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Nikon F | Nikon F2 | Nikon F3 | Nikon F4 | Nikon F5 | Nikon F6 -not ready | Nikkormat / Nikomat | Nikon FM | Nikon FE/ FA | Nikon EM/FG/FG20 | Nikon Digital SLRs | Nikon - Other models |
Nikon Auto Focus Nikkor lenses:-
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Nikkor lenses:- 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 |
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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
Recommended links to understand more technical details
related to the Nikkor F-mount and production Serial Number:
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
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About this photographic site.
In the illustration on Part II. The mentioned SPD cell also handles TTL OTF flash metering for the F3. Out of the few comparative pro models available during that period, Olympus OM2 Real Time OTF metering is still the best technology - it handles both flash and ambient metering in real time (Its auto mode can go as long as few minutes to gather enough light source until a possible "good" exposure is formed). Pentax's solution is the closest to that - also handle with a single SPD cell for both (Instead. Nevertheless, F3 is the first Nikon to utilize OTF flash with that single cell. The early TTL flash SB-12 was a joke (Replaced by SC-17 later). IF I can recalled, there were only two flash unit available during early days of F3 - one for general (SB-12) and another more serious but bulkier model, the bracket mounted TTL SB14. It is a head and handle with a poor guide number of 32 (ISO 100), provide some flexible movement like tilt 120 degree and rotation of 120 degree to left and right, for TTL operation, it needs to go along with a dedicated cord SC-12.
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A continual flash mounting system originated from the original Nikon F & F2 series and can't imagine Nikon still can be that conservative after two decades. Out of the few variations for the F3, ONLY the F3P/F3H has a hot shoe accessory at its viewfinder - without the TTL flash metering...The three contacts a top are for Nikon's own dedicated strobes - one for standard contact, the next is for viewfinder flash ready light and the third is for dedicated flash unit to perform TTL flash metering. |
The flash coupler is for you to mount the flash, next to it is a tiny button for you to press down and select your settings on the exposure compensation +- 2 stops in 1/3 increments. F3's using a Non-standard flash mount and after mounting the flash onto it- you have NO access to the rewind crank, meaning to say: You need to take off the flash before you can change the film, come on Nikon...I know the F2 is using this, but... there is a clever solution later (see below).
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It took Nikon to skip a generation of the F series |
One major set back of F3 is the flash unit mounting system (Same principle with the F2). Since all F3's finders (Except one, launched with the F3P) has no standard ISO accessory hot shoe to accept "general" flash unit, you are interested in buying either a flash unit coupler (Of coz' at the expense of TTL, but there were some special flash coupler accessories that Nikon produced still permits user to mount third party flash units on the F3, in particular the AS-7 that came with an advantage open the camera back WITHOUT having to dismount the flash unit from the flash mount on the F3.
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If you shot a lot of flash picture with the F3, don't forget to buy this AS-7 (There are few options, but this particular one allows you to twist between dedicated or non dedicated version +...) , a flash unit coupler to allow you mount any flash with standard hot shoe on it (Work in TTL flash metering with some specific dedicated Flash units like SB20, SB 22, SB16B etc.) - with an additional advantage of changing film cartridge/canister without taking off the flash from the flash mount. Whoever design this device in Nikon should deserve a innovative award - to shield off some embarrassment form the decision maker who opted for the original flash design of the F3 (from the F & F2). |
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The AS-4 doesn't permit TTL but retain automatic flash function with an additional advantage of viewfinder ready light when used in conjunction with a Nikon dedicated strobes. ONLY drawback is, you still need to detached this coupler for change film rolls, the SC-12 TTL cord can be very useful to work with dedicated flash or strobes that has a TTL socket, but comparatively, the AS-7 is more flexible and practical. * Thanks, Scott ! |
Subsequently, Nikon brought out a improved "modular" flash system with a secondary flash to do fill-in flash (The top portion detachable/interchangeable - I thought it would follow up with accessories like the Sunpak's bulb or diffuser flash head, but it didn't - which really made me questioned the wisdom of its designer).
Another irritating fact: The concept of SB-16 is good - except those designers have no concern on human engineering factor. Why ? Look at this:
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It is 1 1/2 time taller than the F3 body! |
Anyway, there will be a red LED visible in the viewfinder. This LED will lit when a dedicated flash is mounted or fully charged (Dedicated flash will set to 1/80 sec sync speed when mount on a F3). Another plus point when using Nikon dedicated flash is, the flash will fired at 1/80 sec at the initial few exposures EVEN if you have set the shutter speed dial at 'A' (Auto) setting. With non-dedicated flash, you might have to turn the shutter speed dial to trigger the first few exposures manually.
