Q. The RX has a five pin hot shoe while all of the other CONTAX camera bodies have only three pins. What do these extra pins give me?

A. The extra pins are included on the RX and the new CONTAX AX to communicate at an enhanced level of TTL with the TLA360 Flash. One of the enhanced features of the combination is that the f stop set on the lens will be displayed on the TLA360 flash. The other feature gained by the enhancement is the ability to power down the TLA360 providing flash fill ratios. This information applies to the RX and AX.


Q. How does the Digital Focus Indicator System work?

A. The DFI System was developed to assist the human eye in focusing. The system is composed of two major parts. One is the Focus Scale that shows the deviation from the focus point and the other major component is the Depth of Focus Scale. Together they provide not only focusing assistance but complete depth of field control.
In practice, the DFI system sees in the same area as the split image section of the viewfinder. 1/2mm above and 1/2 mm below, all the way across the split. By placing the split area of the focusing screen over the subject, the deviation of the subject from focus is automatically shown. An array of "O"s spreads out either to the left or right from the central focus indicator. As the lens is rotated towards the focus point, the number of "O"s diminishes to none, leaving only the focus point indicator. The DFI System now indicates that the subject is focused.
When the photographer moves the split image area of the frame to cover the area of the far most part of the scene required in focus, the "O"s will naturally return on the left side of the focus point. This indicates that what the DFI System is looking at is not in focus. Enter the second component of the DFI System, the Depth of Focus Scale. This is a series of dotted lines above the Focus Scale, extending both left and right from the point of focus. If the "O"s extending to the left of the focus point fall within the extension of the dashes, the far most point you are looking at will be in focus in your photograph. If the "O"s extend beyond the range of the dashes, then your far most point will not be in focus. To insure that the subject will fall in focus, stop the lens down to display more dashes.
This same procedure may be applied to the nearest part of the scene that you require in focus.


Q. What are Custom Functions?

A. Custom Functions allow the user to customize the camera as desired. Functions such as viewfinder display, multiple exposure, order of the A.B.C. system, depth of field preview, rewind control and more can be implemented as desired. On the drive mode button, the green "O" provides a second method of implementing the Custom Functions and operating the RX. This information applies to the RX and AX.