Pentax LX LX Manual - Page 4

THE BENEFITS OF LX PHOTOGRAPHY IDM Light Measurement The heart of the Pentax LX is the Integrated Direct Metering (IDM) system which employs a Silicon Photo Diode to measure light directly off the film plane for superb accuracy in exposure control. Incorporating a special pattern on the shutter curtain for high speed measurements and a unique secondary mirror which transmits information to the LX viewfinder almost to the precise moment of exposure, the IDM system of through-the-lens light measurement assures accuracy even under the most difficult and changing lighting conditions. The need for exposure compensation when using system accessories such as focusing screens or interchangeable finders is virtually eliminated. Interchangeable Finders and Screens The LX System includes a wide array of interchangeable viewfinders and focusing screens to meet the challenge of any photographic situation. The unique FB-1 Systems Finder features optional viewing accessories to create a viewing system within a system, and the standard FA-1 Finder features a built-in TTL "X" sync hot shoe which lets you take full advantage of the IDM light measurement system (see pages 40 to 43) Titanium Electro-Mechanical Shutter The LX camera features an extremely broad range of shutter speeds. The titanium electro-mechanical shutter mechanism delivers electronically-controlled stepless speeds in the automatic mode from an amazingly fast 1/2000th second down to 125 seconds, provides manual speeds from 1/2000th second to 4 seconds, and features a special design which provides manual speeds from 1/2000th second to "X" even when the batteries fail (see page 9, 16). TTL Integrated Automatic Flash Control Integrated Automatic Flash Control with the Pentax TTL Auto Flash Units makes flash photography exceptionally simple and accurate even with dificult bounce lighting or at close subject distances. Because the IDM system measures light at the film plane, the LX works with TTL flash models to measure both ambient and electronic flash lighting for exposure accuracy regardless of the lens aperture. These units also feature automatic "X" synchronization and a visible exposure check and ready light in the viewfinder when the capacitor reaches full charge (see page 34). • 2