Nikon F3AF manual

Nikon INSTRUCTION MANUAL[...]

@ Viewfinder eyepiece ®Fi lm @ ASAIISO film -s peed index @ Film rewind fork @ Film cartridge chamber roller ® Shutter curtains @ Data back contacts @ Motor drive coupling drive @ Film rewind button Motor drive electrical contacts @ @ Motor drive positioni @ Camera back Film ® Memo holder 4[...]

NOMENCLATURE ure-direct-readout (ADR) window button o Mirror lockup lever ® Self - timer LED ® Backup mechanical release lever <V Anatomical ® Exposure memor y lock button ® Viewfinder battery chamber (with lid) @I Shutter speed inde x (jJ) Viewfinder illuminator button @ Neckstrap eyelet 3 Viewfinder illuminator Meter coupling lever ® Mete[...]

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@ Focu s ing r ing A-M switch index ® Fo cus lock buttons A-M switch I@ ® D ept h -o f - field indica tor s D is tance sca le @ scale Di s tance inde x @ ® Aperture inde x Aperture ring @ Meter coupling s hoe @ - readout sca le Len s AF contacts ®I @ E xpos ure com pen sation sca le Self-timer lever ® ® E x po s ure index Shutter s peed dial [...]

CONTENTS--------------------~------ NOMENCLATURE .......... . ..... . . ... .. . . . .. ... . . 3-5 FOREWORD ........... . .. ....... . ..... . ........ . .... 7 BASIC OPERATION . ... . . . ..... . . .. .... ....... . .. 8-19 FOCUS . ... ... ................ .... . .... . ........ 20-28 Auto f o c us .... . . .... . .. . . .............. . . .. .. [...]

FOREWORD--------- Congratulations! You now own one of the most advanced, easy-to - use cameras on the market today. Thanks to a TTL image displacement detecting system utiliz· ing two SPD 's built into the AF Finder DX - 1 , this camera offers you through-the - Iens autofocus control with either of two AF- Nikkor lenses , the BOmm f/2 . B and[...]

BASIC OPERATION------------ 1 Remove the battery clip • 46 from the camera body. Use a coin to twist the clip counterclock - wise to unscrew it. 8 2 Load the batteries into • the clip. Wipe the battery terminals c l ean and in - sert the two 1.5 5 V silver-oxide batteries supplied with the camera, making sure that the + signs are up . Two 1.5 V[...]

4 Remove the battery • chamber lid ® from the finder. Apply pressure to the battery chamber l id located a t the s ide of the viewfinder to slide it off. 5 Load the batteries Into • the finder's battery chamber. Load two AAA - type batteries into the bat- tery chamber , making sure the positive and negative (+ and -) terminals match the d[...]

-BASIC OPERATION-continued---------- 7. Move the power switch • @ to uncover the red dot. Turn the switch clockwi se until it clicks into plac e. Thi s makes th e camera ready for ex po s ure me tering and autofocu s shooting . 10 8 Depress the shutter • release button @ halfway. This activates the exposure meter and autofocu s functions . Both[...]

10 Mount the lens onto the camera. • First , make sure that the meter coupling lever .@ is locked in the "down" position . Grasp the lens by its lens barrel. Then , line up the aperture index ~on the lens with the lens mount· ing index @ on the camera body and twist the lens counterclock· wise until ft clicks into place . Confirm that[...]

-BASIC OPERATION-continued---------- 12 Install the film • cartridge. Dr op the film ca rtridg e into the film c a r - trid ge c hamb e r @ s o th a t th e film le a der point s toward s th e tdk e up s pool @, a nd pu sh th e rew i nd k nob b ack do w n into pl a ce . No t es: 1) Any 3Smm fifm Cartridge can be used . 2) H andle film in the shade[...]

14 Wind the film advance • lever 39 to advance film onto the takeup spool. Wind the film advance lever and depress the shutter release button until the film sprockets engage the perforations on the edges of the film . 15 Close the camera • back. Make sure that the perforations are per- fectly meshed with the sprockets and that the fi lm is set [...]

