Nikon FA - Setup for Leica lens & Others

How to setup a Nikon FA to read another manufacturer lens and then operate okay in P & S mode.

The FA is a sophisticated camera with Manual, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority and full Program modes. But with the Leica lens, older Nikkors, or other lenses like SP Tamrons, they will only work on M or A mode. They will also only work on Centre Weighted metering not the AMP (Automatic Multi-Pattern). 

Studying the Mir.com.my site I could see the possibility that the lens Meter Coupling Lever would give the info to the camera as to the type of lens fitted and this should then make the S & P modes work, as well as the AMP metering. I experimented with small plastic packers and sure enough the camera registered this info as if a Nikon AIS lens was fitted. I then fabricated a small plastic block from 2.3mm thick plastic and this locks securely under the Meter Coupling Lever and provides a stopper at the correct distance. As a very rough guide here are the stopper sizes needed to register the Maximum Aperture Index of varying lens maximum apertures.

1.5mm = F1.2, 1.8mm = F1.4, 2.4mm = F1.8, 3.2mm = F2, 3.4mm = F2.5, 4.3mm = F2.8, 5.5mm = F3.5, 6.5mm = F4.5, 7.3mm = F5.6. These are just approximate and you will need to test & file carefully to get it right.

With the plastic block in place this is how a F mount Leitz Elmarit-R 1:2.8 / 28mm works in S & P mode. The AMP metering is clearly now working in these modes and in A mode. These inserts would work well when using other manufacturers lenses that do couple to the Nikon F aperture lever like the SP Tamron Adaptall2 lenses, or older non AI Nikkor lenses. 

In S Mode instead of getting a corresponding reading in the viewfinder LED of say F11 matching the position of the lens aperture, what is seen is F2.8 matching only the plastic block setting on the Meter Coupling Lever no matter what you set the lens aperture ring at. This is because the lens aperture ring is not coupled with the Meter Coupling Ring (with the Leica lens - Tamron Adaptall2 would couple). But that doesn't matter as long as the Meter Coupling Lever is now matching the lens maximum aperture, the camera takes correctly exposed photos once the lens aperture is rotated till F2.8 shows up in the view finder LED instead of a recommended speed - as per the manual. ( read the FA manual for all the vagaries of lens types using the S mode).

In P Mode the camera still works. Now you think I am telling you B-S because you know the Leitz lens is not coupled to the Aperture Coupling Lever in the body. So how can an automatic Program mode function? Well it does as I have tested this using my digital back that fits onto the FA. As all FA owners know, in P mode, when you see "FEE" in the LED it means you need to dial the aperture around to it's smallest setting like F22. But instead with this camera I just take a guess at the aperture setting using "Sunny 16 Rule" and let the camera work it out from there.

My digital back tests show there is a consistent reasonably exposed image obtained within a range of a F Stop either way. So say I see the scene as an F16 shot, I can guess set the aperture at either F11 or F 16 or F 22 and get a reasonably close result in P mode. There is some variance but with my digital back fitted on the FA I can only shoot in infrared (no IR/Anti Aliasing Filter) which means I need to set the Nikon to 800 ASA and the digital back Nex to 200 ASA, this exacerbates any light discrepancy, more so than when the ASA & ISO are matching with the sensor filter installed.

To test the above I took 5 photos of a scene that was best exposed at say 1/250th @ F16 using the Leitz 28mm lens. I set the Nikon to P mode with the lens aperture at F5.6 to F22. So in P mode the camera only knows that I have a 2.8 maximum aperture lens and as far as it is concerned I have not moved the aperture to it's smallest setting of F22 because the body Coupling Ring is still set at F2.8 and it is giving me the "FEE" warning in the LED. What it then does to compute the shot I have no idea but they do come out okay. With a lens that does couple to the aperture lever like an SP Tamron and the correct sized spacer block installed, then the P mode should work just fine. Here are the shots starting at F5.6 in P mode.

The Nikon FA with the digital back installed for testing.

Now that this seems to test okay with the digital back, I will try it out with film and see how the exposures work out.

Upgrade to Film

"You've definitely lost the plot"

We have a perfectly good Canon DSLR with pro lenses that has provided us with some great shots on our travels. So when I announced my intention to purchase film cameras and developing in coffee, the above encouraging words were spoken. So I will try to explain my Upgrade to Film, or is it just a regression with old age like going back to Beatles music on vinyl?

Looking over many digital photos in Flickr and 500px they just seem a bit unreal. There appears to be more kudos in direct proportion to the time spent in Photoshop ramping up the contrast to levels where landscape shots look like a different planet to the one we live on at present. The Film galleries just seem to provide more warmth and natural realism. I'm not a fan of photo editing software programs as I am told I have a colour perception deficiency. For me it's just run the scanning program, click auto adjust and accept the inevitable outcome in good faith - job done and await the critics.

I see Film Photography as an art form.

• The art starts with the thrill of securing the right camera at a bargain price, then buying all the bits and pieces for a few $'s from Hong Kong ebay traders. Little parcels arriving weekly in the post and half the time I am perplexed as to what I ordered until I feel the package and go oh yer - a lens cap.
• Once I've got the camera it usually needs some cleaning and basic servicing. They have sat on a shelf for 20+ years and just need a new battery and fire off 100 shots or so. Light seals are easy to replace and often it is the camera that looks a bit rough that comes up a diamond mechanically. Nearly every camera I purchased has immaculate lenses which is a good sign the camera had very little use. I prefer camera sets that are one owner and have lenses.
• Sourcing 35mm film at a reasonable price locally is impossible. The ebay trader 'Film Festival' has good stocks at the right price but there is a shipping delay that is worth the wait.
• Taking the camera out for a photo shoot is just awesome. Each shot has to be thought out, planned and executed as film is too expensive to waste. The feel of the metal body, the simple adjustments using real dials that don't beep, manual focus, frame the subject perfectly and press the shutter release to feel the superb internal mechanical movements as the piece of jewellery in my hand operates a multitude of mechanical and electrical functions to allow just the right amount of photons to enter and embed into the film coating. Did I just capture light!
• Finding a good colour processing lab can be the next challenge in this art form. Not much help there but for a whole lot of fun is self developing black and white film in various emulsions. The best challenge is Caffenol where all the ingredients can be sourced at the supermarket.
• If I've had success with all this and by some miracle have exposed negatives, then it's time for the 'coup de grace' when the negs are put in the scanner and the preview scan comes up on the screen. Be prepared for many disasters, but then there are the surprise rewards with great shots that I've forgotten I took.

Thats the art form for me. It's the whole process and the challenge with what can occasionally be an outstanding result as good as anything an expensive digital camera could do without a big dose of photoshop.