Nikon F3AF Instruction Manual
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Nikon F3AF Instruction Manual

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INSTRUCTION MANUAL

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  • Page 1 Nikon INSTRUCTION MANUAL...
  • Page 2 Viewfinder eyepiece ®Film ASAIISO film -speed index Film rewind fork Film cartridge chamber roller ® Shutter curtains Data back contacts Motor drive coupling Film rewind button Motor drive positioni Camera back ® Memo holder drive Motor drive electrical contacts Film...

  • Page 3: Nomenclature

    NOMENCLATURE ure-direct-readout (ADR) window button Mirror lockup lever ® Self-timer LED ® Backup mechanical release lever <V Anatomical ® Exposure memory lock button ® Viewfinder battery chamber (with lid) Shutter speed index Viewfinder illuminator button (jJ) Neckstrap eyelet Viewfinder illuminator ®...
  • Page 5 Focusing ring Focus lock buttons ® Depth-of-field indica tors scale ® Aperture index -readout Exposure compensation sca ® Exposure index ® Hot -shoe contacts ® shoe Film rewind crank ® Camera back lock lever Film rewind knob @ Exposu re compensation dial locking button ®...

  • Page 6: Table Of Contents

    Memo Holder ..•...•... Film Plane Indicator Infrared Focusing Index . 3-5 FLASH PHOTOGRAPHy Accessory 8-19 Sync Terminal 20-28 Ready-Light. Nikon F3AF/Speedlight Combination Chart. 22-23 ACCESSORIES Interchangeable Viewfinders . 26-27 Focusing 28-41 Electronic Flash Equipment. Motor Drive MD-4 Data Back ...•... 30-31...

  • Page 7: Foreword

    The F3AF also gives you focus-aid operation with the vast majority of Nikkor and Nikon Series E lenses having a maxi·...

  • Page 8: Basic Operation

    BASIC O P E R A T I O N - - - - - - - - - - - - Remove the battery clip from the camera body. • Use a coin to twist the clip counterclock wise to unscrew it.
  • Page 9 Remove the battery ® • chamber lid from the finder. Apply pressure to the battery chamber lid located at the side viewfinder slide off. Load the batteries Into • the finder's battery chamber. Load two AAA-type batteries into the bat- tery chamber, making...

  • Page 10: Basic Operation

    -BASIC OPERATION-continued---------- Move the power switch to uncover the red dot. • Turn the switch clockwise until it clicks into place. This makes camera for exposure metering and autofocu shooting. Depress the shutter • release button halfway. ready This activates the exposure autofocus functions Both...
  • Page 11 To remove: Push the lens release button clockwise until the lens comes off. Notes 1) Lenses usable with the Nikon F3AF. plus page2G. ® 2) Never touch the AF contacts inside flange@orthose@onthelensbayonetmount. When changing lenses with film loaded in the expose the mirror box to direct sunlight.
  • Page 12 -BASIC OPERATION-continued---------- Install the film • cartridge. Drop the film ca rtridge into the film tridge chamber so that th points towards the tdkeup spool push rewind knob back ace. Notes: 1) Any 3Smm fifm Cartridge can be used. 2) Handle film in the shade to avoid direct posure to...
  • Page 13 Wind the film advance • lever to advance film onto the takeup spool. Wind the film advance lever depress shutter release button until the film sprockets engage the perforations edges of film Close the camera • back. Make sure that perforations are per- fectly meshed with...
  • Page 14 -BASIC OPERATION-continued---------- Make blank exposures until the frame • counter reaches frame one. dispose of first few frames continue to alternately advance the film and release button until the counter reaches past While making blank exposures, check knob is rotating indicating is being advanced.
  • Page 15 Set the shutter speed • dial at A. Rotate the shutter speed dial until the opposite the shutter speed index built-in locking mechanism ensures the dial cannot accidentally shifted from the (Auto) position during shoot- ing. the dial to other positions, the dial while depressing the shutter-...
  • Page 16 -BASIC OPERATION-continued---------- Hold the camera steady. • As you look through the to cradle the camera, with your fingers wrapped around the lens and your thumb beside focus elbow is propped against your body for finger of your right hand to depress and your thumb...
  • Page 17 Depress the shutter release button • halfway and check both and focus displays. While looking through the viewfinder, lease button halfway turn on the exposure focus function The LCD indicates shutter speed match aperture neither 2000 appears in the camera gives the correct exposure. pears, adjust aperture...
  • Page 18 -BASIC OPERATION-continued---------- Take the picture. • Depress the shutter button all the way down apply steady pressure with the ball index finger to avoid camera shake which might result in blurred image. Advance the film. release • Stroke the film advance lever to transport the film to the next...
  • Page 19 Rewind the film. • Lift the film rewind crank turn it in the direction arrow. When feel the tension lessen continue winding one two more turns until the film leader is rewound completely back into the cartridge. Remove the film •...

