Nikon F3AF User manual

Nikon
INSTRUCTION MANUAL

@ Viewfinder eyepiece
®Fi lm
@ ASAIISO film
-s peed index
@ Film rewind fork
@ Film cartridge chamber
roller
® Shutter curtains
@ Data back contacts
@ Motor drive coupling drive
@ Film rewind button Motor drive electrical contacts @
@ Motor drive positioni
@ Camera back Film
® Memo holder
4

NOMENCLATURE
ure-direct-readout (ADR) window
button
oMirror lockup lever
® Self-timer LED
® Backup mechanical release lever
<V Anatomical
® Exposure memory lock button
® Viewfinder battery chamber
(with lid)
@I Shutter speed index
(jJ) Viewfinder illuminator button
@ Neckstrap eyelet
3
Viewfinder illuminator
Meter coupling lever ®
Meter coupli lever release button @
Sync terminal @
Len s mounting index @
Lens release button @
Len s
Accessory terminal @

@ Focusing ring A-M switch index ®
Fo cus lock buttons A-M switch
I@
® Depth-of-field indicators D
is tance sca le @
scale
Di stance index @
® Aperture index Aperture ring @
Meter coupling shoe @
-readout sca le
Len s AF contacts ®I
@ Exposure compensation sca le
Self-timer lever ®
® Exposure index Shutter speed dial @
® Hot -s hoe contacts Power switch @
® shoe Multiple exposure lever ®
Film rewind crank Shutter relea
se button @
® Camera back lock lever
Fr ame counter @
@ Film rewind knob Shutter-speed dial locki
ng button @
@ Expo su re compensation dial locking button Film plane
in dicator
5

CONTENTS--------------------~------
NOMENCLATURE .......... . ..... . . ... .. . . . .. ... . . 3-5
FOREWORD ........... . .. ....... . ..... . ........ . .... 7
BASIC OPERATION. ... . . . ..... . . .. .... ....... . .. 8-19
FOCUS . ... ... ................ .... . .... . ........ 20-28
Autofocus .... . . .... . .. . . .............. . . .... 22-23
Fo cus·Aid Operation .......... .. . .. .. . .. . .. . ..... .. 24
Manual Focus . . .. ... .. . . . .... .... . . . . . ..... . .. . . . 25
Special Situations ........ . •...... ... . . . ...... 26-27
EXPOSURE ...... ... . .. .. .. . .......... ... .. .. .. 28-41
Setting the Film Speed. . . ... . ....... . . . .... .... . .. . 29
Setting the Aperture .. .. . .. . .. .. . . ...... . . .... . .... 30
Setting the Shutter Speed ....... . . .. . . ...•..... 30-31
Automatic Exposure Control. ........ .. .. .. . . ...... . 32
Manual Exposure Control .... . ..... . .. . ............ 33
Relationship Between Shutter Speed
and Aperture.
... . ..... ... ... .. . ..... . ...... . 34-35
Depth of Field ... . . .. . .. .... .. . ....... ... . . ... 36-38
Exposure Compensation . ... . . .. ...... . . . . . . . . 39-40
Stop-Down Exposure Measurement .. ... . .• . .... . ... 41
OTHER CONTROLS . .. . . . .. . . .. . . ...... .. ..... . 42-47
6
Shutter Release Button ..................... . . .... . 42
Backup Mechanical Release Lever .... . ............. 42
Film Advance Le ve r. ........... . ......... . . .. . . .... 43
Frame Counter. ... .. . .......... . .. . . . .. .... ... . . .. 43
Eyepiece Shutter Lever ....... .... . ..... . .. . ..... . .. 44
Self-Timer ............... . ... .. . .... ...... .. ...... 44
Mirror Lockup Lever . .... .......... • ..... . . .. . ..... 45
Viewfinder Illuminator ............ . .. . . .... .. .•..... 45
Multiple Exposure Lever. ....... .... . . . . .. ... . .... .. 46
Memo Holder. . ... . . . . ...... . ..•.......•... . . . . ... 46
Film Plane Indicator ....... .. . . .. ...... .. . .... ... . . 47
Infrared Focusing Index .......... . .. . .. ... . . ... .... 47
FLASH PHOTOGRAPHy . . . . . . . . .. . . . .... .. . .. . . 48-51
Accessory Shoe ... . . . .. . . .......•.... . . ........ .. . 49
Sync Term inal ........ .... . .. . ......... . ... . .. ... . . 50
Ready-Light. . ... . .... . . .... ... .. . ... . .... . ........ 51
Nikon F3AF/Speedlight Combination Chart. ... . ...... 51
ACCESSORIES ............. ... .. . . ... . . .. . ..... 52-65
Interchangeable Viewfinders. .. . . ... . .......... 52 - 53
Focusing Screens .. . ...... . . . . .......... . .... 54-55
Electronic Flash Equipment. .... .. . . . . . . . . ... . . 56-57
Motor Drive MD-4. . . . ...... .. ... ... .. . ..... ... 58-59
Data Back MF- 14 .... . .............. . .............. 60
Close-Up Equ ipment. .......... . ... . . . . . . .. ... 61-62
Anti-Cold Battery Pack DB-2 .. ........... . . . . ... . . .. 63
Cable Release AR -3 ............... . .• . ............ 63
Rubber Eyecup. . ..... . ......... • ...... . .. . . . . . . .. . 63
Eyepiece Correction Lenses. . . . .. . . . ........... . . .. 63
Filters ............... .. .. . .. . . . ...... ..... ........ 64
Lens Hoods. . .... . ... . . .. . . .... . .............. ... . 64
Camera Cases. .. . ... . . . . .. . ... ..•.......•... . .. .. 65
Neckstraps ............. . .. .. . .. . . ...... •. ........ 65
Compartment Cases. . ...... . . . .........•...... . ... 65
EV RANGE OF THE CAMERA. .. . .. ... .. .. . . .... 66-69
TIPS ON CAMERA CARE . . . . . ... . . ... . . . ....... 70-71
TIPS ON BATTERY USE .. . .. . .... ............... . . .. 72
ABOUT THE LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY (LCD). . . . . . 73
SPECIFICATIONS ... . ........ . ... .......... . . .. 74-76
IMPORTANT! . ...... . . . . .. ... . .. ... . . . . .. . .. . ..... .. 77

