A Frustration With My Nikkormat

[George Mann]

As much as I still love my ailing Nikkormat, there is one thing about it the continually frustrates me.

You may think that I am silly, but I have been spoiled by the accuracy that I can achieve with my F90x, and its stepless shutter.

The problem lies in shoot scenes of mixed lighting in broad daylight, and only having 1/500 and 1/1000 to choose from, instead of 1/750, which would give me the most accurate exposure.

Why the makers of these old mechanical cameras didn't equip them with this usable intermediate speed is perplexing.

 

[shutterfinger]

Use the aperture to achieve a Perfect Exposure. 1/3 stop can be achieved on a half stop click stop lens.

Why the makers of these old mechanical cameras didn't equip them with this usable intermediate speed is perplexing.

Most likely is that technology had not advanced to that point at the time the camera was made.

 

[Dennis-B]

I would dare say that your shutter speeds are not really 1/1000 or 1/500. They seldom time that precisely. And with either type film, there's enough over/under exposure built in to ensure that shadows and highlights are not blown.

These were built as "consumer" cameras, and even though the Japanese makers held quite strict standards, there would still be variances from lot to lot.

 

[George Mann]

I would dare say that your shutter speeds are not really 1/1000 or 1/500. They seldom time that precisely. And with either type film, there's enough over/under exposure built in to ensure that shadows and highlights are not blown.

Of course. But I prefer a little more control over the exposure when it will make a difference.

My last frustrating attempt involved shooting a scene that was softly backlit by the sun, which was enough to darken the foreground subject by about 1 1/2 of a stop, with the sun reflecting off the top of it.

1/500 of a second would have overexposed it by 2/3rds of a stop, and 1/1000 at 1/3rd under, which I settled on.

 

[Dennis-B]

Of course. But I prefer a little more control over the exposure when it will make a difference.

My last frustrating attempt involved shooting a scene that was softly backlit by the sun, which was enough to darken the foreground subject by about 1 1/2 of a stop, with the sun reflecting off the top of it.

1/500 of a second would have overexposed it by 2/3rds of a stop, and 1/1000 at 1/3rd under, which I settled on.

That's always the conundrum we face. However, compromise is part of the equation, and at those times, I "center the needle" by tuning the aperture. I also bracket on both sides. I could always count on my processor to get me home when I really had difficult conditions; when shooting black and white, cardboard, and dodging and burning were my options. Today, I scan the negatives/transparencies, and let "Photoshop" do the things I couldn't do in the past. I've salvaged dozens of images that were bracketed, but processors could never quite get right, at least in my mind's eye. It applied especially to transparencies, which were more contrasty than print; and then to have those images made into internegatives, just added to my woes.

 

[M-88]

Let's look at it from manufacturer's point of view: incorporating half stops in lens apertilure mechanism is far, far easier than incorporating half stops in mechanical shutter. Why would one make camera body unnecessarily complex (and at a same time - more expensive)? The reason is simple as that.

 

[bdial]

Are there any clockwork governed shutters that allowed in-between speeds? I've not heard of any, though it's not information I've ever looked into.

 

[guangong]

I am amazed that the OP is able to see a half stop difference in a finished printed photograph...that a half stop difference ruins his artistic vision. Truly amazing.

 

[Dennis-B]

Lest we forget, the meters in Nikkormats, along with those of most cameras of the period, used Cds cells. Over forty years, the meter readings become suspect. Even at the time, they suffered from memory problems if exposed to too much light.

 

[blockend]

I am amazed that the OP is able to see a half stop difference in a finished printed photograph...that a half stop difference ruins his artistic vision. Truly amazing.

I don't use a meter on any of my Nikkormats in daylight, and the results are as I want them. The only time I resort to a light meter is in a setting sun, where exposure increases exponentially faster than my eyes>brain. This was also true for the last rolls of slide film. Shooting under consistently flat lighting I sometimes give an extra 20-30 secs development to increase contrast.

 

[Cholentpot]

I don't use a meter on any of my Nikkormats in daylight, and the results are as I want them. The only time I resort to a light meter is in a setting sun, where exposure increases exponentially faster than my eyes>brain. This was also true for the last rolls of slide film. Shooting under consistently flat lighting I sometimes give an extra 20-30 secs development to increase contrast.