  • Page 20: Focus

    FOCUS------------------------------~ The Nikon F3AF features through-the-Iens which takes the guesswork out of focusing at what you want to photograph depress button halfway, and watch the subject focus ... automatically. system consists of three parts body, the AF Finder DX-1, and an 80mm 1/2.8...
  • Page 21 exposure information ® ADR f-number Flash ready-light ® Focus-impossible warning Focus indicators near-focus arrow; ® Central focusing frame Half-mirror ® Fine malte/Fresnel field in focus far focus (the lens is focused behind the near focus autofocus or warning also lights up momentarily at the autofocus or focus-aid operation, if there is difference between the actual distance...
  • Page 22 - F O C U S - c o n t i n u e d - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Autofocus With the lens switch ® lease button halfway turns on the (as well exposure meter}.
  • Page 23 Focus lock AF-Nikkor lens focus lock barrel, one on the side and the other on either these button depending on your choice of zontal or vertical-format shooting. During depressing the focus lock button allows you to lock in the auto- focus distance setting on the...

  • Page 24: Focus·aid Operation

    - F O C U S - c o n t i n u e d - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Focus-Aid Operation (Using the Focus Indicators) With the AF-Nikkor's A-M switch Nikon Series E lenses having faster (as listed on page...

  • Page 25: Manual Focus

    Manual Focus (Using the Matte Portion of the Focusing Screen) Manual focus is required in the following batteries in the DX-1 finder are exhausted using a lens which cannot provide autofocus ation, 3) when the focus-impossible warning blinks or continuously, or 4) when you simply want to focus the lens your- self.

  • Page 26: Special Situations

    - F O C U S - c o n t i n u e d - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Special Situations F3AF provides autofocus and majority or...

  • Page 28: Exposure

    EXPOSURE------------------------------ To match the convenience of autofocus, F3AF features aperture -priority auto you do is set the camera at A (Auto) and fire Light is automatically measured through the lens at full aperture, and the correct shutter speed is electronically determined to match the aperture in use.

  • Page 29: Setting The Film Speed

    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 speed. The film speed, represented by an ASAIISO number, is numerical rating of the film...

  • Page 30: Setting The Aperture

    Shutter speed, or the length of time the shutter remains open also determines the amount of light allowed to strike the film. The Nikon F3AF offers automatic stepless shutter speed control over the range from 1/2000 sec. to 8 sec.
  • Page 31 shutter speed dial has the following A (Auto): Provides aperture-priority automatic exposure con- trol in which you first select shooting shutt~r camera sets corresponding exposure. 1/2000"' sec_ 15 discrete settings trol of the shutter speed. The numbers white reciproca example 2000 also a reciprocal appears...

  • Page 32: Automatic Exposure Control

    If the correct exposure is still unobtainable even at the smallest (neutral density) Automatic Exposure Control Automatic exposure is the most convenient way to shoot with the Nikon F3AF, because it al lows you to concentrate fully on the subject w ithout...