FOREWORD---------
Congratulations! You now own one of the most advanced,
easy-to- use cameras on the market today.
Thanks to a TTL image displacement detecting system utiliz·
ing two SPD 's built into the AF Finder DX -1,this camera offers
you through-the-Iens autofocus control with either of two AF-
Nikkor lenses, the BOmm f/2.B and the 200mm f/3.5 IF-ED.
Thus , you can shoot fast-moving action while the subject
remains in sharp focus. And like the regular Nikon F3 , the
shutter speed is set automatically to match the f/stop
in use ,
so you never have to worry about getting the correct exposure.
The F3AF also gives you focus-aid operation with the vast
majority of Nikkorand Nikon Series Elenses having a maxi·
mum aperture of f/3.5 or faster, while regular manual
focusing using the matte portion
of the screen is possible
with any lens.
Before actually taking pictures with the F3AF, you should
familiarize yourself with its basic operation as presented in the
first section. For more detailed explanations and special
picture-taking situations, refer to the rest
of the manual. A few
minutes wisely invested now will
payoff later in years of re -
warding photographic experiences.
To insure proper service, make sure the Nikon Warranty Card
is enclosed in the camera box.
7

BASIC OPERATION------------
1 Remove the battery clip
• 46 from the camera body.
Use a coin to twist the clip counterclock-
wise to unscrew
it.
8
2 Load the batteries into
• the clip.
Wipe the battery terminals clean and in -
sert the two 1.55V silver-oxide batteries
supplied with the camera, making sure
that the + signs are up.
Two 1.5Valkaline-
manganese batteries or one 3V lithium
batterycan also
be used.
Caution: Keep batteries away from infants and
small chifdren. In case a battery is accidentally
swallowed, call a doctor immediately
as the
material in
si de the batteries can cause serious
problem s.
3 Reattach the battery
• clip.
Slip the battery clip back into th e camera
body an d screw it tightly in to place.

4 Remove the battery
• chamber lid ® from the
finder.
Apply pressure to the battery chamber l id
located at the side of the viewfinder to
slide
it off.
5 Load the batteries Into
• the finder's battery
chamber.
Load two AAA-type batteries into the bat-
tery chamber, making sure the positive
and negative
(+ and -) terminals match
the diagrams inside the holder.
Caution: NiCd batteries should not be used as
they might cause an explosion.
6 Reattach the lid.
• While applying pressure to the bat-
teries with the lid, slide it
on until it clicks
into place.
9

-BASIC OPERATION-continued----------
7. Move the power switch
• @ to uncover the red dot.
Turn the switch clockwise until it clicks
into plac
e. Thi s makes th e camera ready
for ex
po sure metering and autofocus
shooting.
10
8 Depress the shutter
• release button @
halfway.
This activates the exposure meter and
autofocus functions. Both stay
on for 16
seconds after you take your finger off the
button, then turn themselves off auto-
matically to conserve battery power.
@
9 Check battery power.
• Look through the viewfinder. With-
out a lens mounted
on the camera body,
the focus-impossible warning (red X-
shaped LED) blinks or lights up continu-
ously, while the liquid crystal display
(LCD) shows the shutter speed. These
displays indicate that the batteries have
been properly installed and their power
is
adequate. If neither the red X nor the LCD
appears, check battery installation in the
camera body or replace the batteries
in
the body and check again. If the red X
does not appear but the LCD does, check
battery installation
in the finder or replace
the finder's batteries with afresh set.
Note: Ifa lens is mounted on the camera, either
the red X
or one or both of the focus indicators
(two red LED arrows) will light up.