-BASIC OPERATION-continued---------- 1l Make blank exposures until the frame • counter 76 reaches frame one. To dispose of the first few frames exposed during film loading , continue to alternately advance the film and depre ss the shutter release button until the counter reaches frame one (t he first dot past 0). While making blank exposures, ch[...]

19 Set the shutter speed • dial 72 at A. Rotate the shutter speed dial until the A is opposite the shutter speed index @ . The built - in locking mechanism ensures that the dial cannot be accidentally shifted from the A (Auto) position during shoot- ing. To set the dial to other positions , turn the dial while depressing the shutter - speed dial [...]

-BASIC OPERATION-continued---------- 22 Hold the camera steady. • As you look through the viewfinder , use your left hand to cradle the camera , with your fingers wrapped around the lens and your thumb beside the focus lock button ® , while your elbow is propped against your body for support . Use the index finger of your right hand to depress t[...]

24 Depress the shutter release button • halfway and check both th~ exposure and focus displays. While looking through the viewfinder , depre ss the s hutter re- lea se button halfway to turn on the exposure meter and auto- focus function s. The LCD indicates the automatically se lected shu tter speed to match the aperture set on the len s. As lon[...]

-BASIC OPERATION-continued---------- 25 Take the picture. • Depress the shutter release button all the way down ; apply light but steady pressure with the ball of your index finger to avoid camera shake which might result in a blurred image. 18 26 Advance the film. • Stroke the film advance lever to transport the film to the next frame. 27. Pre[...]

28 Rewind the film. • Lift the film rewind crank and turn it in the direction of the arrow . When you feel the tension lessen , continue winding one or two more turns until the film leader is rewound completely back into the cartridge. 29 Remove the film • cartridge. Push the camera back lock lever counter- clockwise as you lift the film rewind[...]

FOCUS------------------------------~ The Nikon F3AF features a through-the-Iens autofocus system which takes the guesswork out of focusing : just point the camera at what you want to photograph , depress the shutter release button @ halfway, and watch the subject literally 3 nap into sharp focus ... automatically . The system consists of three part[...]

(j) LCD exposure information ® ADR f - number @ Flash ready-light ® Focu s-impossible warning @ Focu s indicators : near-focus arrow ; far-focus arrow ® Central focusing frame (j) Half - mirror ® Fine malte/Fresnel field in focus far focus (the lens is focused behind the subject) near focus (the lens is focused in front of the subject) autofocu[...]

-FOCUS-continued----------------- Autofocus With the lens A-M switch ® set at A, depressing the shutter re- lease button halfway turns on the camera 's autofocus control (as well as the exposure meter}. At the same time, ei ther the focus indicator(s) or the focus-impossible warning in the view- finder light up and the lens begins to focus au[...]

Focus lock The AF-Nikkor lens has two focus lo ck buttons ® on the len s barrel, one on the s ide and the other on the A-M swi tch . You can u se ei ther of the se button s, depending on your choice of hori - zontal - or vertical-format shoo tin g . During autofocus operation , depressing the focus lock button allows you to lock in the auto- focus[...]

-FOCUS-continued------------------ Focus-Aid Operation (Using the Focus Indicators) With the AF-Nikkor's A-M switch @ set at M, or with other Nikkor ring until both arrows are lit , indicating sharp focus. If only the or Nikon Series E lenses having a maximum aperture of 1/3.5 or far - focus arrow ( <III ) remains lit after the ring has bee[...]

Manual Focus (Using the Matte Portion of the Focusing Screen) Manual focu s is required in the follow i ng cases: 1) when the Note : With the A-M switch on the AF - Nikkor fens set at A, you cannot batteries in the DX-1 finder are exhausted , 2) when you are shift the fens distance setting by turning the focusing ring . using a lens which cannot pr[...]

-FOCUS-continued----------------- Special Situations The F3AF provides autofocus and focus - aid operation in the majority or cases , including such difficult situations as fast- moving sports events , subjects seen through glass , or scenes containing point light sources , such as the flame from a candle or a streetlight at night. However , if the[...]

