Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/04/01
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I've been playing around with my R6 over the weekend. It needed a spring clean, mostly because the metering mode selector was getting sticky, so, armed with Tomosy (which doesn't describe the R6, but does have the R4), I pryed off the top plate to get at the gunk lodged around the controls. What I discovered was quite interesting and I thought I'd ask if anyone else has had similar experiences. I should prefix all this by saying that I'm no camera repair expert (or even camera expert). However, when I was removing the shutter speed selector dial, I noticed that there was a small washer with a protuding stop that prevents the dial from being turned past the 1/1000s setting. I noticed this, because I initially forgot to remount it when I was putting the dial back together again and discovered that I could turn the dial past the 1/1000s. In the viewfinder, the little indicator showing the selected shutter speed was blank. Interestingly enough, the shutter still works on this setting. Even more interesting, as I was playing around with it, the shutter speed sound changed depending upon how I was holding the camera (no lens was mounted on it at this time). Curious, I mounted a lens and did some more systematic experiments. As far as I can tell, the shutter speed is being changed (somehow!) by the camera in response to the light coming in through the lens. Changing the aperture also changes the shutter speed. In essence, this is how aperture priority automatic exposure works. I have no idea how this is accomplished, since I thought the R6 was all mechanical. However, according to a mesage in the Leica FAQ it is apparently really some kind of hybrid shutter. See the following link: http://www.nemeng.com/leica/002c.shtml Is it possible to mechanically achieve this result? Is it a standard feature of all R6 cameras, or has someone modified my camera in its past? Did Leica experiment with A-mode R6s, or did they save on costs by using circuit boards/circuits/mechanics from previous R4/R5 cameras? M. - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html