NASA modified Nikon F3 small camera
flown on STS-49 and STS-63

This page is dedicated to the NASA modified Nikon F3 'small' camera.
Until now there has been little information in the public domain about this rare camera that was such an integral part of recording NASA's missions of the space shuttle. Needless to say, compiling this information has been quite a challenge right from the beginning.
As I learn more information about this camera and its use in NASA's shuttle program, I will endeavour to update this page

The camera pictured is my very own NASA modifed F3. This body is documented as having flown on two shuttle missions: STS-49, which was the maiden voyage of Endeavour and STS-63 which was on Challenger. Even though NASA ordered roughly 100 of these F3 bodies, many were used solely on the ground for training purposes. Flight documented bodies are as rare as hen's teeth, however genuine ones will usually come with documentation showing the journey of the equipment through NASA's various facilities for various flight prep and testing.

History

When NASA first used photographic still camera equipment in the 1960s, they used primarily 70mm-format films and big bulky modified Hasselblad cameras. They found, however, that they needed a more portable camera for more active shooting situations.
Nikon, whose cameras had a reputation for reliability in the U.S. market, was selected as a special manufacturer of 35mm cameras for NASA. As a result, a special team at Nippon Kogaku's Ohi Plant in Japan took charge of product development.

NASA had very specific requirements for the cameras to be produced. The camera would be subjected to a vacuum and zero-gravity conditions. In addition, since the spacecraft compartment is air tight, it was crucial that harmful gas or fire never be generated from the camera. Furthermore, the camera needed to be easy to operate for someone wearing gloves and of course, be extremely reliable. NASA also noted that the rays of the sun and their reflection on the camera body may be stronger than those on the earth's surface, so reflective properties must be contained. Finally, the weight of cargo aboard the craft should be limited as much as possible for launching.

In order to meet these demanding conditions, Nippon Kogaku's special product development team used the popular professional Nikon F as the base body and made numerous modifications. For example:

• The leather-like body cover generally used for the Nikon F had been changed to a metal plate painted in matte black.
• Adhesives usedwere reformuated to NASA specifications.
• For plastic parts, materials generally used for F cameras had to be changed to specified parts for greater durability.
• The battery chamber was redesigned to prevent accidental leakage from the camera body.
• Electrical parts were soldered in accordance with NASA standards.
• The standard thickness of the plating was modified.
• Dimensions were also changed to accommodate thinner, polyester-based films.
• Shutter accuracy standards were critical and NASA's requirements were even more stringent than those of Nikon.

The technologies Nikon used in developing cameras for NASA finally went into use in 1971. The modified F camera and some modified interchangeable lenses were provided to NASA for the Apollo 15 mission. Then, in 1973, a modified version of the F camera with a motor drive and modified lens were supplied for use aboard Skylab.

These NASA cameras were of course very costly. It is said that Nippon Kogaku took heavy losses. However, these losses were balanced out by the value of the experience in the space project. Nippon Kogaku took what they had learned and used it to improve the reliability and operational performance of Nikon products. The development of the camera for NASA using the Nikon F body as a base and the development of the Nikon F2 occurred in parallel.
NASA did not require increasing numbers of the modified F2 cameras, and in fact the F2 NASA camera was never actually manufactured.

However, in the late 70s, Nikon went to work on camera models for NASA that were based on the F3 body. There were the "Small Camera", which was equipped with a motor drive, and the "Big Camera" for long film that were delivered to NASA for use aboard the space shuttle in 1981. While the Nikon F3 was still being developed and many issues had yet to be decided, NASA went ahead and formally declared the Nikon F3 to be an official NASA camera. The F3 models for NASA, and those for mass consumption, were developed side-by-side at the Ohi Plant. Another special team was assigned to the development of the F3 for NASA.

Compared to the modified F models for NASA, the F3 for NASA was much more similar to the F3 models made for the public, however there are many subtle differences, as this white paper will illustrate.

What makes a NASA modified F3 small camera different than a regular consumer F3?
Well some changes are obvious and others are much less so.

Here is what I learned in doing a 1:1 comparison to my consumer F3 model:

• The width of the body is about 5mm wider than the consumer model
  
  
• The film counter on the top of the camera winds to 72
  From what I understand, Kodak was contracted to develop a thinner emulsion film that was able to hold 72 35mm images from a standard cassette magazine this helped to minimize film changes.
  The F3 Small Camera utilized the 72 exposure rolls.
  
