Nikon F2 Photomic Finder DP-3 BOOKLET Product booklet

NOMENCLATURE

Shutter-speeddial lock

S hutter-speedselector

Maximum apertureindicator

EE apefture control coupling

Finder mountingclamps

Finder releaselever

Finder illuminator switch

External "correct exposure" indicator

ASA film-speedindex ring

ASA film-speedscale
                           b t#)
                             www.orphancameras.com

FOREWORD
The F2SB Photomic Finder DP-3 is a com-  shutter speed and aperture settingswithin the
pact, precision pentaprism finder assembly finder, the built-in finder illuminator, and the
featuring the latest in metering technology for  ready-light for use with  flash units. Silicon
the finest photographic results over a wide  Photodiodes(SPD) are used in the metering
range of  lighting conditions, including low-  circuitry for rapid responseto changing light
light levels. Designed to  fit  any F2 Nikon  levels, and they are especially advantageous
camera body,  the  DP-3  incorporates the  for accurate and quick readings under low-
Nikon  "Photomic"  thru-the-lens metering light conditions to EV -2.  Additional so-
method that concentrates6O% of the reading  phistications employed in the metering sys-
within the I2mm-diameter central portion of  tem include a monolithic lC for exposurede-
the view-field; thus, metering is quick and  tection and indication, and a metallic thin-
precise for  varied lighting situations, and  film  resistor (the Functional ResistanceEle-
covers virtually 1OO% of the picture image ment or FRE); both of these deviceshelp to
frame as visible on the focusing screen. Ex- ensure the most dependableoperation under
posure settings with the DP-3 are easy to see, demanding picture-takingsituations. ln addi-
easy to set via the use of light-emitting diodes  tion, this finder coupleswith the EE Aperture
(LEDs) for visualdisplay.The combination of  Control Attachments DS-l IDS-2 for shutter-
the three LEDs within the finder enablesfive- speed priority  automatic exposure control.
step display of the exposure for fine adjust- To ensure you get the best results from your
ments to the precisesetting desired. An addi- F2SB Photomic Finder DP-3, read this in-
tional LED  is provided atop the finder for  struction manudl carefully. Keep the manual
exposuresettingswhen using the built-in eye- handy until you have thoroughly familiarized
piece shutter for  special shooting situations yourself with  the unit and its operation. A
such as remote control photography with ap- few  minutes of  preparation will  help you
erture control  unit and motor  drive. Other  avoid costly mis-takes.
merits of  the DP-3 include the display of                                          5

P R EPAR A T I O NF O R U S E

                             A t t a c h i n g  t h e F i n d e r
                              The F2SB Photomic Finder DP-3 attaches to any F2
                                 Nikon camera body without the need for modification or
                                   adjustment. To attach the DP-3 to the camera body, per-
                                  form the following: Set the aperture ring of the lens (if
                                mounted) to the maximum aperture setting, gently place
                                    the finder in the mounting position,and then firmly press
                                                               it down until it clicks and locks into place.Note that the
                                 DP-3's finder mounting clamps (depicted in red in the
                                        figure) will engage the pins on the camera body when
                                    properly seated. To couple the lens and finder for pro-
                                    per indexing, turn the lens' aperture ring to the mini-
                        mum aperture setting, then all the way to the maximum
                                   aperture setting; with  this action, the finder is properly
                                 indexed to the lens (see Page 9 for additional details).





                            www.orphancameras.com

R e n t o v i n g t h e F i n d e r
To remove the DP-3 from the camera, press the finder
release lever inward and rotate toward the front  (this
action releases the  mounting  clamps); then, depress
the finder releasebutton at the rear of the camera body
and lift the findeiout  of the camera.





S h u t t e r S p e e d C o u P l i n g  .
The shutter-speedselectorof the DP-3 finder is part of an
extenderassemblythat coupleswith the camera'sshutter'
speeddial. After mounting the DP-3 on the camera,turn
the selector left  or  right  until   it engages with  the
camera'sshutter-speeddial and the two can be turned in
tandem.

