Nikon FM2 BOOKLET Product booklet

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 Nikon





INSTRUCTIONMANUAL


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www.orphancameras.com   *   FoREwoRD
         Welcometo the FM2's uniqueworld of photography!With an
           unprecedentedmaximum shutter speed of 1/4000sec.,your
          camerais the fastest SLR availabletoday.This featureis com-                                                     '11250sec.,           plementedby a flash synchronizationspeed of          the
             fastest availablein 35mm photography.That's because the
         FM2 uniquely uses semi-beehive-etched,vertical-traveling,
            titanium mechanical shutter curtains. Other creativity-en-
           hancingfeaturesare the wide ASA/ISO range of 12 to 6400,
           interchangeablefocusing screens,the built-inLED ready-light
           as well as capability for multiple-exposureand motor drive
           photography.Additionally,the FM2 has a battery power-
           saving feature: a light touch of the lockableshutter release
            button activates the meter and the LED exposure display
           system,which automaticallyswitches off some 30 seconds
              later.To obtain the best resultswith the FM2, be sure to keep
             this instructionmanual handy until you've fully mastered
            operation-just a few minutes for many years of rewarding
           photography.

BASIC OPE RAT lO J{- www.orphancameras.comsontinued





                                                                      e   O p                       6 0 .                                                                                                            -t                                                                Pus            @
focusingindex@ on the lens with the lens mountingindex@                    counterclockwisewith your indexfinger
on the camera body.Then twist the lens mountingring @                    whileliftingthe film rewindknob@.The
counterclockwiseuntil it clicks into place. Confirm that the                  camerabackwill popopen.
aperture/focusingindexis righton top.
To remove:Pushthe lens releasebutton@ and turn the lens                                                                              Caution:Nevertouchtheshuttercurtains.mountingringclockwiseuntilthe lenscomesoff.
Note: Whenchanging/enseswith film loadedin the camera,be careful
notto exposethemirrorboxto directsunlight.

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                                                        {fl      Insert  the  film  leader     a  I   Wind the  f ilm advance                                      rYr                                                         I   I I                                                    in the takeup  spool.             lever to advance  film
film cartridgechamber@ with the film   Pullthe leaderacrossgentlyand insertit  onto the takeup spool.
leaderpointingtowardsthe takeupspool   into one of the slots in the film takeup Windthefilmadvanceleveranddepress
@, and pushthe rewindknobback down   spool. Slowly rotate the takeup spool  the shutterreleasebuttonuntilthe film
to secureit in olace.                  rnwardswithyourthumb,makingsurethe  sprockets@ engagethe perforationson
Note:Youcan useany of the 35mmtilmcar-   latchin the slot engagesthe first or sec-  theedgesof thefilm.Makesureyouwind
tildgesavailableon the market.lt is advisable ond oerforationalonqthe side of the film  theleverfullyuntilit comesto a stop.
to handlefilm in the shadeto avoiddirectex-   leader.
posuretosunlight

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 { 5,   Set the ASAIISO film       { 1:1 Hold the camera and llyr                                                          I vr   point it at the subject.       speed.
Lift the ASA/ISOfilm speed ring e and  Basicholdingposture:Useyour left hand
rotate it in eitherdirectionuntil the red   to cradle the camera,with your fingers
ASA/lSOfilm speedindicator@ is oppo'  wraooedaroundthe lens and the elbow
site the ASA/lSOfilm speedindicationin  proppedagainstyourbodyfor support,as
use Unlessthe f ilmspeedis set correctly, you lookthroughthe viewfinder.Useyour
you cannotobtaincorrectexposure.For   right hand'sindexfingerto depressthe
film speedsnot indicatedin the ASA/lSO  shutterreleasebuttonand your thumbto
filmspeeddial@,reJerto page18.       wind the film advancelever.Wrap the
                                     other fingersof your right hand around
                                       the camera body. You can adapt this
                                    basicpostureto both horizontaland ver-
                                              ticalformatshooting.To holdthe camera
                                    steady,it is advisableto leanon or against
                                somethingstrongandstable(e.g.,awall).
                                      Also,you can lookthroughthe viewfinder
                                      with the right or left eye, with the other
                                 eyeclosedor open.
                                                                            1 1

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                                                                          lmportant! lntermediatesettrngs of lens aperture but not of shutter    'l2mm-diameter                    circle)ofthe fieldof view insidethe viewfinder. soeedare usable.
    Thenturn the shutterspeeddial @ and/orlensaperturering @   Note: The meter readsthe light over the entire focusing screenbut has
     until the LED lamp for the symbol for correct exposureo   a distinct biason the central 12mm-diameterarea.
     lightsup.





