Re: why ROM lenses at this stage

[Larry Kopitnik <kopitnil@mra-inc.com>]

> Brian Bower in his book "Leica reflex photography" (new edition 1997) puts
> it in this way: "At this stage the contact strip provides information for
> dedicated flash guns and also to enable more precise stopping down of
> lenses when the camera is in automatic shutter speed priority or programme
> operating modes."
>
> The manual of my R8 confirms this (on page 7 of the Dutch language
> version): "Not only a mechanical but also an electronic exposure control
> takes place when using lenses with contact strip, and certain lens data
> such as the lens' focal length, are passed on to the camera."
>
> The contact strips provides for an additional (electronic) control, e.g.
> compensation for light-fall off in the corners. I remember an E-mail
> message from Erwin Puts on this list a couple of months ago, in response to
> the same question I put on the list.
>
> The thing is, the actual use and potential future of the contact strip
> remains somewhat in the dark. Even Leica Solms will apparently not comment
> much on the matter.

I've been reading Jonathan Eastland's Hove Photo book on the R8. I don't
have it in front of me at the moment (e-mail is at work, book is at home),
but it seems I recall a reference in there to the contacts helping the
precision of the Matrix metering. Which would fall right in line with what
Pascal has written above.

Larry