Nikon MD-12 User manual

Nikon Motor Drive
MD-12
INSTRUCTION MANUAL

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

Attachment screw
Remote control socket
Tripod socket

CONTENTS FOREWORD
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
Time lapse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Remote Cord MC-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Remote Cord MC-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Pistol Grip Model 2 and Connecting
Cord MC-3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Intervalometer MT-1 and Connecting
Cord MC-5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Modulite Remote Control Set ML-1 and
Connecting Cord MC-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Radio Control Set MOO-1 and Connecting
Cord MC-5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Terminal Release MR-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Troubleshooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Battery performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Although supplied as an accessory for the Nikon FM and FE
compact cameras, the MD-12 was, in fact, a major feature in
their design concept. Consequently, the only significant dif-
ferencebetweenoperatingthese cameraswith themotor drive
attached, as opposed to without it, is that their operation is
made considerably easier. So, rather than regarding your
Motor Drive MD-12 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 Motor Drive MD-12,
readtheinstructionsinthis manualcarefully beforeuse. Keep
this booklet handy for quick reference until you have fully
mastered operation.Afew minutes preparation will help you
avoid costly mistakes.

LOADING THE BATTERIES
The MD-12 is powered by eight 1.5V penlight (AAsize) batter-
ies which are housed in the unit's battery chamber. To load or
replace batteries, turn the coinslotted locking screw on the bat-
tery chamber lid counterclockwise. The lid will come loose and
the battery 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 ~vay to insert the batteries, ensure that the
positive (+) and negative ( - ) terminals of the batteries are prop-
erly positioned. If the batteries are loaded incorrectly, not only
will they be depleted—the motor drive could also be damaged.
When the batteries are correctly positioned, replace the battery
clip. Push the chamber iid 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 cham-
ber.

ATTACHING THE MOTOR DRIVE
Mounting the MD-12 on your camera is simple; the unit has
been designed such that it can be attached or removed at any
time regardless of whether or not the camera is loaded with film.
Before attaching the MD-12, make sure that its power switch is
turned off. Then, position the motor drive on the camera's bot-
tom 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 mo-
tor drive's attachment screw, turning it clockwise by means of
the thumb wheels on either side. Simultaneous use of both fore
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 MD-12 is mounted on an FM camera (Serial No. be-
low 3,000,000) *, the camera's mode selector switch around the
shutter release button should be set to "M" (motor)—the red
line on the selector being aligned with the line on the camera
body. This is not necessary with FM cameras (Serial No. over
3,000,000)*orthe FE,because theswitchoverfrom manualfilm
advance to motor drive operation is 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 handgrip. 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 S-C selector on the handgrip.
*The serial number appears on back of the camera body just below the
film advance lever.
Nikon FM

OPERATION
The camera/MD-12 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 MD-12 is attached,
leave the film advance lever flush with the camera body. Then,
when the motor drive's power switch is turned on, the camera's
meter can be activated by halfway depressing the trigger but-
ton. After releasing your finger from the button, the meter will
remain on for approx. 50 seconds giving you enough time to set
the correct exposure or adjust the controls. Then the meter will
turn itself off automatically to conserve battery power.
With the motor drive attached all exposures should be made via
the trigger button on the motor drive grip. Concentric with this
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 required setting.
Single-frameshooting:Inthismode, depressingthe triggerbut-
ton on the motor drive grip fires the shutter, 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 MD-12 is set at "S" is from 1 second to 1/1000
second with the FM. With the FE, in addition to the automatic
setting (AUTO), you can set any of the marked speeds includ-
ing M90. The "B" setting cannot be used with either camera.

Continuous shooting: In this mode, the motor drive will auto-
matically 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
approximately3.5 framesper second(fps) atshutter speedsfaster
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 com-
pletely exposed in a little less than 11 seconds. Consequently,
you should exercise restraint when operating with the motor set
for continuous shooting. Many photographers, however, prefer
to leave the camera set for continuous shooting, lifting their
finger off the trigger button the instant the exposure is made.
This technique results in single-frame operation, but readies the
photographer for taking sequence photographs should the situ-
ation or need arise. The usable shutter speed range when the
MD-12 is set at "C" is from 1/2 second to 1/1000 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 "B" 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 underexposure for the first
frame following the transition, this situation is rare in practice
and thus likely to be of little consequence to the average pho-
tographer.
Important! After shooting, make sure that you turn the motor
drive off.
Note: The camera/MD-12 combination is designed to work smoothly
under a wide range of climatic conditions. Sub-zero (centigrade) tem-
peratures, 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.

FILM REWINDING MANUAL FILM ADVANCE
When the roll of film in the camera has been fully exposed, the
MD-12'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 normally. See your
camera's instruction manual for details.
If at any time you wish to manually advance the film without
removing the MD-12 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 (Serial No. be-
low 3,000,000), 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 FM (Serial No. over 3,000,000) or
the FE, it switches automatically from motor drive to manual
film advance operation when the motor drive is switched off.