  
• The F3 small camera also features an enlarged bubble magnification window for the film counter.
  The window was most likely improved to support EVA (extra vehicular activities; or use outside of the Shuttle such as on spacewalks)
  
  
• •The release button on the shutter speed dial is silver on the consumer F3 and black and slightly smaller on the NASA modified
  
  
• The center of the film advance lever is silver on the consumer F3 and black on the NASA modified
  
  
• The typeface is larger on the Motor Drive controller (Continuous/Single/Off) on the NASA modified
  
  •The advance lever handle is taller on the NASA modified and notched on the end.
  
  •There is no power switch on the advance lever of the NASA modified like there is on the consumer F3
  The camera derives its power from the insertion of the battery pack into the drive.
  
  •There is no multiple exposure lever on the NASA modified
  That would stand to reason as I doubt the astronauts would be doing special effect creative shots.
  
  •There is no film plane indicator mark on the top of the NASA modified
  
  
• The exposure compensator button is black on the NASA modified and silver on the consumer F3
  
  •The ASA/ISO dial increments differ on the NASA modified. Both go from 12-6400, but the NASA modified displays 12,25,64,100,160,320,500,1000,2000,4000,6400 and the consumer F3 displays 12,25,64,100,200,400,800,1600,3200,6400
  This likely points to special emulsions that were commissioned from Kodak to produce along with the 72 exposure cassettes..
  
  
  
  •For the F3 small camera bodies, I have yet to see a Nikon sequenced serial number on any of the parts visible on the outside. Instead all removable pieces have dual engraved serial numbers (finder, body, focusing screen, door, battery holders, motor drive, battery pack cap). The P/N number was NASA's part number and begins with SED. The Serial Number for that particular part usually followed beneath as the S/N. Of the F3 small cameras and accessories I have come across, the numbering sequence all seem to begin at 1000.
  
  
• The self timer LED on the NASA modified doesn’t appear on the body but instead appears on the drive itself, just to the lower right of the lens
  This modification in particular was considered the -303 mod and cameras that were equipped with it have the -303 appended to the Part Number engraving
  
  •The NASA modified has no neckstrap eyelets
  The reason being is that neckstraps are not used in a zero Gravity environment.
  
  
  
  •An outlet for a remote device such as an intervalometer, is found on the lower right hand side of the frontof the NASA modified.
  A Bendix metal cap/plug with a tether covers the electronics to keep a tight seal and prevent any dirt from getting inside
  
  The base of the NASA modified F3 small camera will often have a grooved plate installed.
  Like an Arca Swiss type of mount, I suspect this was used on a quick release mounting system, such as on an EVA bracket or various fixed mounts on the spacecraft.
  There is also a standard tripod thread in the plate
  
  
  
  
• •The depth of field preview button is black on the NASA modified and silver on the consumer F3
  
  •The levers for the Mirror lock up and Mechanical Shutter release are longer on the NASA modified, compared to the consumer F3
  
  
• The lens release button is black on the NASA modified and silver on the consumer F3
  
  
  
  •The viewfinder illuminator button on the consumer F3 is red, while it is black on the NASA modified
  The button remains the same size as the consumer model so there was likely no intention to use the button for EVA
  
  
• The motor drive runs on a specially designed battery pack made of all metal. A standard 8 AA batteries could be used
  
  

• The F3 small camera and some of its accessories, like data backs, body and lens caps, usually have velcro tabs attached.
  Back in the 80s and early 90s when the F3s were the main cameras, pretty well all the velcro tabs were blue. Today, the velcro used consists of 3 primary colours: Blue is found on most hardware used in the main cabin. Yellow is also found in the cabin but is gear preferred by the crew and EVA gear usually has white velcro.

• The main purpose of the velcro is to hold the camera or accessory on a panel or attached point in zero Gravity.
  
  
  
  •The NASA modified has no leatherette skin that is normally found on the consumer F3.
  Instead the body is completely matte black. The leatherette material was removed because of issues with out-gassing of materials such as plastic and glue.
  Out gassing is a very important issue in a closed vehicle or on an EVA where out-gassing can get on delicate objects.
  

• The focusing screen is divided into 4 equal quadrants with a center weighted area-sized circle in the center and a smaller focusing circle in the middle of that. This centre circle has a diagonal split screen. The rest is clear.
  
  
• The NASA modified has Nikon engraved on the rear to the left of the finder. Consumer F3s are to the right, followed by the Nikon serial number.
  
