Quote: That's a fair explanation Huw. However, I still wonder whether there may be another (less technical) explanation for the randomised pattern that didn't appeal to the marquetry people, but was necessary nonetheless.
I don't think it was a random pattern, I think it was the same on every camera.
Why shouldn't an apparently random pattern be used, it makes as much sense as anything else?
Surely modern "evaluative" meter patterns work more or less the same way?