I've just aquired a Leica R-E & i'm new to Leica cameras. There a little black button/lever just to the top right of the winder if you're lookin from the top of the camera with the lens pointing away from you. It's got a plus (+) and minus (-) sign on the button it. You can push the button & turn it slightly to the left. What is it for?

There are also 3 modes that i can see from the mode selector window. It says 'm' with a circle around it, 'A' with a circle around it and 'A' WITHOUT a circle around it. As far as i know 'm' means manual mode. What are the other two modes? Can anyone explain to me what they do?

Does one of the modes mean 'apperture priority' mode? What is 'apperture priority'?

If any one could answer any of these questions it would be very much appreciated.

-- Fendy Tjhin (fendytjhin@hotmail.com), April 21, 2002

Answers

I don't have a RE but I'll go with my guesses (RE owners should be here soon). Often "m" is for the manual mode : you choose the aperture/shutter with the help of the meter indication in the viewfinder. "A" with a circle should be Aperture priority (you choose the aperture, the camera sets the shutter speed) with center weighted or spot metering. Without the circle may also be the Aperture Priority mode but with overall metering (something like the multizone). Your +/- button should be to override the aperture/shutter combination (over/under exposure). In the R7 you press the button with the +/- sign and you turn the ISO dial to +/- exposure. Hope I'm clear and correct. I once had a R7 but it's been long gone and I don't recall the buttons or the functions.

-- H. Gurung (hgurung@libertysurf.fr), April 22, 2002.

H. has it pretty well covered:

Mode with a circle are using the spot meter (circle in the center of the viewfinder - modes with a rectangle are metering the whole viewfinder - "m" is manual, "A" or "a" is aperture-priority automatic (you pick and aperture on the lens/the cameras picks the shutter speed.

Re the "+/-" sign:

- to the top right of the WINDER, or the REWINDER lever??? It makes a difference.

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), April 22, 2002.

The above response is correct. The +/- lever unlocks/locks the exposure compensation, which is part of the ISO film speed dial.

M is for manual. A with circle is automatic with "spot" metering (the area within the focusing circle) and A (usually with a rectangle, but maybe not on your camera) is automatic with wide-area averaging metering.

-- Ken (kennyshipman@aol.com), April 22, 2002.

Thanks for all your help guys!!

-- Fendy Tjhin (fendytjhin@hotmail.com), April 22, 2002.