DX encoding: Difference between revisions

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===DX Camera Auto Sensing===
[[File:Codage DX.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5|DX CAS code positions; this film is rated at ISO 400/27°, has a 24-exposure length, and an exposure tolerance of ±1 stops.
The outside of film cartridges are marked with a DX Camera Auto Sensing (CAS) code readable by many cameras. Cameras can then automatically determine the [[film speed]], number of exposures and exposure tolerance.
 
The DX Camera Auto Sensing code uses a 2×6 grid of contact points on the side of the metal cartridge surface that are either conductive or non-conductive. Electrical contacts in the camera read the bit pattern. Most cameras read only part of the code; typically, only the film speed is read, and some cameras aimed at the consumer market only read enough bits to tell apart the most common film speeds. For example, 100, 200, 400, and 800 can be distinguished by reading only S1, S2, and ground.
 
====Electrical contacts====
[[File:Codage DX.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5|DX CAS code positions
<ul>
<li>1: Ground</li>
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<li>11–12: Exposure latitude</li>
</ul>]]
The outside of film cartridges are marked with a DX Camera Auto Sensing (CAS) code readable by many cameras. Cameras can then automatically determine the [[film speed]], number of exposures and exposure tolerance.
On 35mm film cartridges there are two rows, each with six rectangular areas. The left-most area of both rows (with the spool post on the left) are common (ground) and are thus always bare metal. The remaining five bits in the top row represent 32 possible film speeds, but only the 24 speeds representing intervals spaced at {{frac|3}} steps, from ISO 25/15° to 5000/38°, are used.
 
With 135 film cartridges, the DX Camera Auto Sensing code uses a 2×6 grid of rectangular contact areas on the side of the metal cartridge surface; these areas are either conductive (bare metal) or non-conductive (painted). The left-most area of both rows (with the spool post on the left) are common (ground) and are thus always bare metal. Electrical contacts in the camera read the bit pattern. Diagramatically (with spool post to the left):
The film speed codes are in binary order if the first three bits (S1, S2, S3) are considered to be a "base" identifying a trio of speeds and the last two bits (S4 and S5) are considered an adjustment of +{{frac|3}} or +{{frac|2|3}} stops within that trio. For example, ISO speed 25/15° is encoded as 00010, while 32/16° is 00001 and 40/17° is 00011. These share a common encoding of 000xx for the first three bits, differing only in the last two bits. Similarly, the next three speeds are encoded 10010 (50/18°), 10001 (64/19°), and 10011 (80/20°); it is clear from examination these all share the same 100xx encoding for the first three bits. By comparison to the preceding set of three speeds, the encoding for 25/15° (00010) and 50/18° (10010) have the same xxx10 encoding for the last two bits; likewise, 32/16° (00001) and 64/19° (10001) share the xxx01 encoding, which indicates +{{frac|3}} stop compared to the xxx10 encoding, and 40/17° (00011) and 80/20° (10011) share the xxx11 encoding, which indicates +{{frac|2|3}} stop compared to the xxx10 encoding.
 
In the second row, the first three bits represent eight possible film lengths, although in practice only 12, 20, 24 and 36 exposures are encoded. The remaining two bits of the second row give four ranges of exposure tolerance, or latitude.
 
Most cameras read the film speed only (first row).
 
Diagramatically (with spool post to the left):
 
{| class="wikitable"
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* "Tx" are the exposure tolerance contacts
 
The DX Camera Auto Sensing code uses a 2×6 grid of contact points on the side of the metal cartridge surface that are either conductive or non-conductive. Electrical contacts in the camera read the bit pattern. Most cameras read only part of the code;film typically,speed only, thewhich filmis speedin isthe read,first androw. someSome cameras aimed at the consumer market only read enough bits toin tellthe first row to apartdistinguish the most common film speeds. For example, 100, 200, 400, and 800 can be distinguished by reading only S1, S2, and ground.
====Reading DX Camera Auto Sensing codes====
 
The encoding scheme is illustrated in the truth table below using letters and color.
====Film speed====
The five bits after the ground contact in the top row can be encoded to a maximum of 32 different film speeds, but only the 24 speeds from ISO 25/15° to 5000/38°, inclusive, spaced in intervals of {{frac|3}} step, are used.
 
The film speed codes are in binary order if the first three bits (S1, S2, S3) are considered to be a "base" identifyingidentify a trio of film speeds and the last two bits (S4 and S5) are considered an adjustment of +0, +{{frac|3}}, or +{{frac|2|3}} stops within that trio. For example, ISO speed 25/15° is encoded as 00010, while 32/16° is 00001 and 40/17° is 00011. These share a common encoding of 000xx for the first three bits, differing only in the last two bits, so 000xx designates the trio of speeds (25-32-40). Similarly, the next group of three speeds are encoded 10010 (50/18°), 10001 (64/19°), and 10011 (80/20°); it is clear from examination these all (ISO 50-64-80) share the same 100xx encoding for the first three bits. By comparison to the preceding set of three speeds, the encoding for 25/15° (00010) and 50/18° (10010) have the same xxx10 encoding for the last two bits; likewise, 32/16° (00001) and 64/19° (10001) share the xxx01 encoding, which indicates +{{frac|3}} stop compared to the xxx10 encoding, and 40/17° (00011) and 80/20° (10011) share the xxx11 encoding, which indicates +{{frac|2|3}} stop compared to the xxx10 encoding.
 
====Film length====
In the second row, the first three bits represent eight possible film lengths, although in practice only 12, 20, 24 and 36 exposures are encoded. The remaining two bits of the second row give four ranges of exposure tolerance, or latitude.
 
====Exposure tolerance====
The remaining two bits of the second row give four ranges of exposure tolerance, or latitude.
 
The complete encoding scheme is illustrated in the truth table below using letters and color.
* "G" is ground
* "T" represents the contact is connected to ground