ETRS Bronica PE Lenses and AEII prism

[Archimedes the Dog]

Since the PE lenses have half stop apertures, does the AEII prism work with them? Does it get the right info from the lenses?

 

[f8&bthere]

Since the PE lenses have half stop apertures, does the AEII prism work with them? Does it get the right info from the lenses?

Yes and no.

PE lenses will "work" [meter] on the ETRS with the AE-II prism but at full-stop detents only.

The AE-III prism is required to meter 1/2-stop aperture settings with PE lenses.

 

[Archimedes the Dog]

Thanks. I have found a couple sources that seem to disagree. Interesting discrepancy.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/ishootfilm/discuss/72157627564455909/

Either way I may still pick up the AEII for times I don't want to fuss with a handheld meter. I have a perfectly good spot meter that I prefer, so the AEIII seems like wasted money.

 

[Katie]

I use PE lenses and an AEII finder on my ETRS.

 

[f8&bthere]

Thanks. I have found a couple sources that seem to disagree. Interesting discrepancy.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/ishootfilm/discuss/72157627564455909/

Before making a purchase I once asked Bronica about the exact EV range of the AE-III. In that conversation the tech rep made a point to say that, in addition to a bunch of other features, only the AE-III could address half-stops or less [using only PE lenses of course].

Now, perhaps half-stop metering with the AE-II is an unadvertised/unofficially supported feature. Perhaps the AE-II can compensate by electronically adjusting the set shutter speed, say from 1/250 to 1/300, but this is what I was told and nothing in any of the relevant instruction manuals says otherwise.

Either way I may still pick up the AEII for times I don't want to fuss with a handheld meter. I have a perfectly good spot meter that I prefer, so the AEIII seems like wasted money.

Have to disagree here.

The AE-III's expanded EV range [1 to 19 vs. the AE-II's 4-17] and increased shutter speed range [down to 32s as opposed to the AE-II's 8s] along with having the Spot/Average option combined with the memory button [and a much easier to use exposure compensation dial] makes metering accurately in tough situations a breeze.

Also, the ability to bias the AE-III for use with a brighter focusing screen is a great feature and, unless you have perfect vision, don't discount the usefulness of the built-in diopter correction. All of this in a package that uses less battery power and weighs 40 grams less.

Oh, and the eyepiece blind is IMO essential for tripod use.

 

[Archimedes the Dog]

Before making a purchase I once asked Bronica about the exact EV range of the AE-III. In that conversation the tech rep made a point to say that, in addition to a bunch of other features, only the AE-III could address half-stops or less [using only PE lenses of course].

Now, perhaps half-stop metering with the AE-II is an unadvertised/unofficially supported feature. Perhaps the AE-II can compensate by electronically adjusting the set shutter speed, say from 1/250 to 1/300, but this is what I was told and nothing in any of the relevant instruction manuals says otherwise.



Have to disagree here.

The AE-III's expanded EV range [1 to 19 vs. the AE-II's 4-17] and increased shutter speed range [down to 32s as opposed to the AE-II's 8s] along with having the Spot/Average option combined with the memory button [and a much easier to use exposure compensation dial] makes metering accurately in tough situations a breeze.

Also, the ability to bias the AE-III for use with a brighter focusing screen is a great feature and, unless you have perfect vision, don't discount the usefulness of the built-in diopter correction. All of this in a package that uses less battery power and weighs 40 grams less.

Oh, and the eyepiece blind is IMO essential for tripod use.

Many thanks for the valuable perspective.

 

[Katie]

Yeah, you make me want to buy the AEIII now!!!

 

[f8&bthere]

Yeah, you make me want to buy the AEIII now!!!

I had an AE-II before I got the AE-III.

It's not that the AE-II is bad, it isn't, it's just a lot less convenient than the AE-III.

I found that with the AE-II I was using my Sekonic just as much as before and I had to go to B or T for exposures longer than 8s. IMO if you're going to be using a hand-held meter most or even just some of the time anyway, then you might as well just use the lighter non-metered prism - you also wouldn't have to worry about battery drain then either.

Another benefit of the AE-III is that it displays a lot more useful information than does the AE-II; you get shutter speeds in either 1/2 or 1/3 step increments [can't remember which off-hand], an exposure compensation indicator, indications for AE or M modes, an AE-Lock indicator, an indicator for Sport or Average metering mode, auto back-lighting in low ambient light, and an out-of-metering/out of shutter speed range indicator.