Nikon FA Random Unexposed Frames

Also with the F series cameras none of the readout protrude into the image area.

Also with the F series cameras none of the readout protrude into the image area.

 

Very true, although the FM and FM2 are subjectively the "best" only the shutter speed is in the image area. Actually, I guess that brings us back around to the FA, as its display is very similar to the F3 with only the ADR window and the LCD in the top left.

Don't dismiss the F801s (N8008s). It's lightweight, relatively small, but also highly automated.

 

No, it doesn't look or feel like a 'proper camera', but it delivered some of the best shots I've ever taken.

 

After the F2, it's what I'd reach for if ever anyone stuck a gun to my head and forced me to use 35mm film again - urrrrghh, shudder!

Don't dismiss the F801s (N8008s). It's lightweight, relatively small, but also highly automated.

 

No, it doesn't look or feel like a 'proper camera', but it delivered some of the best shots I've ever taken.

 

After the F2, it's what I'd reach for if ever anyone stuck a gun to my head and forced me to use 35mm film again - urrrrghh, shudder!

 

I have one, but I tend to opt for the N90s. To me, its feel and operation is very similar but, since we're getting into modern territory, it will focus with AF-S and also does data logging(something that I've come to really like now that I have the equipment to access it).

I have one, but I tend to opt for the N90s. To me, its feel and operation is very similar but, since we're getting into modern territory, it will focus with AF-S and also does data logging(something that I've come to really like now that I have the equipment to access it).

Funny I used the Nikon Photo Secretary just to clear out shooting data in my F5. I used the software to do 2 things mainly. First is to set some custom settings that can't be set without the software. Second is to shoot a series of shots at varying settings for testing.

Funny I used the Nikon Photo Secretary just to clear out shooting data in my F5. I used the software to do 2 things mainly. First is to set some custom settings that can't be set without the software. Second is to shoot a series of shots at varying settings for testing.

 

I have been searching in vain for a copy of Photo Secretary and the hardware(MC-35). There was a PC version for the F5 on Ebay maybe 6 months ago with an MC-34, but it was more than I wanted to pay and a working PC with an RS-232 port is a lot harder FOR ME than a Mac with RS-422. I realize I'm probably the odd exception to that :), but few non-Macs exist in my world.

I don't think I mentioned in my last post that I broke down and bought the Meta 35 cable and dongle. It's actually a pretty good system-it does do the full data logging, can do automated EXIF tagging on scans, and lets you set the "hidden" custom functions.

 

Not only that, but all the functions are actually readable as to their name and can be set. You can also download your settings from one camera and upload them to another camera of the same model. That can save you some headaches with setting up two identical cameras.

 

Also, as a general note with all of the data software-the N90 and F100 DO NOT have data logging turned on by default. You MUST use the software(whether Photo Secretary or Meta35) to turn on this custom function before they will do it. You also can only turn it on when data is unloaded.

 

From my memory, the N90 has four "hidden" custom functions. Three are related to data logging(on/off, detailed or simple, how to handle a full buffer) and the fourth lets you turn the AF confirmation beeper on if you're crazy enough to want it.

I thought I'd post a long-term follow-up to this.

 

I loaded a second roll of film in the camera some time late last year, where it sat until March of this year. I then proceeded to shoot it over the course of about a month, taking the time to double up on "important" photos.

 

Amazingly enough, I got 36 perfectly exposed frames. I'm not sure what happened in the interim, but whatever it was it's seemingly fine now.

Since this thread's been popped to the top again:

 

I had a dream... er no, that's another story. I had a brainstorm, and wondered if the FA's woes might be due to magnetisation of the shutter solenoids.

 

Somewhere at the back of a cupboard, I have a powerful degaussing coil. I've been meaning to dig it out and shake the living daylights out of my FA on it. It'll likely be a kill or cure procedure, but the FA's a useless ornament at the moment anyway.

 

Just a random thought. Magnetisation could explain the 'sticky' and intermittent behaviour of the shutter.

I had this issue shooting a wedding a few years after getting the camera. The frames were overexposed burdening the lab of having to recover or salvage the images for presentation. They worked hard and the client got their pictures, but the culprit within the FA was a broken gear in the mirror box. I brought the FA to a repair shop and they noted that this was common among FAs. This was not a servo issue, but a simple fix of locking a shaft back down to allow the mirror to flip intern operating the aperture lever on the box intern operating the aperture lever on the lens. The FA is what it is. More about technical breakthrough in the day offering matrix metering a first in Photography at the time, coupled with a 250th flash sync and 4000th shutter max it was the released at the time Canon released their A1, a multi mode option and backup camera for the professional.