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The SB14, together with the SB11 are both for hand mounted flash that used with an external power pack (SD7) by mean of a TTL sync cord (SC12). SB 14 provides a guide number of 32 (ASA 100) while the more powerful (Also more bulky) SB11 has a guide Number of 36. The SB11's handle can housed 8 AA alkaline battery cells as well if SD7 is not preferred. |
Some features with Nikon's own flash units: it flashes before or after an flash exposures, it may indicate possible errors like the flash unit is not mounted correctly; camera's ISO-settingis not within the supported range; or possible underexposure image is produced - mind me, the indicator will blinks all the time and got you worry what the hell went wrong...
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The picture frame counter. Will automatically switches to 1/80 at initial few frames before reaching 'O' setting. This apply to dedicated flash units as well. Previously with other model like the FE, IF non dedicated flash is mounted, the first few frames can be a nightmare in auto mode (It meters the ambient light as the guide line) - you have to turn the shutter speed dial to activate manual speed to release the shutter before reaching frame 0. |
Anyway, don't let this episode spoilt your appetite.
Nikon has always been strong at Macro photography. The F3 has a substantially large system accessories to play and toy around with it. With the backbone falls on the famed Micro-Nikkors lenses to the huge & precise focusing screens (22 in total) and other relative things like auto-extension rings (4 in total), slide copying adapter, Bellows focusing PB6 & Extension bellow PB6E (Highest magnification is with a 20mm in reverse position to achieve 23X life size!
For those who has invested into PB6, there is a general accessory called Bellow Spacer PB-6D to allow your F3 with MD4 to attach on the bellow (It works with F5, F4s as well); duplicating works you can have the PF-4 Repro-copy Outfit.
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1) Is the all important mechanical backup lever (for some); 2) Location of the indispensable Depth of Field Preview / Stop-Down Metering Button - press down to activate; It goes along with the lever to do the Mirror-Lock-up - press the button down and twist downward to lock up the Mirror inside the camera body (Viewfinder will blackout of coz'); 3) Is the Exposure Lock (AE -Lock) for the auto mode, use in conjunction with F3's 80/20 heavy center-weighted metering to meter first and lock the exposure and redo your picture composition. Thus, these two controls 4 camera functions when used individually or in combinations. |
The F3 has a mirror lock up lever plus a depth of field preview lever and a stop down metering capability to ensure extremely high magnification work (Or long telephotography) in a minimized possible mirror vibration environment (Shutter bounce issue was not mentioned but in F4 & F5 Nikon addressed heavily on this part. (I do hope in future model this feature can be retained, Canon's recent EOS 1n has this in custom setting configuration - who would remember all those multiple combination and I don't want to bring along the instruction manual everywhere, oohs reminded me about the F5 as well...). Some models (Like FE2 etc.) can work with the self timer before the exposure (The reflex mirror will flip up first to eliminate stray light from the eye piece to affect exposure calculation - since the metering SPD cell is just underneath the main reflex-mirror box) .
The only exception is a model
among the F3 variations: the F3H (High Speed)
which is the ONLY
variation for the MD-4
available commercially (Code named: MD-E) - which uses a Pellicle mirror (FIXED and
it is not a reflex mirror, there is no mirror black out during an exposure and since
there is lesser time to wait for the mirror to flip upward, high advancing speed
can be achieved - th F3 H can go to 13.5 frames per second! Nikon F2H and Canon's
EOS1RS, earlier RT has that feature as well - we could see this feature incorporating
in 'futuristic' commercial models). Note: The F3H has no mirror Lock up feature.
There are a total total of seven interchangeable finders available for the F3 (If
inclusive of the Titanium finder as one). Covering any imaginable photographic assignment.
And further aided by a total of not less than 22
types of focusing screens.
Canon has some of its laser matted focusing screens which claimed to be of of brighter
brightness. But you can use some of Nikon's screens, like Type H2 to compensate that.
One interesting factor to note is, since the Nikon F3's metering SPD cells is located
underneath the main reflex mirror box, virtually ALL viewfinders available doesn't
required any exposure compensation.
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Note the metering cell that facing backward to the film plane, to measure the reflected light back from the film surface during an flash exposure to determine the correct setting of the flash output. For non-flash metering. While for non-flash metering the same cell will take reading from the light passing through and reflected onto the cell by the secondary mirror under the main reflex mirror to perform normal metering function. |
| Next | (Variations of F3 models & Conclusion)
Preface | Exposure Control | Important Accessories | Flash | * Conclusion | Message Board/GuestBook
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