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Nikon
FA
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
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NOMENCLATURE 12 LCD illumination window 1 Aperture-direct-readout (ADR) window 13 Meter coupling lever 2 Shutter speed indication illumination window 14 Sync terminal 3 Neckstrap eyelet 15 Lens mounting index 4 Focusing screen holder release latch Lens type signal pin 16 5 Depth-of-field preview lever 17 Lens release button 6 Handgrip Lens release pin 18 7 Handgrip attachment screw Focal length indexing lever 19 8 Self-timer lever Maximum aperture indexing lever 20 9 Metering control button 21 R
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35 22 Film sprockets Shutter speed dial locking button 23 Film take-up spool 36 Viewfinder eyepiece 37 Camera back locking catch 24 38 Eyepiece shutter lever Film pressure plate 25 Film rewind fork 26 Shutter curtains 27 Film cartridge chamber 28 Film guide pin 29 Film guide rails 39 Film roller 30 40 Data back contacts Camera back 31 41 Motor drive shutter release coupling (for MD-12) Tripod/motor drive coupling socket 32 42 Motor drive coupling Motor drive electrical contacts (with cover) 33 4
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44 Aperture/distance index 62 Depth-of-field indicators 45 63 Focusing ring Distance scale 46 Mounting ring 47 64 Infrared focusing index Aperture scale 65 48 Meter coupling ridge Aperture ring 49 Meter coupling shoe Aperture-direct-readout (ADR) scale 66 50 Hot-shoe contact Monitor contact 67 51 Exposure compensation index 68 Shooting mode selector 52 69 Exposure compensation scale Shutter release fingerguard 70 53 Exposure compensation dial Shutter release button 71 54 Film rewind knob Frame c
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CONTENTS MULTIPLE EXPOSURE PHOTOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 NOMENCLATURE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 - 5 UNMANNED PHOTOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 - 57 FOREWORD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Self-Timer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 BASIC OPERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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FOREWORD Welcome to Nikon’s exciting world of picture-taking ease. To put you in total control, the Nikon FA offers three automatic exposure modes, in addition to full manual override. For fastbreaking events, the programmed mode automatically sets both shutter speed and aperture for correct exposure in any light. Or when action must be stopped or blurred, such as in sports photography, shutter priority lets you choose the shutter speed manually, then the FA automatically sets the aperture to ma
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BASIC OPERATION INSTALLING BATTERIES Remove the battery clip. 43 Insert batteries. Wipe the bat- Reattach the battery clips. Slip 1. 2. 3. Use a coin to unscrew it in tery terminals clean and insert the clip back into the camera counter clockwise direction the batteries, making sure that the + body and screw it tightly into place. signs are up. Useable batteries for the Nikon FA camera are: • One 3V lithium battery • Two 1.55V silver-oxide batteries (3.1V) • Two 1.5V alkaline-manganese batteri
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CHECKING BATTERY POWER Pull out the film advance lever Depress the shutter release Check the LCD. Confirm that the 1. 2. 3. LCD (liquid crystal display) is 74 to unlock the shutter release button halfway to activate the 70 shown at the upper left in the button . The lever doubles as a exposure meter. viewfinder. This indicates that battery shutter release button lock. installation is correct and power is sufficient. If necessary, replace with a new set. With sufficient battery power, the LCD s
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BASIC OPERATION continued Usable Lenses MOUNTING THE LENS The following lenses are usable with the Nikon FA: Al-S Nikkor lenses Nikon Series E lenses Al Nikkor (including Al-modified Nikkor) lenses Reflex Nikkor 500mm f/8 PC Nikkor 28mm f/3.5 Medical-Nikkor 120mm f/4 IF Ref ex-Nikkor 1000mm f/11 (No.143001 or higher) Ret ex-Nikkor 2000mm f/11 (No.200311 or higher) PC-Nikkor 28mm f/4 (No 180901 or higher) PC-Nikkor 35mm f/2.8 (No 851000 or lower or No. 906201 or higher) Zoom-Nikkor 180-600mm
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Al-S Nikkor: An Updated Version of Al-Nikkor Lenses In 1977, Nikon introduced Al-Nikkor lenses which feature full aperture metering via Nikon's "Automatic Maximum Aperture Indexing" or "Al" system. Just by mounting an Al lens on the camera, the maximum aperture is automatically indexed into the camera's metering system. All Al-type lenses feature a meter coupling ridge and a meter coupling shoe having two holes 48 (Illust. 1). Then in 1981, Nikon modified their entire line of Al-Nikkor lens
