Nikon MD-11 User manual

Nikon Motor Drive
INSTRUCTION MANUAL

NOMENCLATURE
Lid lock ing screw
Pilot lamp
Battery chamber lid
Power switch
Rewind slide
S-C
selector lock
Trigger button
S-C selector
Shutter release pin
Camera electrical contacts
Drive shaft coupling
Attachment thumb wheels Rewind button extension
2

Attachment screw
Remote control socket
Tripod socket
3

CONTENTS
4
Foreword. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 4
Loading the batteries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.. 5
Attaching the motor drive
... . ..... . . .. " 6
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.. 8
Single-frame shooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 8
Continuous
shooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Film rewinding
.. ............. ... .... 10
Manual film advance
.................. 10
Double/multiple exposures ......... .... . 11
Simultaneous operation ................ 12
Time lapse
.. ... . . .................. 13
Accessories
......................... 14
MC-4 remote cord ........ . ....... . . 14
Pistol grip model 2 .................. 14
MT-1 intervalometer ...... ..... ..... 15
ML-1 modulite remote control set ....... 15
MW-1 radio control set. .............. 16
Troubleshooting
.. .. . ................ 17
Battery performance ..... .. ........... 18
Specifications
......... _ ..... ......... 18
FOREWORD
Although supplied as an accessory for the Nikon FM
and FE compact cameras, the MD-11 was, in fact,
a major feature
in their design concept. Consequently,
the onIy significant difference between operating
these cameras with the motor drive attached,
as oppo-
se d to without it, is that their operation is made
considerably easier. So, rather than regarding your
MD-11 Motor Drive Unit as a special accessory for
use only on rare occasions, you should consider it as
the normal complement to your Nikon compact
camera. For,
in fact, the two together represent a
major advance
in camera-handling technique.
To obtain the best results from your MD-11 Motor
Drive, read the instructions
in this manual carefully
before
use . Keep this booklet handy for quick re-
ference until you have fully mastered operation. A
few minutes preparation
will help you avoid costly
mistakes.

LOADING THE BATTERIES
The MD-ll is powered by eight 1.5Y penlight (AA
size)
batteries which are housed in the unit's battery
chamber . To load or replace batteries, turn the coin-
slotted locking screw on the battery chamber lid
counterclockwise. The lid will come loose and the bat-
tery clip, which forms a single unit with the lid, can be
removed. Load
the batteries, taking care that they are
inserted
correctly. Referring to the diagrams on the
sides of the clip that show the correct way to insert the
batteries, ensure that the positive (+) and negative (- )
terminals of the batteries are properly positioned. If
the batteries are loaded incorrectly, not only will they
be depleted - the motor drive cou Id also be damaged .
When
the batteries are correctly positioned, replace the
battery clip. Push the chamber lid down gently until it
seats
correctly; then, tighten the locking screw on the
lid with a coin or similar object until the battery clip
fits
securely into the battery chamber.
5

ATTACHING THE MOTOR DRIVE
Mounting the MD-ll on your camera is simple; the
unit has been designed such that it can be attached
or removed at any ti me regard less of whether or not
the camera
is loaded with film. Before attaching the
MD-ll, make sure that its power switch is turned off.
Then, position the motor drive on the camera's
bottom
plate; its handgrip should be at the same end of the
camera
as the film advance lever. Ensure that the raised
ring around the drive shaft is correctly seated inside the
locating collar, coaxial with the camera's film advance
coupling. Then, fasten the motor drive's attachment
screw, turning it clockwise by means
of the thumb
wheels on either side. Simu Itaneous
use of both fore-
6
finger and thumb will speed up attachment. Make sure
there is no gap between the motor drive and the camera
body; then tighten the attachment screw firmly.
When the M0-11 is mou nted on the FM, the camera's
mode selector switch around the shutter release button
should
be set to "M" (motor)-the red line on the se-
lector being aligned with the line on the camera body.
This
is not necessary with the FE as its electronic shut-
ter allows switchover from manual film advance to
motor drive operation to be made electronically and
automatically when the motor drive is switched on.
Then, turn the motor drive's power switch to "ON."
If the film has been advanced prior to attaching the

motor drive, the motor drive will not operate until you
make an exposure using the trigger button on the hand-
grip. If the film has not been advanced prior to its
attachment, the motor drive will operate when its
power
is turned on, and advance the film and cock the
shutter ready for the next exposure . The motor drive
will
stop and the pilot lamp go out after advancing the
film one frame only, regardless of the setting of the
SoC selector on the handgrip.
Nikon FM 7

