WATE on an M9 – with automatic lens identification selected

[Bill Blackwell]

FWIW -

Here’s an interesting tidbit I have not seen posted anywhere to date. When a WATE is mounted to your M9 with lens identification turned to the 'on' position, the camera will not differentiate between focal lengths. The exif data will simply read f/4-16/18/21.

If you want the actual FL used shown on the exif data, you’ll need to use the manual lens selection menu, select WATE, then the FL.

Contrarily, an M8/8.2 - with the auto lens selection turned to the 'on' position - will ask for the FL when you turn the camera on with your WATE mounted.

 

[Alnitak]

FWIW -

Here’s an interesting tidbit I have not seen posted anywhere to date. When a WATE is mounted to your M9 with lens identification turned to the 'on' position, the camera will not differentiate between focal lengths. The exif data will simply read f/4-16/18/21.

If you want the actual FL used shown on the exif data, you’ll need to use the manual lens selection menu, select WATE, then the FL.

Contrarily, an M8/8.2 - with the auto lens selection turned to the 'on' position - will ask for the FL when you turn the camera on with your WATE mounted.

This is no secret and its been brought up before--although maybe not on this forum. Personally I found the M8/8.2 implementation to be a bit flaky--it didn't always ask for the FL on my M8.2, for example. In the end, its not a big deal, as neither the M8 or M9 can recognize when you change the FL on the WATE, so you basically have to manually set it on either camera. The corrections are apparently identical regardless of the FL setting, so the only reason it matters is for the EXIF.

Jeff

 

[Vickko]

Yes, because the MATE can trigger the frameline selector and the M8/M9 detects the right focal length.

On the WATE, it doesn't have any trigger to detect which FL has been selected.

Vick

 

[Bill Blackwell]

This is no secret and its been brought up before--although maybe not on this forum. ... The corrections are apparently identical regardless of the FL setting, so the only reason it matters is for the EXIF...

Thanks, Jeff. This may have been 'common knowledge' to some, but I had no idea about this until I experienced it for myself. And I posted simply because when I asked the local Leica rep about it, he indicated he wasn't 100% sure and had to confirm this operation and get back to me on it.

 

[???]

Yes, because the MATE can trigger the frameline selector and the M8/M9 detects the right focal length.

On the WATE, it doesn't have any trigger to detect which FL has been selected.

Vick

The M9 has a detector on the frameline selector for the sole purpose of using the MATE?

 

[Alnitak]

The M9 has a detector on the frameline selector for the sole purpose of using the MATE?

No. The framelines come into play on both the M8 and M9--it requires the correct combination of the lens code and framelines for the camera to register a lens properly. You can verify this by "improperly" coding a lens. For example, since the Voigtlander 40/1.4 triggers the 50/75 framelines, you can't code it as anything but a 50mm or 75mm lens; if you try coding it as the 35/1.4 it will simply show up as "Uncoded" on the camera.

So, while the lens coding system uses a 6-bit system of dots, there is essentially a 7th bit, which is the frameline register.

Jeff

 

[Alnitak]

Thanks, Jeff. This may have been 'common knowledge' to some, but I had no idea about this until I experienced it for myself. And I posted simply because when I asked the local Leica rep about it, he indicated he wasn't 100% sure and had to confirm this operation and get back to me on it.

Sorry, didn't mean to come off as flippant. You're right, its not like Leica makes it clear how this works, and it sounds like not even all their staff know how it works.

Jeff