Modern
Classic SLRs Series : |
Nikon FE's meter coupling system is the same as that of Nikon FM or Nikon EL2. It ensures the automatic maximum aperture indexing as soon as an minimum specification AI-type Nikkor lens is mounted on the camera (Which includes ALL AF-Nikkor in manual mode). And for those who are interested in understand more how the relation between the metering system interact with the lens mount, here is an article extracted (with permission on educational merit) from a technical manual for the Nikon FE. While my interest is not so engaged with the technicalities of how a camera works, but it provides a resourceful info for those who might be interested and I will use this section to end the Nikon FE site. For other info that has not been covered by these few sites, please use the convenience of the message board creatively instead.
When the lens is mounted onto the camera body without pressing back aperture Coupling piece (2), lens' meter coupling ridge contacts aperture Coupling Piece (2) .Thread (4) , fixed onto aperture Coupling ring (1) at one end and onto Coupling pulley (8) incorporated with Coupling gear (10) on the other end, is pulled by Spring (9) on Coupling pulley (8) so as to rotate (1) clockwise. Coupling gear (10) engages with Brush gear (11) on which Brush A (13) is installed, and Brush A (13) contacts FRE (14). The rotation of Brush gear (11) to the arrow direction is stopped by Brush gear stopper (12) where Brush gear (11) engages With Brush gear stopper (12). Roller(5) is installed free to rotate on Roller lever (6)which is pulled by Roller lever spring (7) of smaller tension than that of Spring (9). When lens dismounted, Aperture coupling ring (1) rotates back to the arrow direction pulled by thread (4) via Spring (9) and Coupling pulley (8). When the right end of Aperture coupling piece (2) locates at 35 degrees from the camera's vertical center line, Brush gear (11) engages with Brush gear stopper (12) and stops, simultaneously stopping Coupling gear (10) and Coupling pulley (8). At this stage, however, there still remains a clearance of 2° 30' (corresponding to 1/3 stop) between Aperture coupling ring (1) and Coupling ring stopper (3), and thus Aperture coupling ring (1) will further rotate to the arrow direction pulled by Roller lever spring (7) via (6), (5) and (4).
When the lens is mounted, as soon as (1) starts to rotate, (6) fitted with (7) rotates 2° 30' until (6) comes in contact with (15). Further rotation of (1) will rotate (11) and (13) via (4), (8) and (10), thus charging the electrical resistance of FRE (14). Aperture coupling piece (2) contacts lens' meter coupling ridge at a position of 37° 30' in case of f l.2 or fl.4 lens set at maximum aperture, while (2) contacts at a position of 35° in case of lenses of wider maximum aperture such as f1.8.
First, the information of film speed and aperture setting in use will be transmitted to FRE and registered as a change of resistance. Then, the resistance will be logarithmically compressed to a voltage change. The other information of light intensity will be registered as photo electric current by silicone photo Diode(SPD) (The FM is using a pair of GPD) positioned in the optical path in the viewfinder. The photo electric current will be also logarithmically compressed to a voltage change corresponding to the current. The voltages in two logarithmic compression circuits will be transmitted to computing circuit, where the voltage corresponding to the shutter speed for proper exposure will be determined. Consequently, meter needle swings indicating the shutter speed selected inside the viewfinder. These circuits will be switched on by pulling out film-advance lever to a standoff position, uncovering a red dot. In case of extremely low brightness out of the measurable range, the voltage, logarithmically compressed from photo electric current, will be selected by "Low-brightness standard voltage" in computing circuit, and the meter needle will swing into the "B" zone, thus warning the brightness to be out of the measurable range.
When the shutter release button is depressed, the mirror starts to rise. While the mirror rising, the optical path will be cut, thus preventing the light from reaching SPD in the optical path in the viewfinder (The Dual metering cells are housed just beside the eyepiece). Therefore, the information of light intensity immediately before mirror rising, that is, voltage transmitted from computing circuit should be memorized in the memory circuit. As soon as the mirror starts rising, mirror switch in the shutter speed control circuit switches on. Then, as soon as the first shutter curtain starts to travel, the logarithmic time compression circuit functions, condensing the voltage as long as the shutter opens. Then, when the voltage, transmitted from the logarithmic time compression circuit amounts equal to the voltage determined in the memory circuit, signal will be sent from comparison circuit to switch circuit. Consequently, the magnet current holding the second shutter curtain will be switched off, thus closing the shutter curtains' opening. This is the shutter speed control system to provide proper exposure on the film. When making flash photography with Nikon Speedlight SB-10 setting the shutter dial at Auto, proper shutter speed (1/90sec) to synchronize with SB-10 will be automatically selected as soon as SB10 powers on. To provide this automatic flash synchronization, exposure time selection control circuit is incorporated, which selects auto-speed voltage in computing circuit, flash-synchronization speed voltage determined by speedlight power switch signal or manual speed voltage.| Back | Next | (7/7) Operational Manual in HTML - where some resources are repetitive because it is not that easy for a novice to understand in a camera manual... after all, if you have already a Nikon guru, why would you need an manual ? So, this is created to welcome a new Nikon user.
