Nikon FA - Archived 301-325 Message Board/Guestbook

Modern Classic SLRs Series :
Nikon FA - Archived 301-325 Message Board/Guestbook

Nikon FA w/50mm f/1.8.jpg

From Eric (Thu Jan 18 12:31:06 2001 ):
Michael - Manual setting is 'basic' flash photography. In the old days, there was no automatic flash systems of any kind available. Your flash discharged at full output, and you had to manually adjust your apeture based on the subject(s) distance. TTL, or through the lens flash metering is a system where the cameras meter tells the flash when to cut it's power off. In the case of the FA, it's OTFP, or off the film plane flash metering. In essence, a meter sits right in front of the shutter at the bottom of the camera. When the light enters through the lens, it of course strikes the film. The TTL flash metering sensor measures this light, and sends the signal as to when to cut the flash, giving an accurate exposure. This all happens in a tiny fraction of a second, but offers more accurate exposures for flash photography. When you have your FA on the "B" or "M250" setting, metering is deactivated, and you are using manual flash mode or the flash's eye, but not TTL flash metering. When you have your shutter speeds on one of the regular speeds, TTL is activated if of course your flash is designed to function on TTL with the FA.
From Jeff (Wed Jan 17 04:47:17 2001 ):
I just purchased a Nikon FA recently and I found many 'dirt' inside the box. I need your advice..how to clean it. LMK.
From Mikael (Tue Jan 16 22:06:04 2001 ):
Hi and thank for the answer. I'm still a bit confused though : ) what is the difference between manual and auto? If I use manual, I switch to manual, read the aperture and shoot at the sync-speed, and if I use auto, it's the same, or? I'm also wondering if there only is one aperture per distance that's possible to use? Guess I should be looking for a manual somewhere : ) thanks again! M
From Lars (Tue Jan 16 16:52:22 2001 ):
Aniello - TTL setting is simpler than either A setting as the fleash is measured off the film (OTF) and hence through the lens (TTL). The flash duration will match the aperture (that you will have to think less about. With a Nikon flash your are even notified if the flash has given its full pouit put (with the risk that there was not enough light). The notification is via flashing the ready light LED in the finder. You then simply open up the aperture some on retake the shot. I suspect the 550FD could be similiar. On the opposite if the flash used its shortest duration youu could have got overexposure. You can suspect this if the the flash is instantanuously ready for the next shot. Just stop down a bit and retake. In most cases it does pay to estimate the distance and choose a suitable aperture though (based on the guide number or readiong a dial etc.).
From Aniello (Mon Jan 15 20:20:31 2001 ):
Eric - Thanks for the information and for the quick response. I should then use the A1 or A2 settings to make things as simple as possible. I'll expect a few bad pictures from my trials with the fg20/EM setting :-)
From Alan Clayton (Thu Mar 29 06:57:37 2001 ):
AE-Lock? I've mislaid my user manual and would like to know if there's a way to get AE-lock in any of the modes, please? I guess not because, so far, I haven't found a separate button of hiiden feature on a visible button. ???? Thanks guys.
From jefflee (Wed Mar 28 11:37:13 2001 ):
I am from Korea. I have been using a Nikkormat EL-W for many years and changed to a Nikon FA 3 years ago. This is a wonderful camera and seldom gave me any problems. The best combination is when it is used with the MD-15 which is very hard to find one nowadays. This is a wonderful site and it has almost all the info that I want to refer (technical references, Message Baord, owner's manual and many other resources such as info on accessories). I have joined the Nikon Users' group at Yahoo for about 2 years now but see little purpose, development and even maintenance at that forum. I am wondering what is the wisdom behind the need to create another forum for Nikon FA at Yahoo ? I am quite happy at this Malaysian site and I am always back to read messages posted on this board for at least once a week. Thank you.
From Sig Cohn (Sat Mar 24 01:33:54 2001 ):
I recently purchased a Nikon SB15 flash unit. I can't rotate the ASA film speed setting ring. It is jammed. Any ideas? Thanks.
From Eric (Fri Mar 23 16:53:40 2001 ):
New Nikon FA group at Yahoo Groups. All those interested in joining, please do - as the group is designed to exchange information. Visit www.groups.yahoo.com/group/nikonfa
From Nigel Patching (Sat Mar 10 22:39:03 2001 ):
I've just bought an FA but I don't have an instruction manual. Although this excellent site gives me more than enough information to operate the camera, it would be nice to have a manual. Does anyone have a copy of the pdf manual which was on this site until last year? If so could they be so kind as to email it to me or give me a url where it is hosted. Thanks Nigel
From maintainer (Fri Feb 16 23:23:51 2001 ):
A camera collector/photographer Mr YK Wong from Singapore has mailed me a dozen of his images on a Nikon Gold Grand Prix Camera '84 which he used to own; I have uploaded them after editing at: http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/credits/fagold/index.htm. However, I do have a little problem trying to reduce the file size while maintaining the Jpeg quality, so, each image is sized around 80k and may take a little while when downloading especially to some slower modems. Anyway, all credit to YK - Cheers !
From Robert (Wed Feb 14 05:46:21 2001 ):
I am a Nikon Technician in the USA. I repair every Nikon model. Email me for an estimate...... rkiplin@attglobal.net
From Eric (Mon Feb 12 08:14:19 2001 ):
