Nikon F2AS Photomic
Nikon F2AS Photomic
Nikon F2AS Photomic
F2AS Photomic
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
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Tripod socket
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The exposure meter in the Photomic finder is powered by The camera’s film-advance lever serves as the ON-OFF switch
two high-performance silver-oxide batteries mounted in the for the Photomic finder. To check battery power, perform the
battery chamber in the baseplate of the camera. To install the following: Pull out the lever just far enough to uncover the
batteries, first remove the battery chamber cover (turn it 90° red meter ON index on the top of the camera; then, look within
counterclockwise using a coin or similar object); then, place the finder to see if any of the LED exposure indicators are
two 1.5V silver-oxide (buttoncell type) batteries in the cham- illuminated. If any of the indicators are lit, battery power is
ber, making sure that the plus (+) side of each unit faces out. sufficient for proper operation. If none of the LED s light,
After inserting and properly seating the batteries, replace the battery positioning should be checked; then, if the LED s still
cover and lock it to secure the assembly. fail to light, replace batteries.
Note: Remove the batteries when the camera is not to be used for a Caution: Whenever the camera is stored, be sure that the
long period; this will prevent leakage within the camera. Also, keep filmadvance lever is set in the meter OFF position (i.e., flush
the camera as warm as possible when operating under cold~weather to the body); failure to observe this precaution can result in
conditions; otherwise, the batteries may fail to function. (See “Tips total battery drain in a matter of days due to continuous illu-
on Camera Care” on page 36 for additional i nformation.)
mination of one or more of the finder’s LED indicators.
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Advance the film and make two blank exposures to dispose when loading film
of the initial portion of the film exposed during loading (for
film advance operation, see page 11). While advancing the 1st blank exposure
film, check that the rewind crank turns in the direction oppo-
site the arrow. Crank rotation indicates that the film has been 2nd blank exposure
loaded properly and is being advanced. Then, fold the crank
flat for storage. for 1st exposure
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A special holder is provided on the camera back for conve- The camera’s exposure meter must be adjusted to the speed of
nient storage of information pertinent to the photography. A the film in use to ensure correct measurement; thus, a film-
piece of paper or the end-flap torn from the film carton can speed scale (ASA graduations) and an index ring are provided
be inserted to serve as a reminder of the film type, film speed on the finder. To adjust, lift the milled ASA film-speed index
and number of exposures. ring and turn it until the red index triangle is aligned with the
ASA value for the film in use. The meter is sensitive across
the full range of from ASA 12 to ASA 6400. The film-speed
dial has two dots between each pair of numbers for intermedi-
ate settings such as 64, 80, 125, etc.
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The film-advance lever simultaneously advances the film, The frame counter operates automatically to show how many
cocks the shutter and operates the frame counter. It also frames have been exposed. When the camera back is opened
switches on the exposure meter in the Photomic finder. To for loading, the counter is reset to the “S” (start) position, two
advance the film, stroke the lever with the right thumb in a frames before “0”. Once the camera is loaded and the back
single stroke (or series of strokes) totaling only 120°. A built- closed, each film-advance/ shutter-release sequence will cause
in locking device prevents the shutter from being released the frame counter to advance one position until the maximum
unless it is fully cocked and the film advanced a full frame. 20 or 36 frames have been exposed. The dial of the frame
At the completion of film advance, release the lever and it counter is calibrated with dots (for odd numbers) and figures
will return to the 20° standoff position ready for shutter re- (for even numbers), and with settings of “S.” “12,” “20” and
lease. “36” in red.
Note: Do not apply pressure to the film-advance lever while mak-
ing an exposure.
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The shutter-release button of the Nikon F2AS Photomic The built-in self-timer can be used to trip the shutter after a
camera is fitted with a fingerguard that also doubles as the delay of from 2 to 10 seconds. The numbers marked on the
shutter operation mode selector. Set to the middle position, timer scale indicate the delay in seconds. To take a picture
the fingerguard provides for normal shutter release via the using the self-timer to fire the camera, first set the aperture
shutter button. To lock the shutter to prevent accidental and shutter-speed controls, advance the film, and cock the self-
release, lift up and turn the fingerguard until the index dot timer by turning its lever downward until the index line (on
aligns with the “L” (lock) marking. For time exposures the lever) aligns with the figure (on the scale) corresponding
preset via the camera’s built-in selftimer, lift up and turn to the desired number of seconds delay; then, simply press the
the fingerguard until the index dot aligns with the “T” small button just above the timer to start the countdown, with
(time) marking. (See “Time Exposures” on page 25 for shutter release occurring at the completion of the cycle. Note
details.) that the self-timer can be set either before or after advancing
film; also, if you decide not to use the self-timer after setting
it, simply use the shutter button in the normal way to make
the next exposure and to release the self-timer for resetting to
the off position. The self-timer may not be used at the “B”
shutter-speed dial setting.