Part: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
| BACK | to Basic Camera Operation (9 Parts)
| Back to Nikon FE Main Index Page |
| Back to Nikon FE Series Main Index Page |
An External Link for Instruction Manual on Nikon FE prepared by Mr. Stuart Willis
Main Index Page of: FE Series | Nikon FE | FE-2 | FE-10
W A R N I N G: The New G-SERIES Nikkor lenses have no aperture ring on the lens, they CANNOT ADJUST APERTURES with any of these manual focus Nikon FE series SLR camera models; please ignore some portion of the content contained herein this site where it relates.
| Nikon FM series | Nikon FE series | Nikon FA || Message Board | for your favourite Nikon FE Series SLR camera(s)
| Message Board | for your Nikon Optics in a shared environment
| Message Board | Specifically for Dispose or Looking for Nikon / Nikkor Photographic Equipment| Back | to Pictorial History of Nikon Rangefinder/SLR/Digital cameras
Shared Resources: MD-11 | MD-12 | 3rd Party Power Winder Only for FM2(n)/FE2/FA | Focusing Screens | Titanium Shutter | Flash Units - | SB-15 | SB-10 | SB-16B & Other Options | Databack | Nikkor lens mount (related info)Others:- Nikon AF-TTL Speedlights | SB-20 (1986) | SB-22 (1987) | SB-23 | SB-24 (1988) | SB-25 (1991/2) | SB-26 (1994) | SB-27(1997) | SB-28 (1997) | Nikon SB-29(s) (2000) | Nikon SB-30 (2003) | Nikon SB-600 (2004) | Nikon SB-800 (2003) Nikon AF-TTL Speedlight DX-Series: Nikon SB-28DX (1999) | SB-50DX (2001) | SB-80DX (2002)
Nikon BC-flash Series | Original Nikon Speedlight
SB-2 | SB-3 | SB-4 | SB-5 | SB-6 | SB-7E | SB-8E | SB-9 | SB-E | SB-10
SB-11 | SB-12 | SB-14 | SB-140 UV-IR| SB-15 | SB16A | SB-17 | SB-18, SB-19 | SB-21A (SB-29) Macro flash | Flash Accesories | SF-1 Pilot Lamp
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 Nikon Auto Focus Nikkor lenses:- Main Index Page
Nikon Manual Focus 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 |
Index PageSpecial 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-20ERecommended 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.htmlW A R N I N G: The New G-SERIES Nikkor lenses have no aperture ring on the lens, they CANNOT ADJUST APERTURES with any of these manual focus Nikon FE series SLR camera models; please ignore some portion of the content contained herein this site where it relates.
| Back | Main Index Page of Nikkor Resources
| Back | Main Index Page of Pictorial History of Nikon SLRs| Message Board | for your Nikkor optics ("shared" because I do wish some of you to expose to other's perspective as well. Isn't it a sad sate to see photography has to be segmented into different camps from the use of various labels)
about this photographic web site
Home - Photography in MalaysiaA contributing effort to Michael C Liu's Classic Nikon Site.
Credit: Chuck Hester for some of his beautiful images used in this site; Ted Wengelaar®, Holland for his continuous flow of input; Lars Holst Hansen, Danish 'Hawkeye' who shares the same passion; Mr Poon from Poon photo for their input; Ms Miss Rissa (Sales Manager) & members of the Technical Service dept. of Shriro Malaysia, local distributor of Nikon cameras in Malaysia & Singapore, in providing so many useful input to make this site possible. Special thanks to Mr MC Lau, who has helped with his images of the MF-12 databack. Michael Tan, Pertama Photo (603-2926505) for lending his original Titanium Shutter Display Unit. Dave Hoyt who has prepared the introductory page and offer some images of his FE2 in this site.. Hiura Shinsaku, Nikomat ML, Japan for his contribution on all the various images; A contributing site to a long lost friend on the Net. Note: Certain content and images appeared in this site were either scanned from official marketing leaflets, brochures published by Nikon and/or contribution from surfers who claimed originality of their own work to publish in this site based on educational merits. The creator of this site will not be responsible for any discrepancies that may arise from such possible dispute except rectifying them after verification."Nikon", "Nikkormat", "Nippon Kokagu KK" & "Nikkor" are registered tradename of Nikon Corporation Inc., Japan. Made witha PowerMac.