We also take this opportunity to explain some basic mechanism that centers around the famed F-mount of how it functions with an Nikkor optic to get the best out of the lens. Why here ? Because the FT3, along with the electronic EL2, the professional Nikon F2A/F2AS were the first batch of Nikon that utilised the Automatic Indexing (AI). The next upgrade of the lens mount was in 1981, Nikon termed the upgrade as AIS (Automatic Indexing Shutter) - which permits the use of Shutter Priority AE, Program AE in few of the Nikon cameras (Nikon FA, FG and F301) before the AF revolution started. But since this is the initial batch of the Nikkor and camera body that works in combination, we just go through the basic features around the F mount to explain a little. May be we will create another page for more detailed illustration later. (I certainly think it is beneficial to many of the "casual" guys and newer entry photographers to have a basic knowledge of what are the differences between all these designations.
Anyway, most manual focus Nikons (F2A, F2AS, FT3, EL2, FM, FE, FM2, FE2, EM, F3), other than those mentioned earlier (FA, FG, F301) have the same configurations as such - except the quality of the materials used.
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It has a reflex (i.e., reflecting) mirror that enables parallax-free image viewing/composing/focusing through the lens attached to the front of the camera body. During an exposure, the mirror moves rapidly out of the optical path to enable light to reach the film plane; at the completion of the exposure, the mirror returns to the original (lowered) position to enable the continuation of thru-the-lens operation. |
During the period that the mirror is moving upward, the iris diaphragm of the automatic lens mounted is closed to the preset aperture via the lever provided within the camera body. With this lever, it is possible to use the lens continuously at the full aperture position for viewing convenience, yet rapidly close the lens diaphragm during the interval just prior to shooting. (Noted the diaphragm Coupling Lever at the left hand side, the key element that stop the lens down to your preferred aperture value you have set on your lens during the exposure, other than that, it will set the "default" maximum aperture of your lens mounted on the camera so as to give you a bright, contrasty image in the finder for more comforting viewing, composing).
Confused ?
Okay, let me explain a little further. One of the SLR's strongest asset is in its viewing as compared with rangefinder of yearterday. As far as viewing is concerned, it has its absolute advantage of projecting more precise picture angles of the focal length of the lens you mounted on the camera (Minus the crops of the slide mount, lab processing crop and viewfinder image size). Those days, the SLR cameras producers termed the advantage as "What you see is what you get"..Auto diaphragm or Auto Indexing allows you to have a more comforting viewing in the finder especially working with smaller f-stop lenses despite the fact development of focusing screen helps a little to improve that). Assuming you have mounted a 50mm f1.4 AI Nikkor lens on your FT3 (Or alike), the mechanism inside the camera body and the auto coupling device on behind the lens will work together to project f1.4 image in the finder, which is bright and contrasty in most cases. BUT if you are selecting an aperture of f22 (Say, you need maximum depth of field)..oohs, mistake, Nikkor 50mm's minimum aperture is f16; the finder will still show you the f1.4 bright image and depth of field at f1.4. When an exposure is on, the camera aperture stopped down lever will activate and push the auto coupling device behind the lens to go to your preferred f stop of f16.
How to have a preview of the effect in f16 ? You can use the Depth of field preview lever/button to activate your f16 value and the whole image field will darken/dim in the finder. It was darken because you are selecting a smaller f-stop of f16 as compared with f1.4 aperture value which permits very little light to go through the lens to the film plane in actual exposure, look through the finder closely and you will notice even though the image is very dim, but you can observe the difference of the depth of field yield now. Another method is to use the depth of field scale engraved at around the focusing index on the lens.
Relative articles in this site: Shutter Speed/Aperture | Depth of Field
I have almost forgotten
this is a Nikormat FT3 Site, ha! There are additional camera controls related to
lens operation are as follows:
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When certain special lenses, such as deep set Fisheye-Nikkor lenses or scientific OP Nikkor, are mounted on the Nikkormat FT3 (In fact, ALL Nikkormat has this feature, except the non-meter FS model), they interfere with the free movement of the reflex mirror. For these situations, the camera's mirror lockup lever provides the means to secure the mirror in the closed (upper) position, thus, enabling the use of the lens. |
The operation of this lever is independent of other controls, and may be used at any time to lock (or release) the mirror. Sad to say, since the Nikkormats, the mid range models replaced them omitted this useful feature, other than the professional models.
The mirror lockup lever
is also useful for special purpose exposure situations; the mirror is locked up prior
to shutter release to eliminate mechanical vibrations that might otherwise blur the
exposure, these are essential especially when working with high magnification or
super tele-photograpghy.
 |
The famed Nikon F- lens mount. The FT3 is fitted with the Nikon-standard (44mm-diameter) bayonet-type lens mounting flange for attachment of any Nikkor interchangeable lens. The flange is made of specially-treated, hard-wearing, steel that ensures precise seating and alignment for exact 46.5mm flange-to-film distance. Further, it ensures the change of thousand of lens changing times without wear and tear. |
The bayonet design of the mount enables a short 60° twist-to-lock action for quick and secure connection. But the best of all, during that period, you can tab on the 70 odd first rated optics in the MF Nikkor lenses and virtually all AF lenses.
 |
The lens mounting flange is fitted with a lens locking mechanism that ensures solid lens connection. As the lens is twisted counterclockwise during mounting, the locking mechanism clicks in place to secure the lens; when the lens is to be removed, the lens release button at the right of the flange is depressed to disengage the locking mechanism, thus enabling lens removal. During lens removal, it is recommended that the release button be depressed and held to minimize component wear. |
Coupling Lever Release.
