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Nikonos IV-A

SCUBA diving is already hard enough. Not only do you have to bring your own air and wear special outfits, you need to bring the right gear to make your underwater trip more enjoyable. And if you're already going underwater anyhow, might as well bring a camera that's designed to make picture making as easy as possible. Good thing you brought along the Nikonos IV-A. While previous iterations of the Nikonos line of cameras were very good, the Nikonon IV-A sets itself apart from the others by being almost entirely automatic.

Introduced in 1980, the Nikon IV-A was the first of Nikon's underwater cameras to have an electronic shutter, which meant that it had an aperture priority exposure mode. This allowed the photographer to set the aperture, pre-focus, and just go about making photographs. The camera's meter read directly off of the film plane, so images were exposed properly every time. For using the Nikonos flash system, there was a manual setting on the shutter speed dial that set the shutter speed at 1/90th of a second. This setting can also be used if/when the batteries die.

Like almost all of the Nikonos series, the IV-A is a viewfinder camera. This is especially helpful for photographing with any color contrast filters as your view will remain unchanged. Plus, the IV-A has through-the-lens metering, so there's no need to try and estimate the shutter speeds. You can just set the aperture and let the camera do the rest.

These days, the Nikonos IV-A, like many of us from 1980, should be taken underwater very carefully, if ever. Aging O-rings mean that the cameras are not as watertight as they were when they were new. Without replacing the O-rings, we recommend this camera if you're looking for a camera that can withstand a bit of rain or sand now and again. With its superb TTL metering, this is the camera you still take to the beach, throw on the appropriate filter, and shoot above the waterline knowing that the Nikonos will survive the weather.

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Nikonos IV-A and Kodak Portra 400 Film

The ISO of Portra 400 film, combined with the Nikonos IV-A's resistance to the weather, make them a fabulous pair for any sprinkling day.

Nikonos IV-A

Each time we get a Nikonos camera in, we take it on as a little creative project, trying to figure out new ways to represent this camera. The Nikonos stands out from most of the cameras we photograph, in the sense that it is waterproof, and water and cameras are not something we are used to mixing. We see a fair number of Nikonos cameras come through, so we are lucky to get plenty of practice at this.⠀ ⠀

Most often, the cameras we see are Nikonos IIIs or Vs. It is rare that the IV-A pays a visit, but we have it photographed here. The IV-A is kind of like an underwater version of the Nikon EM. It is essentially meant to be used in aperture priority mode and only has a single manual shutter speed, plus Bulb. It is a bit more of a point-and-shoot than your typical Nikonos camera. Which means that it is also a simpler camera to use. If you are not so interested in all-manual exposure, then this camera will fit your needs well.⠀ ⠀

We like pointing out (especially since we are typing this out on a typical rainy Portland morning) that underwater cameras, like the Nikonos, can be used for a lot more than scuba diving and snorkeling. They make great Portland winter cameras. If they are meant to dive into the depths of the ocean, a bit of rain is not even going to get their attention - they are great for hiking in wet, rainy conditions.⠀ ⠀

As always, we should also caution you, when buying these cameras, be very careful about assuming the camera you are getting is still actually waterproof. These cameras used a number of seals (around the lens mount, back door, battery chamber, film rewind knob, flash sync port, etc) that eventually dry up and need maintenance or repair. We never warranty the Nikonos cameras we sell for underwater use, as it is just not feasible for us to really test them that thoroughly. We recommend similar caution when buying one elsewhere. That is why they are great to consider for rainy weather, because even if their seal integrity is not sufficient for diving, it will still hold back the January weather just fine.

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Blue Moon Camera and Machine llc

sales@bluemooncamera.com
(503) 978-0333
(503) 978-0370
8417 North Lombard Street
Portland, OR 97203

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Nikonos IV-A

Nikonos IV-A and Kodak Portra 400 Film

Nikonos IV-A

Blue Moon Camera and Machine llc