FOREWORD
The Nikon F2 Photomic offers the serious photographer the ultimate in quality performance, convenience and versatility. At the same time, it is engineered to take the guesswork out of photography with automatic features anyone can learn to use in minutes. To get the most out of your Nikon F2 Photomic, study the instructions carefully and practice using the controls before you load any film in the camera. Keep this booklet handy for ready reference until you have mastered its basics, and follow the suggestions for camera care given on page 42. The few moments you spend familiarizing yourself with the camera will guarantee you the best results and increase your picture-taking enjoyment many times over.
INSTALLING THE BATTERIES
The exposure meter in the Photomic finder is powered by two 1.5V silver batteries which are supplied with the camera. To install the batteries, twist the cap on the camera baseplate with a coin or similar object to remove it and drop them into the battery chamber. Make sure that the plus (+) side faces out.
Caution: Remove the silver batteries from the camera when not in use for a long time.
Checking the Batteries
A built-in battery checker lets you check the condition of the silver batteries at a glance. Pull out the filmadvance lever just far enough to uncover the red dot on top of the camera, press the battery checker button and watch the needle in the window on top of the finder. If the needle swings to the right edge of the notch or beyond, the batteries are in good condition. Normally a set of batteries will last for about one year.
Caution: At below-freezing temperatures, the silver battery may malfunction or cease to operate until the temperature rises again. Be careful not to expose the battery to severe cold for long periods of time.
LOADING THE CAMERA
Fold out the O/C key and turn counterclockwise until the arrow points to the “‘O”’ (open) mark and the hinged camera back pops open. Pull up the rewind knob as far as it will go, and drop a film cartridge or loaded cassette into the film chamber with the film leader pointing toward the take-up spool.
Now, push the rewind knob down to hold the cartridge in place and insert the end of the film leader into any one of the six slots in the take-up spool. Stroke the film- advance lever slowly to make sure that the film perforations mesh with the sprockets and that the edges of the film run parallel to the film guide rails.
Close the camera back and lock it by turning the O/C key clockwise until the arrow points to ‘‘C”’ (close). Fold out the rewind crank and turn it gently in the direction of the arrow until you feel a slight resistance. This will take up any slack in the film cartridge.
Advance the film and make two blank exposures to dispose of the first few inches of film which have been exposed during loading. When you do this, watch the rewind knob to make sure it rotates in the direction opposite the arrow while the film is being advanced. This will indicate that the film has been loaded correctly and is being advanced.
The frame counter in the window in front of the filmadvance lever should now be at “‘O’’. Advance the film one more frame and you are ready to take the first picture.
Caution: Do not load the camera in bright sunlight. If no other shade is available, shade the camera from the sun with your body while loading.
The O/C key can be unscrewed and removed for mounting the Motor Drive MD-1. However, normally it should not be unscrewed, especially when the camera is loaded with film as this may expose the film.
Note: The camera back can be removed from the body by depressing the locking catch located on the hinge. This must be done when the camera is used with the 250 Magazine Back MF-1, which wraps around the body in place of the back.
Unloading
When the frame counter indicates that the last exposure has been made, or when the film-advance lever can no longer be stroked, the roll of film has been exposed and should be removed.
To unload, press the rewind button on the camera baseplate, pull up the rewind knob, unfold the rewind crank and turn it with a constant, gentle pressure in the direction of the arrow until you feel an increased tension.
Give it a few more turns until no more tension can be felt and the crank turns loosely. Now the film has left the sprockets and the camera may be opened. Pull the rewind knob up as far as it will go and the film cartridge will drop out. As soon as the film-advance lever is stroked, the rewind button will pop out and the film-advance mechanism will be engaged again.
Note: The film can also be rewound using the Motor Drive MD-1. For details see the instruction manual for the Motor Drive.
Film-Plane Indicator
The exact position of the film plane can be determined by picturing an imaginary line drawn along the top edge of the digits which make up the camera serial number. This is important to know when measuring the film-to-subject distance in closeups or macrophotography.
Frame Counter
The frame counter works automatically to show how many frames have been exposed. It is calibrated in even numbers with the figures S, 12, 20 and 36 colored orange. The counter stops just past the 40-frame mark and resets itself automatically to ‘’S’”’, two frames before ‘‘O’’, when the camera back is opened for reloading.
Film-Advance Lever
The film-advance lever simultaneously advances the film, cocks the shutter and operates the frame counter. It also switches the exposure meter in the Photomic finder on and off. Stroke the film-advance lever with the right thumb in a single stroke of 120° or a series of strokes. A built-in locking device prevents the shutter from being released unless it is fully cocked and the film has been advanced a full frame. The lever springs back to Its original position, with a 20° angle of clearance for the thumb after each complete stroke.
Memo Holder
A piece of paper or top torn from an empty film carton can be inserted in the metal pocket on the back to serve as a reminder of the film type, speed and number of exposures.
Setting the Film Speed (ASA)
The exposure meter in the Photomic finder must be set for the ASA speed of the film in use, otherwise incorrect exposures will result. Lift up the milled ring around the ASA film-speed dial and turn it until the red arrow points to the speed of the film loaded in the camera. The meter is sensitive within a range of ASA6—6400.The film-speed dial has two dots between each pair of numbers for intermediate settings such as 64, 80, 125, etc.