Aria viewfinder information MM vs AE lenses

[jorgo]

I'm looking to replace a completely thrashed Canon manual focus system, and have pretty much decided on a Contax Aria + 28/50/85mm lenses due to the lens quality, size (mainly travel photography - landscape/portrait) and spot-metering capabilities.

In the manual mode, the manual (p. 112) states that the camera displays the aperture that you have selected and the meter-bar shows the over/underexposure information. This is great for me since I hate taking the camera away from my eye just to see what aperture I've selected.

Is this also the case for older AE lenses as well as the MM? The manual unfortunately doesn't distinguish between the two. I would have thought that this is *NOT* the case since the AE lens doesn't transmit enough information to the body for the camera to perform in a program or shutter priority mode.

Since I mainly use manual mode, the cost savings of the older AE lenses would be a boon assuming that they do provide *ALL* the same information in the viewfinder that the MM ones do. Otherwise, I'll have to bite the bullet and get MM lenses.

If someone could please confirm this, I would be most appreciate and off to the races on joining the small but loyal and very supportive ranks of Contax users!

 

[jim0266]

Erik, I just purchased a new-to-me Contax 167MT and a 28/2.8 AE lens. The 167 does show the selected aperture in the viewfinder with this lens. I would bet a large sum of money that the Aria will as well, but hopefully an Aria owner will chime in shortly to confirm.

 

[jim0266]

Erik, I just purchased a new-to-me Contax 167MT and a 28/2.8 AE lens. The 167 does show the selected aperture in the viewfinder with this lens. I would bet a large sum of money that the Aria will as well, but hopefully an Aria owner will chime in shortly to confirm.

 

[rico1]

Erik,

First, good choice! You'll enjoy that kit.

I switch regularly between 50/1.4 MM and 28/2.8 AE on my Aria. Regardless of lens, aperture is always conveyed to the body, is correctly displayed in the VF, and permits aperture-priority exposure (Av) mode.

While Zeiss may have tweaked the optical formula for some lenses at the time of MM introduction, the sole improvement of MM itself is mechanical. The diaphagm lever of the lens was reengineered, allowing the body to stop down the diaphragm by controllable amounts. The lever action was also lightened. This era saw other Japanese makers adapting their lenses for the same reason, e.g. Minolta MC to MD.

I buy AE when cheaper, and when MM versions don't exist.

 

[brunom]

Erik,
I can confirm there is no difference.
When you use M or Av mode the aperture displayed in the viewfinder is the one you manually selected on the lens, regardless it is an AE or MM.
When you use Tv or P mode the aperture displayed is the one the meter system selects. The difference between AE and MM lenses is that, at the time you depress the shuter, the body is able to change the aperture with an MM lens and not with an AE.
The only difference between AE and MM lens is the aperture ring mechanism.
May I remember you that the aperture selected on the lens and the one displayed by the viewfinder are only metering information. Actually the lens is at full aperture (except if you depress the depth of field preview ).
As an Aria owner + 28/50/85 I won't say this choice is not excellent. But if you make street photography you should consider the pancake.
Cheers.
Bruno

 

[jorgo]

Gentlemen,

Thanks for the information - that's great news and a big cost savings!

Rico - it makes perfect sense about allowing the body to stop down the lens by controllable amounts in A and Tv... I wonder how accurate or robust that lever action is. Whenever people have exposure issues they generally blame the shutter, no? It could equally be the body not stopping down the lens enough (assuming, of course, you're in A or Tv).

 

[afranklin]

Hi Eric,

> Whenever people have exposure issues they > generally blame the shutter, no?

They typically blame the meter...but I blame the user, as s/he's the one who tells the camera what to do ;-)

Regards,

Austin

 

[neilb]

> Erik, usually, bodies that can stop down the aperture do so before opening the shutter, and they take a light reading after the aperture has stopped down. If there was any inaccuracy in the stopdown, then they adjust the shutterspeed accordingly. This way, any inaccuracy in the stopdown mechanism is automatically compensated. For cameras that meter off the film (OTF) during exposure, this is a freebie. Sorry, but I don't know whether the Aria works this way.

Neil

 

[afranklin]

> > Erik, usually, bodies that can stop down the aperture do so before > opening the shutter, and they take a light reading after the aperture > has stopped down. If there was any inaccuracy in the stopdown, then > they adjust the shutterspeed accordingly. This way, any inaccuracy in > the stopdown mechanism is automatically compensated. For cameras that > meter off the film (OTF) during exposure, this is a freebie. Sorry, > but I don't know whether the Aria works this way. > > Neil

Neil,

Can you name a camera that adjusts the shutter speed after stopping the lense down, when in shutter priority mode? The lense stopping down should be dead on accurate...or there is a problem...so I'm not sure any camera would do this.

Metering off the film is for TTL flash, I do not believe it is for regular ambient light metering.

Regards,

Austin

 

[neilb]

>

> Austin,

Nikon FA for sure, and I think F3. I thought it was pretty common, but perhaps I'm mistaken? Probably some Oympus OMs, because they measure light OTF during exposure, so if they have Tv or P mode then they would do it too, most likely. Many cameras meter off the film for regular exposure, not just for flash. No?

Neil