Nikon Nikkormat FT2 User manual

| Nikkormat
INSTRUCTION MANUAL

NOMENCLATURE
Meter Coupling Pin |
Couples the exposure meter
to the lens’ auto diaphragm.
Neck Strap Eyelet
Mirror Lock
Shutter-Speed
Index
Slide
downward
to
lock
the
Align with the desired
shutter speed.
mirror up out of the optical
path.
Self-Timer
Trips the shutter in 8
seconds delay.
Lens Release Button
Unlocks the lens for
removing or changing lenses.
ASA Lock y
Camera Back Latch »~
Press to open the carhera
back.
Shutter-Speed Lever
ASA Film-Speed Index
Adjusts the meter for the
ASA
Film-Speed
Scale
speed
of
the
film
used.
Range: 12-1600 ASA.
Battery Chamber
Houses the silver-oxide
battery that powers the
meter.
Tripod Socket
Camera Back
Rewind
Button
Se
=
Hinged
to
swing
open
from
Press
to
rewind
the
film.
the
side.

Distance Index
Infrared Mark
Lines up with the prefocused
distance to compensate
for shift in focus.
Aperture Ring
Sets the lens diaphragm to
the desired f/number.
Maximum-Aperture Scale
Check to see whether the
meter is set for the
maximum aperture of the
lens being used.
Depth-of-Field Preview Button
Press to preview how much
background or foreground
is in or out of focus.
Flash Terminal
Accepts a flash
synch cord.
Rewind Crank
Fold out to rewind the film.
Meter Window
Accessory Shoe
Finder Eyepiece
Permits comfortable viewing,
composing and focusing.
Hot-Shoe Contact
_ Frame Counter
_ Indicates the number of
Distance Scale
Depth-of-Field Scale
Color-coded markings give
depth-of-field at different
apertures.
Focusing Ring
. Easy-to-grip, knurled surface
for quick, accurate focusing.
Aperture Indicator Dot
Aperture Scale
Meter Coupling Prong
Connects to the meter
coupling pin.
Shutter-Speed Scale
Speeds from 1/1000 to 1
second plus B.
Shutter Release Button
path screw thread
or cable release).
frames exposed.
Film-Advance Lever
Advances the film, cocks
the shutter and operates
the frame counter. Also»
switches the built-in
exposure meter on or off.
Film-Plane indicator
Shows the exact position of
the film plane.

CONTENTS
Nomenclature
Foreword
Loading the Camera
Film-Plane Indicator
Film-Advance Lever
Frame Counter
Film-Speed (ASA) Setting
Exposure Controls
Setting the Shutter Speed
Setting the Aperture
Exposure Measurement
Turning On the Meter
Centering the Needle
Getting the Right Exposure
How to Hold the Camera
Focusing
Shutter Release
Flash Synchronization
Depth of Field
Depth-of-Field Preview Button
2,
5
6
8
8
9
9
10
11
11
12
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Depth-of Field Scale
Changing the Lens
Lens Mounting
Maximum-Aperture Scale
Self-Timer
Mirror Lock
Infrared Photography
Silver-Oxide Battery
Exposure Measurement: Special Cases
Stop-Down Exposure Measurement
Repro-Copying
Slide Copying
Accessories
Lens Hoods
Filters
Eyepiece Correction Lenses
Finder Eyecup
Camera Care
Features/Specifications
Nikon Warranty

FOREWORD
The Nikkormat FT2 offers the high quality
performance and durability common to Nikon
cameras, but with the basic simplicity of de-
sign that has made the Nikkormat camera
popular with amateur and professional alike.
Systematically-positioned controls for picture-
taking ease, a convenient flash unit mount for
simplified flash photography and the extensive
possibilities of the Nikon System of Photo-
graphy further enhance the capabilities of the
Nikkormat FT2.
To ensure you get the best results from your
Nikkormat FT2, read this instruction book
carefully and practice using the controls be-
fore you load film into the camera. Follow
the suggestions on camera care on page 30 and
you will receive many years of reliable service.
The Nikon Warranty which comes with your
Nikkormat FT2 is your assurance of prompt,
courteous service and complete satisfaction.

