Nikon F Photomic camera

[melvin_krick]

<p>I recently acquired a Nikon F Photomic camera which is in very good shape. I don't have the manual and I want to use it for flash photography. But I don't know how and where to mount the flash unit. I think that I have to get some kind of adapter to be able to mount a standard ISO mount flash unit on the camera. Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.</p>

[CharlesBecker-Toronto]

<p>ops- the link I found was only for the finder and not the camera itself.</p>

[tom_cheshire]

<p>The Nikons use a flash hot shoe doohickey that slides over the rewind knob. Notice the two metal contacts on each side of the knob base. If you don't want to go looking for one of those just get a bracket with a grip/shoe and use a flash with a PC cord. Best way anyhow so the flash is off camera for better lighting effect. </p>

[rnt]

<p>It's a little adapter that sits on top of the rewind crank. Otherwise known as a 'Flash Unit Coupler/Accessory Shoe' AS-1. See http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/coupler/index.htm for more info<br /> </p>

[Matthew Currie]

<p>There were two common varieties of these adapters. The AS-1 made by Nikon, and a less expensive generic one, which is light gray in color. I have the latter, and have found them quite durable and serviceable, if not as pretty and well matched in appearance as the Nikon ones, so although you're probably better off with the genuine Nikon, you needn't pass up a cheap deal on the other. It should not be too hard to find one or the other type used. Both make for a standard ISO hot shoe. Make sure when using an F with an electronic flash that the sync selector is set correctly. You have to remove the meter head to see it. It should be set at "FX." change settings by lifting the outer ring of the shutter speed dial (on camera, not on meter head) and turning.</p>

<p> </p>

[ronin1]

<p>You can download a manual here....<br>

http://www.butkus.org/chinon/nikon.htm<br>

The mir.com posted above has lots of info too.</p>

[tony_lockerbie]

<p>Have to agree with Tom, forget the fiddly and expensive Nikon adaptor, and go for a "potato masher" flash, or a flash extension bracket that just screws into the tripod socket.<br>

Solves your problem and gets that pesky flash away from the lens axis for better lighting, and also eliminates red eye, which is like pink eye, only worse!<br>

Tony</p>

[Matthew Currie]

<p>I still prefer the hot shoe for most ordinary uses, not only for the convenience, but because the sideways offset on the Nikon already reduces red-eye at least a bit. I suppose it depends on how you carry the rig, and how you store it, but because I've long carried my camera and accessories in a fitted case, it's easy to provide a slot for the flash with the adapter on it, and just slip the whole thing off the camera between uses. In addition, if you keep a tripod pad on the camera, the bracket is inconvenient and makes for a sloppy fit, especially if the pad is a custom fit (I roll my own Manfrotto hex pads). I can stow my camera with a tripod pad on it, but if I used a bracket I'd have to remove both.</p>

<p>The bracket gets points for handling and balance, though, and iIf you were using any other camera, the bracket might make more sense, because it leaves the rewind knob accessible. But on an F you must also remove any bracket in order to open it, so it's pretty much a wash there.</p>

[melvin_krick]

<p>Thanks to all of you for your fast and informative responses. I was doing some digging in my large "junk" collection pile of flash units, brackets, cable releases and other stuff and I came up with one of the adapters, it looks like a variation of the AS-1. It has Nikon in raised letters on it, I will give it a try and see if it works. Thanks again.</p>