Nikon F3 User manual

Nikon
high-egepoinb
INSTRUCTION MANUAL C€
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NOMENCLATURE---------------------------
CD Shutter-speed dial locking button
o Neck strap eyelet
® Self-timer LED
C0 Backup mechanical
release lever
(7) ExRosure memory
lock button
® Lens
®R eflex mirror
@ Memo holder
2
button
ADR window ®
@
Sync terminal @
Lens mounting index @
Lens release bu tton @
Meter coupling lever r-;;,.
release button '6'
Meter
lever @
Viewfind er illuminator @

@ Depth-of-field indicators / Mounting ring Aperture / Focusing index @
Meter coupling shoe @
Distance scale @
Aperture-direct - readout sca le @
Viewfinder illuminator button @
@
Exposure compensation scale
Self-timer lever @
@ Exposure compensation index
Self-timer ON index @
®Film rewind crank
Power switch ON index ®
@ H ot-shoe contacts
Power switch ®
®
Accessory shoe
M ultiple exposure lever ®
Shutter release button @
Frame counter ®
Film advance lever ®
@Ey epiece shutter lever
Shutter-speed scale ®
@View finder ce
Shutter speed dial ®
@ Shutter speed index
Film plane indicator ®
3

TABLE OF CONTENTS -- - --------
NOMENCLATURE 2-3
ABOUT THE LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY (LCD). ... .. 32
FOREWORD. . . . . . .. . ..... .. .. . . .. . ... . .... . . ..... 5
EV RANGE OF THE CAMERA ... . . ... . . . .. . . .. 33-35
BASIC OPERATION. . . ........ .. .. .. . . . . . . .. . . . 6-16
ACCESSORIES. .. . . .. ...... .. .. . . . . ... . .... . . 36-41
CONTROLS IN DETAIL ....... ......... . . ...... 17-31
Interchangeable viewfinders .. . ... . ... . .. . . . . . . 36
Shutter speed dia l. . .. .. . . . . . . .. .. . ....... 17-19
Interchangeable focusing screens . . ........... . 37
Exposure memory lock button ........ ... . ...... 20
Focusing screen selector guide .. . .. . . .. . . . . . ... 38
Exposure compensation dial .. .. .. .. . . . .. . . . . .. 21 Motor Drive MD-4 .. .... .. .... ......... ... ... . . 39
ASAIISO film speed dial. .. . ... . . . . ... . ... .. .. 21
Electronic Flash Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Memo holder .. .... . . . ... . . . .. ... . .. . .. ... . . . 22 Other accessories . ... . . .. ... . ... .... .. ... . .. .. 41
Shutter release button .. . . ... .. . ... . . .. .. .. . . .. 22 TIPS ON CAMERA CARE ...... ......... ....... 42-43
Film advance lever .. . . . ... .... ... . . ... .... .. . 23
SPECIFICATIONS . . . . .. . ...... . . . .. .. . .. . .... 44-45
Frame counter . .. .... ..... . ...... . ... . ....... 23 IMPORTANT. . . . . .
..... . . . . . . .... . .. . . .... ....... 46
Multiple exposure lever ... . .......... .. . ... . .. 24
Batteries . . . ... . .... . .. .. ... .. . ... . . . . .. . . . . . . 24
Backup mechanical release lever ... .. ...... ... . 25
Depth -of-field preview button . ... ... . . ... .. 25-26
Meter coupling lever . . . . . . .. ......... .. . . . . . . 27
Mirror lockup lever ... . . . ... . ............. . . .. 28
Self-
timer . .. ...... .. .. ... . . ... .. . . .... . . ... . . 28
Eyepiece shutter lever .......... . ...... . . ... . . 29
Accessory shoe .. .. . . ... . . . . . . ... . .. .. . . ..... 29
Sync terminal ..... . . ... . .............. . . . . . . . 30
Viewfinder illuminator . . . . . .. . . . . ... .. . . . . ... . 30
Film plane indicator .. . . .. ... ..... . . . . .. . .. . . . 31
Infrared focusing index . . ... .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . 31
4

