Difference between revisions of "Detents"

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'''Detents''', sometimes referred to as "click-stops", represent positions on a dial at which movement is locked.  Detents are a welcome addition to manual [[lens|lenses]] where the [[f-stop]] markings can be vague in relation to the indicator on the dial.
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'''Detents''', sometimes referred to as '''click-stops''', are positions on a dial (or a ring around a lens - typically the [[aperture]] ring) at which the control stops readily. This is usually achieved by a captive spring-loaded ball bearing, which settles into one of a series of shallow holes in the mating part.
Without click-stops to set your aperture, slight variations in dial position can represent as much as a 1/2-stop variance in [[exposure]] on either side of the marking, allowing for situations where a given exposure setting could differ by one full stop.
 
 
 
Another benefit of detents is that they prevent slight incidental movements from changing your settings.  For instance, a lens without click-stops might, when set down on a seat, catch some incidental friction with the material it is set on, enough to alter the exposure - perhaps even significantly.
 
  
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Detents have several advantages. They allow the control to be set repeatably (that is, the position of f/8, say, is the same each time), avoiding small random errors in exposure. They may also prevent the control being accidentally moved after setting. Detents also allow the aperture ring (of a lens without automatic stop-down) to be set without taking the camera from the eye.
  
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On the other hand, the presence of detents may make it hard to select values between them.

Latest revision as of 03:25, 22 March 2023

Glossary Terms

Detents, sometimes referred to as click-stops, are positions on a dial (or a ring around a lens - typically the aperture ring) at which the control stops readily. This is usually achieved by a captive spring-loaded ball bearing, which settles into one of a series of shallow holes in the mating part.

Detents have several advantages. They allow the control to be set repeatably (that is, the position of f/8, say, is the same each time), avoiding small random errors in exposure. They may also prevent the control being accidentally moved after setting. Detents also allow the aperture ring (of a lens without automatic stop-down) to be set without taking the camera from the eye.

On the other hand, the presence of detents may make it hard to select values between them.