NIKONOS I User manual

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         ALL-IryEATI|ER CAIYIERA  .    aaaaaaaaoaaaaaa!:t fftul

NIKONOS is really a unique and            camera that is constructed                                    "*iruordinaryperfectly water-tight, permitting us to use not only without an additional water-
tight case under water down to the depth where a skin diver can endure the
pressure of the water, but also under severe conditions such as where the camera
is likely to be exposed to water, rain, snow, sand, mud, dust cloud (radioactive
or not), a high degree of humidity, etc.
NIKONOS will satisfy most exacting requirement of aqualung divers, sailors,
salvagers, fishermen, ship-builders, etc. for underwater photography, and of
news-cameramen, firemen, policemen on the occasion of inundation, rainstorm,
fire, etc., yachtmen, canoeists, anglers, hunters, mountain climbers, skiers, skaters,
sea bathers, as well as of surgeons, scientific and industrial engineers, naturalists,
surveyors, speleologist, explorers, etc.
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                                    24xBG mmSPEC|tf CATI0NS pr*ure srze :
                     Fllm to be used :  35 mm film in the cartridge
               Lens:       W-NIKKOR 35 mm, f12.5
                              4 groups, 6 elements (water-tight front glass excluded.)
              Groduqted       2.5, 4, 5.6, 8, ll,  16, 22
                f-numbers:     Read on the lens front and set by means of the knob
                              on the side of lens.
                     Gfosest focus dlslqnce: 2.75 ft (0.8 m) in the air
                     Deprh-of-f,etd scole :    Directly read on the distance scale with two red
                                              indices. Coupled to f-number scale.
                Focuslng:      Focused distance read on the front and set by means ot
                                      focusing knob on the side of lens.
                 Shutter:          Focal-plane type with vertically moving duralumin curtains.
                    Shurter speeds s  B, 1/30, 1/60, 11725, 11250, 1/500 sec'
                V|ewflnder:Albadatype,withbrightframeandparallaxcompensat.
                                    ing corner markings.                                                                                                                                                                                                                      I
                                   Finder image: 0.63 x
                     Fllm wlndlng:    Actuated by one stroke (70') lever located on the camera
                                                top.
                    Shurter chorge r   Automatically operated by returning motion of the wind-       :
                                    ing lever.
                     Fllm rcwtnd:    By means of lifrup knob.

Florh rynchronlzoilon: Terminals for FP bulb and X-contact.
Exposure counter:    Automatically returns to zero by removing the outer
                 housing of the camera. Advances up to 36.
Gcmero body:   Impregnated  die-cast
                 Divided into 3 parts: lens mount, inner camera body
                  containing view finder and shutter mechanism, and outer
                camera housing, with O-rings for water-proof.
Flnder shoe:     Provided for attaching accessories.
Trlpod socket:   Located on the camera bottom with the synch. terminal
                       inside.
Dlmenslons of comero: 3.8 in (97 mm) (height) x 4.9 in (125 mm) (width) x
                        2.7 in (68 mm) (depth)
Wefshr z          25 ozs. (700 g)
Accessorles 3     . Front lens cap          . Spare O-rings and O-ring grease
                  Giant grips               . Detachable neck strap
                      . lJnderwater flash unit. . Soft leather carrying case
                      . Flash unit adapter    . Filters, screw-in, 52 mm


                  exposure meter         . U.W-Nikkor 28 mm, f/3.5

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SI|UTTER SPEED SETTINO





                                        Shutter speed can be set either before or after
                                  winding the shutter, by bringing the desired
                                          figure on the dial opposite the index.
                              Note:  Intermediate setting does not permit
                                        intermediate speed.
                               At " B " setting, the shutter will be kept open
                               as long as the winding lever is held in the
                                          shutter released position.

APERTURE SETTING                  rOcl|srNG





Rotate the aperture control knob on the      Rotate the focusing knob on the right side
left side of the lens (the lens toward you),      of the lens (the lens toward you). The
                                                distance scale will move and the focuseduntil the desired f-number  figure meets                                                distance of the lens is shown by the figure
the white triangular index.                     opposite the white triangular index.
                                                        Note: The apparent distance underwater is about %
                                                           of that in the air. Therefore,  if the distance
                                                                       of subject is actually measured underwater, set
                                                                   this distance multiplied by 3/t on the distance
                                                                    scale of the camera. Objects are enlarged in
                                                        the same proportion and the field of view is                                                               thus reduced. Unless the distance is actually
                                                            measured, the estimated visual distance itself
                                                                           will be correct for focusing.              g

