Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/12/08

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Subject: Re: Mysterious pins on R8 lensmount
From: "Charles E. Love, Jr." <cel14@cornell.edu>
Date: Sun, 8 Dec 1996 18:28:41 -0500 (EST)

At 06:31 PM 12/6/96 -0500, you wrote:

>Seems like a weak explanation, though.  They have a bunch of contacts
>there.  Leica M seems to communicate the focal length of the lens to
>the camera with no contacts.  There must be a better explanation.
>
I assume you mean that M lenses bring up the appropriate frameline when
mounted.  That communication is done by a mechanical connection.  But
communicating focal length in the way electronic SLRs do it would be
extremely difficult mechanically, to say the least.  This is because those
SLR's know the focal length of a zoom as it is zoomed--the zoom flash head
coupled to this function zooms in and out as you zoom the lens.  This is
obviously very useful in realizing maximum output from the flash.
Charles E. Love, Jr.
CEL14@CORNELL.EDU