LOADING THE CAMERA
Press down the camera back latch on the side of the
camera
and
the
hinged
back
will
spring
open.
Pull
up
on
the
rewind
knob
and
drop
a
film
cartridge
into
the
film
chamber
with
the
film
leader
pointing
towards
the
take-up
spool.
Now,
push
down
the
rewind
knob
to
hold
the
cartridge
in
place
and
insert
the
end
of
the
film
leader
into
any
one
of
the
three
slots
in
the
take-up
spool.
Rotate
the
take-up
spool
as
shown
in
the
illustration
so
that
the
film
passes
under
the
spool
with
its
emulsion
side
(dull
side)
facing
out.
Make
sure
that
the
perforations
along
the
edges
of
the
film
mesh
with
the
sprockets.
Close
the
camera
by
pressing
on
the
back
until
it
snaps
into
place.
Fold
out
the
rewind
crank
and
turn
it
gently
in
the
direction
of
the
arrow
until
you
can
feel
a
slight
tension.
This
will
take
up
any
slack
in
the
film
cartridge.
Be
careful
not
to
exert
too
much
pres-
sure
on
the
rewind
crank.
Loading
exposes
the
first
few
inches
of
the
film.
To
dispose
of
this
exposed
film,
wind
the
film
advance
|

lever and make two blank exposures. Watch the rewind
knob to see if it rotates in the direction opposite the
arrow while the film is being advanced. This will
indicate that the film has been loaded correctly and
is being advanced.
The frame counter on top of the camera should now
rest at ‘‘0”. Advance the film one more frame and
you are ready to take the first picture.
Caution: Do not load the camera in bright sunlight. If no
other shade is available, shade the camera from the sun with
your body while loading.
To unload, press the rewind button on the camera
baseplate, unfold the rewind crank and turn it with a
constant, gentle pressure in the direction of the arrow.
Avoid uneven or excessively fast rewinding. When no
more tension can be felt and the crank turns loosely,
the film has left the sprockets and the camera may be
opened. Pull the rewind knob up slightly and the film
cartridge will drop out.
The rewind button will pop out again as soon as the
film advance lever is stroked.

LOADING THE CAMERA
eee
Film-Plane Indicator Film-Advance Lever
The film-advance lever simultaneously advances the
film, cocks the shutter and operates the frame counter.
It also serves as an on-off switch for the exposure
meter.
Stroke the film-advance lever with the right thumb in
a single stroke. A built-in locking device prevents the
shutter from being released unless it is fully cocked
and the film has been advanced a full frame.
The film-advance lever springs back to its original posi-
tion, with ample clearance for the thumb, after each
stroke. However, the meter will remain in the “on”
position until the lever is pressed flush against the
camera body.
The (e) mark on top of the camera body shows the
exact position of the film plane. This is important to
know when measuring the film-to-subject distance,
especially in close-ups and macrophotography.

Frame Counter
The frame counter located on top of the camera works
automatically to show how many frames have been
exposed. The numbers 20 and 36 are colored red to
correspond to the number of frames in a standard
35mm cartridge. The frame counter stops just past
the 36-frame mark and resets itself automatically to
““S?, two frames before ‘0’, when the camera back is
opened for reloading.
Film-Speed (ASA) Setting
Some films are more sensitive to light than others. A
film’s sensitivity is commonly known as its “speed,”
expressed in ASA numbers.
In order to work with films of different speeds, the
Nikkormat FT2’s light-meter circuit must be adjusted
for the ASA number of the film used. This is done by
means of a slotted index pointer located on the
bottom of the shutter-speed ring. The ASA film-speed
scale has numbered settings for speeds from ASA 12-
1600 with dots between each pair of numbers for
intermediate settings such as ASA 64, 80, etc.
Pull up the ASA lock on top of the shutter-speed
lever and, while holding the lock up, slide the slotted
ASA index pointer until it lines up with the ASA
number of the film in use. After releasing the ASA
lock, check that the ASA index pointer is securely
locked into position.
Film-Speed (ASA) Scale
16 20 32 40 64 80 125 160 250 320 500 640
e e
12 25 50 100 200 400 800 1600