OPERATION
The camera/MO-11 combination operates in virtually
the same manner
as the camera on its own. Please refer
to your camera's instruction manual for details. When
the MO-11 is attached, leave the film advance lever
flush with the camera body. The motor drive's power
switch
will also serve to switch on the camera's meter.
With the motor drive attached
all exposures should be
made via the trigger button on the motor drive grip.
Concentric with th is triggering button is the motor
drive
S-C selector, giving you a choice of either single
frame
(S) or continuous (C) shooting. To set the motor
drive to either S or C, depress the lock and turn the
selector to the requ ired setting.
8
Single-frame shooting: In this mode, depressing the
trigger
button on the motor drive grip fires the shutter;
when the finger
is lifted from the button, the motor
drive advances the film one frame and cocks the
shutter. You can lift your finger from the trigger
button even before the exposure
is completed since the
electronic interlock prevents the film from advancing
until the shutter has completed its travel. The usable
shutter speed range when the M
0-11 is set at "s" is
from 1 second to 1/l000 second with the FM. With the
FE, in addition to the automatic setting (AUTO), you
can set any
of the marked speeds including M90. The
"8" setting cannot be used.

Continuous shooting: In th is mode, the motor drive
will
automatically trigger the shutter and wind the
film for as long as the trigger button is depressed.
Framing rate will depend on the shutter speed setting,
as
the motor drive's electronic interlock with the
camera's shutter automatically advances the film as
soon as
the exposure is completed. Maximum framing
rate is approximately 3.5 frames per second (fps) at
shutter speeds faster than 1/125 sec.
Remember that continuous shooting at the maximum
rate of 3.5 fps will result in a standard 36 exposure
cassette being completely exposed in a little less than
11 seconds. Consequently, you should exercise re-
straint when operating with the motor set for continu-
ous shooting. Many photographers, however, prefer to
leave the camera set for continuous shooting, lifting
their finger
off the trigger button the instant the ex-
posure
is made. This technique results in single-frame
operation, but readies the photographer for taking
sequence photographs should the situation or need
arise.
The usable shutter speed range when the M D-11
is set at "C" is from 1 /2 second to 1 /1 000 second with
the FM. With the FE, in addition to the automatic
setting (AUTO), you can set any of the marked speeds
including M90.
The "8" setting cannot be used.
The FE's automatic exposure capability allows you to
follow subjects as they pass through areas of differing
brightness,
yet still obtain correctly exposed results.
Although widely varying brightness changes of EV 4
or more may sometimes result in over- or under -
exposure for the first frame following the transition,
this situation is rare in practice and thus likely to be
of little consequence to the average photographer.
Important! After shooting, make sure that you turn the motor
drive off. Otherwise, t)le camera's metering circuit will put a
steady drain on the batteries, ultimately rendering them
useless.
Note: The camera/M 0-11 combination is designed to work
smoothly under a wide range of climatic conditions. Sub-zero
(centigrade) temperatures, however, have a very severe effect
. · on any mechanism. For faultless performance under these
conditions, we recommend that, for continuous shooting, you
do not use shutter speeds of less than 1/30 sec. The use of
slower shutter speeds may result in erratic operation. If it is
imperative to use shutter speeds of less than 1/30 sec., switch
to single frame shooting.
9

FILM REWINDING
When the roll of film in the camera has been fully
exposed, the MD-"'s motor will automatically stop,
releasing film tension, with the pilot lamp remaining
lit. Turn the power switch
off to prevent unnecessary
battery drain. Then, push the rewind slide on the
motor drive up. Rewind the film normall
y. See your
camera's instruction manual for details.
10
MANUAL FILM ADVANCE
If at any time you wish to manually advance the film
without removing the MD-" from the camera, turn off
the motor drive's power switch after it has finished
advancing the film from the previous exposure. Then,
in the case of the FM, turn the mode selector switch
so that the black line (white, on black camera bodies)
is adjacent to the line on the camera body. As for the
FE, it switches automatically from motor drive to
manual film advance operation when the motor drive
is
switched off.

