Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 (Tek) 9/28/84 based on 9/17/84; site tekig1.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!tekig1!briand From: briand@tekig1.UUCP (Brian Diehm) Newsgroups: net.rec.photo Subject: Re: \"Match-needle\" Message-ID: <1909@tekig1.UUCP> Date: Fri, 10-May-85 14:16:17 EDT Article-I.D.: tekig1.1909 Posted: Fri May 10 14:16:17 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 12-May-85 04:54:19 EDT References: <2029@decwrl.UUCP> <10473@brl-tgr.ARPA> Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR Lines: 55 > > The term "match-needle" was applied to cameras where you matched a needle > > against a single index mark long before there WERE cameras that displayed, > > > I always thought it was originally applied to the center the needle on > the bullseye paddle that some camera used because the correct exposure *** REPLACE THIS MESS WITH YOUR LINEAGE *** Allright you young pups, let an oldtimer tell you how it REALLY WAS, back when we walked to school 12 miles in the snow. . . I still use a Minolta SRT-101, a mid 60-s model. It was pretty advanced in its day, it had a built-in meter. And stop-down preview. Wow. Anyway, you see in the viewfinder two needles, on the right side. One has a target ring on its end, and its position is governed by three factors, the current film speed setting, the current f-stop, and the current shutter speed. The other needle, with the same axis of rotation, is position determined by the light reading of the meter. To expose, one simply turns the f-ring until the needles line up (lay one atop the other). If your shutter speed is out of range, you won't be able to do that. This is called "shutter priority." Alternatively, you could turn the shutter speed dial until the needles match, wherein this would be called "aperture priority." The latter is (was?) less common usage. In the SRT-101, you were given visual indication of the current shutter speed setting. In the SRT-102 you got visual viewfinder indication of dia- phragm setting as well, through a periscope-like optical path to allow you to directly see the appropriate part of the f-ring! Why do I not get an auto-exposure camera with all the goodies? Because I can find only a few justifications for using such a small format as 35mm, namely portability and speed of handling. After all, that's why photojournalists made the 35mm an acceptable tool to pros - until then it was a toy. Anyway, with that in mind, I think I would actually be slower in reacting to a system where I need to figure whether to set the damn thing into aperture or shutter priority, where I have to learn all those silly controls, etc. etc. In other words, I still use my ancient camera because it still does the job better for me than the new stuff, which would get in my way. You'd be amazed how fast you can align two needles (no leds, no gizmos, no nuttin), and it's all very automatic for me - if I want an "auto exposure", I simply match the needles. If I want to adjust, I can see about how much I am adjusting. Or match, then count clicks off to precisely measure my adjustment. I'll go up against any automatic in terms of reaction time, and I don't even use the thing that much. Of course, if you pre-setup your automatic for the "proper" mode of the given situation, you'll be ahead, but then I don't have that overhead. Think about it before you buy your next auto-whiz-gizmo, then think about how the camera makers push these extra features for THEIR benefit - not yours. Then think about how hard it is to find a camera that does ONLY what the SRT- 101 did. Then think about how much you are paying for that auto-gee-whiz. Markets CAN be manipulated, guys. -Brian Diehm Tektonix, Inc. (which has NO official opinion regarding 35mm photography. . .)