  
• The NASA modified Motor Drive has a counter in the center that, like the modified counter on the camera top, numbers to 72 exposures.
  A large circular dial beneath the counter allowed control setting of the number of bursts the drive should perform
  

The rear of the Motor Drive usually features two 'cheat sheets' for certain common tasks.
The first one related to camera settings for exposure
The second one related to film loading

Some bodies were used as EVA units. This meant that they were able to perform extra vehicular activities, meaning they could likely be used outside the craft in the vacuum of space. Special internal parts and/or adhesives/lubricants were built into those units to be able to withstand extreme temperatures. These EVA modified models would carry an EVA sticker on the rear. Others were designated AEC cameras and were usually fixed at a window or the like and were mostly set for Automatic Exposure Control (aperture priority), and very likely with intervalometers.

F3 Small cameras that were taken out for an EVA were wrapped in a custom thermal blanket to further help protect it from the extreme temperatures of space.

A few items that appear to be button caps or covers. Perhaps to make the surface area larger again for using gloves, or since they are different colours, to perhaps increase their visibility

Nikon also made a large sportfinder viewfinder that had an enormous square window that magnified the image to enable the user to use the camera a good distance away from their eye - particularly important for EVA use since the astronauts with their helmets would be a good distance from the viewfinder. Unfortunately I haven't come across one of these NASA modified action finders to see how it would compare to the standard F3 DA-2 Action Finder

The film index holder of the consumer F3 is a stippled black, while the NASA modified cover door is an off-white square.
Apparently NASA had commissioned Nikon to develop multiple backs for the small camera.

The example below features the NASA product and serial numbers inside the back.
The rear door features two additional bars on the NASA modified, I assume to help press against the takeup spool and the sprockets to ensure the film was kept engaged, preventing any slack.

The example below shows a data back
The back looks to be a standard MF-14 data back with the NASA serial numbers and product numbers on the otuside as opposed to the inside.
The same standard 1.5v twin button cells were used for operation and the same control panel for setting is behind the door on the left. A NASA applied decal with 'cheatsheet' instructions for setting, has been adhered to the rear
A blue velcro tab appears on the battery compartment door

From what I understand, there were a few variations of the data back that have been made, the MF-14 and the MF-18.
Some would imprint the data directly within the image area and some would imprint in the non image area.
Note in this databack below, the second bar (to the left of the pressure plate) does not appear and the orientation of the first bar is opposite to the mounting used on the first back pictured above..

A third door produced had no pressure plate at all and was considered a 'cover door'. It was used when one of the other backs was not in place.

•Inside the film chamber, the film takeup spool on the NASA modified is almost completely enclosed with only a few narrow slots. I assume this is to reduce the possibility of misloading

On the lenses used with the F3 NASA modified, the front lens caps are usually made of metal and are threaded
This was also to ensure that they would stay in place with zero Gravity.

The 35mm F1.4 AI-S lens followed the earlier design of the consumer grade pre-AI lens in that it is primarily metal throughout with a heavy metal oversized focussing ring.
The ring was oversized to enable easier handling and also to accommodate a thread depth in the event the EVA rods were to be screwed into it

This particular 35mm lens from my collection has also flown on STS-49, Endeavour's maiden voyage. It has a much closer minimum focussing distance than the consumer version of the same lens.
The NASA modified is capable of focussing down to about 6 inches, roughly twice as close as the commercially marketed lens.

All engraving on the lens is oversized for easier visibility. The distance scale displays feet only

Again lubricants in this lens were specially formulated to withstand the extreme temperatures and properties of working in space.

Common to all NASA lenses that I have seen, which is a shame, are crude engravings of numbers, alongside the pristine engravings from the factory.
These seem to be a secondary inventory recording done by NASA, mainly at the Johnson Space Center.

CLICK HERE to learn about my other NASA F3 Small Camera

CLICK HERE to learn about my NASA DCS460C Digital Camera used on the 1st and 2nd expeditions at the International Space Station

CLICK HERE to learn about my NASA DCS460C Digital Camera used on the 2nd and 3rd expeditions at the International Space Station. This one captured the aftermath in New York City on 9/11

Research and Photo Credits:
Johnson Space Center, Houston TX
United Space Alliance
Space Center Houston
Nikkor Club
Marco Cavina
Erik Black
Peter Coeln - Westlicht Photographica


© 2010/12 Timm J Chapman - www.onevisionphoto.com