bennison@clt.DEC (03/08/86)
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Nikon FG and FA cameras only read off-the-film for TTL flash photography.
Otherwise the exposure reading will be taken at shutter release time. It's
an interesting story how I discovered this (what, ME, read an instruction
manual???!!!) I was taking a set of group pictures containing myself, using
the self-timer. I'd focus the shot, stand back to look at the group, start
the timer and run to get into the picture. On one shot I accidently started
the timer while I was still focusing. I ran and got into the picture in time.
Of the 8 pictures I took, this was the only one that turned out. The rest were
underexposed. Okay, you have 10 seconds to figure this one out..........
Give up?
ANSWER: The self-timer is triggered by the shutter release, which takes the
exposure reading, locks up the mirror and then starts the timer (this has the
advantage that there is no mirror jerk when the shutter fires at the end of
the timer, but the disadvantage that the exposure is metered as much at 10
seconds before the shot is taken.) The metering system is affected by light
leaking in from the viewfinder (says so in the manual). On all the shots that
I stood back for, light was leaking in through the eyepiece at the time the
shutter release was tripped and the metering taken. On the one shot, I had the
eyepiece covered by my eye when I accidently tripped the shutter release, so
the exposure was correct. What I should have done on the other shots was
close the eyepiece curtain that comes with the FA.
Vick Bennison
...decvax!decwrl!rhea!tools!bennison
(603) 881-2156