Many of the new Nikon
users may not understand the function of these lever. Although designed for automatic
maximum aperture indexing with lenses fitted with the meter coupling ridge, the Nikkormat
FT3 is also capable of operation with other Nikkor lenses not fitted with the coupling
ridge. For these latter lenses, stop-down exposure measurement is available via the
depth-of-field button. However, as a prerequisite for this operation (and also when
using some special accessories such as a bellows attachment, etc.), the camera's
meter coupling lever must be moved out of the way to prevent interference with the
unit being mounted.
 |
 |
The coupling lever release located in close proximity with the lever enables this action - simply depress and hold the release and lift the coupler up and back out of the way. In this position, the non-ridge-fitted lens or accessory can be attached and operated with stop-down measurement. |
Viewing/Metering Part One & Part Two
Mechanism around the F-mount |The Copal Square shutter and relative functions |Film Transport | Flash Photography | Spec
| Back | to main Index Page of Nikkormat FT3
| Back |
to Main Index
Page of Nikkormats
 |
The Eyes of Nikon:- |
Fisheye-Nikkor Lenses - Circular | Full Frame | Ultrawides Lenses - 13mm15mm18mm20mm | Wideangle Lenses - 24mm28mm35mm |
Standard Lenses - 45mm 50mm 58mm | Telephoto Lenses - 85mm105mm135mm180mm & 200mm |
Super-Telephoto Lenses - 300mm 400mm 500mm 600mm 800mm 1200mm |
Special Application lenses:
Micro-Nikkor Lenses - 50mm~55mm -60mm 85mm -105mm 200mm Micro-Zoom 70-180mm
Perspective Control (PC) - 28mm 35mm PC-Micro 85mm
Dedicated Lenses for Nikon F3AF: AF 80mm f/2.8 | AF 200mm f/3.5 EDIF
Depth of Field Control (DC): 105mm 135mm
Medical Nikkor: 120mm 200mm
Reflex-Nikkor Lenses - 500mm 1000mm 2000mm
Others: Noct Nikkor | OP-Nikkor | UV Nikkor 55mm 105mm | Focusing Units | Bellows-Nikkor 105mm 135mm
Nikon Series E Lenses: 28mm35mm50mm100mm135mm | E-Series Zoom lenses: 36~72mm75~150mm70~210mm
MF Zoom-Nikkor Lenses: 25~50mm | 28~45mm | 28~50mm | 28~85mm | 35~70mm | 36~72mm E | 35~85mm | 35~105mm | 35~135mm |
35~200mm | 43~86mm | 50~135mm | 50~300mm | 70~210mm E | 75~150mm E | 80~200mm | 85~250mm |
100~300mm | 180~600mm | 200~400mm | 200~600mm | 360~1200mm | 1200~1700mm
Tele-Converters: TC-1 | TC-2 | TC-200 | TC-201 | TC-300 | TC-301 | TC-14 | TC-14A | TC-14B | TC-14C | TC-14E | TC-16 | TC-16A | TC-20E
Nikon F
| Nikon F2 |
Nikon
F3
| Nikon F4 |
Nikon
F5
| Nikon F6 |
Nikkormat / Nikomat |
Nikon FM
| Nikon FE/ FA | Nikon EM/FG/FG20 | Nikon Digital SLRs | Nikon - Other models
MIR Supports for Photographic Community: Various Message Boards/Community
Forums
Nikon
F-series|
Nikon
F2-series|
Nikon
F3-series|
Nikon F4-series| Nikon
F5-series|Nikkormat/Nikomat-series
Nikon FM-series|Nikon
FE-series|Nikon
FA|Nikon
Digital
SLR
series|Various
Nikon
Models|Nikkor
Optic
-shared
Others:- Free Trade Zone - Photography| Free Trade Zone - Business Community |Free To Zouk - Photographic Community
Apple's Mac Public Community Message Board | Windows based PC &
Apple/Mac
Public Community Trade Exchange Centre
Recommended links to understand
more technical details related to the Nikkor F-mount and production Serial Number:
http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-153.html by: my friend, Rick Oleson
http://www.zi.ku.dk/personal/lhhansen/photo/fmount.htm by: Hansen, Lars Holst
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/nikonfmount/lens2.htm
http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.html
About
this photographic
site.
Home - Photography
In Malaysia
Copyright
© 1998.
HIURA Shinsaku ® ; Nikomat ML, Japan,
in collaboration with leofoo ®. MIR Web Development Team.
* Credit: A
Great thanks to Mr Denis Pleic for his volunteering
effort to reedit content and and patching some grammatical mistakes found in this
section of the PIM site. Miss
Rissa (Marketing) & Edward
(Techical) of Shriro Malaysia, distributor of Nikon cameras in Malaysia, in providing
so many useful inputs to make this site possible. Mr Hong,
Ipoh for lending me his FT2 to take some of the images used in this site. This site
is created for his eldest son, Yuen who has picked up his father's hobby and
the FT-2. My friend, John Walls from Florida, US for his images of the FTn
body and the Zoom Nikkor
43-86mm.
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