User manual NIKON F2AS PHOTOMIC

[. . . ] NIKON F2AS Photomic INSTRUCTION MANUAL 1 WWW. LENSINC. NET N O M E N C L AT U R E Extra-long exposure scale Shutter Speeed dial T-L fingerguard Shutter-speed scale Mirror lockup lever Depth-of field preview button Self-timer Timer Index Timer Scale Lens mounting flange Tripod socket Motor drive shutter-releasecouplling Motor drive film advance coupling Film rewind button Battery chamber O/C key Memo holder EE aperture control contacts Coupling lever release Threaded sync terminal Neckstrap eyelet Lens mounting index Lens release button Meter coupling lever Reflex mirror 2 WWW. LENSINC. NET Depth of field indicators Distance scale Aperture ring Aperture direct readout scale Meter couplling ridge Aperture/distance scale index Focusing ring Meter coupling shoe Aperture ring EE servo coupling post Finder release lever Film rewind knob Accessory shoe Film rewind crank Hot-shoe contact Finder release button Ready-light contact Eyepiece shutter control External"correct exposure"indicator ASA film-speed scale Shutter-release button Frame counter Film-advance lever Meter ON index Shutter-speed dial lock ASA film speed index ring Illuminator switch Viewfinder eyepiece (w/ready-light) 3 WWW. LENSINC. NET CONTE NTS Foreword. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Preparation for use. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Installing the batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Checking the batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Loading the film. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Prior to shooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Memo holder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Setting the film speed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Operation of camera controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Self-timer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Unloading film. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Holding the camera. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Shutter release operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Operation via cable release. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Focusing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Infrared photography. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Film-planeindicator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Depth of field. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Depth-of-field preview lever. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Depth-of-field indicators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Exposure measurement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Determining degree of exposure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Exposure control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Metering range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Extreme low-light metering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Time exposure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Eyepiece shutter operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 High-contrast lighting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Stop-down exposure measurement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Exposure compensation adjustment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Adjustment for focusing screens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Adjustment for film compensation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Multiple exposures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Mirror lockup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Flash synchronization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Ready-light. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Finder illuminator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Tips on camera care. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Changing the lens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Coupling lever lock/release operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Changing the view finder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Changing the focusing screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Focusing screen selector guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Focusing screen selector chart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Accessories. [. . . ] Thus, choose the lens carefully to match the existing lighting conditions. 24 WWW. LENSINC. NET Extreme Low-Light Metering The meter built into the Nikon F2AS camera is capable of metering low-light levels requiring slow shutter speeds of up to 10 seconds. To meter at low-light levels, perform the following: Set the lens' aperture ring to the desired aperture setting, and the shutter-speed selector to "B"; then, depress and hold the shutter-speed dial lock and turn the selector until the center LED exposure indicator (o) illuminates to indicate correct exposure. Having set the selector, read off the number on the extralong exposure scale and set the camera's self-timer for the indicated value; then, set the T-L fingerguard to "T" and depress the shutter button to make the exposure. When performing low-light metering, be sure to block the entry of stray light into the viewfinder by closing the eyepiece shutter or by continuously viewing through the finder. (Refer to accompanying photos for details. ) Time Exposures The Nikon F2AS Photomicofferstime exposure shooting convenience via built-in controls which enable long exposures without the need for accessory equipment. To make an exposure longer than 10 seconds, set the shutter-speed selector to "B" and turn the T-L fingerguard to "T" as described in "Extra-long Exposures. " Advance the film and press the shutterrelease button to open the shutter. As long as the fingerguard remains set to "T. " the shutter will remain open. When returning the fingerguard to the normal center position to close the shutter, be careful not to move or shake the camera, as a blurred image may result. Note: Operation with a Nikon cable release (see page 15) can also provide for time exposures via the release's built-in locking function. For operation in these cases, leave the T L fingerguard in the center position and trigger the camera with the shutter speed dial set to the "B" setting. 