FM3A macrophotography underexposure

[jim_occi2]

Greetings All-

 

I am experiencing a long-standing problem with my FM3A - it always

underexposes when I shoot with my 55 mm or 105 mm macro Nikkor macro

lenses (using 100 or 200 slide film). This is with an SB-28 and SC-

17. It does not matter if I use an extension tube or not, it still

underexposes. I can set the camera at the flash sync (1/250th sec),

drag the shutter (125th, 60th or 30th) or aperture priority and it

still does this. Full flash, fill flash, any aperture, all

underexposed.

 

As a control, my F100 and FE-2 do not exhibit this problem. They

are right on the money. As a second control, the FM3a with any

other normal lens or even a macro lens without the flash is fine.

 

Anyone else observe this? Am I doing something wrong?

 

Jim Occi

[alan_olander1664878205]

If the FM3A has a separate metering cell for TTL flash that reads the reflected light off of the film (which I think it does), that metering cell could be giving you improper exposures while the normal, non-flash metering system is correct. Perhaps the flash metering system can be adjusted by a repairman just like the "normal" metering system can. Otherwise, you'd have to use exposure compensation with flash. How are exposures with flash and non-macro subjects?

 

Varying the shutter speed does not alter the flash exposure, only the ambient background exposure.

[jim_occi2]

Hi Alan-

 

Thanks for your reply.

 

Non-macro shots and other flash shots are fine. Yesterday I burned a roll of 200 ektachrome on some bugs. The second half of the roll I overexposed (1/3 and 2/3)with the exposure compensation dial. We'll see what happens.

 

Thanks-

Jim