  • Page 33: Manual Exposure Control

    M appears in the viewfinder. appears. However, does not mean over- because the meter does not function at this a dedicated Nikon Speed light is attached to the disappears from Therefore, stop the exposure is dial at 1/80 sec.

  • Page 34: Relationship Between Shutter Speed And Aperture

    -EXPOSURE-continued--------------- 1/2000 111000 11500 1/250 Relationship Between Shutter Speed and Aperture The amount of light reaching the film plane combination of the shutter speed and shutter speed of 1/125 sec. lets in twice as much light as a set- ting of 1/250 and only half as much light aperture...
  • Page 35 A fast shutter speed freezes panning the camera, a slow one allows the rider and background. the background to blur.

  • Page 36: Depth Of Field

    -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 tain distance range in front of and behind final photograph Objects beyond ingly out of focus This "in-focus zone"...
  • Page 37 ® Depth-of-field preview button When a lens with an automatic diaphragm viewfinder viewed with the lens However, by depressing the depth-of-field preview button lens will be stopped down to the examine depth of field before shooting. finder darkens according to the selected f-number aperture (i.e.,...
  • Page 38 -EXPOSURE-continued--------------- f/2.8 Lens set at Lens set at f/16...

  • Page 39: Exposure Compensation

    Exposure Compensation vast majority cases, F3AF provides exposure on automatic. However, certain situations require a deviation from the automatic exposure F3AF features both an exposure compensation dial ®. memory lock button Exposure compensation dial This dial adjusts the exposure by increasing or decreasing the...
  • Page 40 (Fig. Note: In autofocus operation, must also button when recomposing with subject off-center to keep it in sharp focus. with the F3AF backlit subject, resulting compensate this, or move in close to hold it in then depress...

  • Page 41: Stop-Down Exposure Measurement

    Stop-Down Exposure Measurement When using a non-AI lens or certain close-up accessories, must push the meter coupling lever release button the meter coupling lever in the "up" a lens attaching an accessory. the lens does not link with the meter camera body.

  • Page 42: Othercontrols

    OTHERCONTROLS------------------------- Shutter Release Button Depressing the button halfway switches and autofocus function and activates LCD displays focus/exposure information approx. 16 sec. even after taking then turn themselves off automatically to conserve power. Depressing button shutter. shutter release button accept a standard cable release for tripping camera...

  • Page 43: Film Advance Lever

    Film Advance Lever The film advance lever is coaxial with and is specially contoured to fit the thumb. film wind the lever to the right all the way until it matically returns to the standoff position the moment you take your thumb off it.

  • Page 44: Eyepiece Shutter Lever

    • ..,,;r- Self-Timer viewfinder (such The F3AF's blinking self -timer release. light from entering the eye- uncover exposure meter autofocus close the eyepiece Just push lever to the...

  • Page 45: Mirror Lockup Lever

    Mirror Lockup Lever the following situations, F3AF's " " position when want to operate -4 at 6 frames second or when using certain fisheye lenses whic do not feature through-the-Iens when using super-telephoto lenses or doing it becomes necessary minimize camera vibration.

  • Page 46: Multiple Exposure Lever

    Multiple Exposure Lever crea tive and unusual effects, the F3AF more than one image on same frame of fi lm. To multiple exposures, follow this procedure Take first shot. Then to recock the shutter without advancing the multiple exposure lever...

  • Page 47: Film Plane Indicator

    Film Plane Indicator film plane indicator ( engraved in white on -E>- ) just behind the shutter speed dial. It indicates of the film plane inside camera. necessary to measure the exact distance between the and. film plane, such as in macrophotography, use indicator.

  • Page 48: Flashphotography

    X of 1/80 you the proper manual speed in the LCD. However, if you use a Nikon dedicated flash unit at this setting M 80 appears as soon as the unit is turned When shooting...

  • Page 49: Accessory Shoe

    (via an LED) in the finder, plus auto switching to the proper 1/80sec. Caution: accessory shoe Nikon dedicated electronic flash unit which operates with unit, such as current. damage the covered by the Nikon warranty. Nikon Flash Unit Coupler 56.)

