<s>
The	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
FA	I-Algorithm
was	O
an	O
advanced	O
amateur-level	O
,	O
interchangeable	O
lens	O
,	O
35	O
mm	O
film	O
,	O
single-lens	B-Algorithm
reflex	I-Algorithm
(	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
)	O
camera	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
manufactured	O
by	O
the	O
Japanese	O
optics	B-Algorithm
company	O
Nippon	O
Kogaku	O
K	O
.	O
K	O
.	O
(	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
Corporation	O
since	O
1988	O
)	O
in	O
Japan	O
from	O
1983	O
to	O
1987	O
(	O
available	O
new	O
from	O
dealer	O
stock	O
until	O
circa	O
1989	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
FA	O
used	O
a	O
titanium-bladed	O
,	O
vertical-travel	O
Nikon-designed	O
,	O
Copal-made	O
focal	O
plane	O
shutter	O
with	O
a	O
speed	O
range	O
of	O
1	O
to	O
1/4000th	O
second	O
plus	O
Bulb	O
and	O
flash	O
X-sync	O
of	O
1/250th	O
second	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Note	O
that	O
SLRs	B-Algorithm
usually	O
sold	O
for	O
30	O
to	O
40	O
percent	O
below	O
list	O
price	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
FA	O
was	O
the	O
most	O
sophisticated	O
member	O
of	O
the	O
remarkably	O
long-lived	O
,	O
classic	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
compact	O
F-series	O
SLRs	B-Algorithm
and	O
was	O
built	O
upon	O
a	O
compact	O
but	O
rugged	O
copper-aluminum	O
alloy	O
chassis	O
developed	O
from	O
the	O
ones	O
used	O
by	O
the	O
earlier	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
FM	I-Algorithm
(	O
introduced	O
in	O
1977	O
)	O
,	O
FE	B-Algorithm
(	O
1978	O
)	O
,	O
FM2	B-Algorithm
(	O
1982	O
)	O
and	O
FE2	B-Algorithm
(	O
1983	O
)	O
cameras	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
FM/FE	O
series	O
have	O
only	O
minor	O
external	O
controls	O
and	O
cosmetic	O
differences	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
FA	O
had	O
a	O
distinctly	O
chunkier	O
body	O
and	O
larger	O
,	O
boxier	O
pentaprism	O
cover	O
to	O
house	O
its	O
extra	O
electronics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
limited-production	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
FM3A	I-Algorithm
of	O
2001	O
continued	O
to	O
use	O
this	O
body	O
design	O
until	O
2006	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
FA	I-Algorithm
is	O
a	O
historically	O
significant	O
camera	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
FA	I-Algorithm
was	O
Nippon	O
Kogaku	O
's	O
high-technology	O
standard	O
bearer	O
,	O
sandwiched	O
between	O
the	O
sturdy	O
,	O
but	O
basic	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
FE2	I-Algorithm
and	O
the	O
professional-level	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
F3	I-Algorithm
SLR	B-Algorithm
(	O
introduced	O
in	O
1980	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
FA	O
accepted	O
all	O
lenses	O
with	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Architecture
F	I-Architecture
bayonet	I-Architecture
mount	I-Architecture
(	O
introduced	O
in	O
1959	O
)	O
supporting	O
the	O
Automatic	O
Indexing-Shutter	O
(	O
AI-S	O
)	O
feature	O
(	O
introduced	O
in	O
1981	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
contemporary	O
Nippon	O
Kogaku	O
AI-S	O
lenses	O
were	O
the	O
Nikkor	O
AI-S	O
,	O
and	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
Series	O
E	O
types	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nikon	B-Algorithm
's	O
most	O
recent	O
35mm	O
film	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
lenses	O
are	O
not	O
fully	O
compatible	O
with	O
the	O
FA	O
:	O
the	O
AF	O
Nikkor	O
G	O
type	O
(	O
introduced	O
in	O
2000	O
)	O
lacks	O
an	O
aperture	O
control	O
ring	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
AF	O
Nikkor	O
DX	O
type	O
(	O
2003	O
)	O
,	O
with	O
image	O
circles	O
sized	O
for	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
's	O
digital	O
SLRs	B-Algorithm
,	O
will	O
mount	O
,	O
but	O
will	O
not	O
function	O
properly	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
IX	O
Nikkor	O
lenses	O
(	O
1996	O
)	O
,	O
for	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
's	O
Advanced	O
Photo	O
System	O
(	O
APS	O
)	O
film	O
SLRs	B-Algorithm
,	O
must	O
not	O
be	O
mounted	O
,	O
as	O
their	O
rear	O
elements	O
will	O
intrude	O
far	O
enough	O
into	O
the	O
mirror	O
box	O
to	O
cause	O
damage	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
the	O
early	O
1980s	O
,	O
Nippon	O
Kogaku	O
manufactured	O
approximately	O
70	O
manual	O