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                                            Out of focus                                   ln focus
 { Q    Focus  on the subiect rtur       by rotating  the lens
focusing   ring  +o.
The FM2 is providedwith the TypeK2 fo-
cusingscreenas standard.Lookthrough
the viewfinderwhileturningthe focusing
ringuntilthe two halvesof the splitimage
rangefindercoincideperfectlyto form a
singleunbrokenimageand the imagein
the microprismgrid appearssharp.Cor-
rectfocuswillthenbe secured





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    hffi
         Depress the shutter                                                             Df    Press the film rewind          release button.                                                                             -      I I  button   *s .
    Lookthroughthe viewfinder,and depress   far as it will go to transportthe f ilm to the  After the last exposurehas been made,
     the shutterreleasebutton.In depressing  nextf rameand readythe camerafor the  turn the cameraupsidedown and press
     the shutterreleasebutton,applylightbut   next shot. Do not applyexcessivepres-  the film rewind button,so that the ex-
    steady pressurewith the ball of your   surein windingthe lever.Youcannotwind  posedfilm can be rewoundback into its
    indexfingerto avoidcamerashakethat   the leverwhenthe f ilm is at an end-you   cartridge.You don't have to depressthe
    mightresultin imageblur.              shouldthen rewindthe f ilm.             buttonall the wav.





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qrD  Rewind th   lm.            O.i,   Remove  the  film           6 A   Put the  film advance--r          Lift the film r    d crank and   -vr     cartridge.                      3f       t  lever back  into place.
turnit in the directionof the arrow.At the  Pushthe cameraback lock lever in the  Closethe cameraback and pushthe film
end of film rewind,you will feel a slight  directionof the arrow as you lift the film  advancelever into place.When you're
resistance.Continuewindingone or two   rewindcrank to open the camera back.  not usingthe camera,you shouldset the
moreturns untilthe crank feels lighter; Takeout the film cartridge.Avoidunload-  film advanceleverto this positionwhich
this will indicatethat the film leaderis   ingfilmin directsunlight.               locks the shutter release button and
nowf ullyrewoundintothe cartridge.                                     keeps the exposureindicatorlamps in-
                                                                          side the viewfinderswitchedoff even if
                                                                           the shutterreleasebuttonis accidentally
                                                                      pressed.
                                                                               Note:Evenif the exposureindicatorlampis lit,
                                                                                                                                               it will automaticallybe switchedoff in approx.
                                                                     30 sec, and the exposuremeasuringcircuit
                                                                                                       willsimultaneouslybe cutoff.

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CONTROLSIN DETAIL





                      Gi.*ooli6f

Film advance lever @                 Frame counter @
The film advanceleveralso functionsas a lock for the shutter  The additivetype frame counteris graduatedfrom S  '1 2 4-
releasebutton.The shutterreleasebuttonis unlockedwhenthe  up to 36 in even numberswith odd numbersindicatedby white
leveris pulledout to the standoffposition.To advancethe f ilm,  dotsin betweenthe evennumbers.Evenif there'sno film in the
wind the lever to the right all the way until it stops. lt auto-  camera,the frame counteris operative,advancingby a single
maticallyreturnsto the standoffpositionthe momentyou take  frame every time the film advancelever is fully wound.After
your thumb off it. A single,completedstrokeof the leverad-  frame36 of a 36-exposurerollof f ilm,the counterwill not oper-
vancesthe film by a singleframe and simultaneouslycocks  ate even if you repeatedlypressthe shutterreleasebuttonand
the shutter.                                         wind the film advancelever;film will be advanced,however,
                                                                   untilthe actualend of the film roll.The counteris automatically
                                                         resetto S whenthe camerabackis opened.