Nikkormats are in my Sunny 16 gang. This includes my OM-1, Argus C3, SRT 200, and many others. They get used in the summer. Sleep for the winter.

 

[George Mann]

I am amazed that the OP is able to see a half stop difference in a finished printed photograph...that a half stop difference ruins his artistic vision. Truly amazing.

I haven't printed anything in years. Infact, I am primarily a slide film shooter (E6 is not a film that I would entrust a mechanical Nikkormat to shoot).

I currently have Ektar in it. Whether or not I will see a difference in the resulting scan (Fuji Frontier) remains to be seen.

 

[Mackinaw]

Not with the Copal Square shutter as used in the Nikkormat, but you can set intermediate shutter speeds on many 35mm cameras using a horizontal focal plane shutter. Leica's for sure.

Jim B.

 

[George Mann]

Lest we forget, the meters in Nikkormats, along with those of most cameras of the period, used Cds cells. Over forty years, the meter readings become suspect. Even at the time, they suffered from memory problems if exposed to too much light.

I have tested mine against my F90x. In daylight, it is dead on accurate.

 

[grain elevator]

Do you use if for slide film? For negative film, a half stop surely is inconsequential, just give a little more exposure. Or use the aperture as has been mentioned, if your shutter and your metering are really accurate enough to justify that. I have to say I would hate having half stops on the shutter speed dial, makes it slower to use.
And why specifically this half stop? My new light meter also exactly one half stop in the shutter speed succession, 1/90. Equally puzzling to me.

 

[George Mann]

Let's look at it from manufacturer's point of view: incorporating half stops in lens apertilure mechanism is far, far easier than incorporating half stops in mechanical shutter. Why would one make camera body unnecessarily complex (and at a same time - more expensive)? The reason is simple as that.

Adding an intermediate set of gears between 1/500 and 1/1000 is an elementary task.

 

[George Mann]

And why specifically this half stop?

Because this is where the biggest jump in speed occurs, and where it is most likely to be seen.

 

[bernard_L]

I am amazed that the OP is able to see a half stop difference in a finished printed photograph...that a half stop difference ruins his artistic vision. Truly amazing.

+1
and, that he cannot get by with the aperture half-stops.
Well, I suppose new topics must be introduced to generate some activity on the forum.

 

[George Mann]

+1
and, that he cannot get by with the aperture half-stops.

I am not sure that half-stops are even possible with my Nikkor 50mm F2.

Well, I suppose new topics must be introduced to generate some activity on the forum.

Of course.

 

[grain elevator]

Because this is where the biggest jump in speed occurs, and where it is most likely to be seen.

What do you mean? It's one stop difference just like between any other two speeds. In linear time, it's the smallest jump, just 1/500 of a second difference.

 

[George Mann]

In linear time, it's the smallest jump, just 1/500 of a second difference.

Linear time doesn't apply here!

 

[guangong]

I haven't printed anything in years. Infact, I am primarily a slide film shooter (E6 is not a film that I would entrust a mechanical Nikkormat to shoot).

I currently have Ektar in it. Whether or not I will see a difference in the resulting scan (Fuji Frontier) remains to be seen.

I still don't see how adjusting aperture by a half stop to get proper exposure would be detectable even on a big screen. Change in depth of field would be minuscule.
By the way, I have found no difficulty shooting color slides with Nikkormat, Leica Sls or M5, or using Gossen meters with CDS cells. And all of my Super 8 cameras use CDS cells.

 

[George Mann]

By the way, I have found no difficulty shooting color slides with Nikkormat

What is your acceptable limit of duds per roll?

 

[Sirius Glass]

As much as I still love my ailing Nikkormat, there is one thing about it the continually frustrates me.

You may think that I am silly, but I have been spoiled by the accuracy that I can achieve with my F90x, and its stepless shutter.

The problem lies in shoot scenes of mixed lighting in broad daylight, and only having 1/500 and 1/1000 to choose from, instead of 1/750, which would give me the most accurate exposure.

Why the makers of these old mechanical cameras didn't equip them with this usable intermediate speed is perplexing.

Adjust the aperture like the rest of us do. Less posting and more photographing will help.

 

[George Mann]

Less posting and more photographing will help.

I don't have the luxury of being able to photograph things 24/7!