focus	O
Nikkor	O
AI-S	O
and	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
Series	O
E	O
branded	O
lenses	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Major	O
accessories	O
for	O
the	O
FA	O
included	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
MD-15	O
motor	O
drive	O
(	O
automatic	O
film	O
advance	O
up	O
to	O
3.2	O
frames	O
per	O
second	O
,	O
plus	O
power	O
for	O
the	O
camera	O
electronics	O
)	O
,	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
MF-16	O
databack	O
(	O
sequential	O
numbering	O
,	O
time	O
or	O
date	O
stamping	O
on	O
the	O
film	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
Speedlight	O
SB-15	O
(	O
guide	O
number	O
82/25	O
(	O
feet/meters	O
)	O
at	O
ASA/ISO	O
100	O
)	O
and	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
Speedlight	O
SB-16B	O
(	O
guide	O
number	O
105/32	O
(	O
feet/meters	O
)	O
at	O
ASA/ISO	O
100	O
)	O
electronic	O
flashes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
FA	O
can	O
also	O
utilize	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
MD-12	O
motor	O
drive	O
of	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
FM	I-Algorithm
and	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
FE	I-Algorithm
series	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
unit	O
will	O
not	O
provide	O
power	O
for	O
the	O
FA	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
FA	I-Algorithm
was	O
a	O
mostly	O
metal	O
,	O
heavily	O
computerized	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
FE2	I-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
FA	O
was	O
a	O
battery-powered	O
(	O
two	O
SR44	O
or	O
LR44	O
,	O
or	O
one	O
1/3N	O
)	O
electromechanically	O
(	O
much	O
electronics	O
,	O
but	O
many	O
springs	O
,	O
gears	O
and	O
levers	O
)	O
controlled	O
manual	O
focus	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
with	O
manual	O
exposure	O
control	O
or	O
aperture	O
priority	O
,	O
shutter	O
priority	O
and	O
programmed	O
autoexposure	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
FA	O
was	O
Nippon	O
Kogaku	O
's	O
first	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
to	O
have	O
shutter	O
priority	O
autoexposure	O
and	O
first	O
to	O
have	O
all	O
four	O
of	O
the	O
now	O
standard	O
PASM	O
exposure	O
modes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
the	O
other	O
compact	O
F-series	O
SLRs	B-Algorithm
,	O
the	O
FA	O
used	O
a	O
plastic	O
top	O
plate	O
:	O
fiberglass	O
reinforced	O
polycarbonate	O
for	O
the	O
black	O
bodies	O
,	O
acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene	O
(	O
ABS	O
)	O
for	O
the	O
chrome	O
ones	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
FA	O
also	O
used	O
the	O
ultra-fast	O
,	O
bearing-mounted	O
,	O
honeycomb-patterned	O
,	O
titanium-bladed	O
shutter	O
and	O
through-the-lens	O
(	O
TTL	O
)	O
off-the-film	O
(	O
OTF	O
)	O
electronic	O
flash	O
automation	O
of	O
the	O
FE2	B-Algorithm
,	O
but	O
added	O
a	O
digital	O
liquid	B-Device
crystal	I-Device
display	I-Device
(	O
LCD	B-Device
)	O
information	O
panel	O
at	O
the	O
top	O
left	O
of	O
the	O
viewfinder	O
to	O
indicate	O
the	O
readings	O
of	O
the	O
built-in	O
,	O
open	O
aperture	O
,	O
through-the-lens	O
(	O
TTL	O
)	O
light	O
meter	O
versus	O
the	O
actual	O
camera	O
settings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Depending	O
on	O
the	O
set	O
exposure	O
mode	O
,	O
the	O
LCD	B-Device
would	O
display	O
+	O
/	O
–	O
over/underexposure	O
markers	O
,	O
HI/LO	O
out	O
of	O
metering	O
range	O
warnings	O
,	O
shutter	O
speed	O
and/or	O
f-stop	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unfortunately	O
,	O
the	O
LCD	B-Device
could	O
not	O
be	O
illuminated	O
in	O
low	O
ambient	O
light	O
situations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
FA	O
also	O
had	O
a	O
removable	O
finger	O
grip	O
,	O
similar	O
to	O
the	O
one	O
introduced	O
on	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
FG	I-Algorithm
,	O
and	O
an	O
eyepiece	O
blind	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
AMP	O
was	O
originally	O
intended	O
to	O
be	O
introduced	O
in	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
FE2	I-Algorithm
,	O
but	O
it	O
was	O
not	O
ready	O
for	O
production	O
in	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
the	O
FA	O
omitted	O
the	O
autoexposure	O
memory	O
lock	O
of	O
the	O
FE2	B-Algorithm
-	O
AMP	O
was	O
supposed	O
to	O
obviate	O
any	O
need	O
for	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Despite	O
outcries	O
from	O