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H     SI|UTTER SPEED AND LEI{S APERTUREShutter Speed                          Lens Aperture
The shutter of the camera serves not only    The aperture diaphragm of the lens
to adjust the amount of light reaching      serves not only to adjust the amount of
the film, but also to arrest the image of       light reaching the film but also to control
a moving subject sharp on the film. The      the depth-of-field (see opposite page). The
shutter speeds on the scale are represented      aperture of lens is expressed by the  f-
by their denominators; for example, the     number which indicates the ratio of the
figure 125 represents 1/125 sec. The speeds      diameter of lens opening to the focal length
are arranged so that each consecutive      of the lens. The larger the f-number, the
marking doubles the speed. The speed       less light reaches the film. The f-numbers
required for sharp image of moving sub-     are marked so that each number admits
iect depends on the speed of movement       half the light of its neighbor. For example,
and the distance of subject as well as      at the f-number 8, the lens allows a half
the direction of movement with respect     amount of light at 5.6. (The maximum
to the photographer.                       f-number 2.5 is not just twice but 2.6
                                            times as much as 4.)

DEPT}|.OT-TIELD READING
Depth-of-field is directly read on the distance scale by
the range between two red indices which move as the
aperture setting is changed. For example, depth-of-field
at Il8 for the focused distance 7 ft is from 1,4_It to 4.7 ft.
See the figure on the right.
                              Depth-of-Field
                     When a lens is focused at a definite distance, the actual
                            point focused comes out sharpest in the picture, and
                             the sharpness falls off gradually in front of and behind
                            the focused point. Within a certain range, the image
                                    will appear still acceptably sharp for practical purposes.
                          That range of distances is called " depth-of-field ".
                    The depth-of-field increases as the aperture of  lens
                          becomes smaller, or the distance of the object focused
                                increases or the focal length of the lens decreases. It        --t-DO-r>-
     ,xKchangesbythesethreefactors,whichcanoperateinde-
    <a/      t/zz    \)       pendently or together. One factor may partially or wholly
                               cancel out the effect of another.
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SI|UTTER IIJINDII{G AI{D RELEASING





                    (1)                                              (2)                                             (3)
It is a distinctive feature of the camera that all the picture taking procedures-film
advancing, shutter cocking and shutter releasing-are accomplished by manipulating
one and the same lever.
When the lever is subjected to a large single stroke from the swing-out position (1)
beyond a slight resistance until it stops (2) and allowed to return to a position parallel
to the camera front (3), the shutter is ready for releasing.
Releasing of the shutter is actuated by a small inward stroke (4).
When the shutter has been released, the lever will spring back to the swing-out position,
as soon as finger-pressure is removed.
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Important   !
                             When winding the film, push the lever all
                                              the way, otherwise only the film will advance
                                         causing unexposed spaces on the film and
                                                false reading on the exposured counter.
                                           After the " B " exposure has been finished,
                                         stop the lever once at the " parallel " posi-
                                           tion and then let it gently return to the
                                             swing-out position. If the lever is allowed to
                    (4)
                                             spring back directly to the swing-out posi-
                                                   tion, the exposure counter will not advance.
Safety Lock
The safety lock is provided which is
to be turned aside before the wind-
ing lever is manipulated and is to
be used to avoid accidental shutter
releasing when the camera is carried
with the winding lever ready io,
releasing.
                                                                                                     L2

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t|tEtry HI{DER
Sight through the view finder. The scene enclosed by the bright
frame in the finder will be the same as that taken on the film.
The inside pointers indicate the upper and left edges of the scene
when taking picture of a subject as close as 2.75 ft (or 0.8 m).
For underwater photography a more convenient attachable sports
finder is available.

               0-R  I l{ GS
               The camera is made water-tight by means of O-rings fitted in
                     the grooves between the inner and outer camera housing as well
                    as between the camera and the lens mount. At the slight sign
                     of wear, the O-ring should be replaced. (Spare O-ring and O-ring
                     grease are supplied with every camera.)
                  For handling the O-ring, use your fingers. Never use a pointed
                     metal tool.
                The other O-rings equipped inside the camera should be replaced
                     only by an authorized repair shop or the manufacturer,
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CAIV|ERA I|OLDIIIO
     Correct holding of the camera while re-
      leasing the shutter is of utmost impor-
     tance to avoid camera movement.
      Therefore, before taking a picture, learn
     and practice correct gripping of the camera.





                                                                      14  i,

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 TOADII{G T|.|E CAMERA

            > REMOVING THE LENS





            To open the camera, the lens should first be detached from the
               camera in the following way: Pulling the lens slightly away from
                  the camera, turn it 90" (one quarter turn) to the left or to the right,
                    until either knob comes to the top. The lens can now be pulled
                 out of the camera.
             The lens, if  desirable, can be  attached  upside down so that the
                   positions of the distance scale and the f-number scale mav be

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> REMOVING THE INNER CAMERA BODY





                 Hook the ends of the right and the left hinged levers adjoining
           2  the neck strap rings, under the ledges on the camera ends, and
                         press down on both levers simultaneously. The inner camera body
                             will be pulled out of the outer camera housing.
I
          reversed, for convenience in reading the scales when the camera is
          carried by a neck strap.