P R E PAR A T I O NF O R U S E - c o n t i n u e d

                                   L e n s / F i n d c r C o u p l i n g
                              The F2SB Photomic Finder DP-3 takes advantageof the
                                  automatic diaphragm feature of most Nikkor lenses to
                              measure light  with  the lens wide open. Full-aperture
                                  metering gives a bright, clear finder image for viewing
                               and focusing, and minimizes the effect of light entering
                                     the viewfinder from the eyepiece.
                                             ln order to measureexposure at full aperture with lenses
                                  having different maximum apertures, the meter must be
                                 coupled with the maximum aperture of the lens in use.
                                    This is done each time the lens is attached or changedas
                                       follows: Position the lens in the camera'sbayonet mount
                                  so that the mounting index dots on the lens and the
                               camera body are aligned. Grasp the lens by the white
                                    milled ring and twist  it counterclockwiseuntil  it clicks
                                         into  place. Turn  the aperture ring all the way to the





                            www.orphancameras.com

minimum aperture setting (largest f/number), then all
the way in the oppositedirection.This step automatically
fits the coupling pin of the Photomic finder into the cou-
p l i n g p r o n g o n  t h e l e n s a n d s e t s t h e f i n d e r f o r  t h e m a x i -
m u m a p e r t u r eo f  t h e l e n s .

   '  , I                                 '  r                                                                              .             I   '       I
As the lens' aperture ring is turned to the maximum aper-
ture position at the completion of lens/finder coupling
and indexing,the finder displaysthe lens' maximum aper-
ture via the indicator provided (seefigure below). For ex-
ample,a lens with a maximum apertureof t12.8 will cause
" 2 . 8 "  t o a p p e a r i n  t h e  f i n d e r ' s m a x i m u m a p e r t u r ei n d i -
cator when properly coupled. The scale is provided with
numbers (and dots for  intermediate settings) of from
" 1 . 2 " t o " 5 . 6 " a s d e p i c t e d .

                                                      4.5


                                                        2.5



              M a x i m u m A p e r t u r eS c a l e
                                                                             9

1 ' [ I E PAR A T I O TN' O RU. S t    c ( ) n t i n L r c t l

                                                                        I n : t . r l l i n et h c  [ ] , r t t c ir c :
                              The F2SB Photomic Finder DP-3 is powered by two high'
                                 performance silver-oxide batteriesmounted in the battery
                              chamber in the baseplateof the camera. To install the
                                      batteries,first remove the battery chamber cover (turn it
                               90o counterclockwiseusinga coin or similar obiect); then,
                                   place two 1.5V silver-oxide(buttod-celltype) batteriesin
                                     the chamber, making sure that the plus (+) side of each
                                        unit faces out. After inserting and properly seating the
                                      batteries, replace the cover and lock  it  to secure the
                                 assem bl y.
                            C a u t i o n : R e m o v et h e b a t t e r i e sw h e n t h e c a m e r ai s n o t t o
                                    b e u s e df o r a l o n g p e r i o d .  di..1                              A t b e l o w - f r e e z i n gt c m p e r a t u r c s t, h e b a t t c r i e sm a y m a l -
                          \                                  f u n c t i o n o r c e a s et o o p e r a t e u n t i l  t h e  t e m p c r a t u r cr i s e s                                    again. Be careful not to exposc them to severecold for
                                                                                           l o n g p e r i o d s .





                             www.orphancameras.coml 0

C h e c k i n g t h e B a t t e r i e s
The camera's film-advance lever serves as the ON/OFF
switch for the DP-3 finder. Thus, to check battery power,
perform the following: Pull out the lever just far enough
to uncover the red meter ON index on the top of the
camera;then, look within the finder to see if any of the
LED  exposure indicators are illuminated.  lf  any  of
the indicators are lit, battery power is sufficient for pro-
per operation. lf none of the LEDs light, battery posi-
tioning should be checked; then,  if none of the LEDs
light, replacebatteries.

P R EPAR A T I O NF O R U S E - c o n t i n u e d

                             S e t t i n g  t h e F i l m S p e e d
                              The exposure meter of the DP-3 must be adjusted to the
                               speed of the film  in use to ensure correct measurement;
                                      thus, a film-speed scale (ASA graduations) and an index
                                        ring are provided on the finder. To adjust, lift up the
                                    milled ASA film*peed index ring and turn it until the red
                                   index triangle is aligned with the ASA value for the film
                                             in use. The meter is sensitiveacrossthe full range of from
                            ASA12  to 4546400.  The film-speed dial has two dots
                               between each pair of numbers for intermediate settings
                                such as 64,80, "125, etc.





