Contax ST Metering system query

[ABelopopsky]

Greetings fellow photographers.
Just a quick request for advice on the Contax ST metering system.
The manual is a bit vague imo and I am slightly unsure how the meter works.
I am using Aperture Priority or Manual modes.
When metering a scene in centre weighted mode (aperture priority) the manual says the shutter speed selected by the camera will show as a steady light value whilst the shutter speed set by me will blink. This doesn't seem to happen when the aperture is changed.
In manual mode it's even less well explained, and for spot metering there's almost nothing in the manual.
I checked my exposure with an incident meter and they seem to coincide with the cameras readings however two shutter speed values remain in the viewfinder, and I don't understand why. Is the meter saying its exposing between these values?
Love the camera but this system is confusing me.

I have the original manual.
Anyone familiar with the ST I would appreciate any input as to where I am going wrong or not understanding the manual.
Thanks.
Andrey

 

[cowanw]

Sounds like you have to refresh your memory of the instructions again

AV
2 Set the aperture and shoot. & lf you set the aperture with the lens' aperture ring, the camera will automatically set the shutter speed suited for it.
o In the viewfinder, the aperture you have set and the shutter speed automatically set by the camera will turn on'
o lt does not matter where the shutter speed dial is set.

Manual
2 Set the shutter speed with the shutter speed dial & and the aperture with the aperture ring. In the viewfindet while the correct shutter speed selected by the camera turns on with steady light, the shutter speed you have set will blink. Adjust the shutter speed dial or aperture ring so both shutter speeds coincide and and only one blinks.

 

[ABelopopsky]

Hi thanks for your reply.
I see what you're saying, and I have read the manual many times before posting this so I don't need to refresh my memory.
What confuses me is why there are two shutter speeds displayed, neither blinking.
I just went out and tested it. F5.6 in the display and 500 and 250th both displayed on the right, neither blinking.
I guess I'll just work it out by taking notes and developing the film.
Cheers anyway.

 

[cowanw]

I didn't mean to imply anything mean. I had trouble putting together your observations while in aperture mode and manual mode. I checked out my stuff to see if I could replicate your observations. I could not. I thought of non MM lenses or the stop down button being engaged.
I had one 167 model that started showing these sorts of abnormalities and the mother board of the computing apparatus was going bad (and failed). That camera sits for parts now!
Sorry I cannot help more.
Bill

 

[ABelopopsky]

I didn't mean to imply anything mean. I had trouble putting together your observations while in aperture mode and manual mode. I checked out my stuff to see if I could replicate your observations. I could not. I thought of non MM lenses or the stop down button being engaged.
I had one 167 model that started showing these sorts of abnormalities and the mother board of the computing apparatus was going bad (and failed). That camera sits for parts now!
Sorry I cannot help more.
Bill

Thank you kindly Bill. The camera is basically unused so I don't think it's a fault. I may be confusing between M and Aperture Priority. The weather is shite so I haven't tested further yet. You may be correct about non MM lenses though, which mine is not. I will mostly use it in manual with an external meter anyway so it's not a massive issue. First Contax I have owned, and may get an S2 instead as I just prefer mechanical cameras for reliability and fixability. Much obliged for your responses regardless. The film will reveal all when developed. Andrey

 

[Patrick Robert James]

In Aperture Priority two shutter speeds can be displayed. That just means the shutter speed is between the two. Mine will sometimes blink with one of them but I'd assume that means the shutter speed is closer to the other solid number. If you move the camera around and look at the scale you will see this behavior when the reading moves up and down the scale.

 

[wiltw]

page 41 of the Contax ST owner manual:

• " lf there are two shutter speeds on display, the shutter speed which is set is an intermediate value between them."
• "The measured value of shutter speed will turn on in the display, and it will blink if it has been locked in the exposure mode "Tv", "M" or "AEL".
• "The shutter speed will also blink when it has been automatically set for flash pictures."

 

[ABelopopsky]

In Aperture Priority two shutter speeds can be displayed. That just means the shutter speed is between the two. Mine will sometimes blink with one of them but I'd assume that means the shutter speed is closer to the other solid number. If you move the camera around and look at the scale you will see this behavior when the reading moves up and down the scale.

Sorry for the delay in responding to your advice. I have been playing around and that was my guess too. I am really enjoying using it now. Thanks so much.

 

[ABelopopsky]

page 41 of the Contax ST owner manual:

• " lf there are two shutter speeds on display, the shutter speed which is set is an intermediate value between them."
• "The measured value of shutter speed will turn on in the display, and it will blink if it has been locked in the exposure mode "Tv", "M" or "AEL".
• "The shutter speed will also blink when it has been automatically set for flash pictures."

Yes perhaps I missed this. It's been a long week. This makes a lot of sense and with comparison to some separate incident readings I was hedging something along these lines. Much appreciated for your input and advice.

 

[Patrick Robert James]

Sorry for the delay in responding to your advice. I have been playing around and that was my guess too. I am really enjoying using it now. Thanks so much.

Anytime. The ST is my favorite Contax. Vastly underrated camera.