Nikon F2 question on metering?

2bits · May 21, 2012

Hi,
Question is: When I'm indoors the light meter will respond to 2 varying light sources by fluctuating up and down accordingly, depending on aperture and speed etc. But as soon as I step out into bright sunlight the meter pegs over to overexposed, regardless of aperture and speed. I'm new to this F2, my old Pentax meters great outdoors.
It's most likely operator confusion!
Thanks much 2bits

Nick Merritt · May 21, 2012

Not likely operator confusion, if you're varying aperture and speed settings. The camera's meter should be able to handle that range in EV without problems. More likely the meter needs attention, I'm afraid. Are interior shots properly exposed?

MattKing · May 21, 2012

What film speed have you set on the camera?

2bits · May 21, 2012

I've gone the whole range. Here's the bizarre part, I just changed out the 50mm lens for a 80-200mm Soligor made for Nikon and the system meters properly outdoors! I'm definitely doing something wrong?

removed-user-1 · May 21, 2012

What specific model of viewfinder do you have on your F2?

2bits · May 21, 2012

The 50mm 1:2 is a standard nikon lens. I wonder if I'm improperly mounting the lens?

EASmithV · May 21, 2012

Are you turning the lens to the largest aperture after mounting to index it?

2bits · May 21, 2012

RThomas,
The view finder is the one that originally came with the camera, split screen I think> It's the Photomic with type A focusing screen.
Believe me I don't know beans about this camera. I just loaded my 1st roll of film in it.
Now when I went outside with the 80- 200 on it, I did have a CPL filter on?
I wonder if it stops it down enough to start reading the meter correctly or something?

Leigh B · May 21, 2012

You doubled with Mr. Smith.

As he inquired, did you rotate the aperture through its entire range after mounting the lens?

There's a little arm that extends down from the meter and mates with a shoe on the lens aperture ring.
By rotating the ring you tell the meter what the maximum lens aperture is.

Also, make sure that arm is engaged when you try to use the meter. Perhaps it was not.

- Leigh

2bits · May 21, 2012

EASmith,
What do you mean by indexing at the largest aperture? I've rotated the 50mm lens to wide open and all the way down.
Leigh, The arm has been engaged each change over. Yes the aperture was rotated thru the entire range.
Still at a loss

Leigh B · May 21, 2012

The term "indexing" refers to rotating the aperture ring to its extremes, to tell the meter what the maximum aperture is.

- Leigh

2bits · May 21, 2012

This is the lens I am using, It says on the front of the lens Nikkor-H Auto 1:2 F=50MM then the NIKON SERIAL # Is this even the correct lens for this camera?

mudman · May 21, 2012

yep, that lens should work fine. if the meter is pegging one way or the other, you might have an exposure issue. i.e. your lens set to f2 1/30th of a second would do that outside on a bright sunny day. Does the meter respond at all when you move the aperture on the lens?

removed-user-1 · May 21, 2012

I was actually asking about the viewfinder (meter prism), not the focus screen. I didn't know which model meter prism you have. The AI models, DP11 and DP12, don't need manual indexing (AI stands for Auto Indexing). Anyway, disregard my question; from the newer comments it seems that you have one of the earlier models, DP1, DP2, or DP3, all of which required manual indexing of the lens aperture.

E. von Hoegh · May 21, 2012

Don't anyone send the guy a link to a manual for it.......http://www.butkus.org/chinon/nikon/nikon_f2_photomic/nikon_f2_photomic.htm

mikebarger · May 21, 2012

I index every lens I mount on my F3, old habits die hard.

2bits · May 21, 2012

Thanks for the link E von Hoegh
I gotta come clean w/ all you folks, about 8 yrs ago I had a very serious stroke, and it's been a long haul back. I've been trying to relearn photography all over again. Taking classes is out of the question as I don't absorb any of it. The best method for me has just been get out there and do it!
As I mentioned 45 yrs ago I was pretty damn good with a camera. So please forgive my ignorance and bare w/ me. I certainly wish I lived close to one of you on Apug, then it would come back quicker.
Thanks much Ray

CGW · May 21, 2012

This is the reference site for most Nikon film stuff. Here's the F2 section. Just scroll down to "Prisms/Metered Prisms" to find out what you've got and how it works.