Alex- If I understand what you are saying correctly - you have a faulty Program and Shutter Priority system. Nikon lenses are suppose to stay open at maximum apeture on your camera until the moment you fire the shutter - regardless of what apeture you have your lens on or what exposure mode you have your camera on. This is a mechanical system. On P or S mode, as you said you are indeed suppose to bring the apeture on the apeture ring down to the smallest. But the apeture should still stay open until the moment of exposure. IF your FA is ALWAYS bringing your apeture down to the smallest (i.e. f16 on your 1.4) on P or S modes then it is not functioning and is defective. With AI and AIS lenses there is no need whatsoever to do stop down metering. I would really take it to a camera shop at your earliest convienience and have them look it over. It sounds very likely that you should get a refund or full payment of repairs for your FA.
From Alexander Frese (Thu Feb 8 19:07:34 2001 ):
FA - Problem??? It would be very kind if anybody out there could give me a hint for my problem. I bought an FA few days ago. Everything seems to work fine, but: In mode "P" and "S" the camera shoots the exposure times it would shoot as if set to "M" and the smallest aperture. Remember, you have to set the lense to smallest aperture (i.e. 16 with a 50mm 1.4) to use these modes. But you can even see the body closes the aperture down to it's smallest value, and then shoots (too long) exposure. The displayed values in the finder are correct compared to measurements I do with other cameras, but if iI fire, it just stops down th aperture completely, and shoots then. I understand the FA should do a second metering stopped down, having read around a bit, I am a little unsure, if this should only happen with non AIS-lenses. If it does a second metering it should do it stopped down to the evaluated or preset value, but not to the smallest!? I tried it with three different AIS and one AI lense. All the same. Changing the power supply (new batteries or using an attached MD 15) didn't make any difference. Modes "A" and "M" work flawlessly. Question is, is there any experience with these symptoms? May be a comparable small defect, which can be worked on in a repair shop, but may also be a complete burnout of something no longer available as a spare part. Trouble is I got the body and winder over ebay. I sure might send it back, I had a cooperative contact with the seller, who is on vacation for a week (Right time...), before trading, but I might have the customs fees on my side and having nothing left :-(. So I would like to have it repaired and have the seller pay me back the difference to my price. But I don't want to pay the checkup price in a repair shop for the statement, that it cannot be repaired due to lack of replacement parts. I already faxed Nimon Germany (I live in Germany) with the same question, no answer yet. Maybe there is a freak out there with the appropriate repair manual covering the symptoms I described. Maybe he can give me a hint. Thank you very (!) much in advance. Alex
From Lars (Tue Feb 6 16:49:55 2001 ):
TTL is workable within an ISO range of 25-400, HOWEVER one can use 2/3 f-stops compensation to either side of this interval.
From Lars (Tue Apr 24 17:15:17 2001 ):
Guilbaud - You could be facing a problem of LCD degradation. Read more @ http://www.smu.edu/~rmonagha/mf/lcdlife.html You might be able abnle to secure a spare LCD for your FA from one of Nikon's spare part depts.
From guilbaud (Fri Apr 20 17:44:36 2001 ):
Hi ALL I have a small pb with the LCD of my FA. the half lower part of information didn't appear. Is anybody had this problem before? And do you know if there is simple repair solution Thanks Claude
From Lars (Mon Apr 16 17:31:05 2001 ):
Milke Wilde - you will attain all modes with you FA and an AI 35/2. AMP will work fine woith all genuine AI lenses or later (incl. AF but excl G-series).
From Mike Wilde (Mon Apr 16 16:23:38 2001 ):
Hi, I've owned and used Nikon for 21 years now, my favourite camera being the FE2, I have just sold my beloved F2A, (it just got too heavey to carry all day!), I am planning to rplace it with an FA, I realise that not all the modes are available if I use my beloved Nikkor 35?2 AI, However, am I right in believing that Matrix metering is still available when using AI mount Lenses. Best wishes Mike Wilde
From david miller (Tue Apr 10 06:25:28 2001 ):
I have a Nikon FA with a serious problem. A few years ago I destroyed the shutter. Since tghen I've sent the camera to 3 repair facilities and was informed that repair is imposible and Nikon no longer makes the the part. Any ideas would be greatly accepted. Even better, does anyone know of a reputable repair facilty in the north east? Thanks
From Lars (Fri Apr 6 20:32:45 2001 ):
Hi Jensen - the FA top cover is copperized plastic. See more @ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NikonMF/message/2740 Best regards, Lars.
From Jensen (Thu Apr 5 11:33:47 2001 ):
Does anyone of you know what material is that at the pentaprism ? Obviously it is not metal as compared with the FM that I have - is that plastic ? Does the camera is also made of plastic ? The site said it is made of metal.
From Lars (Sun Apr 1 18:18:54 2001 ):
Alan - FA was not given an AE lock. Perhaps Nikon though the AMP was so good that it would not be needed! If one however decides to use centre weighted metering the option would have come in handy.
From Albert (Thu Mar 29 19:23:05 2001 ):
I'm interested in photography and planning to purchase a nikon FA from someone. Can anybody give me any advise on checking whether the camera works well or not? I will very appreciate it. thank you.
From Alan Clayton (Thu Mar 29 06:59:31 2001 ):
Oops - that last message should have read "so far, I haven't found a separate button OR HIDDEN feature on a visible button" (fingers and brain became disconnected!)

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