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Shutter release button @
The shutterreleasebuttonalso servesto activatethe FM2's   slower,it is advisableto attachthe camerato a tripodand use
built-inexposuremeter.When the film advancelever is in the   a cable releaseto releasethe shutter,this will preventcamera
flushposition,the shutterreleasebuttonis lockedand will not   shake which resultsin blurred photographs.The cable con-
operate.To releasethe buttonfrom its lockedposition,pull out   nectorcan be screwedintothe holeat the centerof the shutter
the film advanceleverto the standoffposition.Slightpressure  releasebutton.lf the tripodhas a largehead,contactbetween
on the shutterreleasebuttonwill then switch on both the ex-   the lensbarreland the headmay makeit impossibleto turn the
posuremeterand the LED exposureinformationdisplayinside  lensaperturering.In this case, use 'thespecialtripodadapter
the viewfinder.The meterand the displayremainon for approx.  suppliedwith the camera betweenthe triood head and the
30 sec. afterthe fingeris removedf rom the button,afterwhich  camerabody
theyare automaticallyswitchedoff to conservebatterypower.
Pressingthe shutterreleasebuttonall the way down releases
the shutter When you depressthe button,touch the finger-
guard@ with the tip of your indexfingerand depressit lightly
with smooth,even pressure.This makesshutterreleaseoper-
ationsmoothand stable.With a shuttersoeedof 1/30 sec. or





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-CONTROLS                     www.orphancameras.com              lN DETA|t-continued





  ASA|ISO film speed dial @                Shutter speed dial 6DI erposure
   The ASA/ISOscale on the dial has numberedsettingsfor  determlnation
    speedsf rom ASA/lSO12to 6400.The dots betweeneach oair of   Setting the shutter speed
   ASA/lSOnumbersstandfor intermediatesettings,such as 64,  To set the shutterspeed,turn the shutterspeeddial to the right
    80, etc. The illustrationabove gives the speedsfor all inter-  or left untilthe desiredshutterspeednumberclick-stopsand is
    mediatesettings.ASA/lSO100and 400 are indicatedin red as   alignedwith the shutterspeedindex@. The dial has indications    theyare usedquiteoften.                                                                      for B (bul'b)and for shutterspeedsf rom 1 to 'l/4OOOsec.The 250
   ASA/lSOis a numericalratingof the film'ssensitivityto a given  engravedin redindicatesthe fastestsyncspeedfor an electronic
   amountof light.The higherthe number,the greaterthe sensi-  flashunit.On B, the shuttercurtains@ remainopenfor as long
     tivity,and vice versa.The ASA/lSOof your film is indicatedon   as the shutterreleasebuttonis keptdepressed.1 is for indicat-
    the cartridgeitself.lt is also printedon the film cartonand on   ingone second,2tor 112sec.,60 for 1/60sec.and so on. Oneof
    the data sheetoackedinside.                               the two adjoiningnumbers,excludingB is two times or 112as
                                               much as the exposureamountof the other number.Note that
                                                             shutter speeds between printed numbers(i.e., intermediate
                                                      speeds)cannot be used. Since you can always confirm the
                                                             shutterspeednumberinsidethe viewfinder,you don't have to
                                                     see the shutterspeeddial as vou turn it.

   1B

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   t!*tu    Setting theMffiaperture
   The lensaperturedeterminesthe amountof light reachingthe   NikonSeriesE lensesenablefull-aperturelight measurement
    film plane. Generally,when you turn the aperture ring one  evenwhen the apertureringis moved.Theselenses,whichare
    graduationin the directionof the largernumbers,the amountis   said to have an automaticdiaphragm,stop down to the set
   reducedby 112.(tnis is what stoppingdown by one graduation aperture only at the instant the shutter release button is
   means.)On the otherhand,whenthe apertureringis turnedone  deoressed.
    graduationin the directionof smallernumbers,the amountof
     light is doubled.(tnis is knownas openingthe apertureby 1
    stop.)Thelensapertureringclicksat the positionof the numbers
   engravedalthoughintermediatelensaperturesare usablecon-
    tinuously.Lensaperturegreatlyaffectsdepthof f ield(seepage
    2B).With the exceptionof a few speciallenses,Nikkor ano





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Exposure determination                            Exposure display
The amountof light reachingthe film planeis determinedby a  The LEDexposureindicatorlampscan be seenon the rightside
combinationof the shutter speed and the lens aperture.A   of the viewfieldframe withinthe viewfinder.The shutterspeed
shutterspeedof 1/5OOsec. lets in twice as much lightas a set-  numberand f/numberin use are alsovisible.The LEDexposure
tingof 1/1000sec.,andonlyhalfas muchlightas 1/250sec.An   displayindicatesexposurefive ways, as shown in the table
aperturesettingof f /'11letsin twiceas mucftlightas f /16,halfas   below,in accordancewiththe conditionsof eachexposure.
much as f/8. Thus, if the correct exposurefor a particular
picture-takingsituationis 1/500at f/11,then 11250at f/'16or                                                                  Overexposureby morethan 1 stoP1/1000at f/B will givethe same exposure.lt is very convenient
to know this interrelationwhen consideringdepthof field.The
followingtable illustratesthe interrelationbetween shutter                  Overexposureby 1/5to 1 stoP
speedandaperture.
                                                                            Correctexposure

