Nikon FA — First Impressions
I recently had the opportunity to purchase a nearly mint condition Nikon FA SLR. The Nikon FA is credited with being the first matrix meter camera. While that is true, it's also true that Minolta had an earlier CLC system that attempted to overcome exposure problems in high contrast situations. However, Nikon's matrix system was far more sophisticated,and really, a much different beast.
The look and feel of the FA is very similar to the FM2n (which I own), or the FE2 (which I don't own). The FA differs in its looks in that it has a small grip on the right side of the body. It really doesn't make much difference in my opinion. The film advance is very smooth, much the same as the FM2n. The viewfinder is smaller than that of the FM2n. I'm a fan of large viewfinders, so it's a slight step down in comparison to the FM2n.
My first roll with the FA consisted mainly of indoor shots using available light and flash. The purpose of the first roll was to test that the FA was functional and didn't have defects. I also wanted to test the SB-15 flash that came with my purchase. There's not much to say about first roll, the meter appeared to be correct, and the SB-15 and TTL flash worked as expected. I will say that I liked the SB-15, but it's bounce flash capability is fairly weak.
My second roll with the FA was more informative. This time, the photos were taken outdoors under mostly overcast conditions. The goal was to test the matrix meter in conditions where center weighted metering might fail. A few of the photos were taken with bright spots in one corner or the other. Normally this will cause a center weighted meter to slightly underexpose. Happily the matrix meter passed with flying colors. I did not encounter a single over or under exposed shot. I hope to shoot my next roll in sunnier conditions with more challenging high contrast situations. Anyways, here's a link to some of the FA shots. I've copied a couple of photos below:
Matthew behind a mask
Kids throwing leaves