Nikon F3AF Camera
Nikon F3AF
This view shows the autofocus (AF) lens contacts at the top part of the mirror box, reflected in the pellicle mirror.
The Nikon F3AF is the Nikon's first production autofocus camera, manufactured for five years, from 1983 to 1988. The
autofocus logic is in the large, DX-1 finder which transfers focus commands to the lens through pass-though contacts
in the body where they are picked up by matching contacts on two specially-designed autofocus lenses. The DX-1 finder
has a fixed focusing screen.
The F3AF finder can be mated to any F3 body, although there will be no autofocus capability because non-AF F3 bodies
do not have contacts to pass focuing commands from the finder to the lens. Also, the focusing screen in the non-AF F3
body must be removed because the DX-1 finder has its own, fixed, built-in screen.
An F3AF body can accept non-AF finders and non-AF lenses. Because the focusing logic in the DX-1 finder is of a unique
design, the F3AF will autofocus with only two lenses made specifically for it: the AF-200mm and AF-80mm
lenses.
AF 200mm f3.5 lens for Nikon F3AF
Another view of the AF 200mm f3.5 lens for Nikon F3AF
The two AF lenses designed for the F3AF are unique in the Nikon line in that they were the first Nikon lenses to have a
motor inside them to turn the focusing ring. Subsequently, until the late 1990s when Nikon introduced "Silent Wave"
lenses, Nikon ceased placing motors in lenses, opting to put a motor in the body of the camera that drives the focusing
ring on the lens through a shaft. The trend to put motors in lenses has returned, and Nikon is introducing more
lenses with motors in them. The Nikon D40 and D40X cameras do not have a motor in the body, and auto focus requires
the use of Silent Wave lenses. The two autofocus lenses built for the F3AF can be used as non-autofocus lenses on other
Nikon bodies.
AF 80mm f2.8 lens for Nikon F3AF
Another view of the AF-80mm f2.8 lens for Nikon F3AF
Focusing performance of the F3AF is lackluster and slow, at best. At the time, it was
extraordinary, but has now been surpassed by modern autofocusing systems.
The F3AF has a Nikon teleconverter, the TC-16, made specifically for the two autofocus lenses. One source has reported
that this teleconverter works with the N2020 (F501 in Europe) as well as with the F4, although I have not tested it
with these cameras. Some TC-16 teleconverters have had their electronics defeated so that it can be used with other
cameras in manual mode. I have not run across one in this condition.
Another view of the AF 200mm f3.5 lens for Nikon F3AF
The two AF lenses designed for the F3AF are unique in the Nikon line in that they were the first Nikon lenses to have a motor inside them to turn the focusing ring. Subsequently, until the late 1990s when Nikon introduced "Silent Wave" lenses, Nikon ceased placing motors in lenses, opting to put a motor in the body of the camera that drives the focusing ring on the lens through a shaft. The trend to put motors in lenses has returned, and Nikon is introducing more lenses with motors in them. The Nikon D40 and D40X cameras do not have a motor in the body, and auto focus requires the use of Silent Wave lenses. The two autofocus lenses built for the F3AF can be used as non-autofocus lenses on other Nikon bodies.
AF 80mm f2.8 lens for Nikon F3AF
Another view of the AF-80mm f2.8 lens for Nikon F3AF
Focusing performance of the F3AF is lackluster and slow, at best. At the time, it was extraordinary, but has now been surpassed by modern autofocusing systems.
The F3AF has a Nikon teleconverter, the TC-16, made specifically for the two autofocus lenses. One source has reported that this teleconverter works with the N2020 (F501 in Europe) as well as with the F4, although I have not tested it with these cameras. Some TC-16 teleconverters have had their electronics defeated so that it can be used with other cameras in manual mode. I have not run across one in this condition.