F3 exposure compensation question

I have a question concerning ways to make exposure compensation on an

F3. I would be grateful for advice from the photo.net community.

From my explorations through the photo.net archives it seams that some

SLR and RF bodies that offer A priority AE also let you do quick

exposure compensation by using the bodies AE lock function then

turning the apature ring.

I've also read that most new Nikon (and other) bodies check the

exposure after the lens has stopped down to confirm the meter setting.

This would obviously cause the camera to shift the shutter speed if

the camera sensed that you have changed the apature since locking the

meter reading.

How does the F3 work in this reguard, can the apature dial be used in

conjunction with the AE lock button to provide easier AE comp than the

locking button around the ISO dial?

Cheers

Dave

The F3 locks the exposure then you press the AE lock button -

hence you can use the aperatur ring as manual compensation.

I find that hard to do though. I always shot in manual mode.

Besides the 80/20 central metering system works best if you

shoot manual.

/Fredrik

I did not know this about this "feature". I'll have to give it a try when I get home. Normally I just use AE lock to lock on something neutrally toned (not always possible). I don't generally use the exposure compensation: its too slow in operation and more often than not I forget that its not set to 0.

Regarding manual mode, I have to agree. Its just too much of a dance for my hands to hold this button, twist that, fire, ...although admittedly the F3's ergonomics are up to the task, especially with the MD-4.

The only Nikons that re-check the metering after

stopping the lens down are some of the ones where the body controls

the aperture in shutter priority and programmed autoexposure

modes. On the F3, the aperture is always set

by the aperture lens on the ring, and the F3 only offers

aperture priority autoexposure. The F3 doesn't re-check

the metering after stopping down, because it has no need to.

<p>

The reason some cameras do have to re-check the metering

after stopping down has to do with the way Nikon added the ability

of the body to control the lens aperture via the diaphragm

stop-down lever, while maintaining compatibility with the

lens mount/diaphragm coupling that wasn't originally

designed to support this feature. Some pre-AIS lenses

didn't have a standardized proportional movement of the

diaphragm for a given movement of the stop-down lever,

so a camera couldn't be sure what aperture it would actually

get when it tried to set the aperture in P or S mode.

Therefore, the camera had to re-check the light passing

through the lens after stopping down, and adjust the shutter speed

accordingly. In P & S mode with a pre-AIS lens mounted,

both the aperture and shutter speeds displayed

in the viewfinder are only rough hints at the

approximate shutter speed and aperture that

will be used. I know the FG and FA

can do this; perhaps a few others as well.

<p>

AIS and later lenses have a well-calibrated

diaphragm stop-down mechanism, avoiding

the problem. Electronic control of aperture

will also avoid the problem.