Minolta Maxxum/Dynax 7 honeycomb display

neilt3 wrote:

I've checked again .

Ok , so the camera is set to "M" , manual exposure mode .

You point the camera at the scene you want to take a shot off and press the AEL button .

The exposure is now locked .

You press the display button and the honeycomb metering screen comes on showing what point is metered or is over or under .

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Now you turn either wheel to adjust aperture or shutter speed and because you pressed the " exposure lock " button , if you open the aperture up , the shutter speed increases to keep the exposure the same .

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So the meter display remains unchanged , as does the exposure .

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O.k. so now you turn the exposure compensation dail to say +2 .

The honeycomb meter display will now show you what the measurements are taking into account an extra 2 stops .

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However , your exposure remains the same because your in manual mode and you haven't changed the aperture or shutter speed .

The cameras metering system is there for you to take advice from or ignore , it's up to you , that's what manual exposure is.

Unlike some modern digital cameras , this is film , and there isn't an "auto ISO" setting .

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If your shooting on manual anyway , you take a meter reading of a certain spot , and set your exposure to suit , the cameras 15 point metering isn't what your using .

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If you want to use the cameras evaluative metering then you would be in S or A mode anyway .

In these modes , when the honeycomb metering display is on and you've applied AEL .

If you turn the exposure compensation dial , then the display will change to show what the new measurement will now be .

In aperture priority , tuning the exposure compensation dial will result in the shutter speed changing . Etc .

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So to sum up .

As soon as you press the AEL button to lock exposure in M mode , and put the display on .

All it does is give information .

In manual mode , you have to change the shutter speed or aperture to change the exposure .

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In aperture priority mode or shutter priority mode , when the AEL button is pressed and the meter display is on , exposure is locked .

Adjusting one parameter will automatically adjust the other , but exposure remains the same .

Adjusting the exposure compensation dial will both change the displayed metering pattern and change one of the parameters to match the new required exposure .

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Hope this helps and makes it clearer .

Best advice is if you shoot landscapes , use aperture priority mode .

If you shoot sport , wildlife or waterfalls ( but don't meter off white water ) , use shutter priority.

In a very contrasty scene , take a spot metering off a mid tone , and use that information so set shutter and aperture in manual exposure mode .

Thank you so much for your help.

The behaviour in M-mode seems really backwards, but I think I can work around that. A and S mode seems to work as I expected. I have two other questions if you don't mind.

1. The Maxxum/Dynax 7 works with all SSM lenses, even the new ones like the Zeiss 50mm F1.4 right?

2. There seem to be two ways to enable "back button focus" on the camera

-The way most often described on the internet is putting the camera into manual focus mode and then the AF/MF button on the back becomes kinda an AF-ON button.

But the manual states that used this way the AF/MF button also triggers the metering, which would overwrite the exposure locked with the AEL button. Is that true?

-There seems to e another way in the custom menu, with "custom 23" you can deactivate AF on the shutter button. How do the AF/MF button and the Spot-AF button behave in this mode? Do they also trigger a new meter reading?