traditionalist	O
photographers	O
who	O
knew	O
how	O
to	O
correct	O
their	O
own	O
metering	O
exposure	O
errors	O
,	O
the	O
feature	O
was	O
quickly	O
copied	O
by	O
all	O
the	O
major	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
manufacturers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
FA	O
(	O
like	O
the	O
rest	O
of	O
the	O
compact	O
F-series	O
)	O
was	O
built	O
to	O
Nippon	O
Kogaku	O
's	O
traditional	O
and	O
unusually	O
high	O
(	O
and	O
expensive	O
)	O
standard	O
of	O
workmanship	O
for	O
amateur-level	O
SLRs	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
a	O
result	O
,	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
FA	I-Algorithm
could	O
endure	O
conditions	O
that	O
would	O
cause	O
virtually	O
all	O
other	O
contemporary	O
non-professional-level	O
SLRs	B-Algorithm
to	O
break	O
down	O
mechanically	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
1970s	O
and	O
1980s	O
were	O
an	O
era	O
of	O
intense	O
competition	O
between	O
the	O
major	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
brands	O
:	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
,	O
Canon	O
,	O
Minolta	O
,	O
Pentax	B-Application
and	O
Olympus	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
many	O
years	O
of	O
conservative	O
designs	O
,	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
FA	I-Algorithm
was	O
intended	O
to	O
be	O
Nippon	O
Kogaku	O
's	O
technological	O
blockbuster	O
,	O
surpassing	O
such	O
worthies	O
as	O
the	O
Canon	B-Algorithm
A-1	I-Algorithm
(	O
released	O
1978	O
)	O
and	O
the	O
Olympus	B-Algorithm
OM-4	I-Algorithm
(	O
1983	O
)	O
then	O
pummeling	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
sales	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nikon	B-Algorithm
Inc	O
.	O
(	O
USA	O
)	O
'	O
s	O
brochure	O
referred	O
to	O
it	O
as	O
"	O
THE	O
TECHNOCAMERA	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
FA	O
was	O
initially	O
in	O
high	O
demand	O
,	O
despite	O
its	O
very	O
high	O
price	O
-	O
selling	O
at	O
barely	O
10%	O
lower	O
than	O
the	O
professional-level	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
F3HP	I-Algorithm
-	O
because	O
many	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
owners	O
were	O
eagerly	O
awaiting	O
such	O
a	O
technology	O
leader	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
FA	O
picked	O
up	O
a	O
reputation	O
for	O
unreliability	O
(	O
for	O
a	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
)	O
and	O
ultimately	O
did	O
not	O
sell	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
hoped	O
because	O
,	O
by	O
the	O
time	O
production	O
got	O
rolling	O
,	O
its	O
technology	O
was	O
eclipsed	O
in	O
the	O
public	O
's	O
imagination	O
by	O
the	O
advent	O
of	O
autofocusing	O
SLRs	B-Algorithm
-	O
especially	O
the	O
landmark	O
Minolta	B-Algorithm
Maxxum	I-Algorithm
7000	I-Algorithm
in	O
1985	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
All	O
future	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
camera	O
development	O
would	O
emphasize	O
the	O
computerization	O
of	O
picture	O
taking	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Time	O
has	O
proven	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
FA	I-Algorithm
to	O
be	O
very	O
mechanically	O
tough	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unfortunately	O
,	O
the	O
complexity	O
of	O
all	O
of	O
its	O
electronics	O
made	O
the	O
FA	O
less	O
reliable	O
than	O
the	O
other	O
,	O
simpler	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
compact	O
F-series	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
models	O
,	O
although	O
still	O
better	O
than	O
multimode	O
SLRs	B-Algorithm
from	O
competing	O
brands	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
the	O
mid-1990s	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
fairly	O
popular	O
on	O
the	O
user-collectible	O
market	O
and	O
commanded	O
prices	O
( $500	O
in	O
pristine	O
condition	O
)	O
higher	O
than	O
when	O
it	O
was	O
new	O
-	O
almost	O
as	O
high	O
as	O
the	O
very	O
popular	O
,	O
but	O
much	O
lower	O
featured	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
FE2	I-Algorithm
,	O
making	O
the	O
FA	O
a	O
relative	O
bargain	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Because	O
of	O
this	O
,	O
as	O
with	O
many	O
other	O
electronically	O
controlled	O
cameras	O
,	O
a	O
working	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
FA	I-Algorithm
can	O
be	O
a	O
bargain	O
on	O
the	O
used	O
market	O
.	O
</s>