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Wrap the fingers of the right hand around the camera body
so that the index finger rests comfortably on the shutter-re-
lease button and the thumb fits between the camera body and
the film-advance lever. Position the camera so that the eye
looks through the center of the viewfinder. Cradle the cam-
era in the left hand for additional support, with the left thumb
and index finger grasping the focusing ring. From this basic
stance, the camera can be properly supported and easily
switched from horizontal to vertical format shooting. As a
general rule, the slowest shutter speed you should use with
the camera hand-held is equal to the reciprocal of the focal
length of the lens in use (e.g., for a 500mm lens, use 1/500
sec.; for a 105mm lens, use 1/125 sec.). However, as the ability
to hold the camera steady may vary with each individual, we
recommend that you experiment. In general, the higher the
selected shutter speed, the sharper the picture.
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The lens can also be prefocused using the distance scale en-
graved in both meters and feet on the lens barrel. Simply turn
the focusing ring until the desired camera-tosubject distance
(as measured or estimated) is lined up with the distance scale
index on the lens barrel. This technique is useful for candid
shots of elusive subjects when time does not permit through-
the-lens focusing.
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The plane of sharpest focus for infrared light is slightly more U nder various precision shooting situations, such as close-up
distant than its counterpart for visible light as seen through photography, it is often necessary to measure the film-to-sub-
the camera’s viewfinder. Thus, for sharpest focus in infrared ject distance to ensure the sharpest focus. The camera’s film
photography, adjustments must be made. plane is indicated by the top edge of the figures making up the
To compensate for this shift in focus, first focus the image serial number at the upper left of the camera body. Note that
sharply through the viewfinder. Then, turn the focusing ring these figures are 46.5mm from the front surface of the camera’s
counterclockwise until the point focused is aligned with the lens mounting flange.
red dot (or line) provided on the lens barrel. For example, in
the picture below, the lens has been focused for infinity (no)
infrared shooting. Note that when lenses having a focal length
of 50mm or less are used stopped down to f/8 or below, no
adjustment is necessary due to the large depth of field avail- (bayonet mount front surface)
able.
Note: Some new optics using Nikon’s Extra-low Dispersion (ED)
glass, as well as reflex (catadioptric) lenses, do not require refocus-
ing for infrared photography. Refer to individual lens instruction
manuals for details.
46.5 mm
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The amount of light reaching the film plane is determined by If the center “correct exposure” LED fails to illuminate, even
a combination of the lens aperture and the shutter speed. Since after all possible lens-aperture/shutter-speed combinations
the two are interrelated, different combinations will give the have been tried, then the available light is too bright or too
same exposure. A 1-step change in the shutter speed, or a 1- dim for the meter’s range. To correct this situation, several
stop change in the aperture setting, will either halve or double measures may be taken, as follows: Switch to a new film (ei-
the exposure. For example, a shutter speed of 1/125 second ther higher or lower ASA) that more closely matches the avail-
passes twice as much light as a setting of 1/250 second, and able light; mount a neutral density filter on the lens to de-
only half as much light as a speed of 1/60 second; for an crease the light reaching the film plane; or use artificial light-
aperture setting of f/11, twice as much light as f/16, and half ing (i.e., an electronic flash unit) to increase subject illumina-
as much as f/8, is passed. This feature characterizes the op- tion. Remember, too, that the lens in use can greatly influence
eration throughout the available range of shutter speeds and suitability for bright or dim shooting. For example, a 50mm f/
aperture settings. With this in mind, it’s easy to see that if a 1.4 lens (with ASA 100 film) couples from EV—2 (f/1.4 at 8
correct exposure for a scene is 1/125 at f/11, then 1/60 at f/16 seconds) to EV 17 (f/8 at 1/2000 second) for excellent low-
or 1/250 at f/8 will be equally acceptable. light performance; on the other hand, a 200mm f/4 lens proves
more usable at bright-light levels, coupling (with ASA 100
The best combination for your needs will depend on the re- film) from EV 1 (f/4 at 8 seconds) to EV 20 (f/22 at 1/2000).