FOREWORD -- -------
Congratulations! You now own one of the most advanced
and easy-to-use cameras on the market today. With a
wealth
of exciting features, the Nikon F3 High-Eyepoint
camera is designed to be as up-to-date as you are in your
approach to photography.
This model of the Nikon F3 features a special eye-level
finder which allows you to see the entire viewfinder
image, including all exposure information, with your
eye located up to 25mm (approx. one inch) away from
the eyepiece. That means if you wear glasses or shoot in
high-glare situations requiring the use of sunglasses,
you can still see everything comfortably without having
to press your glasses tightly against the eyepiece and
risk scratching the delicate lenses or damaging the
frames. And even if you don't wear glasses, the Nikon F3
High-Eyepoint camera is very useful when shooting
candids or sports because you can bring the camera
quickly up to your eye and focus without your eye being
directly behind the eyepiece .
Before actually taking pictures with the F3 High-Eyepoint
camera, you should familiarize yourself with its basic
operation as presented in the first section. For more
detailed explanations and special picture-taking situ-
ations,
refer to the second section, "Controls in Detail. II
A few minutes wisely invested now will payoff later in
years of rewarding photographic experiences.
5

BASIC OPERATION-- --- -- - --- --
1 Remove the battery
• chamber lid @ •
Use a coin to twist the lid counter-
clockwise to unscrew it.
6
2.Install the batteries.
Insert the t wo 1.SSV silver-oxide
batteries
or one 3V lithium battery
supplied with the camera, making
sure that the" +" signs are up .
Caution: Keep batteries away from infants
and small children. In case 0 battery is acci-
dentally swallowed, calla doctor immediately
as the material inside the batteries can cause
seriousproblems.
3 Replace the battery
• chamber lid.
Slip the battery clip back into the
ca mera body and screw it tightly
into
place.

4. Move the power switch ®
to
uncover the red dot ®.
This makes the ca mera ready for
exposure reading and shooting.
5 Touch the shutter release
• button @ lightly.
This activates the exposure meter .
The
meter stays on for 16 seco nds
after you take your finger off the
bu tton and turns itself off auto-
matically to conserve battery power.
6. Check battery power.
Look through the vi ewfinder @
at the liquid crystal disp l ay (LCD).
The
shutter speed should be dis-
played to show that the batteries
have been properly installed and
their power is adequate. If not, re-
place both batteries .
7

- BASIC OPERATION-continued - -- - ------ --
7. Mount the lens onto
the camera.
Grasp the lens by its mounting ring
@. Then li ne up the f ocusing index
@ on the lens with the white dot @
on the camera body and twist the
lens coun ter clockwise until it clicks
into place.
To remove : Push the lens release
button @ and turn the lens clock-
wise until it
comes off.
8
8. Open the camera back .
Push the camera back lock lever
® to the right with your thumb while
lifting
the film rewind knob@. T he
camera back will pop open .
9. Install the film cartridge .
Drop the film ca r tridge into the
film cartridge chamber so that the
film l eader points towards the takeup
spool, and push the rewind knob
back down into pl ace.

10. Insert the film leader in the takeup
spool.
Pull the leader across the camera and insert it into one
of the slots in the film takeup spool.
Not e: The two data back contacts located inside the camera below the
hlm guide rails are for use with theNikon Data Back MF-14.
11 Wind the film advance lever @ to
• advance film onto the takeup spool .
Wind the film advance lever and depress the shutter
release button until the film sprockets engage the per-
forations on the edges of the film.
9

- BASIC OPERATION-continued-- ------- ---
12. Close the camera back.
Close the camera back until it
snaps shut.
10
13. Take up the film slack.
Fold out the film rewind crank
@ and rotate it in the direction of the
arrow until it stops. Then fold the
crank back in.
14 Make blank exposures
• until the frame counter
@ shows "1."
Continue to wind the film advance
lever and depress the shutter re-
lease button until the frame counter
shows "1." While making blank ex-
posures, watch the rewind knob to
see that it rotates. This indicates
that the film has been loaded cor-
rectly
and is being advanced.

