Stop-down metering - Praktica/Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar

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I picked up a Praktica MTL5 with a Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm 2.8 on Friday. The metering button works, but the lens doesn't automatically step-down, it always stays at the aperture I've set it to. Is this normal for this lens - ie, is the auto-stop-down metering something that not all lenses support? And if so, I should just focus wide-open and manually stop down and meter? (If so, I kinda like it. I really have to stop and think instead of snap-shooting.)

Cheers!
 
You should have a switch on the side of the lens that has 'A' on one side and 'M' on the other make sure its at 'A' which is the setting for auto iris.
 
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Quite normal if this a full manual camera. Unless it has a aperture priority
option that is not selected!
 
I picked up a Praktica MTL5 with a Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm 2.8 on Friday. The metering button works, but the lens doesn't automatically step-down, it always stays at the aperture I've set it to. Is this normal for this lens - ie, is the auto-stop-down metering something that not all lenses support? And if so, I should just focus wide-open and manually stop down and meter? (If so, I kinda like it. I really have to stop and think instead of snap-shooting.)

Cheers!

Just push the pin in at the back of the lens to see if working, that is what is used to stop down............. by the camera body
 
Found this on a Photo.net thread re: the MTL5 and its lens

Chris Dzombak , Aug 12, 2008; 10:44 p.m.

It turns out that the lens was stuck in 'manual' mode, meaning that the automatic step-down was disabled. The switch for M/A was stuck, so I figured that since it only cost $10 it couldn't hurt to take it apart. It wasn't too bad - I only took off the very back ring that mounts to the camera. I found that a small bearing which the switch relies upon had fallen out of place, so I replaced it and now the lens works almost perfectly. The diaphragm blades are still stick sometimes; I think there's a little oil on them.

The full thread is here
 
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