sults desired. Use fast shutter speeds to freeze motion, or use Thus, choose the lens carefully to match the existing lighting
slow speeds to produce deliberate and creative blur. Small conditions.
apertures give greater depth of field, while large apertures
restrict sharp focus to the main subject. The creative selec-
tion of both speeds and apertures will greatly enhance your
photography.
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The meter built into the Nikon F2AS camera is capable of The Nikon F2AS Photomicofferstime exposure shooting con-
metering low-light levels requiring slow shutter speeds of venience via built-in controls which enable long exposures
up to 10 seconds. To meter at low-light levels, perform the without the need for accessory equipment. To make an expo-
following: Set the lens’ aperture ring to the desired aperture sure longer than 10 seconds, set the shutter-speed selector to
setting, and the shutter-speed selector to “B”; then, depress “B” and turn the T-L fingerguard to “T” as described in “Ex-
and hold the shutter-speed dial lock and turn the selector until tra-long Exposures.” Advance the film and press the shutter-
the center LED exposure indicator (o) illuminates to indi- release button to open the shutter. As long as the fingerguard
cate correct exposure. Having set the selector, read off the remains set to “T.” the shutter will remain open. When return-
number on the extralong exposure scale and set the camera’s ing the fingerguard to the normal center position to close the
self-timer for the indicated value; then, set the T-L fingerguard shutter, be careful not to move or shake the camera, as a blurred
to “T” and depress the shutter button to make the exposure. image may result.
When performing low-light metering, be sure to block the
entry of stray light into the viewfinder by closing the eye- Note: Operation with a Nikon cable release (see page 15) can also
piece shutter or by continuously viewing through the finder. provide for time exposures via the release’s built-in locking func-
(Refer to accompanying photos for details.) tion. 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.
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The camera’s Photomic finder is fitted with an eyepiece shut- When there are substantial brightness differences between the
ter for special unmanned shooting situations (e.g., remote main subject and the background, unimportant bright spots or
control, automated shooting with motor drive and aperture dark spots can adversely influence the finder reading, and thus
control unit) requiring protection against the entry of stray the final exposure. To prevent under- or overexposure of the
light through the viewfinder eyepiece. To close the shutter, main subject under these shooting conditions, some correc-
simply turn the eyepiece shutter control 60° clockwise; as tive action must be taken to ensure proper exposure of the
the shutter closes, the internal LEDs are deactivated and the main subject. Fortunately, the finder’s center-weighted TTL
external “correct exposure” indicator is switched on for me- metering action simplifies adjustments, making for quicker
tering operation from atop the finder. To set the camera for camera operation and more accurate final results.
proper exposure using the external LED indicator, simply
adjust the aperture ring and/or the shutter-speed selector un- To compensate for an excessively bright or dark background,
til the LED just glows; once the LED comes on, the camera target the main subject in the center of the focusing screen
is set for correct exposure. while performing metering; this action ensures that the main
emphasis of the meter reading will be on the chosen subject.
In addition to its use for low-light metering or for unmanned Then, after completing aperture and shutter speed adjustments,
photography, the eyepiece shutter comes in handy to ensure recompose to the desired picture composition and make the
correct exposure measurement in critical shooting situations exposure without readjusting the camera controls. For ex-
(e.g., photomicrography) or for protection against the entry ample, when shooting landscapes, it is often advisable to aim
of bright light into the viewfinder during daylight shooting. 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 neces-
sary to move closer to the subject to ensure a proper reading.