                                                                  Underexposureby 1/5to 1 stoP

                                                                  Underexposureby more than 1 stoP

                                               As correctexposureis approached,the LED exposuredisplay
                                                          insidethe viewfinderis liableto changerapidlyand easilywithin
                                                        the very narrowrange,so it is importantto turn the lens aper-
                                                           ture ringand shutterspeeddialcarefully.Althoughintermediate
                                                         shutterspeedscannot be used, intermediatelens apertures
                                                         can-just turn the apertureringfor fine adjustment.
                                                          Note:Whentheshutterspeeddialis set at B bulil, the LEDexposure
                                                               displayinsidetheviewfinderis turnedoff.




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;I-CONTROLS TN DETAILTGONIINUEdwww.orphancameras.com*FF
    Metering range of exposure meter
   Whenthereis a propercombinationof lensapertureand shutter  probablybeyondthe meteringrange of the exposuremeter. lt
    speed,o lightsup, indicatingcorrectexposure.Thissignwill not   is necessaryto illuminatethe subjector to use an ND (neutral
     lightup whenthe apertureand shutterspeedcombinationis not  density)filter to adjust brightness.Note that in full-aperture
     suitablefor correct exposure.Also, if the combinationof aper-  measurement,the rangeof brightnessthat can be measureo
     ture and shutterspeed is improperfor the brightnessof the  by the meter varieswith the maximumf/numberof the lens
     subject,the exposuremeterwill not give an indicationfor cor-   in use,as follows:
     rect exposureeven if you vary the neighboringsettingswithin  With a 50mm f/1.4lens(1 sec. at'fli.4 and 1/4000sec. at f/8)
    a very narrow range.You should try altogetherdifferentcom-  andASA/lSO100film,the EV rangeis f rom EV 1 to EV 18.
    binationsof apertureand shutterspeed.lf you stillfail to obtain  Witha 'l35mmf/2.8lens(t sec. aIIl2.Band 1/4000sec.at f/16)
    an indicationfor correct exposure,then subjectbrightnessis  andASA/lSO100film,the EVrangeis from EV3to EV2O





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Stop-down exposure measurement
This exposuremeasurementmethod is used when the dia-    o Lenswithoutautomaticdiaphragm(PC-ruikkortens)
phragmon the lensdoes not linkwith the metercouplinglever       First, determinethe correct exposureby adjustingthe
@ on the camerabody,suchas whena non-Allensor an exten-      shutterspeedand aperture.Then,focus at full aperture.
sionringis mountedon the camera.Theprocedureis as follows:      Shiftthe lensso that you get the desiredcomposition.Re-
t )Set the ASA/tSOnumDer.                                     turnthe aperturesettingto the presetpositionand shoot.
2)Composeyourpictureandsecuresubjectfocus.                            . Lenswithfixedaperture(Reflex-Nikkorlens)
3) Pressthe shutterreleasebuttonlightlyto turnthe meteron.       Exposurecannotbe changedaccordingto the aperturebe-
4) Performexposuremeasurement,dependingon the type of      causein this type of lens,the apertureis fixed.Determine
  lensused:                                                the correctexposureby turningthe shutterspeeddial. lf
  o Lenswithautomaticdiaphragm                             correctexposureis unobtainable,use an ND (neutralden-
   Determinethe correctexposurewhilepressingthe depth-       sity)filteror changethe illuminationto adjustthe exposure.
    of-fieldpreviewlever@ , then takeyour fingeroff the lever
   anddepressthe shutterreleasebutton.