  • Page 50: Sync Terminal

    -FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY-continued--------- Sync Terminal separate sync terminal with a protective provided on the Nikon F3AF. When using tronic flash unit without a hot-shoe contact, it is camera 's sync terminal. PC cords, plus it threaded for use with a Nikon screw-in PC cord.

  • Page 51: Ready-Light

    *With the SB-12 or SB-15 mounted on the cannot be rotated unit's instruc- ** The SB-19, SB-18 and SB-E cannot be mounted on the F3AF unless the Eyelevel Finder DE-2 or High-Eyepoint Finder DE-3 is used. Shutter Camera's Usable flash speed auto...

  • Page 52: Accessories

    ACCESSORIES---------------------------- DE-2 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 including the AF-Nikkors, are usable with the F3AF...
  • Page 53 DX-1 might be damaged. slide CaUl/on: When handling the F3AF then lift damage the matching ones inside the camera 54). attach the Also do with the nameplate...
  • Page 54 Focusing Screens When using a viewfinder other than the standard AF Finder DX-1, you have a choice of 21 interchangeable focusing as listed on the next page. install insert the front edge (the edge with the slot the pin and push the rear edge of the screen down into To take out the focusing screen first remove the insert your fingernail under the rear edge of the screen and...
  • Page 55 Focusing Screen Selector Guide TYPO A: Mane/Fresnel f~ld wifh 3mm~ 12mmcP reference circle. Rap. l d and accurate focusing photography. Type 8: Mane/Fresnel flElld with 3mm41 fine-ground matte focusing spot and 12mm41 reference circle. Good for general photography. especially with long Type Fine-ground matte field with 4mm4J clear spot and cross photomicrography.

  • Page 56: Electronic Flash Equipment

    Nikon Speedlights are dedicated electronic flash units which complement your Nikon F3AF per- fectly. Everything about these Speedlights have to do is set the aperture and the flash output...
  • Page 57 Flash Unit Couplers AS·3, 4, and 7 To mount other direct mounting flash units on the F3AF's acces- sory shoe, a Nikon Flash Unit Coupler is required coupler is necessary when mounting the Nikon...

  • Page 58: Motor Drive Md·4

    Once you attach you 'll never want to take it off. The Firing Rate Converter MK-1 accessory motor-driven F3AF. It socket of the MD-4 plugs into the remote terminal to pro- vide three firing rates-1, or 3 operate the motor drive on focu automatically.

  • Page 59: Data Back Mf·14

    F3AF accepts the imprinting modes are or picture counting exposure. Serving also...

  • Page 60: Close-Up Equipment

    Since Micro-Nikkor lenses F3AF's autofocus and focus-aid functions, focusing must be done by manually rotating the matte portion of the DX-1's focusing located closer than the closest lens, Nikon makes a wide 5T. and 6T.
  • Page 61 AR-7 Micro-Nikkor Lenses Auto Extension Rings Close-Up Attachment Lenses...
  • Page 62 -ACCESSORIES-continued,------------ Duplication work and photomicrography F3AF combined with proper accessory perform duplication work photomicrography. ized areas of photography, however, formed manually using the matte portion of the autofocus/focus-aid operation In addition exposure compensation areas of photography represent unusual Shown in the table is the relationship between specific photo types and proper exposure.

  • Page 63: Anti·cold Battery Pack Db·2

    Anti·Cold Battery Pack DB·2 In cold weather, use the Anti -Cold Battery accepts two AA-type batteries, as an alternative batteries inside camera DB-2 to the camera body, then slip pocket or coat to keep it warm. This metering system will function even in Cable Release AR·3 The screw-type AR-3 makes for vibration-free shutter RubberEyecup...

