Nikon Nikkormar FT3 - Centering the Needle

A number of different shutter speed-aperture combina -
tions will usually result in
the same exposure. The
"best" one depends on the results desired. Use fast _
shutter speeds to "freeze" motion or slow ones to
create deliberate blur. Small apertures give greater
depth of field, large ones let the subject stand out
against an ou t-of-focus background (see " Depth of
Field ," p.21. ).
Centering the Needle
To determine correct exposure, adjust the aperture
and/or shutter speed until the meter needle in the
viewfinder
IS centered ( the - and + marks let you
know whether you are under- or overexposing). A
second
meter needle is conveniently located on top of
the camera for use with the camera held at waist-
level
or mounted on a tripod. For fine adjustments of
le ss than one f!number , use the aperture ring as it per-
mits reliable
intermediate settings.
Under extremely low light conditions the meter nee-
dle may
center at the "B" setting on the shutter
speed dial. If so, correct exposure time is 2 seconds.
If the needle moves erratically or cannot be centered
even after all possible aperture-shutter speed com-
binations have been tried, then the light is too bright
or dim for the meter's range. Effective range ( coupl -
ing range) varies according
to the lens and film speed
used. For example, with the SOmm f!1.4 lens and a
film speed
of ASA 100 , it extends from f/1.4 at 1/4
second to f!ll at 1/1000 second.
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