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BASIC OPERATION continued LOADING FILM 40 Open the camera back While Insert the film cartridge. Insert the film leader in the 1. 2. 3. pushing the camera back locking Position the cartridge in the film take. Pull the leader across the 58 27 lever counterclockwise, pull up the cartridge chamber with the leader camera and insert it into any one of 54 36 film rewind knob until the camera pointing towards the takeup spool ; the slots in the takeup spool. back pops open. th
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Engage the film’s perforations Advance the film by rotating the takeup spool further with your thumb. Make 4. 2. with the sprocket teeth. Turn sure the perforations on both film edges are securely engaged with the the takeup spool slightly with your sprocket teeth. Also confirm that the film is properly seated between both film guide 29 thumb, so that the first or second rails and there is no film slack Then close the camera back until it snaps shut. perforation at the bottom edge of the fi
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BASIC OPERATION continued Take up film slack. Fold out the Make blank exposure. To dispose of the first few frames exposed during film 6. 57 7. film rewind crank and rotate loading, continue to alternately ad vance the film and depress the shutter release 71 gently in the direction of the arrow on button until the frame counter reaches frame 1. While making blank exposures, the film rewind knob untill you feel a check that the rewind knob is rotating, indicating the film has been loade
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34 Frame Counter Film Advance Lever Memo Holder The additive type frame counter is To advance the film, wind the lever to To remind yourself of the type of film graduated from S, two dots, 1, 2, 4— the right completely until it stops The and number of exposures, clip off the up to 36—in even numbers with odd lever returns to the standoff position end of the film carton and insert it into numbers indicated by white dots in as soon as you take your thumb off the memo holder. Of course. you car bet
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BASIC OPERATION continued SETTING FILM SPEED 53 To program the camera to give the correct exposure with a • Make sure that the exposure compensation dial is set particular film, you must set the camera to the correct film speed at 0. If not, turn the dial until the 0 click stops opposite the 51 red index line while depressing the exposure Lift up the ASA/ISO film speed ring and rotate it in either compensation dial locking button . 59 55 direction until the red index dot i
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highspeed program to reduce the possibility of camera shake SELECTING THE SHOOTING MODE caused by slow shutter speeds The P mode not only greatly The Nikon FA offers four shooting modes: three automatic simplifies operation but also lets you concentrate on picture exposure modes, including P (programmed), S (shutter-priority), composition, making it desirable for fast-breaking action when and A (aperture-priority), in addition to M (manual) mode. there isn't time to think. Moreover, the FA util
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BASIC OPERATION continued Usable Shooting Modes/Metering Method Combination Chart Shooting mode Metering method Lens or accessory P SA M normal high-speed automatic multi-pattern centerweighted 135mm or longer X OOOO O O Al-S Nikkor 105mm or shorter O XOOO O O O XOOO O O Al-Nikkor 135mm or longer X OOOO O O Nikon Series E 100mm or shorter XOOO O O O O XOOO X O Al-modified Nikkor X XXXO X O PC-Nikkor ∆ X ∆ OO X O Reflex-Nikkor X XXXO X O Medical-Nikkor Teleconverters TC-201, TC-301, TC-14A OO
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Viewfinder Information 1. LCD exposure display. Appears when the exposure meter is turned on to show you the shutter speed or aperture selected by 51 2 3 the camera in an automatic exposure mode or the shutter speed you set in the manual mode. Although the shutter speed and/or aperture is controlled steplessly in the automatic exposure modes, intermediate shutter speeds or f-numbers appear in the display as discrete numbers which are closest to actual shutter speeds or f numbers. 4 2. ADR f-numb
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BASIC OPERATION continued P (PROGRAMMED) MODE Set the mode selector to P. Set the lens to it’s minimum Confirm that automatic multi- 1. 2. 3. aperture (the largest f-num- pattern metering is in opera- ber). The shutter speed dial can be tion by making sure that the metering set at any position except M250 and B control button is in the normal “out” position and the red index is not on top (refer to page 40 for more information). 20 WWW.LENSINC.NET / WWW.CAMERA-FIX.COM
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Warning Indications If the LCD shows Hl, this means the scene is too-bright, indicating over exposure may occur. In this case, use a neutral density (ND) filter or change to a slower speed film If the LCD displays Lo, this means the scene is too dark, indicating under exposure may occur. Use an electronic flash or change to faster film. Look through the viewfinder and check the exposure 4. information. Depress the shutter release button halfway and you will see the LCD showing the shutter spee
