The EOS 1V had EXIF type data recorded in the camera for 52 or 104 rolls of film, depending on teh amount of details needed. So you could download the roll ID number, lens model info, ISO, aperture, shutter speed, metering mode, exposure compensation, flash setting info, battery info, shooting mode, date, time, etc. for every frame into a CSV file and work with that later.
I don't know of any other film camera that did that, certainly not in 2000.
Thanks, Heron! Prior to miniaturized electronics and smaller batteries, camera manufactures tried all kinds of mechanical tricks to make their cameras easier to use. It's fun to look back and see what survived to be part of todays designs.
OregonSun wrote:
EOS 3 is known for the unique eye control AF.
It also has an automated Depth of Field priority mode where you use the AF to select near and far focus points and the camera automatically focuses between them and selects the appropriate aperture to ensure both near and far points are within the depth of field.
Yeah people got excited about eye control on the R3 but I thought man, didn't they have that before?
Early EOS digital cameras had the A-Dep mode that did that, not something I used but I'm not sure why they didn't continue these features
grantgoodes wrote:
Ah yes, certainly the "Techno Camera" (Nikon FA) qualifies for this thread. As you say, it had shutter-priority mode, which requires both a linearly controlled aperture mechanism (the "S" in AiS) and a computer capable of activating that mechanism appropriately. It also had a unique full-auto mode (controlling both shutter-speed and aperture), which combined details such as the lens focal-length/speed, and also the lighting conditions and subject matter. The only thing it didn't take into account was the focused distance. This mode was called AMP (Automatic Multi-Pattern) metering, and was effectively a primitive machine-learning model, trained on 10's of thousands of sample images. It made use of a matrix of individual light sensors in the light-path (rather than the then-standard single center-weighted or spot sensor), so for example could detect the presence of bright sky in the image, and not underexpose the foreground. All of this technology resulted in a pretty decent "brain-free" photography experience. The FA was my Wife's first real camera, as she wanted to concentrate on composition, and AMP technology meant she didn't have to worry about f-stop and aperture, and could still get well-exposed images. Other cameras came along and ate the FA's lunch, but at the time, it was unique....Show more →
Wasn't that the first camera having matrix metering
AmbientMike wrote:
Wasn't that the first camera having matrix metering
Very likely (reading between the lines of the somewhat breathless Nikon ad-copy), but I don't know much about other camera manufacturers, being a strictly Nikon guy (well, unless you include my Paubel Makina, and even that has a Nikkor lens!). I think the cool thing about the FA was that the multi-patter metering wasn't just a simple hardwiring of the various sensors to come up with some sort of "average", but was actually a pattern-based modelling system trained with 10's of thousands of sample images. The results were in fact pretty good (e.g. it could handle a portrait with a sunset in the background, and not underexpose the face).
Nikkor 45mm 2.8 GN (Guide Number)
Prior to the development of the auto thyristor flash, photographers had to calculate flash output by using guide number output plus distance to determine the proper f stop. In the late 1960's Nikon designed a lens to make consistent flash results easier for event photographers. The 45 GN was unlike any other Nikkor lens of the era. It used a cam that would adjust the aperture as it was focused. Focus closer, it stops down, move back, it opens up. The focus throw is opposite of all of the other Nikon lenses. I had one and before it was serviced, there is a dead spot where it feels like nothing is happening until the cam engages. After it was cleaned and lubricated, it was smooth and fun to use. Once Metz introduced the thyristor flash, the 45 GN became a historical artifact.
The FA was the first with a computerized 5-area matrix, but it had other problems due to the primitive aperture control mechanism and double-metering needed. The release delay just killed me for handheld macro work. The US FA model also had a reduced display function due to patent issues.
EB-1 wrote:
The FA was the first with a computerized 5-area matrix, but it had other problems due to the primitive aperture control mechanism and double-metering needed. The release delay just killed me for handheld macro work. The US FA model also had a reduced display function due to patent issues.
