Nikon R10 Super Zoom User manual

Nikon
INSTRUCTION MANUAL

NOMENCLATURE
EE Lock/Manual Aperture Setting Ring
Zooming Switch
Zoom Ring
Focusing Ring
Trigger _
Lock-Run Control
Power Zoom Speed Control
2-NOMENCLATURE
Eyepiece Shutter Control
Eyepiece Adjustment Ring
Tape Recorder
Synch Terminal
Electronic Flash Terminal
_ OL/DE Switch
REW/FOW Switch
Manual Shutter Blade
Opening Control
Remote Control Socket
Film Effect Control
Battery Chamber Cover
Footage Counter
Accessory Shoe
Tripod Socket

Manual Zoom Lever
Hand-Grip
Movie Light Slot
Battery Check Lamp
Film Cartridge Window
Running Speed Control
Exposure Adjustment Control
Battery Check Button
FilmCartridge
Compartmen t Cover Lock
Cable Release Socket
Cine-Nikkor Zoom Lens
7mm-70mm f/1.4
NOMENCLATURE-3

CONTENTS
Nomenclature .
Foreword .
Installing the batteries .
Checking the batteries ...
Loading the film .
Unloading the film .
Eyesight adjustment.
Focusing .
Macrophotography .
Shifting the point of focus.
Zooming .
Power zooming .
Manual zooming .
Running speed control .
Single-frame shooting ...
Shutter release .
Trigger.
Lock-run control .
Cable release socket.
Remote control .
Footage counter.
Exposure controls . 1 4
Locking the auto exposure reading . 1 5
Depth of field . 1 5
Exposure adjustment control .16
Shooting with the variable shutter opening .18
Exposure compensation ..19
Exposure control with running speeds.19
Eyepiece shutter control ..20
Built-in filter .20
Tape recorder synch terminal .20
Electronic flash terminal . 2 1
Reminder checklist . 2 1
Cine-techniques .22
Fade-out/Fade-in operation.23
Overlap (OL) operation.24
Double exposure (DE) operation.26
Reverse filming operation.27
Tips for better home movies.28
Depth-of-field tables.30
Camera care . 3 3
Accessories. 3 4
Specifications. 34
Nikon warranty . 3 5
, 2
. 5
. 6
. 6
. 7
. 7
. 8
. 8
. 9
. 9
10
10
10
11
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12
12
12
12
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13
4—CONTENTS

FOREWORD
•
The Nikon RIO Super Zoom cine
camera combines a high degree of
handling convenience with opera¬
tional versatility. Fully automatic
and electronically controlled, this
camera incorporates a wide range of
features for basic movie making, plus
the extended capability of plug-in
facilities for more technically de¬
manding cinematography.
To get the most out of your Nikon
RIO Super Zoom cine camera, read
this booklet thoroughly and make
certain you understand all the con¬
trols before you load the film.
Follow the suggestions on camera
care and your camera will give you
many years of reliable service. The
Nikon warranty which comes with
your camera is your assurance of
prompt, courteous service and com¬
plete satisfaction, anywhere in the
world.

INSTALLING THE BATTERIES
Six 1.SV penlight batteries power
the electric motor of the film trans¬
port, exposure meter and the zoom
motor. The battery housing is in the
hand-grip. To install, remove the
screw with a small coin or similar
object and lift out the battery con¬
tainer. Place six batteries in the
container, making sure that the posi¬
tive and negative (+ and -) terminals
are lined up according to the diagram
in the battery container. To ensure
reliable service at cold temperatures,
the use of alkaline-manganese bat¬
teries is recommended. When you are
expecting to do a lot of shooting,
take along a spare set of fresh bat¬
teries. A new set of batteries will
normally last for approximately 15
cartridges of film.
Checking the Batteries
A built-in battery checker lets you
check the condition of the batteries.
Depress the white button and the
lamp will glow red to indicate that
the batteries have been properly in¬
serted and their power is adequate. If
not, replace all six batteries.
6-INSTALLING THE BATTERIES

LOADING THE FILM
The camera accepts a Kodapak*
instant-load cartridge containing 50
feet of Super-8 movie film. At a film
speed of 18 fps, this film will run for
approximately three minutes and
twenty seconds. To load the camera,
turn the cartridge compartment lock
in the direction of the arrow and
swing open the flap from the top.
Place a cartridge in the compartment
with the label facing up and the
cartridge notches toward the lens.
Then push it forward until it clicks
into place. The ASA film speed is set
automatically. The name of the film
can be seen in the window on the
flap.
Caution: To prevent Improper operation
of the camera's servo-EE mechanism, as
well as excessive battery drain, do not
operate the trigger until after a film car-
ridge has been installed.
Unloading the Film
When the red warning circle appears
in the viewfinder and the foptage
counter reads 50, the end of the film
cartridge has been reached. Open the
camera and slip out the cartridge.
The word "exposed" will appear on
the film to indicate that it has been
exposed and prevent mix-ups. If you
load a partially exposed cartridge,
the red circle in the viewfinder is the
only indicator to tell you when you
have reached the end of the film.
"'Kodapak is a registered trademark of the
Eastman Kodak Company.
Film End Mark
LOADING THE FILM-7