27[...]

EXPOSURE------------------------------ 28 To match the convenience of autofocus , the Nikon F3AF features aperture - priority auto ex posure . All you do is set the camera at A ( Auto) and fire away . Light is automatically measured through the lens at full aperture , and the correct s hutter speed is electronically determined to match the aperture[...]

Setting the Film Speed To program the F3AF to give the correct exposure with a par- ticular film , you must first set the camera to the correct film speed. The film speed , represented by an ASAIISO number, is a numerical rating of the film 's sensitivity to a given amount of light : the higher the number , the greater the sensitivity, and vic[...]

-EXPOSURE-continued--------------- Setting the Aperture The second factor in determining exposure is the shooting aper - ture . Aperture, or the opening formed by the diaphragm inside the lens , controls the amount of light allowed to pass through the lens and strike the film ; it also controls depth of field (see page 36 for more information) . In[...]

The shutter speed dial @ has the following settings : A (Auto): Provide s aperture-priority automatic exposure con- trol in which you first select the shooting aperture, then the camera sets the corresponding shutt~r speed for correct exposure . 1/2000 "' 8 sec _ : 15 discrete settings give you full manual con- trol of the shutter speed. [...]

-EXPOSURE-continued-------------- +2000 , 2000 , :':'00 , 500, 250 , :25 , I ,- c,ef , =, - -"-' .. 1..1- 0- - CI- f .. I.J .. '_' , ,,- f :, , I With one of these indications displayed , correct ex posure will be obtained . + 2000 indi c ates that the subject is too br i ght for the working aperture you have chosen ; [...]

'M.5oo Use a larger aperture or slower shutter speed. M + , ~S Ie Use a smaller aperture or faster M shutter speed . -+~So M C;; _ Within ± 114 EV. Manual Exposure Control In the manual exposure mode , you can shoot at any combination of flstop and shutter speed from 1/2000 to 8 sec ., enabling you to select your desired shutter speed . Manua[...]

-EXPOSURE-continued--------------- 1/2000 111000 11500 1/250 1/1 25 1/ 60 2.B 4 5.6 B 11 16 Relationship Between Shutter Speed and Aperture The amount of light reaching the film plane is determined by a The best combination will depend on the results you want. Use combination of the shutter speed and the lens aperture . A fast shutter speeds to fre[...]

A fast shutter speed freezes the rider and background. By panning the camera , a slow one allows the background to blur . 35[...]

-EXPOSURE-continued--------------- Depth of Field When you shoot at a certain aperture and focusing distance , you will find that not only the main subject but objects in a cer - tain distance range in front of and behind it will be s harp in the final photograph . Objects beyond this range become increa s- ingly out of focus . This "in-focus [...]

Depth-of-field preview button ® When a lens with an automatic diaphragm is used, the image in the viewfinder is viewed with the lens at ma xi mum aperture. However , by depressing the depth-of -fie ld preview button , the len s will be stopped down to the aperture se t , enabling you to examine depth of field before shooting. The image in the view[...]

-EXPOSURE-continued--------------- Lens set at f/2 . 8 Lens set at f/16 38[...]

Suggested Applications for Exposure Compensation Exposure Compensation I n the vast majority of cases , the F3AF provides the correct exposure on automatic. However , certain situations require a deviation from the automatic exposure sett ing . For this purpose , the F3AF features both an exposure compensation dial @ and a memory lock button ®. Ex[...]

-EXPOSURE-continued--------------- Memory lock button Another way of making exposure compensation with the F3AF on automatic is to use the exposure memory lock button. When there is a substantial difference in brightness between the main subject and the background, such as a strongly backlit subject , the camera 's exposure meter is likely to [...]

Stop-Down Exposure Measurement When using a non-AI lens or certain close-up accessories, you must push the meter coupling lever release button @ and lock the meter coupling lever 4 in the "u p " position before mounting a lens or attaching an accessory. In this case, the diaphragm in the lens does not link with the meter coupling lever on[...]

