterama]

However, when I use my other lenses with no third cam, the meter does not seem to function at all. Even when I stop down with the lever on the right side of the lens, the meter needle stays up at or above the 1000 mark in most light conditions

 

Hmm that's interesting. I have an early 2-cam 50/2 that I use on my R4S. I bought the lens on the presumption that it was 3-cam (as advised by the seller, a reputable online store who promptly ignored all my follow-up emails......another story.....) and quickly discovered that the metering was way off. However, I get good results using the stop-down technique with the preview lever as you mentioned. It also functions correctly using the aperture-priority mode (although I use this infrequently). Are you engaging the preview lever fully? It seems strange that it would work on my R4S and not your R3

[mdanesi]

However, I get good results using the stop-down technique with the preview lever as you mentioned. It also functions correctly using the aperture-priority mode (although I use this infrequently). Are you engaging the preview lever fully?

 

Thanks for your thoughts. I am pushing the preview lever as far as it will go with the appropriate darkening of the screen, but there's very little change in the needle location when I do, even to the smallest aperture (the needle may move a half stop at most from open to smallest aperture).

One thought (or question) - do the silver oxide batteries fall off gradually enough that this could cause my problem? The battery test light does illuminate, but the batteries are over a year old.

[poynterama]

Thanks for your thoughts. I am pushing the preview lever as far as it will go with the appropriate darkening of the screen, but there's very little change in the needle location when I do, even to the smallest aperture (the needle may move a half stop at most from open to smallest aperture).

One thought (or question) - do the silver oxide batteries fall off gradually enough that this could cause my problem? The battery test light does illuminate, but the batteries are over a year old.

 

That would probably be a good (and inexpensive!) place to start

[wildlightphoto]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

One thought (or question) - do the silver oxide batteries fall off gradually enough that this could cause my problem? The battery test light does illuminate, but the batteries are over a year old.

 

The voltage of silver-oxide batteries is quite stable over the useful life of the cell so I doubt this is the problem.

[mdanesi]

I changed the batteries and this had no effect.

[wildlightphoto]

Maybe this is too obvious, but have you considered getting the 3rd cam added to your 35, 90 & 135?

[mdanesi]

Re: Maybe this is too obvious, but have you considered getting the 3rd cam added to your 35, 90 & 135?

 

Doug, Do you think the lack of 3rd cam is the only problem, or is there something else going on? With the R3, shouldn't the meter read properly when the lens is stopped down?

[wildlightphoto]

Re: Maybe this is too obvious, but have you considered getting the 3rd cam added to your 35, 90 & 135?

 

Doug, Do you think the lack of 3rd cam is the only problem, or is there something else going on? With the R3, shouldn't the meter read properly when the lens is stopped down?

 

I've never used an R3 w/o the 3rd cam on my lens so I can't say one way or another. I know my R4-series bodies needed +1.5 stops exposure compensation w/o the R cam. Given your 3-cam lens works correctly the lack of the R cam on the other lenses is a glaring detail. I'll agree the camera's behavior as you've described it is illogical at best.

[ejd]

I think that using a 1 or 2 cam lens on an R camera may give unpredicatable results for the following reason. The cam-follower in the throat of the lens mount for the R-cam (the 3rd cam) has a horizontal bit that protrudes from the edge of the throat, and vertical parts that protrude out of the lens throat -- and these catch on the R-cam on the lens, as they should, of course, and are moved as it and the aperture setting are moved. Without the R-cam on the lens, the horizontal part of the R-cam-follower catches on the sloping 2nd cam in the lens (I think it's the 2nd cam -- it's the cam that engages near the bottom of the camera). The 2nd cam may push the R-cam around a bit, but it does so in an awkward way, and it might damage it -- it seems to me -- and doesn't move it around predictably.

 

I once tried using a 2-cam elmarit 35mm f2.8 on an R. It metered unpredictably, and when I worked out what was going on -- or at least, what I think was going on, as I've tried to describe above -- I thought it best not to try it again!

 

Rgds, John

[dkCambridgeshire]

Two cam lenses seem to selling for premium prices these days. Rather than get the lens re-cammed it might be better to buy a used Leicaflex SL for less than £150 which would probably outlast the R3. Not sure how the SL reacts with old single cam lenses though.

 

Cheers

 

dunk

[wildlightphoto]

Not sure how the SL reacts with old single cam lenses though.

 

Stop-down metering is predictable and accurate.

[earleygallery]

I have the manual for my R3 somewhere, I'll try to find it later....

[earleygallery]

Found this on line Leica R3 manual, user manual, free instruction manual, pdf manuals

 

Stop down metering should work fine - but it does mention about releasing the dof preview lever before taking the photo.

 

Perhaps try again with a 'test' film to make sure there isn't some other variable coming into play. If that doesn't work then you could either have the camera checked, the lenses coverted to 3 cam, or use a handheld meter.

[poynterama]

Two cam lenses seem to selling for premium prices these days.

 

Maybe I should sell mine then