15. Set the ASA/ISO film
speed.
Lift up the ASAIISO film speed dial
@ and rotate it in either direction
until the white dot is opposite the
ASA/ISO film speed in use. Also
make sure the exposure com pen -
sation dial is set to the red "0." This
programs the camera's exposure
meter so that it may provide a proper
exposure for the type of film being
used.
16. Set th~ camera for automatic
operahon.
Rotate the shutler speed dial ® until the "A"is oppo-
site the white dot @. The built-in locking mecha-
nism ensures that the dial cannot be accidentally
shifted from the auto position during shooting.

-BASIC OPERATION-continued-----------~
17. Hold the camera steady.
Wrap the fingers of your 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. Then, cradle the
camera in the left hand with the
thumb and fingers grasping the lens
focusing ring @ . The camera may
be sWitched from horizontal- to verti-
cal-format shooting in this position.
Even with your eye located up to
25mm
(approx. one inch) away from
the eyepiece, you can still see the en-
tire viewfinder image, including all
exposure information.
12
18. Focus on the subject. Out of focus ----
Turn the lens focusing ring until the image in the viewfinder becomes
sharp.
The K focusing screen comes with the camera as standard equipment. With
the split-image rangefinder, turn the ring until the split image becomes whole.
With the microprism grid, turn the ring until the shimmering image
appears sharp. With the matte outer field, turn the ring until the image ap-
pears sharp. The split-image rangefinder works well for subjects having defi-
nite lines or boundaries. The microprism collar is for fast-moving subjects or
ones with indistinct lines, while the matte outer field is suitable for close - ups.
In fast-moving or candid shooting situations, you can measure or estimate the
distance between you and the subject and preset it on the lens using the dis -
tance scale @ engraved both in feet and meters.

----------Infocus----------
~
3 4 5 6
---- Inside the viewfinder --
I. LCD exposure information
2. ADR flnumbe r
3. Fine matt e/ Fresne l oute r field
4. Mi cro pri sm co llar
5. Split-image rangefinder spot
6. 12mmct> reference circle
Note : The meter reads the light over the entire
focusing sc r een but is distinctly biased toward
the central 12mm¢ area.
19. Set the lens aperture.
Turn the l ens aperture ri ng @J
until the desired flnumber is oppo-
site the index mark on the lens. The
selected flnumber appears in the
viewfi nder for co nve nient reference .
13

- BASIC OPERATION-continued-- -- - -- - - -- ·
20. Take the picture.
Look through the viewlinder and press the shutter release button
lightly to turn on the exposure meter. The shutter speed display indicates
the shutter speed selected by the camera. As long as neither +2000 nor
- 8 - appears in the shutter speed display, the camera gives the correct
exposure. If either indication should appear ,adjust the aperture ring on the
lens until a desirable shutter speed is indicated. Should either indication
appear even after all possible lens apertures have been tried, then the availa-
ble light is too bright or too dim for the meter's range. Use either artificial
light to
increase the subject's brightness or a neutral density filter to reduce
the amount of light reaching the film.
14
21. Advance the film.
Str oke the film advance l ever
to transport the film to the next frame
and get the camera ready for the
next shot.

22. Push in the rewind
button @.
After the last exposure has been
made, the film advance lever will
stop working.
You must then rewind
the exposed film ba ck into its car-
tridge . To do this, first turn the
camera upside down and depress
the rewind butt on to disengage the
film sprocket driv e.
23. Rewind the film.
Lift the film rewind crank and
turn it in the direction of the arrow to
rewind the film. When you feel the
tension lessen, continue winding
o ne or two more turns until the film
leader is rewound completely back
into the c artridge.
24. Remc;>ve the film
cartrldge .
Open the camera back and take out
the film cartridge. Avoid unloading
the film in direct sunlight. If there is
no
shade available, turn your back
on the sun and use your own
shadow to shield the camera while
unloading film.
15

.-BASIC OPERATION-continued-----------
25. Turn the ~amera off.
Turn the power switch off while
the camera is not in use. This pre·
vents inadvertent battery drain in
case the shutter release butt on is
accidentally depressed.
16