25 WWW. LENSINC. NET EXPOSURE MEASUREMENT - continued Eyepiece Shutter Operation The camera's Photomic finder is fitted with an eyepiece shutter for special unmanned shooting situations (e. g. , remote control, automated shooting with motor drive and aperture control unit) requiring protection against the entry of stray light through the viewfinder eyepiece. To close the shutter, simply turn the eyepiece shutter control 60° clockwise; as the shutter closes, the internal LEDs are deactivated and the external "correct exposure" indicator is switched on for metering operation from atop the finder. To set the camera for proper exposure using the external LED indicator, simply adjust the aperture ring and/or the shutter-speed selector until the LED just glows; once the LED comes on, the camera is set for correct exposure. In addition to its use for low-light metering or for unmanned photography, the eyepiece shutter comes in handy to ensure correct exposure measurement in critical shooting situations (e. g. , photomicrography) or for protection against the entry of bright light into the viewfinder during daylight shooting. H igh-Contrast Lighting S ituations When there are substantial brightness differences between the main subject and the background, unimportant bright spots or dark spots can adversely influence the finder reading, and thus the final exposure. To prevent under- or overexposure of the main subject under these shooting conditions, some corrective action must be taken to ensure proper exposure of the main subject. Fortunately, the finder's center-weighted TTL metering action simplifies adjustments, making for quicker camera operation and more accurate final results. To compensate for an excessively bright or dark background, target the main subject in the center of the focusing screen while performing metering; this action ensures that the main emphasis of the meter reading will be on the chosen subject. Then, after completing aperture and shutter speed adjustments, recompose to the desired picture composition and make the exposure without readjusting the camera controls. For example, when shooting landscapes, it is often advisable to aim the camera slightly downward during exposure measurement to eliminate the effects of a bright expanse of sky; without such compensation, the landscape may appear underexposed in the final print. Also, for backlit subjects, it may be necessary to move closer to the subject to ensure a proper reading. 26 WWW. LENSINC. NET · Metering with a bright area in the center will cause underexposure of the main subject. · For correct exposure, first measure the main subject; then, recompose and shoot. 27 WWW. LENSINC. NET STOP-DOWN EPOSURE MEASUREMENT With some Nikkor lenses, full-aperture exposure measurement is not possible, either because the lens has no automatic diaphragm, or because the lens does not couplewith the finder's meter;with certain accessories, too, lens/finder coupling is not possible, thus, preventing fullaperture measurement. However, the camera's Photomic meter can still be used for exposure measurement via the stop-down method. Before mounting the lens (or accessory) on the camera body, push the meter coupling lever up and to the right; with this action, the lever will remain locked up for stop-down exposure measurement (to release the lever after removing the lens/accessory, push the release to the right as described in "Coupling Lever Lock/ Release Operation" on page 39). After setting the finder, mount the lens or lens/accessory combination on the camera, switch on the meter by moving the film-advance lever to the standoff position, and then set the controls for correct exposure as follows: For automatic diaphragm lenses with no coupling ridge, set the camera to the desired shutter speed; then, depress the depth-of-field preview button to stop down the lens diaphragm and, while holding the button depressed, adjust the aperture ring until the center LED indicator comes on. Be sure to release the depth-of-field button prior to making the exposure. 28 WWW. LENSINC. NET For fixed-aperture lenses, such as Reflex-Nikkor lenses, simply adjust the shutter-speed selector until the center LED indicator comes on. [. . . ] Works best with lenses having maximum aperture of from f/3. 5 to f/5. 6 42 WWW. LENSINC. NET Focusing Screen Selector Chart = Excellent = Acceptable The image is brilliant from edge to edge, but the central rangefinder, microprism or cross-hair area is dim. = Acceptable Slight vignetting or moire phenomenon (in the case of the microprism) affects the screen image. = Acceptable Incompatible with any lens having a maximum aperture larger than f/2. 8 since this decreases the efficiency and accuracy of the screen rangefinder. The infocus image in the central spot may prove to be slightly out of focus on film. [. . . ]