OTHERCONTROLS------------------------- Shutter Release Button 75 Depressing the button halfway switches on the exposure meter and autofocus function and activates the viewfinder LED and LCD displays for focus/exposure information . Both displays stay on for approx . 16 sec. , even after taking your finger off the but- ton , then turn themselves off[...]

Film Advance Lever @) The film advance lever is coaxial with the shutter release button @ and is specially contoured to fit the thumb. To advance the film , wind the lever to the right all the way until it stops . It auto- matically returns to the standoff position the moment you take your thumb off it. One complete stroke or a series of shorter on[...]

-OTHER CONTROLS-continued---------- Eyepiece Shutter Lever @ When it is impossible to keep your eye at the viewfinder (such as when utilizing the self-timer), you should use the eyepiece shutter. This s hutter prevents stray light from entering the eye- piece and adversely affecting the automatic exposure meter reading and autofocus function . Just[...]

Mirror Lockup Lever CD In the following situa t io n s, the F 3A F' s mirror @ must be lo cke d in the " up " position : when you want to operate the Motor Drive MD -4 at 6 frames pe r second or when using certain fisheye l enses whic h do not feature through-the-Iens viewi ng . Also , w hen u sing s uper-telephoto lenses or doing ph[...]

-OTHER CONTROLS-continued----------- Multiple Exposure Lever 74 For crea t ive and unusual effects, the F3AF allows yo u to r ecord more than one im age on the same fr ame of fi lm . T o make double or multiple exposures, follow this procedure : 1) Take the first shot. 2) Then to recock the shutter without advancing the film , push the multiple exp[...]

Film Plane Indicator @ The film plane indicator ( -E>- ) is engraved in white on the top deck just behind the shutter speed dial. It indicates the exact position of the film plane inside the camera. Whenever it becomes necessary to measure the exact distance between the subject and . film plane , such as in macrophotography, use the film plane i[...]

FLASHPHOTOGRAPHY--------------------- The Nikon F3AF has been specially designed to make electronic flash photography easier than ever. When used with an acces- sory Nikon dedicated flash unit , the camera offers fully auto- matic through-the - Iens ( TTL) control of the flash exposure . This means that while the shutter is open , the camera '[...]

Accessory Shoe ® Located at the base of the rewind knob @, the accessory shoe allows direct mounting of a Nikon dedicated flash unit , such as the 88-12, 88-16A or 88-17 . To mount other direct-mounting flash units (having either an 180 - or Nikon F2-type mounting foot) to the F3AF 's accessory shoe, a Nikon Flash Unit Coupler is required (fo[...]

-FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY-continued--------- Sync Terminal 16 A separate sync terminal with a protective screw-in cover is provided on the Nikon F3AF. When using flashbulbs or an elec- tronic flash unit without a hot - shoe contact, it is necessary to use the camera 's sync terminal. It accepts all standard plug-in PC cords, plus it is threaded for u[...]

Ready-Light A built-in LED ready-light is provided in the upper right-hand portion of the viewfinder outside the picture area . When a Nikon dedicated flash unit (or a TTL sensor cord) is attached to the accessory shoe ® , the ready-light comes on as soon as the flash is recycled, indicating that the unit is ready to fire . So , yo u never have to[...]

ACCESSORIES---------------------------- DE-2 DE-3 Interchangeable Viewfinders In addition to the AF Finder DX-1 , the F3AF camera also accepts other interchangeable viewfinders designed for the regular Nikon F3. With them , all Nikkor and Nikon Series E lenses , including the AF-Nikkors , are usable with the F3AF body . Re- gardle ss of which finde[...]

To remove the finder, use your thumb and forefinger to slide the finder release levers ® toward the back of the camera ; then lift the finder out. Before attaching another viewfinder, a focusing screen must be installed (please refer to page 54). To attach the new finder , position it above the camera with the nameplate facing toward the front of [...]

-ACCESSORIES-continued------------ Focusing Screens When using a viewfinder other than t he standard AF Fin d er DX-1, you have a choice of 21 interchangeable focusing screens , as listed on the next page . To install a focusing screen , simply insert the front edge (t he edge with the slot in the midd l e) un d er the pin and push t he rear ed ge [...]