Agree on the firing latency of the FA: When in AMP (or shutter-priority mode), and upon pressing the shutter-release, it would close down the lens to what it thought was needed and then re-measure the exposure, and potentially re-adjust the aperture. I think all this occurred with the mirror still down as there was a fresnel engraved on the mirror to direct light to the matrix sensors. I myself never used AMP mode, almost always Aperture-priority or full-manual, so never really got annoyed by the latency.
I never heard about the reduced functionality of the LCD display on USA models (I bought mine in Canada): Very interesting! What were the limitations?
grantgoodes wrote:
Agree on the firing latency of the FA: When in AMP (or shutter-priority mode), and upon pressing the shutter-release, it would close down the lens to what it thought was needed and then re-measure the exposure, and potentially re-adjust the aperture. I think all this occurred with the mirror still down as there was a fresnel engraved on the mirror to direct light to the matrix sensors. I myself never used AMP mode, almost always Aperture-priority or full-manual, so never really got annoyed by the latency.
I never heard about the reduced functionality of the LCD display on USA models (I bought mine in Canada): Very interesting! What were the limitations? ...Show more →
Yes, that is the metering issue because the aperture control was often off by nearly a stop. You could see the closed down aperture metering when looking through the lens. I ditched the FA and got an N8008s yet kept the FE2, which had a fast release. I cannot find the part about the FA metering display. I may be thinking of another camera. In any case I did not like that +/- in M since you did not know how far off it was.
EB-1 wrote:
I cannot find the part about the FA metering display. I may be thinking of another camera. In any case I did not like that +/- in M since you did not know how far off it was. EBH
Yeah, the LCD display in the FA is pretty much lame, so I would be surprised if they could have "left anything out" for the US market given how little information it has in the first place! I _vastly_ prefer the match-needle display in the FE/FE2, which allowed you to see how far off your exposure was, not just which direction it was off. BTW, interesting history of the FA's development on the Nikon site. I didn't realize that the FE2 was originally going to be the FA! Glad it wasn't as the FE2 gave me so much pleasure, with just the perfect set of features for my style of photography back in the day.
I would also nominate data-backs that printed information on the spaces between exposed film frames. I have the MF-18 data-back for my F3 which can print the date, time, or a frame-count. Alas, it is intended to be mounted together with the MD-4 motor-drive which I find too heavy for casual shooting, so I just never used the MF-18. There was an even more elaborate (and large!) MF-10 data-back for the F2, which allowed you to print a little hand-written card onto the film-frame.
grantgoodes wrote:
I would also nominate data-backs that printed information on the spaces between exposed film frames. I have the MF-18 data-back for my F3 which can print the date, time, or a frame-count. Alas, it is intended to be mounted together with the MD-4 motor-drive which I find too heavy for casual shooting, so I just never used the MF-18. There was an even more elaborate (and large!) MF-10 data-back for the F2, which allowed you to print a little hand-written card onto the film-frame.
I had the MF-23 Multi-Control Data Back for the F4s. It printed between and/or on the frames and added other functions not otherwise accessible like exposure bracketing, trap focus, and intervalometer. Back in the day I sometimes rewound film, for example if only shooting high ISO 10 frames late in the day and wanted to start the next day with a low ISO roll. Much to my chagrin I forgot about the databack and reloaded, shot 11 frames and so the second imprint between frames ended up on every frame of the earlier shots since the film does not load the same each time.
Graphmatic. The Graphmatic holds six 4X5 sheets of film in individual septums. It attaches to the back of a press or view camera that is equipped with the Graflok back.
Once the exposure is made, the user pulls that sheet out using the ring attached to the dark slide while depressing a small lever that locks the septum to the dark slide. When the user pushes the dark slide back in to the holder, the exposed frame drops to the back and an unexposed frame is now at the front.
When the 4X5 was the main press camera, having six exposures was a huge advantage over the two exposures held in the typical film holder.
In the early 1950;s, roll film began replacing the sheet film press cameras but there are still Graphmatic film holders in use today.
That little tiny lever around the winding lever on some of the Nikon bodies that let you cock the shutter without moving the film for multiple exposures.
There was a small line by Rolleiflex, SL 2000 F / 3003 / 3001 that had native vertical and eye level finders and was also modular, like a mini 35mm version of a Hasselblad, with interchangeable backs, etc.
