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ASA?


shayallen

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I just got a Leica M7 and sometimes when I go to take a picture "ASA" will blink in the bottom of the window instead of showing a shutter speed. I shoot with T-Max 400 and Tri-X 400... Am I doing something wrong?

I am fairly certain this means that the DX reader is not getting an accurate reading. I had this happen last week while in Luxembourg on a roll, too. While blinking ASA in the viewfinder, the shutter speed reading was also quite erratic, fluctuating back and forth.

 

I set the ISO rating manually to 400 and the message disappeared. Odd is, I have an M7 with the updated DX optical reader, too.

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That´s just the kind of story that still keeps me away from buying a M7. I really wonder why Leica seems to

be unable to fix that DX reading problem. I thought with the "new" optical reading the DX problem was

fixed, but no, it isn´t. Still like my M3´s though...

 

Jo

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I am really not sure if my M7 has the updated DX optical reader. I like to set it myself anyway as I bulk load my film and don't have a problem setting the ISO my self. I don't know what ASA means or why it blinks!

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... I really wonder why Leica seems to be unable to fix that DX reading problem. I thought with the "new" optical reading the DX problem was

fixed, but no, it isn´t. ...

 

Jo

 

It is indeed strange. The DX reader on my R9 has been absolutely reliable from the day that I bought the camera new about 5 years ago, so Leica must know how to do it. My only problem is to remember to set the right film speed on my R6.2!

 

Guy

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I just got My first Leica and I am not very excited about sending it to Germany. I would like to understand what is wrong with the camera and see if there is a way to work around the problem. It has only happened a couple times and id not a real big problem. I do not want it to read my ISO or ASA I would rather set it my self. I am using film cartridges that are blank and don't have any ISO information on them.Does that matter?

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I don't know what ASA means or why it blinks!

I am using film cartridges that are blank and don't have any ISO information on them.Does that matter?

 

ASA is the older film speed suffix, along with the European DIN. Like 400 ASA/DIN 27

They changed that years ago so all around the world the film speed prefix/suffix is ISO 400/400 ISO.

Why is it blinking, have you set the ISO (ASA) properly to your film speed?

Could be the optical reader in the camera is reading something else from the cassette you have in the camera from what you set on the ISO (ASA) dial.

 

Are you using the correct speed cassettes for the bulk film you have loaded in them and what you have set on the manual input dial.

 

Not sure about having cassettes with no markings on them.

You could try putting a piece of black tape over the optical reader sensor in the camera. That way it can't read anything.

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Hey thanks for trying to help. I use plain black film cassettes with no markings on them like the ones I buy from the camera store. I have been shooting triX 400 and set the iso at 400. It does it alot when I am changing film and I am trying to advance the film to get it loaded right and I press shutter and it opens but does not close for a few secs. then I have to wait for it to stop blinking ASA so I can advance it to the next frame.

 

"Are you using the correct speed cassettes for the bulk film you have loaded in them and what you have set on the manual input dial."

 

where can I get high quality Cassettes?

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... I do not want it to read my ISO or ASA I would rather set it my self. I am using film cartridges that are blank and don't have any ISO information on them.Does that matter?

 

Is the camera set to read the ISO/ASA, or did you set it to the actual value of the film you are using?

 

Guy

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If the film speed is properly set in manual and the film is non-DX, the set ASA value should display.

Check your settings first with a DX cartridge to see if set to DX and exposure comp to zero, you obtain the ASA of the film when the camera is first turned on. Next, change the ASA setting in manual and the DX value should still come on. If this works, you now know the system works for a DX cartridge.

Install the non-DX cartidge and set the film speed manually, if ASA flashes, I would say you have a reader problem. Clean contacts first.-Dick

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