Focusing Screen Selector Guide TYPO A: Mane/Fresnel f~ld wifh 3mm~ circular split-Image rangelinder spot and 12mmcP reference circle . Rap . ld and accurate focusing . Excellent lor general photography . Type 8 : Mane/Fresnel flElld with 3mm41 fine-ground matte focusing spot and 12mm41 reference circle . Good for general photography. especially wit[...]

-ACCESSORIES-continued------------- Electronic Flash Equipment Indispensable for shooting in dim light and at night or for filling in the shadows in daylight , Nikon Speedlights are dedicated electronic flash units which complement your Nikon F3AF per- fectly . Everything about these Speedlights is automatic-all you have to do is set the aperture a[...]

Speedlights S8·11 and 14 For those photographers requiring a separate bracket-mounting unit, Nikon has the S8-11 and S8-14. The guide number of the S8 - 11 is 36 (ASA/ISO 100 and meters) or 60 (ASA/ISO 25 and feet) , while the S8-14 , which requires a separate battery pack, has a guide number of 32 (ASA/ISO 100 and meters) or 52 (ASAIISO 25 and fe[...]

-ACCESSORIES-continued------------ Motor Drive MD·4 One of the most exciting accessories for the F3AF camera is the Motor Drive MD -4. This amazingly compact , light, and streamlined unit attaches to the bottom of the camera in sec- onds and advances the film either singly or in sequence up to 6* frames per sec ond-making it the fastest regular pr[...]

Data Back MF·14 To keep track of when photos were taken , the F3AF accepts the Data Back MF - 14 which slips on in place of the regular camera back @ with no sync cord needed . Three imprinting modes are possible : year/month/day, day/hour/minute , or picture counting ; information is displayed clearly on the data back via an LCD and then is impri[...]

-ACCESSORIES-continued------------ Close-Up Equipment For shooting subjects which are located closer than the closest possible focusing distance of the lens , Nikon makes a wide variety of equipment: 1) Close-Up Attachment Lenses Nos. 0, 1,2, 3T. 4T , 5T. and 6T. These lenses screw into the front of the lens just like filters to magnify the image .[...]

AR-7 Micro-Nikkor Lenses Auto Extension Rings Close-Up Attachment Lenses 61[...]

-ACCESSORIES-continued,------------ Duplication work and photomicrograph y The F3AF combined with the proper acces s ory enables you to perform duplicat i on work or photomicrography . In these special- ized areas of photography , however , focusing s hould be per - formed manually using the matte portion of the focusing screen as autofocus/focus-a[...]

Anti·Cold Battery Pack DB·2 In cold weather , use the Anti - Cold Battery Pack DB-2 , which accepts two AA - type batteries, as an alternative power supply to the batteries inside the camera body . Simply connect the DB -2 to the camera body , then slip the assembly inside your pocket or coat to keep it warm. Th is assures that the camera ' [...]

-ACCESSORIES-continued------------ Filters Constructed of Nikon's own optical glass, Nikon filters not only protect the front of the lens , but provide color correction or allow you to create special effects . As shown in the table, Nikon filters are broadly divided into the screw - in type and the drop- in type . Notes: 1) For lens protection[...]

Camera Cases Two camera cases are available for the Nikon F3AF : The CF-24 Semi - Soft Leather Camera Case houses the camera body with AF - Nikkor 80mm 1/2 . 8 attached; the CF-6 Leatherette Speed Camera Case accepts the camera, plus AF - Nikkor 200mm 1/3 . 5 IF-ED . Neckstraps Available are the leather neckstrap AN -1 (black), webbed nylon . necks[...]

EVRANGEOFCAMERA--------------------- The camera ' s meter may be used only within the shutter speed range covered by the exposure value (EV) range of the meter , which varies with the aperture and ASAIISO setting . The charts on pages 68 and 69 sho w the relationships between the f/stop , shutter speed and film spee d , indicating the usable f[...]

for ASAIISO 100 in Section B, and go down diagonally until the protruding line inter s ect s with Section C' s vertical line for a s hutter speed of 1/ 2 000 s ec . (the F3AF's fastest shutter speed) thi s time . Then follow the horizontal line that leads to Section D' s EV value for ASA/ISO lOa , and you will get a reading of EV 16 [...]

