Nikon F2A

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Roughcollie

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I have just bought a Nikon F2A with the DP 11 prism fitted,But the exposure meter seem way out,I attached my Nikon ais 28mm f2 lens to it and the meter registers over exposure,outside my Nikon F3 registers f5.6 @ 125, but the F2A meter exposure is f2 @ 1/4 sec,have I attached the lens wrong to the camera,or is there something else I should be doing ?
 
For a non-AI camera it all starts with how you mount it.

Nikon F/F2 mount the lens on the camera and move the aperture either direction all the way to the end (highest or lowest aperture), back again the other way. That will allow the camera to know what is the maximum aperture of the lens and adjust it's meter (it's TTL and needs to know what's it's looking through). I do it again twice but I'm a bit OCD from time to time to time.

If you have a Nikkormat (other than FT3 and EL2, they are AI driven) then you do:

Put the lens to f5.6, the space (groove) between the indexing ears should line up with the black dot on the chrome ring that indicates your aperture.

Make sure the "Lug" or "Finger" is moved all the way to furthest it will move to the left side of the camera (side where unexposed film rolls from). It moves in a circle around the lens mount. Looking at the camera from the front I want to say about 2:30 (analog clock face reference).

Align the lens on the mount, finger in the groove and turn the lens counter clockwise till it locks. Once it's locked then you start indexing the lens just like the F/F2 above. Move the aperture from min to max to min (or max to min to max, it doesn't matter).

When you index the lens correctly you will see an indicator of the maximum aperture on the face of the F2 Photomic finders or on side of the body lens mount (about 5:30ish this time).

Hope this helps.

B2 (;->
 
BillBingham2 said:
For a non-AI camera it all starts with how you mount it.
...
B2 (;->
Click to expand...

Actually there are 3 different meter coupling types for Nikon's TTL metering bodies:
  • Manual Indexing: Nikon F Photomic T, Nikkormat FT
  • Semi-automatic Indexing: F Photomic Tn, Nikkormat FTn/FT2/EL/ELW, F2 Photomic and Photomic S & Sb
  • Automatic Indexing: Nikkormat FT3, F2 Photomic A & AS, Nikkormat FT3/EL2, all FM/FE variants, all F3 variants, and others
Mounting varies, but in general
  • Manual Indexing: set body/finder coupler to index mark, lens to f/5.6, and then mount and set the ISO dial using the mark for the current lens' maximum f/stop as the index.
  • Semi-Auto Indexing: set the body/finder coupler to its index mark (generally done automatically on F and F2 finders), set lens to f/5.6, mount and do the Nikon Shuffle (set lens to max, min, and then max aperture) so that the body can "feel" what the max aperture is.
  • Automatic Indexing: IF, AND ONLY IF, the lens is an AI lens, confirm that the body coupler is in the normal position (~down) and then simply mount the lens.
With all of these, when the lens lacks the proper coupling for the class of body in use you must first set the body appropriately for uncoupled stop down metering and then mount the lens. Metering will require that you hold the DoF preview button/level pressed during metering.

The OP's issue could come from having the DP-11's coupler latched in the uncoupled stop down metering position and could come from attempting to use a non-AI lens. Using a non-AI lens, particularly Nikkors, can result in damage to the finder's coupler if it is not latched in the uncoupled position when the lens is mounted. If it becomes unlatched after mounting the lens damage is unlikely but it can lead to incorrect meter readings even when correctly pressing the DoF button.
 
If all it as should be, the meter head is old, and may need a rebuild by Sover Wong in the UK, HE is THE NIKON F2 overhaul/repairman. http://www.soverf2repair.webs.com/
also, there could be a need rewire the battery compartment to meter-head connection.

He also has some F2 and meter modifications that are popular. Like and integrated night lights readout for the DP-1, 11, 12, or front shutter release in place of the self timer of an F2
 
I have recently dug out of storage two F2's. One with a DP-1 and a F2A with Dp-11. I have inserted known good batteries but neither meter seems to respond. Anyway of checking if the meter is bad or is the problem in the battery box? Compartments are clean with no corrosion and I seem to remember both working when they were put away. No batteries were stored in them. Probably has been 3+ years.

Any thoughts?

Gary Hill
 
Gary - the battery power is transmitted to the meter head by contacts, one on each side of the prism base. You need to clean these off for good electrical contact. I had to do this with a Sover Wong overhauled F2A (DP-11) that had been put away and not used for a while. Electrical contact cleaner on a Q-tip is probably ideal, but I used Windex.

For the original poster, the DP-11 has a wire wound resistor, so unlike the other meter heads it may not have issues with the resistance. However, old CdS cells may not respond properly to light anymore. Sover has new custom made CdS cells that he can install when he overhauls your camera.
 
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