EYESIGHT
ADIUSTMENT
To adjust the viewfinder eyepiece for
your own eyesight, look through the
viewfinder and turn the eyepiece
adjustment ring until the image circle
in the center is sharp. The eyepiece
should not require readjustment
unless the camera is used by more
than one person. The rubber eyecup
keeps out stray light and can be
rotated to allow you to view with
either eye. It can also be folded back
for those who wear glasses.
FOCUSING
•
Aim the camera so that an edge of
the subject falls within the central
focusing spot and turn the focusing
ring until the two halves of the image
coincide to form one continuous
sharp Image. The lens focuses from
infinity (“j down to 5 feet (1.5m).
For pinpoint focusing, focus with the
lens at its maximum focal length,
then reduce the focal length for the
desired picture composition.
8-EYESIGHT ADJUSTMENT / FOCUSING

In focus
Macrophotography
The Cine-Nikkor zoom lens incorpo¬
rates an override for macrophotogra¬
phy without any accessories. You may
actually focus down until the subject
comes in contact with the front lens
element (a distance of 170mm from
the film plane). First set the lens at
infinity («>) and the zoom ring to any
focal length below 60mm. Then push
the zoom ring forward. To focus in
macro mode, turn the zoom ring
instead of the focusing ring. The
orange numbers uncovered in this
procedure are the macro distance
scale and serve as a rough focusing
guideline. Do not use them for scale
focusing.
Shifting the Point of Focus
Shifting the point of focus rapidly
between a close subject and a distant
subject can add interest to your
films. The procedure for a shift from
near to distant is as follows:
1. Secure the camera to a tripod or
other firm support to prevent
camera shake.
2. Focus the camera on the distant
subject, using the focusing ring.
3. Without disturbing the focusing
ring setting, push the zoom ring
all the way forward for macro
mode.
4. Focus on the near subject using
the zoom ring, as explained
previously.
5. Begin filming of the near subject
now in focus.
6 . While continuing to depress the
trigger, pull back the zoom ring to
its normal position. The distant
subject will now be in focus.
7. Continue depressing the trigger
until the desired amount of
footage has been exposed.
Important: In macrophotography or focal-
shift filming, camera shake is magnified
many times and results in blurred Images.
For best results, always mount the camera
on a tripod or other firm support.
FOCUSING—9

ZOOMING
Power Zooming
Look through the viewfinder and
push the zooming switch upward (T)
for telephoto or downward (W) for
wideangle until the picture includes
as much or as little as you wish. A
white line opposite the 9 position
scale on the zoom ring indicates the
set focal length. Zooming stops auto¬
matically after the completion of the
zooming cycle.
Power zooming is available at two
different speeds for even and jerk-
free tracking shots. The power zoom
speed control offers a selection of
fast (F) and slow (S) settings. Turn
the knob to the desired speed as
indicated opposite the white line.
The duration of zooming is a
minimum of four seconds at the F
setting and seven seconds at the S
setting; these vaiues will vary,
however, with the condition of the
batteries.
Important; When battery power Is inade¬
quate, the zoom motor will falter, es¬
pecially at the slow speed setting. This
indicates the need for the immediate
replacement of the batteries.
Also avoid using the camera with the lens
at Its greater focal lengths without a
tripod, as holding the camera steady for
telephoto shooting is almost impossible.
Manual Zooming
You can override the power zooming
mechanism simply by turning the
telescoping manual zoom lever pro¬
truding from the lens barrel. Manual
zooming is recommended to pre¬
select a lens focal length accurately,
obtain jumps in focal lengths or
match the speed of zooming to that
of an approaching subject.
10-ZOOMING