-EV RANGE OF CAMERA-continued--------- 68 8. c: .. a: > w ~ Section A Work i ng Aperture I I I 32221611 8 5 .6 4 2 .8 2 1.4 Chart 1 (for the Nikkor 50mm f/1.4) Section 0 ASAIISO ~ w § '" A g 0 g ~ 8 ~ N ;;; 0 0 '" A ~ ~ ~ ~ 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 - 1 - 2 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 - 1 98765 43 2 1 0 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 [...]

8. c: .. a: > w i Section A Working Aperture I I 3222 1 6 1 1 8 5 . 64 2 .8 2 1 .4 Chart 2 (tor the AF - Nikkor 80mm f/2.8) Section 0 ASA/ISO '" w § '" ~ A 8 8 8 ~ 0 g ~ is ;; 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 - 1 - 2 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 - 1 987654 3 210 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 131211 10 9 8[...]

TIPS ON CAMERA CARE----------- Although the F3AF is a tough and durable camera, bear in mind that it is a precision optical instrument and that careless or rough handling may damag e it. Observe the following tip s, and the F3AF will always work as perfectly as the day you bought it. 70 - Before using the camera, it is a good practice to check it t[...]

-Avoid touching the c amera 's i nter i or s urface s, es pecially t he shutter curtain s ® and film pre ss ure plate @ , -If the inside of the camera body accidentally gets wet , its inter - nal precis i on parts may get rusty , Take the camera right away to the nearest authorized N ikon dealer for a checkup , Work of this sort may require r[...]

TIPS ON BATTERY USE---------- 1) Battery power falls off in extremely cold temperatures and thi s may cause the camera 's photometric circuit to cease to operate . In this situation , use new batteries and protect the camera body from the cold . Note that battery power will be recovered as soon as the temperature becomes normal. 2) When not us[...]

ABOUT THE LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY (LCD)--- 1) At high temperatures (over approx. 60°C) , the whole surface turns black so that the exposure information cannot be read. However , this situation will return to normal when the temper- ature drops . 2) Avoid storing the camera in excessively hot places, such as in a car parked in direct sunlight or ins[...]

SPECIFICATIONS------------- Type of camera Picture forma t Len s mount Lenses Focus detecting system Br ightness ran ge for autofocus l focus - aid operation Focus i nformat i on display Focus lock buttons Exposure control sys t em 74 35mm single - lens refle x 24mm x 36mm (standard 3 5mm film format) Nikon bayonet mount Autofocus operation : AF - [...]

Shutter release button Backup mechanical release lever Viewfinder Viewfinder illuminator Finder terminal Focusing screen Film speed range Exposure compensation dial Exposure memory lock button Electromagnetically releases shutter ; initial pressure on shutter release button switches on meter and autofocus/focus-aid function (after power switch is t[...]

-SPECIFICATIONS-continued----------- Film advan c e lever Wound in single stroke or series of Batteries strokes with 30 0 stand-off angle and 140 0 winding angle Automatic film advance Possible with optional Motor Drive MD-4 Frame counter Additive type, self-resetting ; for blank exposures before frame one , shutter speed automatically set to 1/80 [...]

IMPORTANT!------------------------------ The Nikon F3AF is an AI - type (Automatic Maximum Aperture Inde xing) camera which perform s full-aperture metering with AI-type lenses . The aperture ring of these lenses has a meter coupling ridge ® and a meter coup ling shoe ®l containing two hole s (see illustration) . Almo st all lenses now manufactur[...]

No reproduction In any form of this booklet. In whole or In part (except lor bllel quotation In Critical articles or reViews), may be made without , written authorIZation Irom the publishers (Nikon) NIPPON KOGAKU K.K. Printed in Jap a n (84 .3. AI & -3[...]