  • Page 64: Filters

    -ACCESSORIES-continued------------ Filters Constructed of Nikon's own optical glass, Nikon filters not only protect the front of the lens, allow you to create special effects. filters are broadly divided into type. Notes: For lens protection, the L39 and L37C are When shooting...

  • Page 65: Camera Cases

    Camera Cases Two camera cases are available for the Nikon F3AF 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.

  • Page 66: Ev Range Of The Camera

    ASAIISO Use the Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 lens and a film as an and the EV If the aperture will find that the F3AF's EV range in this shutter speed If the lens is aperture is opened f/5.6 indication step slower,...
  • Page 67 ASAIISO 100 in Section and go down diagonally until the protruding line intersects with Section shutter speed of 1/2000 sec (the F3AF's fastest this time. Then follow the horizontal value for ASA/ISO lOa, and you will get a This means that at an flstop of 1/5.6 at...
  • Page 68 -EV RANGE OF CAMERA-continued--------- Section A Working Aperture 32221611 8 5.6 > Chart 1 (for the Nikkor 50mm f/1.4) Section 0 ASAIISO § '" '" Section C 7 6 5 9 8 7 6 5 10 9 8 7 10 9 8 7 13 12 11 10 9 8 1413 12 10 9...
  • Page 69 Section A Working Aperture '" § 2.8 2 1.4 3222 16 11 8 5 7 6 5 9 8 7 6 5 4 9 8 7 6 10 9 8 12 11 10 9 131211 10 14131211 10 15141312 16 15 171615141312 181716151413 19 1817...

  • Page 70: Tips On Camera Care

    TIPS ON CAMERA C A R E - - - - - - - - - - - Although the F3AF is tough and durable camera, bear mind that it is a precision optical instrument and that careless or rough handling damage it.
  • Page 71 -Avoid touching the camera -Clean interior surfaces, especially the the lens or the finder eyepiece ® ® shutter curtains and film pressure plate using lens possible, smudges or fingerprints with soft cotton moistened with a small cohol from center to sure you the inside of the camera body When not using the...

  • Page 72: Tips On Battery Use

    TIPS ON BATTERY U S E - - - - - - - - - - 1) Battery power falls off in extremely cold temperatures and may cause the camera photometric operate. In this situation use new batteries and protect the camera body from the cold Note that battery power will be recovered as...

  • Page 73: About The Liquid Crystal Display (Lcd)

    When temperature goes below freezing time decreases the liquid crystal Although the Nikon F3AF employs the highest quality LCD, it deteriorates in contrast and becomes difficult to seven years. When this happens, please dealer the Nikon service...

  • Page 74: Specifications

    Autofocus operation Lenses 80mm f/2 .8 and 200mm f/3 .5 IF-ED focus-aid operation than 30 Nikkor and Nikon Series E lenses with maximum aperture of f/3 .5 or faster; more than 60 Nikkor and Nikon Series E lenses available Focus detecting system...
  • Page 75 21 inter- Flash ready-light possible TIL direct flash control governs output of Nikon dedicated flash unit using camera 's SPO sensor; ASAI effective ASA/ISO range from ISO 25 to ASAIISO Special Nikon type located at base of rewind knob; has hot-shoe contac.t,'...

  • Page 76: Specifications

    -SPECIFICATIONS-continued----------- Film advance lever Wound strokes with 30 and 140 Automatic film advance Possible MD-4 Frame counter Additive blank shutter speed automatically set to 1/80 to A Film rewind Via folding in baseplate Self-timer Quartz-timed 10 exposure first 8 Eyepiece shutter Prevents viewfinder from self...

  • Page 77: Important

    IMPORTANT!------------------------------ The Nikon F3AF is an AI -type (Automatic which performs full-aperture metering with AI-type these lenses meter coupling ridge holes (see illustration). Almost all lenses type. However, please confirm whether or F3AF. Note that " " " -S" or book provided...
  • Page 78 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 written authorIZation Irom the publishers (Nikon) NIPPON KOGAKU K.K. without, in Japan (84.3.AI & Printed...

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