EXPOSURE CONTROLS
The amount of exposure the film receives is determin-
ed by a combination of shutter speed and aperture.
The larger the lens aperture, the more exposure. Like-
wise, the slower the shutter speed the greater the
exposure, Aperture is expressed in f/numbers with
larger numbers representing smaller apertures and vice
versa. For example, f/8 gives twice as much exposure
as f/11. Shutter speed is expressed in seconds or
fractions of a second. The numbers on the Nikkormat
shutter-speed
scale
are
reciprocals
of
the
actual
speeds
(250 represents 1/250 second, etc.).
Camera aperture and shutter-speed controls are cal-
culated
so
that
an
increase
of
one
f/number
com-
pensates
for
a
one-step
decrease
in
shutter
speed.
For
example,
1/250
at
£/8
is
equivalent
to
1/125
at
£/11.
The table below shows how aperture and shutter-
speed are interrelated. All the combinations give the
same exposure.
Aperture
Shutter speed
(seconds)
ate

Setting the Shutter Speed
Shutter speeds are controlled by a ring around the base
of the bayonet mount rather than the usual dial on
top of the camera body. To set the shutter speed,
grasp the lever and turn the ring until the desired
speed appears next to the indicator dot on the front
of the camera body. For added convenience when
measuring exposure, the shutter speed in use as well as
the next highest and lowest speeds appear in the
bottom of the viewfinder, so the shutter speed can be
adjusted while observing the exposure meter needle.
Click-stopped settings for shutter speeds from 1/1000
to 1 second plus “B” are engraved on the shutter-
speed ring. At the ‘“‘B” (bulb) setting, the shutter
remains open as long as the shutter release button is
depressed.
Note: Intermediate shutter-speed settings are not recom-
mended except in the 1/250 to 1/1000 second range.
Setting the Aperture
To preset lens aperture, turn the aperture ring on the
lens barrel until the desired f/number appears opposite
the black indicator dot on top of the milled ring. The
aperture diaphragm can be set for intermediate open-
ings between the click-stopped settings for more
precise exposure.
re)
0

12
EXPOSURE MEASUREMENT
The Nikkormat FT2 features a center-weighted thru-
the-lens exposure metering system cross-coupled to
the shutter speed and aperture controls. The meter
reads the light over the entire focusing screen but
favors a central area. This means that correct ex-
posures are possible even in situations where an
averaged reading would result in wrong exposure—
with strong backlighting, for example.
Full-Aperture Exposure Measurement
The FT2 meter takes advantage of automatic dia-
phragm feature of Nikkor Auto Lenses to measure
light at the maximum aperture of the lens. This insures
a bright viewfinder image for viewing and focusing and
minimizes the influence of light entering through
the finder eyepiece.
In order for the FT2 meter to measure exposure at
full aperture with lenses of different maximum aper-
ture, it must be coupled with the maximum aperture
of the lens in use. This is done each time the lens is
attached or changed by turning the aperture ring of
the lens through its entire range (see ‘‘Changing the
Lens,” p.22.).
Turning On the Meter
To switch on the Nikkormat FT2’s CdS exposure
metering circuit, pull out the film advance lever just
enough to uncover the red dot on top of the camera
body. When the meter is not in use, press the lever
flush against the camera body, since the battery is
being drained continuously as long as the lever is in
the “on” position.
OFF \
ON