                          -

                            www.orphancameras.com

EXPOSUREMEASUREMENT
The exposure meter  of  the  DP-3 features a center-
weighted TTL  metering system coupled to the shutter
speed and aperture controls. The meter reads the light
over the entire focusing screen but favors the central
'l2mm       diameter area. This allows you to make precise
readingsof the selectedsubject area, resulting in balanced
overall exposures.
The amount of light reachingthe film is determinedby a
combination of the lens aperture and the shutter speed.
Of course,since the two are interrelated,different com-
binations will give the same amount of exposure when
carefully chosen. The best combination for your needs
will depend on the resultsdesired.Use fast shutter speeds
to  f reeze motion, or use slow speeds to create deliberate
blur. Small aperturesgive greater depth of field, while
large apertures restrict sharp focus to the main subject'
The table below shows how control settings are inter-
related; all combinationsshown give the same exposure.
  Aperture      f 11.4   fl2         f 12.8    fl4      f ls.6
   Shutter                                                                   't   speed    1/s00 1l2so 1112s 1160  130
  (second)

EXPOSURE M EASUREMENT-continued
                Underexposure by more than 1 stop    DeterminingExposure
  - o        Underexposureby 1/5 to 1 stop      The DP-3 has three LED exposure indicators visible with-
                                             in the finder viewfield ("+"  for overexposure, "o"  for                  Correct exposure   o                              correct exposure,and "-"   for underexposure);thus, the
                                  1 stop      DP-3 is capable of providing easy-to-readexposure infor-   o +    Overexposureby 1/5 to
                 Overexposure by more than 1 stop     mation in five steps, and even at low-light levels. Addi-    +                                          tionally, the selected shutter speed and lens aperture
                                      settings are visible for maximum ease of operation. for
                                      setting the desiredexposure.
                              To determine the correct exposurewith the DP-3: Switch
                        ON the meter by moving the film-advancelever to the
                                   standoff position; with this action, one of the LED indi-
                                    cators  will  light,  indicating overexposure, correct ex-
                                posure or underexposure.lf the plus (+) indicator lights,
                                   increase the shutter speed or decreasethe aperture until
                                    the center (o) indicator just comes on and the (+) turns
                                              off;  if the minus (-)  indicator is lit, decreasethe shutter
                               speed or increase the aperture until the center indicator
                                         lights. When two LEDs light simultaneously(i.e.,+ and o,
                                      or  -  and o), the exposure setting is within 1-stop of
                                     correct exposure; thus, be sure to adjust the aperture
                                      setting slowly  to get only the correct "center"  (o) ex-
                                   posure. Values for the five settings of the LEDs are de-
                                    scribed in the figure on this page.
                            www.orphancameras.com

EXPOSURE M EASU R EM ENT-continued

                                   Metering Range
                                                                 lf the center "correct exposure" LED fails to illuminate,
                                 even after  all possible lens-aperture/shutter-speedcom-
                                      binations have been tried, then the available light is too
                                         bright or too dim for the meter's range. To correct this
                                         situation, several measures may be taken, as follows:
                                    Switch to a new film (either faster or slower) that more
                                     closely matches the availablelight; mount a neutral den-
                                             sity filter on the lens to decreasethe light reaching the
                                          film plane; or use artificial lighting (i.e., an electronic
                                   Speedlightunit) to increasesubjectillumination. Remem-
                                        ber, too, that the lens in use can greatly influence suita-
                                               bility for bright or dim shooting. For example, a 50mm
                                                                          f 11.4 lens (with ASA  1 00 film) couples f rom EV -2
                                             (tl'1.4 at 8 seconds)to eV 11 (f 18 at'll2O0O second)for
                                     excellent low-light performance; on the other hand, a
                           200mm f/4 lens proves more usable at bright-light levels,
                                         c o u p l i n g ( w i t h A S A  1 0 0  f i l m )   f r o m E V 1   ( f 1 4 a t 8
                                 seconds)to EV 20 (f 122 at112000 second).Thus, choose
                                      the  lens carefully to match the existing lighting con-
                                          ditions.
                      H igh-ContrastLightingSituations
                            When there are substantialbrightnessdifferencesbetween
                             www.orphancameras.com1 6

