I had a look at the sharper image and the exif shows you had S/R on with that too ?

The reason for asking if you can set the S/R manually is that it might tell you if the camera is picking up the focal length from the lens automatically (which you are correct, it should)

Can you post the two pictures on here with exif intact so we can have a peek.

1. Are you waiting for the "hand" symbol to appear in the viewfinder?

2. What lens are you using ?

3. Have you tried manually setting the focal length in the SR menu ?

With the modern lens:

If you enable "Link focus point and AE" (in the custom menu), the exposure is biased to the area nearest to the auto focus point that the camera selects ( or you select). I dont know if it uses just one of the 16 segments or an average of a few around that area, but it won't use the whole 16 segments.

I dont use this setting at all, and as I said it has no affect at all wit the manual lens as the camera defaults to centre weighted metering. I think you can select spot metering also , but I am not sure.

With your manual lenses the only metering mode available is centre weighted, so you AF and AE linked will do nothing with manual lenses. I am not sure about what happens with a modern lens.

edit...see below about spot metering.

Well done Simon, thoroughly deserved.

Nice selection. I like the giraffes too.

All very good, but the second landscape is exceptional.

Your exif states "manual white balance".

So it was not on default when you took the photo. You have changed the WB at some point to a manual setting.

Are you turning the meter off when you are finished using it? There is no auto-shut off.

When you have taken the film out you should fire the shutter; push the winder flush with the body and lock the shutter release.