RUNNING SPEED CONTROL
•
The camera can be set to run at 18,
24 or 54 frames per second (fps) plus
single frame (SF). Depress the lock
release button and turn the running
speed control dial until the desired
speed clicks into place opposite the
white line. Exposure compensation
for the selected speed is automatic.
Do not set the camera for inter¬
mediate speeds between the click-
stop settings. Avoid the excessive use
and dry run of the camera at 54 fps.
Single-Frame Shooting
With single-frame exposures you can
make inanimate obiects come alive
on the screen. Just move the object
you are filming a fraction of an inch
after each exposure. Single-frame ex¬
posures of slow-moving objects, such
as clouds, will be speeded up greatly
when projected. For example, if you
film at 1 fps and project at 18 fps,
objects will appear to move 18 times
their actual speed. The automatic
exposure control retains its function.
For single-frame shooting, the use of
a tripod and a cable release is recom¬
mended. Remember to close the
eyepiece shutter control to prevent
stray light from entering the eye¬
piece.
Note: Battery, life Is greatly shortened
when shooting In single-frame mode;
Instead of the normal battery life of 15
film cartridges (at ISfps), batteries last for
only two or three cartridges In SF.
The 18 fps is usually recommended,
though some photographers prefer
24 fps since the higher speed tends to
give smoother, less bouncy images
when projected. The 54 fps can be
used for occasional slow-motion ef¬
fects.
RUNNING SPEED CONTROL-^11

SHUTTER RELEASE
•
Trigger
The trigger activates the exposure
meter and the film feed electro-
magnetically. Lightly depressing the
trigger halfway switches on the
meter. Squeeze the trigger all the
way when you are ready to shoot.
The camera will stop without a trace
of run-on when you release the
trigger.
Caution; To prevent overexposure of the
initial frames of each shooting sequence, it
Is essential that you observe these di‘-
rections for a two-step triggering action.
Use an Initial light-pressured squeeze to
turn on the meter; after the meter needle
has stabilized, apply full pressure to trigger
for filming.
Lock-Run Control
The lock-run control locks the
camera in the running position for
continuous filming. Squeeze the
trigger and depress the L side of the
control. To stop the camera, push
the R side. If you want to get in the
movie yourself, mount the camera on
a tripod or other firm support and
set the camera for continuous run¬
ning. The lock-run control also serves
to prevent accidental triggering
between takes.
Cable Release Socket
This accepts a standard cable release.
It is recommended for use in making
critical exposures such as close-ups,
panning, fading or single-frame ex¬
posures with the camera mounted on
a tripod.
12—SHUTTER RELEASE

FOOTAGE COUNTER
•
Remote Control
The remote control socket accepts
the accessory remote control unit
and allows you to start and stop the
camera from remote control release.
This enables you to include yourself
in your movie. It is also useful for
filming wildlife studies where your
presence might disturb the natural
movements of the subject. The
camera's electromagnetic automatic
release permits shooting at any speed,
including single frame. Remember to
close the eyepiece shutter control.
The footage counter indicates in both I
feet and meters the amount of film'
that has been exposed. Re\yinding
should not be done in the first and
last 5ft/1.5m zones. The counter stops
just past the film-end mark' (E) and
resets itself to zero when the camera
is opened for reloading. If you remove
the cartridge before the entire film is
shot, make a note of the amount of
film that has been exposed, since the
counter cannot be set for intermedi¬
ate readings.
SHUTTER RELEASE / FOOTAGE COUNTER-^13

EXPOSURE CONTROLS
•
The servo-controlled through-the-lens
metering system automatically con¬
trols the lens diaphragm according to
the scene brightness, the ASA speed
of the film and the running speed
of the camera. To switch on the
meter, squeeze the trigger halfway
to the first click-stop. The needle
in the viewfinder continuously indi¬
cates what aperture the diaphragm
will provide during exposure. When
the available light is too bright or
dim, the needle will swing into the
red zone at the extreme right or left
of the aperture scale to warn you of
over- or underexposure. Under
adverse lighting conditions, switch to
a film whose ASA rating is suitable
to the available light or mount a
neutral density (NO) filter on the
lens to reduce the light. An alterna¬
tive method is the use of artificial
lighting to increase luminosity.
For manual control, lift up the EE
lock/manual aperture setting ring
and turn it until the needle in the
viewfinder swings to the desired
aperture setting.
Note: The following two conditions
should be considered normal meter
operation—not art Indication of meter
failure. Condition 1: when the trigger is
released, the meter needle will remain
stationary at the last Indicated aperture.
Condition 2; should filming be started In
low illumination conditions below the EV
range of the camera, the meter needle will
remain stationary; supplementary light
should be added to obtain meter response.
14-EXPOSURE CONTROLS

(
Locking the Auto Exposure
Reading
The EE Jock/manual aperture set¬
ting ring also locks the automatic
exposure reading. This is used to
prevent the lens diaphragm from
making undesirable reactions to light
changes while shooting bright and
dark subjects alternately or while
tilting or panning the camera through
a high-contrast background. It also
permits you to hold the diaphragm at
any desired aperture for deliberate
under- or overexposure. To lock the
automatically selected aperture, lift
up the ring as you did for manual
override. If you want deliberate
under- or overexposure, reset the
meter needle inside the viewfinder to
a number higher or lower than the
number the meter indicated on the
scale after the exposure locking.
Depth of Field
Depth of field is a zone extending i
front of and behind the focuse-
distance. Within this zone blur is toi
slight to be noticeable and everythin
will appear sharp when the film i
projected on a screen. It extends
greater distance behind the subject ij
focus than in front. Depth of fieic
depends on three factors: lens aper
ture, focal length and lens-to-subjec
distance. Remember, the smaller thi
aperture and the shorter the foca
length of the lens, dhe greater the
depth of field. Also, the closer th^
subject, the smaller the depth ol
held. Since these three factors oper
ate interdependently, one may cance
out the effect of the others for
greater control over final results
EXPOSURE CONTROLS—-1^