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TOADI}|O Tl|E CAIY|ERA
  > FILM LOADIT{G                           > REPLACING





    Inserting the leader portion under the film pressure plate3   with the film emulsion side faced in, place the film cartridge
    in position between the hinged catch and the fork pivot.
   Rotating the take-up spool so that the slot in it may face up,
    insert the leader into the slot, fitting the small projection on
   the spool into the perforation of the film.


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THE INNER CAMERA BODY


                                   > ,, BLANK " WINDING
                                                         After the inner camera body has
                            5 been replaced, lock the safety
                                                      lock on the camera top. Wind
    Push the inner camera body gently but       up the shutter lever once or
 4  firmly back into the outer housing. Then,           twice without releasing the shut-
      placing the lens into the camera with the             ter, to dispose of the portion of
      focusing knob at the top, turn the lens 90o           the film exposed during loading.
      clockwise until it settles in position.                 (In this case, if the shutter is
        If replacing cannot be carried out smoothly,           released, the exposure counter
      apply the specified grease on the O.rings.           will not indicate the correct
                                                    exposed number.)
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EXPOSURE                             UNLOADING
COUNTER                                Tl|E CA]YIERA
The counter on the bottom of the camera
automatically returns to zero when the
inner camera body is taken out from the
outer. The counter advances automatically
with consecutive shots up to 36.


                                   At the end of the film, a resistance will
                                      be felt. Never force the winding lever at
                                                   this moment.
                                  To rewind the film, lift up the rewind knob
                                      from its position and turn it in the direc-
                                               tion of the arrow, until the rewinding re-
                                                   sistance stops. The film is now completely
                                                      in the cartridge and may be removed from
                                                the camera body after this has been taken
                                           out from the outer housing.
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CAUTION
o For the next exposure, let the lever fully spring
  back to the swing-out position. If  it is stopped
  halfway, the shuttdr may not be charged.
O After the camera has been used in the water,
  especially salt rn'ater or mud, rinse it with
  clear cold freshwater. Then blow away the
  water completely. Dry the camera, but keep
   it away from any heat. The camera can then
  be opened.
C Never attempt to lift up the rewind knob and
  to rewind the film until the whole length of
  film has been exposed in the camera.
o The tripod socket on the camera bottom, pro-
  vided to keep water-tightness of the camera
  body, should be firmly screwed in at all times
  except for attaching the underwater flash unit,
  flash unit adapter, etc.

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                       ACCESS0RTES
                            Underwater
                            view finder
                            This sports finder
                                attached onto the
                                 accessory shoe of
                             the camera is es-
                                  sential for under-
                                    water photography.

Lens hood
                           Rubber HoodAttached on the front of the
                          The hood made of rubberlens, this lens hood serves as
                      and exclusively designeda holder for 52 mm screw-in
                             to be attached onto W-
                    NIKKOR 35 mm,   f.12.5,
                                 serves also to protect the
                                     lens, used under water as
                                 well as on land.

          IIfilter.u

Filters
        A screw-in 52 mm filter can be used. It is
              to be used with lens hood in position.



Flash unit for underwater photography
This specifically designed flash unit is available lor under-
water photography.
Synchronizes with FP class flash bulbs (e.g. Sylvania FP ZG,
G.E. No. 6) at all shutter speeds except B and 1/30 sec.

Flash unit adapter
Never use under water  !
Designed for using any BC flash
unit on the NIKONOS out of water.
Also permits the use of an electronic
speed light out of water.

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U.W-NIKKOR 28 mm, f13.5
This lens, exclusively designed for under-
water use as an interchangeable lens for
the NIKONOS, ensures a successful re-
sult in underwater photography. It can-
not be used in air.
Water-tight Case for Exposure Meter
The case is specially designed for the ex-
posure meter, Sekonic Auto-Lumi Model
L-86, when used under water. It provides                U.W-NIKKOR
convenience for all-weather use.
Giant Grips
These rubber grips, each attached onto
the focusing and aperture setting knob
on the lens of the NIKONOS only by
pushing over, enlarge the contact area
of the knobs. They are invaluable for                                                                           ir:ti::ii:ji:it:,i;t.,:.iirr:i  ::   i;ria:,iil11l1l;tl:n
taking pictures with gloved hands.                             Water-tight Case

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