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Panchromatic No
compensa- +1 1/2 stops
film for general - 1/2 stop +1 stop
tion
use necessary
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FP
MF
Speed-
light
Synchronized Cannot be used
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• When interchanging lenses, finders, etc., your camera is susceptible to the entry
of dust or other contaminants. It is a good idea to clean moving body partsfrequently
to prevent the build-up of dust; here, a lens brush and blower will come in very
handy. When blowing out the interior of the camera, however, avoid contact with
the shutter curtains, as they are easily damaged. Also, wipe the outer body sur-
faces using a silicone-impregnated cleaning cloth to remove fingerprints, etc.
quickly and easily. (Note that a siliconeimpregnated cleaning cloth should never
be used to clean the lens surfaces.)
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• Should your camera be accidently dropped on the floor or in water, take it to your
dealer immediately for servicing. Thorough servicing can be guaranteed only at
an authorized dealer.
• always store the camera in an ever-ready case or compartment case when not in
use. And be sure that the lens cap is attached to the lens. Do not leave film in the
camera for a long period of time, and never store the camera with the shutter or
self-timer cocked.
• Never lubricate any part of the camera. Lubrication should be left to an autho-
rized service center. Prior to a holiday trip or important shooting assignment, test
your camera (including changing batteries, if necessary) for proper operation.
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Type B: Matte Fresnel field with 12mm~p fineground matte focus- Typo J: Matte Fresnel field with central microprism focusing spot
ing spot in the center. Good for general photography, especially with and 1 Emmy circle. Good for general photography.
long lenses.
Type, G: Clear Fresnel field with extra-bright 12mm~ microprism Type R: Same as Type A but with rangefinder prisms of sloping sur-
focusing spot for viewing and focusing in poor light Four models faces at a smaller angle and horizontal and vertical lines to aid proper
(Gl-~;4) are available corresponding to specific focal length lenses comPOsition. Works best with lenses having maximum aperture of from
Depth of field cannot be observed. f/3.5 to f/5.6
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Fisheye
6mm F2.8
8mm F2.8
A/L B C D E G1 G2 G3 G4 H1 H2 H3 H4 J K/P M R
Specially designed for operation with the Nikon F2AS The use of a lens hood is recommended at all times to prevent
Photomic camera and Al-type Nikkor lenses, the EE Aper- extraneous light from striking the lens surface and causing
ture Control Attachment DS-l 2 brings the F2 user the con- flare or ghost, and to protect the lens against damage. Nikon
venience of automatic aperture control. With the DS-12, the lens hoods come in four types, depending on the lens: screw-
photographer is free to concentrate fully on the subject while in, snap-on, slip-in and built-in. They are calculated precisely
the attachment’s built-in servo mechanism is automatically for each focal-length Nikkor lens to provide maximum pro-
adjusting the aperture setting as necessary for perfectly ex- tection against stray light.
posed photographs under even changing lighting conditions.
Power for DS-12 operation is via any of three optional power To attach or remove the snap-on hood, first depress the spring
sources. latch—which is marked with an arrow—and slide it in the
direction of the arrow. The hood will also fit directly over a
screw-in filter, so both can be used on a lens at the same time.
When not in use, the snap-on hood can be reversed for stor-
age on the lens, and the lens and its hood can be stored to-
gether in the ever-ready case.
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Nikon filters are made of optical glass, ground and polished The soft rubber finder eyecup screws directly onto the finder
so that both surfaces are optically flat and parallel. Nikkor eyepiece to prevent extraneous light from entering the
lenses and Nikon filters are made for each other. For best viewfinder.
results, use Nikon filters on Nikkor lenses. The filters are
available in both screw-in and series mounts, depending on When using an eyepiece correction lens with a finder eyecup,
the lens. it is recommended to use the Nikkormat type eyecup. First, fit
the lens into the eyecup in advance. Then screw the assembly
Except for the R60, no Nikon filter requires exposure com- onto the finder eyepiece.
pensation when used with the Nikon F2AS Photomic. When
using the R60 filter under tungsten light, increase the expo- Eyepiece Correction Lenses
sure by one f-stop more than indicated by the exposure meter.
The nine eyepiece correction lenses are designed to permit
Note: If you wish to leave a filter on the lens to protect the lens nearsighted and farsighted users to view and focus without
against accidental damage, the use of the L37 or L37C filter is rec- their glasses. Available in—2, - 3, - 4,—S. 0, +0.5, +1, +2 and
ommended.
+3 diopters, each representing the combined dioptry of the
lens and the finder. Simply screw into the finder eyepiece.
Camera Cases
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