Exposure Adjustment Control
When there are high-contrast lighting
conditions, you may often obtain
better results by readjusting the
indicated exposure. The exposure
adjustment control provides exposure
compensation for higher or lower
ieveis than the indicated exposure.
For backlighted subjects or a dark
subject against a larger light back¬
ground, turn the milled ring counter¬
clockwise so that the white indicator
line goes toward the OVER sign to
open up the lens; for a light subject
against a larger dark background,
turn the ring toward the UNDER
sign to stop down the lens. The
numbers on the scale indicate one
whole f/stop while the white lines
between the numbers Indicate a half¬
stop. The control can be set at any
intermediate setting for more precise
adjustment. Remember always to
reset the ring to normal (0) after use.
16-EXPOSURE CONTROLS

EXPOSU RE CONTROLS-17

Shooting with the Variable Shut¬
ter Opening
The actual amount of exposure de¬
pends on the angle of the shutter
opening and on the speed at which
the shutter blade travels across the
film. If the speed of travel remains
constant, different exposure times
are obtained solely by variations in
the angle of the opening. This camera
has a variable shutter which can
cover a range of movement from
fully open (160°) to totally closed
(0°). When the shutter is opened at
80°, the effective exposure time per
frame is thus only half of what it is
with the 160° opening. The closing
rate of the shutter opening can be
checked in the viewfinder through
the movement of the red indicator.
The table below shows the exposure
times at each of three different
angles of the shutter opening at three
running speeds.
Since the shutter opening can be
varied from fully open to fully
closed, the variable shutter provides
another means of exposure control.
It also permits fading during filming.
Its practical use is for cutting the
exposure time. Reduced exposure
time gives the same effect as in¬
creased shutter speeds and thus,
small shutter openings are used to
arrest fast movement. To close the
shutter opening, depress the shutter
blade opening control and turn it-
counterclockwise until the edge of
the red indicator visible in the view-
©
Shutter blade opening angle
(Full-opening) 160® '
(1/2) 80° (1/4) 40°
Running speed (fps)
18 1/40.Ssec.
1/81 sec.
1/162 sec.
24 1/54 sec.
1/108 sec. 1/216 sec.
54
1/121 sec. 1/243 sec.
1/486 sec.
18-EXPOSURE CONTROLS

finder, is opposite the appropriate
mark in the window. The first mark
represents the 80° opening setting;
the second the 40° setting. When the
edge of the red indicator reaches the
bottom end of the window, the shut¬
ter is completely closed.
The manual use of the shutter blade
opening control shpuld be avoided
except for the 80° or 40° setting.
Ekposure Compensation
When the angle of the shutter open¬
ing is altered, the lens aperture must
be adjusted to compensate for the
change. The table below gives the
exposure compensation for each
opening. To compensate, turn the
adjustment control until the white
line is opposite the appropriate num¬
ber.
' Shutter blade
opening angle
160° ,
1
80°
40°
Compensation
2J
+1 +2
Exposure Control with Running
Speeds
The different running speeds of the
camera provide further hieans of
exposure control since the exposure
time is inversely proportional to the
camera speed: the exposure per
frame at 18 fps is three times as long
as at 54 fps. Since films are usually
shot at 18 fps, do not use this
method of exposure control except
for special effects.
EXPOSURE CONTROLS-19

EYEPIECE SHUTTER
CONTROL
•
For remote control or special effects
the eyepiece can be closed to prevent
extraneous light from entering the
eyepiece. To close, push the black
slide at the top of the camera
towards the lens.
BUILT-IN FILTER
•
The camera has a built-in type A
filter for shooting outdoors with
Kodachrome* Type A film, which is
intended for tungsten (artificial)
lighting. When filming indoors under
artificial light, displace the filter by
inserting the filter key plate (in¬
cluded) into the movie light slot on
top of the camera. When a standard
Super-8 movie light is mounted on
the camera, the filter is displaced
automatically.
*Kodacliromc is a registered trademark of
the Eastman Kodak Company.
TAPE RECORDER
SYNCH TERMINAL
•
The tape-recorder synch terminal
accepts the accessory tape recorder
synch cord. Pressing the trigger acti¬
vates the tape recorder. This synchro¬
nizes filming and taping during the
filming process.