summicron 90 f.2 metering on the RD1

georgef

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Mar 15, 2007
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Hi fellow RD1'ers...
Just this morning I tried the above lens on my RD1 as a test to buy off a gentleman here, and every single shot I took was brutally overexposed:confused:

I tried both AE and AE at -2 EV at ISO 200 and none was exposed correctly!
Now I know that RD1s metering is irrelevant of the lens, so it should meter regardless...Then I thought there was just too much light on this sunny day for the f.2, but I did not even see the shutter speed indicator in the viewfinder blink, or even light up:confused: When I stopped down to 3.5 and lower it would start exposing better, but still no shutter sped indication in the viewfinder..

Have you experienced this before? Is it this lens causing it, although I can't see how?

Thanks for your thoughts.
George.
 
One thing to consider:

Were you trying to take a picture of something that was mostly black?

Or, did you consider that probably the shutter speed needed to take the shot needed to be something faster than 1/2000 sec., and therefore, only when you stopped down the lens, did it actually become within the range of your shutter?

If you're metering something at f/2.0 and a rated speed of, say, 1/4000 sec, shooting at the max. shutter speed of 1/2000 of the R-D1 is going to result in an overexposed photo.
 
What struck me was that your shutter speed indicator didn't turn on at all. It should always be visible.

I guess all I can add is that I find shooting wide open (f1.2 - 2.0, even at 2.8) in bright daylight can result in a metering that easily exceeds 1/2000th even at ISO200.

Best regards,

-Jason
 
I sometimes find it difficult to see the meter reading on my R-D1 on a bright day - changing my eye position usually sorts it out. Also, the meter reading is low down in the VF and sometimes the way I position the VF makes it difficult to see. The fact that it worked when you stopped down gives you the answer - it was too bright for F2 at 1/2000th. Using sunny 16 and ISO 200, you'd expect to have a shutter speed of about 1/16000th at F2 - three stops over exposed at the 1/2000th you were shooting at (that is if my maths are working this morning).
 
Thanks guys,
the only thing I can think of is having too much light for the f.2, but
I still don't get the no-show of the shutter speed indicator within the viewfinder.
I will try again to shoot in a darker setting just to make sure that is what it is! Its a very nice piece of lens so if it works I want to get it!

thanks again, George
 
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