the main subject and the background, unimportant bright
spots or dark spots can adversely influence the finder
reading,and thus the final exposure.To prevent under- or
overexposure of the main subject under these shooting
conditions, some corrective action must be taken to en-
sure proper exposure of the main subject. Fortunately,
the DP-3'scenter-weightedTTL metering action simplifies
adjustments,making for quicker camera operation and
more accuratefinal results.
To compensate for an excessivelybright or dark back-
ground, target the main subject in the center of the focus-
ing screen while performing metering; this action ensures
that the main emphasis of the meter reading will be on
the chosen subject. Then,' after completing aperture and
shutter speed adjustments, recompose to  the desired
picture composition and make the exposurewithout re-
adjustingthe camera controls. For example, when shoot-
ing landscapes,it  is often advisable to aim the camera
slightly downward during exposuremeasurementto elimi-
nate the effects of a bright expanse of sky; without such
compensation,the landscapemay appear underexposed
in the final print. Also, for backlit subjects,it may be
necessaryto move closer to the subject to ensure a proper
reading.(Seefollowing pagesfor example photos.)

EXPOSU R E M E AS U R F-M ENT-continued





                                                f 5.6 + O     25o
                 o  Metering with a bright area in the center will cause
                  underexposureof the main subject.
                            www.orphancameras.com

fb.6 + O     6o

o  For correct exposure, first measurethe main sub-
    ject; then, recomposeand shoot.
                                                                 1 9

EXPOSURE MEASU R EMENT-continued

                             E x t r e m e L o w - L i g h t M c t e r i n g
                              The F2SB Photomic Finder DP-3 is capableof metering
                                      low-light levels requiring slow shutter speeds of up to
                                10 seconds. To meter at low-light levels, perform the
                                     following: Set the lens' aperture ring to the desiredaper'
                                       ture setting, and the shutter-speedselector to "8";  then,
                                 depressand hold the shutter'speeddial lock and turn the
                                   selectoruntil the center LED exposureindicator (o) illu'
                                 minates to indicate correct exposure. Having set the selec-
                                             tor, read off the number on the extra'long exposure scale
                               and set the camera'sself-timer for the indicated value (see
                               camera instruction manual for  details concerning self-
                                     timer operation). When performing low-light metering, be
                                  sure to block the entry of stray light into the viewfinder
                                 by closing the eyepieceshutter (seefollowing section)or
                                 by continuouslyviewing through the finder.
                             E y e p i e c e S h u t t e r O p e r a t i o n
                              The DP-3 is fitted with an eyepieceshutter for specialun-
      o 8 4 2                 manned shooting situations (e.g., remote control auto-
                               mated shooting with motor drive and automatic aperture
                                       control) requiring protection against the entry of stray
                                          light through the viewfinder eyepiece. To  close the
                                     shutter, simply turn the eyepiece shutter control 60o
                            www.orphancameras.comclockwise; as the shutter closes,the internal LEDs are

deactivated and the external "correct exposure" indi-
cator is switched on for metering operation from atop the
finder. To set the camera for proper exposure using the
external LED indicator, simply adjust the aperture ring
and/or the shutter-speed selector until  the LED  just
glows; once the LED comes on, the camera is set for
correct exposure. In  addition  to  its use for  low-light
metering or  for unmanned photography, the eyepiece
shutter comes  in handy  to  ensure correct exposure
measurementin critical shooting situations (e.g., photo-
micrography) or for protection againstthe entry of bright
light into the viewfinderduring daylight shooting.

F i n d e r  l l l u m i n a t o r
When shooting under low-light levels,the finder'sshutter
speed and aperture indicators (located just below the
viewfinder image) often are difficult to read. To solve this
problem, the. DP-3 is fitted with a finder illuminator. To
operate, slide the illuminator switch at the top of the
finder toward the rear of the camera; with  this action,
the shutter speed and aperture settings will glow red.