DOUBLE/MULTIPLE EXPOSURES
Your camera has a special double/multiple exposure
provision built-in in the form of the multi-exposure
button or lever. Merely depressing this button or lever
allows
you to superimpose any number of pictures on
the same frame. This provision not only continues to
function with the motor drive attached, but opens up
creative possibilities that are just not possible when the
camera is operated manually.
When the motor drive 5-C selector is set to "5," the
double/multiple exposure situation is exactly the same
as for the camera alone, except that the trigger button
on the motor drive is used to trigger the exposure.
Remember to depress and hold the mUlti-exposure
button or lever, with your left hand, before you
remove your finger from the trigger button. Otherwise,
the film will be advanced.
Nikon FE
On the "C" setting, triggering the release button, while
holding the mUlti-exposure button or lever depressed ,
will
produce multiple images on the same frame. Either
the motion of the subject or your movement of the
camera will result in the images being separated, pro-
ducing an original and interesting effect. Hold the
multi-exposure button or lever depressed with your
left hand, while holding the camera normally with the
right. Remember to release the multi-exposure button
or lever just before the last exposure, so that the
camera is left ready for the next sequence with an un-
exposed frame in the film gate. If not, cap the lens
and make one "blank" exposure. The camera is then
ready for the next shot.
Nikon FM
11