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/nikonf2/

Nick Merritt · May 21, 2012

Ray, I didn't even think about the indexing. I take it you know what to do -- set the lens aperture to f5.6, twist lens counterclockwise to mount it, continue turning aperture the same direction all the way, turn aperture all the way back the other way. When done correctly you'll see the maximum aperture of the lens you just mounted appear in the little window on the front right of the finder. Not doing this would definitely lead to wonky meter readings!

Chan Tran · May 21, 2012

Another thing to check that any of the F2 photomic viewfinder needs the shutter speed dial on the finder to couple with the camera's shutter speed dial. It may be uncoupled.

Ricardo Miranda · May 21, 2012

Some clarification:

1-What is the meter prism on your F2?

The view finder is the one that originally came with the camera, split screen I think> It's the Photomic with type A focusing screen.

If there is an "A" on the front of the prism, then it is an AI body and the lens will need to an Ai type or having been converted.

2-You said your 50mm lens is a Nikkor-H. That seems to be a Non-Ai lens. Look at the following image of an Ai version:

You can clearly see the silver metal "rabbit ears" for metering with Non-Ai bodies. Look carefully to the second row of apertures in small letters. Can you see in front of F11 a black plastic ridge starting there? That's the Ai coupler.
For comparison, here is the Non-Ai version:

3- If your Nikkor 50mm doesn't have the Ai coupler, it isn't coupling with the meter and that's why you get it to meter inside as the camera will see it at F2.0, but it is showing overexposure outdoors as it still sees it at F2.0, regardless if you change apertures. I bet the Soligor is an Ai lens and that's why it is working properly.

You can still meter with the 50mm, but it has to be at working aperture. for that just use the Deph-of-field lever to close the lens and to meter.
Good shooting!

summicron1 · May 21, 2012

uh, so far as I know the meter on an F2 doesn't use AI, but am happy to be proven wrong. If the "A" type does, and works on an F2, consider myself corrected.

Having said that: One thing to keep in mind is Nikon meter heads for F2 cameras are all old, very old, 30-plus years at least, and the parts in them that adjust the meter's electrical power to light do not age well. Some sort of variable resistance ring, or something, I'm not sure.

But these heads do not have a good reputation for working well lo these many decades later. It is entirely possible that your meter head is simply not working correctly. I have one and it was so erratic -- it would work in dim light, but not bright, or was all over the map in both, or neither -- I finally gave up and bought a plain meterless-prism and an external meter.

Most people who have photomic heads now leave the battery out because of this. It's a fine prism. That and the sunny 16 rule will take you far.

Leigh B · May 21, 2012

summicron1 said:
uh, so far as I know the meter on an F2 doesn't use AI, but am happy to be proven wrong. If the "A" type does, and works on an F2, consider myself corrected.

I suppose it's a matter of definition.

The AI coupling system relied on a partial cutout of the aperture ring to convey the maximum lens aperture to the meter.
What it did in reality was change the aperture setting value that was conveyed to the meter to a "standardized" value that was uniform for all lenses.

All AI lenses had the meter coupling shoe that all F2 metering prisms require, so all AI lenses would work with all F2 metering prisms.

- Leigh

summicron1 · May 22, 2012

Leigh B said:
I suppose it's a matter of definition.

The AI coupling system relied on a partial cutout of the aperture ring to convey the maximum lens aperture to the meter.
What it did in reality was change the aperture setting value that was conveyed to the meter to a "standardized" value that was uniform for all lenses.

All AI lenses had the meter coupling shoe that all F2 metering prisms require, so all AI lenses would work with all F2 metering prisms.

- Leigh

so what you are saying is it could still easily be that the guy's meter is weird. Absent more careful testing, I'd at least advise him to assume as much until proven otherwise. External meters are more accurate anyway.

Leigh B · May 22, 2012

I would certainly suspect the meter.

That style of meter had a hand-painted resistor ring that rotated against a multi-finger gold-plated contact set.
The rings were mechanically fragile due to the thin resistor film, and had a relatively high failure rate back when the cameras were in common commercial use.

I probably have one of the only pristine new resistor elements in captivity, which I purchased in a parts inventory many years ago.

I would certainly recommend an external meter. That's what I use for all formats, except for some of the simple cameras that are automatic and don't give you any option.

- Leigh

Nikon F2 question on metering?

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