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'-GONTROLS                     www.orphancameras.com               lN DETAllrcontinued
                                                                                                                              _ l
    Exposure measurement in special cases                                                                                                                  t ; 5 6   |
    The exposuremeter of the Nikon FM2 adopts the center-
    weightedexposuremeasurementsystem in which approxi-
    mately60ok of the total amountof light is measuredby the
    12mm-diametercircleat the centerof the focusingscreen.
   Whenthe backgroundof the mainsubjectis too brightand the
    main subject is not centeredwithin the frame, the result rs
    underexposure(see Fig. 1).When the backgroundis too dark
    and the main subjectis too bright with the same framingas
    above,the resultis overexposure
    Tocomoensate-
    1)Focus on the main subjectwith the compositionyou have
        in mind.
     2) Movethe camerato centerthe mainsubjectin the viewfinder
      (seeFig.2) andperformexposuremeasurement.
     3) Movethe camerabackto the positiondescribedin 1)withthe                                                             Underexposure
      exposuresettingdescribedin 2) and depressthe shutter                       E
      releasebutton.
    Thisway,youwillbe ableto obtaincorrectexposure                 a        I-F4




                                                                                                             o





    24                                                          Fig.2         Correctexposure

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!-COI{TROLS  IN DETAllrcontinuedwww.orphancameras.com
                                                   Inside the viewfinder:
                                              1. Finematte/Fresnelouterf ield
                                                     2. Microprismcollar
                                                       3. Split-imagerangefinderspot
                                                        4. 12mm-diameterreferencecircle




               1 2   3

   ViewfinderlYiewing & focusing
   The conventionalway of securingcorrectfocus is to turn the   There'sanotherway of securingcorrectfocus. Usingthe dis-
    lens focusingring until the image in the viewfinderappears  tancescale@ on the lens,set the focusingring in accordance
    sharp.The K2 focusingscreenthat comeswith the cameraas   with the measureddistance.Be sure to gauge the distance
   standardequipmenthas three focusingaids. When focusing  betweenthe subjectandthe film planeindicator+@.
    with the split image,turn the ring until the image in the two   Note: The FM2 viewfindercovers approx.93ok of the image area of the
    halvesbecomeswhole.With the microprismgrid,turn the ring   actualphotographso the actual picture comes out larger than the image
    untiltheshimmeringimageappearssharp.With the matteouter   in the viewfinder.Note that the picture cornes out tilmmed down in the
     field,turnthe ringuntilthe imageappearssharp.The split-image case of mounteds//desor service-sizeprintsf rom neqatives.
    rangefinderworkswell for subjectswith definitelines,contours
   and boundaries.The microprismcollar is for focusingon fast-
   movingsubjectsor thosewith indistinctlines,while the matte
    outerfieldis suitablefor close-upsor when usinglenseswith a
   maximumaperturesmallerthanf/4.5.




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-GONTROLS                      www.orphancameras.com               lN DETAllrcontinued
    Depth-of.fleld prevlew lever @
    What depth of field is
   Whenyou focuson your subjectat a certainaperture,you will   Note,too, that in the case of lenseswith differentfocal lengths
     find that not only is the subjectitselfin focus but objectsin a   but of the samemaximumf/number,the shorterthe focallength
     certaindistancerange both in front of and behindit.appear  of the lens,the largerthe depth of field,and vice versa.The
     sharp. Objects increasinglyout of this range become in-  depth of field at the takingapertureis indicatedby the color-
     creasinglyout of focus.This"in-focuszone" is knownas "depth  coded lineshavingthe same color as that of the apertureset
     of field."When this zone of sharpnessis large,the depth of  and which correspondto the distancescale on the focusing
     field is said to be deep; when it is small,the depth of field rs   ring.The rangeis indicatedby the distancebetweenthe lines.
     saidto be shallow.                              Shownin the photois an exampleof the differencein depthof
    The followingcan be said of depth of field, given the same   fieldwith a 50mm f/1.4 lenswhen usingdifferentapertureset-
    focusingdistance:                                          tingsat a set focusingdistanceol 2m. Controlof depthof f ield
     t)tne smallerthe takingaperture(i.e.,tne higherthe f/stop  enablesselectiveblurringof the backgroundelementsof a
      number),the deeperthe depth of field, and the largerthe   pictureeitherto let the major subjectstand out or for overall
       aperture,the shallowerthe depthof f ield.                  sharpness,so that all elementsin the entirepicturefieldappear
    2)The fartherawaythe subjectis f rom the lens,the deeperthe   sharp.Thiswill giveyour pictureits own character,thus making
      depthof fieldbecomes;the closerto the lens,the shallower   it differentfrom otherpictures.
       the deothof f ield.                                       Gettingthe subject in focus is only one aspect of photography.
    3)There'sgreaterdepthof field behindthe main subjectthan  Whenyou take pictures,be sure to considerdepthof field,too.
        in f rontof it.





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     Lensset aIf 11.4                                     Lensset at f/16
Onlymajorsubjectis in focus.                        Mostobiectsnearto far are in focus.