SIMULTANEOUS OPERATION
Two or more cameras may be fired simultaneously, set
for either single-frame or continuous operation . You
will need an MC-4
cord to connect each camera to the
trigger circuit. Use a trigger circuit similar to the one
shown on the right.
12
~~~~;!==~ ~====t- 1 Switch
Remote Cord MC-4

TIME LAPSE
Time lapse photography, the taking of a series of photo-
graphs over a period
of time from a fixed position, is
easily accomplished with your MD-11 equipped camera
and a suitable timing device. Timing devices for time
lapse photography-the Nikon MT-1 intervalometer, for
example-usually have two variable controls: one for
pulse duration and the other for interval time.
Pu Ise
duration refers to the length of time that the triggering
pulse lasts. Interval time
is the time interval between
pulses and governs the frequency
of the photographs.
Additionally, the
S-C selector on the MD-ll provides
you with the option
of taking single photographs or
shooting
in bursts.
With the S-C selector set to "S," one exposure will be
made for each triggering pulse, the motor winding on
automatically at the end
of the triggering pulse or the
exposure, whichever
is longer. The interval time can be
set at any duration, but avoid setting the trigger pulse
longer than the interval time. Otherwise continuous or
erratic operation
will occur.
With the
S-C selector set to "C," if the triggering
pulse's duration
is longer than the shutter speed set (or
0.25 sec.
in the case of the higher shutter speeds),
bursts will be fired at each interval. For example, if the
shutter speed
is set at 1/1000 sec., and the trigger pulse
duration is 2 sec., then approximately 7 exposures will
be made at each interval.
Generally speaking you
will find that operation with
the
S-C selector set to "s" and the trigger pu Ise du ra-
tion set between 0.1 and 0.25 sec. is advisable for the
majority
of time lapse situations. The variab Ie trigger
pulse duration found on some intervalometers
is a fea-
ture necessitated by the design of the older generation
of motor drives, and is largely redundant with the
MD-11. Time lapse photography
is not possible with
the shutter speed dial set to
"8." Should you attempt
this, the camera's mirror may lock up, with the shut-
ter remaining open, making operation impossible. To
restore normal operation
in the event of this happen-
ing, merely turn the shutter speed dial away from the
"8" setting.
13

ACCESSORIES
MC-4 Remote Cord
Provides you with an easy and convenient means of
connecting remote-control triggering circuits to the
MO-ll. One end of the cord is fitted with the standard
plug for the remote-control socket of Nikon motor
drives; the other with two "banana" plugs for connec-
tion to triggering circuits of your own design. The cable
can be
extended to any length, provided that circuit
resistance does not exceed 1 kQ. For long-distance
operation, however, you will find that Modulite or
Radio Control systems are more convenient .
14
Pistol Grip Model 2
The Pistol Grip Model 2 screws into the tripod socket
of the lens or motor drive to serve both as a means of
support and as a means of motor triggering when work-
ing with long
telephoto lenses. For electrical connec-
tion between the pistol grip and the remote control
socket on the motor drive, you will also need an MC- 3
connecting cord.

MT-' Intervalometer
The Nikon MT-' is a precision digital timing unit for
slow sequence shooting
of exp.eriments or work study
programs. Fully solid state, the unit requires only four
AA size penlight batteries for operation; this makes it
convenient for
use on location, as well as in the labora-
tory.
Use of the MT-' in conjunction with your MD-ll
equipped camera
is merely a matter of connecting
the two units with the
MC-5 cord supplied with the
intervalometer. Exposure intervals
of up to eight min-
utes can
be set on the MT-' control panel.
ML-' Modulite Remote Control Set
With the ML-' set, you can trigger your M
D-" equ ip-
ped camera by remote control at distances of up to
60 meters. Using Nikon's modulated light system, the
ML-' set assures you
of trou ble-free remote control
operation over moderate distances. The set's light-
weight and compact size, plus its use
of a 9V laminated
dry battery, make it ideal for
use in both field and
studio applications. Connection to the motor drive's
remote control socket
is by the MC-8 connecting cord
supplied with the set.
15

ACCESSORIES- conti n ued
MW-l Radio Control Set
The
MW-' provides you with a wireless, remote control
triggering capability for your
MD-" equipped Nikon
FM or FE. The set can operate up to three cameras,
either simultaneously or individually,
at ranges up to
O.7km. Battery powered, the
MW-' is compact and
lightweight, making it ideal for field use. It connects to
the remote control socket on the M
D-" via the MC-5
cord supplied with the set.
16

TROUBLESHOOTING
Your MO-ll has been designed to make motor drive
photography
as simple and trouble-free as possible.
However, should you operate the camera incorrectly
or without clearly understanding what you are doing,
minor "hitches" may occur.
If this occurs, please follow
the instructions below.
If the motor drive "jams" during operation, th is usually
means that the controls have either been operated
incorrectly or
in the wrong sequence, and the coupling
mechanism has disengaged. Should this occur, turn
the M0-
11 's power switch off and make one exposure
with the camera's shutter release button, remembering,
in the case of the FM, to switch over to manual film
advance.
You may find that the motor drive did not
finish advancing the film.
If so, complete the film
advance using the camera's film advance lever, then
press the shutter release button.
Do not advance the
film. Switch the motor drive back on and,
in the case
of the FM, revert to the motor drive mode. The motor
drive should advance the film ready for the next ex-
posure.
If this does not clear the malfunction or you
are unable to move the film advance lever
at all, do
not try to force the controls. Turn the motor drive
off once more and simply remove the motor drive
from the camera. This will clear the tension in the film
advance mechanism, allowing you to advance
or finish
advancing the film and make one exposure, again do
not advance the film. Reattach the motor drive and,
in the case of the FM, switch to motor drive oper-
ation.
When you switch the motor drive back on, the
film shou
Id then advance one frame ready for the
next exposure.
Shou
Id you trigger the motor drive with the shutter
speed dial set to
"B" the absence of an "exposure com-
plete signal" may result
in the camera's mirror locking
up and the shutter remaining open. To restore normal
operation
in the event of th is happening, merely move
the shutter speed dial away from
"B."
At all times during motor drive operation, the film
advance lever shou
Id remain flush with the back of
the camera. If you move it out to its stand-off position,
the motor drive
will stop. Returning the lever to its
flush position
will automatically start the motor drive
once more.
17

BATTERY PERFORMANCE
Battery performance varies greatly, depending on its
type and age, as well as on operating conditions, in-
cluding temperature. Consequently, the number of
rolls that can be exposed with one set of batteries can-
not be accurately predicted. As a guide, however, you
can expect to be able to expose more than a hundred
36-exposure rolls of film per set of alkaline-manganese
batteries.
Since
batteries have poor low-temperature characteris-
tics,
battery performance diminishes considerably as
the temperature decreases. This results in slower shoot-
ing speed and reduced film transport capacity. Alkaline-
manganese
batteries, in particular, suffer severely at
temperatures below O° c.
18
SPECIFICATIONS
Camera fitting:
Shooting speed:
Shooting mode:
Usable shutter
speeds:
Pilot lamp:
Power switch:
Remote control:
Power source:
Weight:
Dimensions:
Nikon FM, Nikon FE
3.5 fps approx. maximum (at
shutter speeds faster than 1/125
sec.)
Single
frame (5)
Continuous (C)
At "5" setting
FM 1 ~ 1/1 000 sec.
FE 8
~ 1/1 000 sec., Auto, M90
At "C" setting
FM 1/2 ~ 1/1000 sec.
FE 8 ~ 1/1000 sec., Auto, M90
LED lights up when
in operation
On/off switch provided (also acts
as
meter on/off switch)
Possible; uses
standard Nikon 3-
pin
connector.
Eight 1.5V penlight batteries
(AA size,
in integral battery
chamber)
410g approx. (without batteries)
Approx. 144 x 36 x 42mm;
approx. 144 x 68 .5 x 109.5mm
(including the grip)

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in whole or in part (except for brief quotation
(Nilron)
NIPPON KOGAKU K.K.
in critical articles or reviews!. may be made
without written authorization from the publishers . Printed in Japan (78.5.CO) &·7