A number of different shutter speed-aperture combina-
tions will usually result in the same exposure. The
“best” one depends on the results desired. Use fast
shutter speeds to “freeze”? motion or slow ones to
create deliberate blur. Small apertures give greater
depth of field, large ones let the subject stand out
against an out-of-focus background (see “Depth of
Field,” p.19.).
Centering the Needle
To determine correct exposure, adjust the aperture
and/or shutter speed until the meter needle in the
viewfinder is centered (the — and + marks let you
know whether you are under- or overexposing). A
second meter needle is conveniently located on top of
the camera for use with the camera held at waist-
level or mounted on a tripod. For fine adjustments of
less than one f/number, use the aperture ring as it per-
mits reliable intermediate settings.
Under extremely low light conditions the meter nee-
dle may center at the “B” setting on the shutter
speed dial. If so, correct exposure time is 2 seconds.
If the needle moves erratically or cannot be centered
even after all possible aperture-shutter speed com-
binations have been tried, then the light is too bright
or dim for the meter’s range. Effective range (coupl-
ing range) varies according to the lens and film speed
used. For example, with the 50mm f/1.4 lens and a
film speed of ASA 100, it extends from f/1.4 at 1/4
second to f/11 at 1/1000 second.
250 125 60

EXPOSURE MEASUREMENT
Getting the Right Exposure
The central part of the focusing screen should always
be aimed at the main subject when centering the
needle. Otherwise unimportant bright or dark areas
may give an exposure reading which is too high or
too low, resulting in under- or overexposure.
If an off-center composition is desired, first measure
the light striking the main subject and set the aperture
and shutter speed to center the needle. Then move
the camera until the desired composition appears in
the viewfinder.
For subjects of uniform tonal brightness, a reading
may be taken from any part of the subject. However,
if the subject is contrasty (sidelighted portraits, for
example), measure the light falling on the most impor-
tant part of the subject in which detail is desired in
the final picture.
For landscapes including large areas of sky, tilt the
camera downward during measurement or fill the
center of the finder with the main subject to prevent
underexposure of the main subject caused by the
bright skylight.
Photos:
1, Measuring the bright area in the center of the screen will
cause underexposure of the main subject.
2. For correct exposure, first measure the light striking the :
main subject, then compose and shoot. 125 60 30
Picture area

HOW TO HOLD THE CAMERA
Steady camera holding is important for best results,
since even the slightest camera movement at the
moment of exposure can result in an appreciable loss
of sharpness, especially at slow shutter speeds. The
photographs show the best way to hold the camera for
rock-steady picture-taking.
Wrap the fingers of the right hand around the camera
body so that the index finger rests comfortably on the
shutter release button and the thumb fits between
the body and film advance lever. This way you can
stroke the film-advance without removing your eye
from the viewfinder. Cradle the camera in the left
hand for additional support, with the left thumb and
index finger grasping the focusing ring. The camera
may be switched from horizontal to vertical format
in this position.

16
FOCUSING
Focusing is always done at full aperture with Auto
Nikkor lenses. This gives the brightest possible image
on the focusing screen for easy viewing and compos-
ing. It also minimizes depth of field so the image
snaps in and out of focus distinctly.
The Nikkormat FT2 focusing screen consists of a
matte Fresnel field with a central 3mm@ split-image
rangefinder spot surrounded by a doughnut-shaped
1mm-wide microprism for rapid, accurate focusing.
Look through the viewfinder and turn the focusing
ring until the two halves of the central rangefinder
image coincide to form a single, sharp image, or until
the image in the microprism appears sharp and crisp.
This focusing screen is suitable for subjects with both
straight lines and ill-defined contours. However, when
used with lenses having a maximum aperture smaller
than f/4.5, or in close-up photography, the rangefinder
spot is likely to darken. In this case, focus on the
surrounding matte field.
The lens can also be prefocused using the distance
scale engraved in both feet and meters on the lens
barrel. Line up the white indicator line on top of
the lens barrel opposite the camera-to-subject distance
as measured or estimated. This technique is useful for
candid shots of elusive subjects when time does not
permit through-the-lens focusing.
Microprism/split-image screen

