Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/06/28
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]In the new edition of Brian Bower's "Leica Reflex Photography" (1997) I read the following on the issue of electrical lens contacts on the R8: "At this stage the contact grip provides information for dedicated flash guns and also to enable more precise stopping dowhn of lenses when the camera is in automatic shutter speed priority or programma operating modes." I asked Leica technicians in Belgium about this, and they said this was true for the flash gun part. They were not sure about the speed priority and program adjustments however. What they did say, was that there is indeed an additional security if using lenses with electrical contacts in case a mechanical part of the lens has a malfunction, e.g. in case the diafragm blades do not close to the wanted aperture due to mechanical failure. In such case, the electrical lens contacts provide for additional information which makes it possible for the R8 to expose correctly. The lens contacts, and the contact grip on the R8 will make full autofocus possible, once the new model of the R8 (R8.2?) comes out, and the current R8 body will be upgradable. The R8 was conceived to be fully "ready" for future autofocus functions. Then, all electrical contacts will be used (instead of only two of them at this moment). Pascal Belgium - ------------------------------------------ This message was created and sent on a Macintosh PowerBook - ------------------------------------------