S IOI'-DO\\/N EX t'()S U t<t-

                                 With some Nikkor lenses,full-apertureexposuremeasure-
                       m e n t  i s n o t p o s s i b l ee, i t h e r b e c a u s et h e l e n s h a s n o a u t o -
                                  matic diaphragm, or becausethe lens does not couple
                                    with the finder's meter; with certain accessories,too, lens/
                                                                      f i n d e r c o u p l i n g  i s   l o s t ,  t h u s , p r e v e n t i n gf u l l - a p e r t u r e
                       m e a s u r e m e n tH. o w e v e r ,t h e D P - 3 ' s P h o t o m i c m e t e r c a n
                                                  still be used for exposureme;$urementvia the stop-down
                       m e t h o d . B e f o r e m o u n t i n g t h e l e n s ( o r a c c e s s o r yo) n  t h e
                                       c a m e r ab o d y , p u s h t h e D P - 3 ' sm e t e r c o u p l i n gp i n u p  i n t o
                                                                      t h e  f i n d e r w i t h a c o i n o r s i m i l a r o b j e c t ; w h e n s e t , t h e
                                   n u m b e r " 5 . 6 " w i l l a p p e a ri n  t h e f i n d e r ' sm a x i m u m a p e r -
                                                                      t u r e i n d i c a t o r .A f t e r s e t t i n gt h e f i n d e r , m o u n t t h e l e n so r
                                 lens/accessorycombination on the camera,switch on the
                       m e t e r b y m o v i n g t h e f i l m - a d v a n c el e v e r t o  t h e s t a n d o f f
                                   p o s i t i o n ,a n d t h e n s e t t h e c o n t r o l s f o r c o r r e c t e x p o s u r e
                                   a s f o l l o w s :
                                 For automatic diaphragmlenseswith no coupling prong,
                                       s u c h a s  t h e Z o o m - N i k k o r 2 0 0 - 6 0 0 m m f 1 9 . S l e n s a n d
                                       s u p e r - t e l e p h o tloe n s e su s i n g N i k o n f o c u s i n gu n i t s ,s e t t h e
                             camera to the desired shutter speed; then, depressthe
                                    depth-of-field preview button  to stop-down the lens
                                   d i a p h r a g m a n d , w h i l e h o l d i n g  t h e b u t t o n d e p r e s s e d ,
                                   a d j u s t t h e a p e r t u r er i n g u n t i l  t h e c e n t e r L E D   i n d i c a t o r
                            comes on. Be sure to releasethe depth-of-fieldbutton
                            www.orphancameras.comprior to making the exposure.

For fixed-aperture lenses,such as Reflex-Nikkor lenses,
simply adjust the shutter-speedselector until the center
LED indicator comes on. For convenience,shutter speeds
can be set at intermediate settings in the 1/80 sec. to
1/2000 sec. speed range for  precise exposures. lf  the
meter indicates continuous overexposure'use a neutral
densityfilter or slower film.  lf continuousunderexposure
is indicated, supplementary lighting or a faster film  is
necessary.This technique is alsosuitablefor photography
usinga telescopeor microscoPe.

For bellows units, extension rings and preset lenses,set
the camerato the desiredshutter speed;then, stop down
the lens manually until the center LED indicator comes
on. Preset-typelensesinclude PC-Nikkor lenses.





                                                                            2 3

E X P O SU R EC O M P E N S A T I O AN D J U S T M E N T S

                              A d j u s t m e n t s  f o r F o c u s i n g S c r e e n s
                                       Light transmission properties vary somewhat with focus-
                                        ing screen type, thus occasionally requiring exposure
                                      correction to compensatefor the combined effects of the
                                    lens/screen combination in use. The numbers listed in
                                     various blocks of the table on the opposite page denote
                                      the amount of correction necessaryin f/stops. To adfust
                                      the DP-3 for the indicated f/stop correction, lift and turn
                                     the ASA filmspeed index ring until the ASA valuefor the
                                           film  in use is aligned with the appropriate mark engraved
                                 on the ring. In the example figure shown, ASA 100 is
                                     aligned with the -/z  mark to provide the correction re-
                                     quired when using the Type C screen with a DP-3 Photo-
                                  mic Finder-equippedF2 Nikon camera and the Fisheye-
                                   Nikkor 8mm f/2.8 lens, as indicated in the table. (When
                                         "0"   is indicated in  the table, no compensation is re-
                                    q u ired.)
                                       = Exposure measurement via fu I l-aperture method.
                                                                         I    =Exposure measurementvia stop-down method.
                                    =Exposure measurement not  possible; lens/screen                                                                              |
                                        combination  permits  only  focusing  operation.
                                   Blank space indicates lens/screencombination cannot be
                                   used.
24                            www.orphancameras.com