Out of focus
In focus
Shutter Release
For sharp pictures, correct shutter releasing is just as
important as steady camera holding. A quick, jabbing
movement of the finger on the shutter release button
will result -in camera movement and blurred pictures.
Hold the camera steady as shown previously, relax and
squeeze the shutter release with a gentle, even pressure.
For long time exposures with the camera mounted on
a tripod, use a cable release. The shutter release button
is threaded to accept the Nikon F and Nikkormat
cable releases. For hand-held exposures at speeds
slower than 1/30 second, greater sharpness can be
obtained if the shutter release is tripped by means of
the self-timer. Set the self-timer mechanism in motion
(see ‘“<Self-timer,” p.24.), hold the camera steady and
wait for the timer to trip the shutter.
Caution: When mounting the camera on a tripod, do not
over-screw the tripod thread into the camera tripod socket as
it may damage the camera baseplate.

FLASH SYNCHRONIZATION
The Nikkormat FT2 features an accessory shoe with
built-in hot-shoe contact and automatic MX switch-
over via shutter speed selection to facilitate the use of
various light sources. Consult the table below to find
out which shutter speeds are acceptable for different
types of flashbulbs.
[i Synchronized [Cannot be used
Either a bulb- or electronic-type flash unit slides over
the accessory shoe on top of the pentaprism housing.
Due to the built-in hot-hoe contact, the need for a
synch cord is eliminated for units with a hot shoe.
For units without a hot shoe, use a synch cord and
connect the threaded synch terminal on the camera
body to the synch socket on the flash unit. To prevent
accidental electrical shock, the safety switch in the
accessory shoe turns on only when the flash unit is
in place.
Nikon speedlight units SB-3 and SB-4 can be directly
attached to the Nikkormat FT2. For mounting the
Nikon speedlight unit SB-2 or flash unit BC-7, use of
the flash unit coupler AS-2 is necessary. For details,
refer to the instruction manual provided with each unit.
Note: Nikon speedlight units SB-2, SB-3 and SB-4 are not
available in North America.
Caution: Flash units without a hot shoe may fire accidentally
when being slipped into place or when a flashbulb is inserted.
Although not recommended, accidental firing may be prevent-
ed by covering the hot-shoe contact on the camera body with
electrical tape.

DEPTH OF FIELD
Depth of field refers to a zone extending in front of
and behind the plane of sharpest focus. Within this
zone blur (or unsharpness of the image) will be
negligible and everything can be accepted as in sharp
focus. Depth of field extends a greater distance behind
the subject in focus than in front. Depth of field
depends on three factors: focal length of the lens,
lens-to-subject distance and taking aperture. The
smaller the aperture and the shorter the focal length
of the lens, the greater the depth of field (for example,
wideangle lenses have more depth of field than tele-
photos). Also, the closer the subject, the smaller the
depth of field. These three factors can be adjusted
independently or in combination to give the photo-
gtapher creative control over the final picture.
Depth-of-Field Preview Button
The depth-of-field preview button located on top of
the Nikkormat lets you check depth of field before
shooting and make desired adjustments. Press the
button and the lens stops down to the preselected
aperture to allow you to see how much background
or foreground is in or out of focus.

DEPTH OF FIELD
Depth-of-Field Scale
Depth of field can be read from the color-coded scale
engraved on the lens barrel. The pairs of colored lines
correspond to f/numbers of the same color. To find
the depth of field at a particular aperture first focus
the lens on the subject (or set the lens-to-subject dis-
tance on the distance scale). Then check the numbers
on the distance scale opposite the colored lines which
match the taking aperture of the corresponding color
to find the depth of field at that aperture.
For example, f/16 on the aperture ring of the 50mra
f/1.4 lens is blue. With the lens prefocused at 15 feet
(4.5m), the numbers on the distance scale opposite
the blue lines show that depth of field extends from
8 feet (2.4m) to infinity ().
20
By stopping down the
lens only, the depth of
field can be increased, as
illustrated by the
following three
photographs:
1. Lens at f/4. Small
depth of field
with only main
subject in focus.