CONTROLS IN DETAIL------------
,-
MjOO
+ ,-,,-
M fe:J
•
Shutter speed dial @
In addition to automatic stepless shutter speed control,
the Nikon F3 High-Eyepoint camera offers manual control
of all
shutter speeds from 112000 sec. to 8 sec . including
X, B, and T. To move the shutter speed dial off "A," depress
the locking button CD as you rotate the dial counterclock-
wise to the 112000 sec . setting. You can then rotate the
dial freely between any setting except "X" which, like
"A," is a locked setting . Shutter speeds from 112000 sec.
to
112 sec. are eng raved in white, 1 to 8 seconds in
orange, and "B," "T" and "X" in white. 1 /60 sec. is in red,
indicating the highest manual shutter speed for proper
synchronization with electronic flash except "X."
When the camera is on manual, an "M" appears to the left
of the liquid crystal shutter speed disp lay inside the
viewfinder. In addition, above the "M," the following
symbols
appear: "-," "+" and "- +" indicating under-
exposure , overexposure and correct exposure, respec-
tively. To obtain correct exposure, simply turn the shutter
speed dial and / or aperture ring until the "- +" symbol
appears.
17

-CONTROLS IN DETAIL-continued----------
The F3 High-E yepoint camera has two separate settings
for time
exposures. On "B," the shutter remains open for
as long as the shutter release button is depressed. On "T,"
the shutter stays open until the dial is rotated to another
setting, making it ideal for really long time exposures. Be-
ing a mechanical setting, "T" will not cause battery drain
regardless of how long the shutter remains open. *
"X" pr ovides a s hutter speed setting of 1/80 sec. It is used
to provide prop er synchronization with electronic flash
units oth
er than the Nikon dedicated flash units.
The
amount of li ght r eaching the film plane is determined
by a combination of the shutter speed and the lens
aperture. Since the tw o are interrelated, different combi-
nations will give the same degree of exposure . A one-step
change in shutter speed, or a one-stop change in aper-
ture setting, will either halve or double the degree of ex-
posure. For example, a shu tt er speed of 1/125 sec. l ets
in twi ce as much light as a setting of 1/250 sec ., and on ly
half
as much light at 1/60 sec. For an aperture setting of
fi ll , twice as much light as fl I6 and half as much as fl8,
is let in. Thus,
if the correct exposure for a particular
picture-taking situation is 1/125 at fill, then 1/60 at fll6
or 11250 at fl8 will give the same exposure.
18
T he following table illustrates the interrelation between
shutter speed and aperture.
-----,-----,-----,-----,-----,
The best combination will depend on the results you
want. Use fast
shutter speeds to freeze motion; use slow
speeds to produce a deliberate blur. (See the examp le
pictures on the opposite page . ). Also, small apertures
give greater depth of field, while large apertures restrict
sharp focus to the main subjec t. (See page 26.)
A good rule to follow in preventing camera shake is to
se l ect a minimum shutter speed which is the reciprocal of
the focal leng th of the lens in use. For examp l e, when
using a normal 50mm lens, select a speed no slower than
1/60 sec . (the closest number to 1/50). For a 500mm
super-telephoto, use no less than 1/ 500 sec ., and so forth.
•To make a mechanical release, turn the power switch off and make sure
the LCD inside the finder is not displayed. Then, trip the shuller using
the backup mechanical release lever.

(Stop action) (Subject motion blur)
19

·. -CONTROLS IN DETAIL-continued----------
Exposure memory lock button (j)
When there is a substantial difference between the main
subject and the background, unimportant bright spots or
dark spots are likely to fool the camera's metering, result-
ing in underexposure or overexposure (see Fig. I). One
way to make exposure compensation is to use the memory
lock. This control allows you to lock in an exposure read-
ing with the camera on automatic control. To compensate
for an excessively bright or dark background, center the
main subject in the viewfinder or move in close to the
subject, depress the memory lock button and hold it in;
then recompose and shoot (see Fig. 2).
20
(Fig. 1)
r - - - - - --- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - • .. :