AE-1 Manuel mode advice

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I just bought a used 2x extender for my AE-1 program. I do not think that the 2x extender lens will allow me to use the AE features anymore. It doesn't click at the green A on the 50mm lens. Here is my question, can I set the speed to program and then set the F-stop to whatever reads on the internal meter? What if the internal F-Stop that shows is blinking? Not just the highest or lowest F-Stop but all the F-Stops blink sometimes and when there is more light they stop. If I manually set the speed will the internal meter show me the right F-Stop to use? Is one way to "guess" to put the 50mm lens on without the extender, get a F-Stop reading at the spped I want, then put on the extender and adjust the F-Stops by two settings? thenAny advice would be helpful. Thanks Doug

-- Doug Neeb (dmneeb@yahoo.com), November 14, 2001

Answers

If it ceases blinking with more light, the meter didn't have enough light before to give you an acurate reading. If you are not trusting the meter you could do as you said ... take a reading with the lens by itself, then open by 2 f/stops. Only problem with this is that you don't know how many f/stops your extention may need. I.E., a Sakar may require 3 f/stops while a Tokina may require just 1 1/2. If you are using the extention only for print film this should be a problem by just adding 2 f/stops due to the majority of print films lattitude. Slide film may be another story. Good Luck!!!

-- Michael Winkler (msgwinkler@yahoo.com), December 18, 2001.

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