 Jim |
How to use electronic flash Why does this bother me? I shoot an old N70 which has a built in flash which I use because it tells me, but what about other add on flashes. They are SB-15 nikon, 285 vivitar, 4000 sunpak fo nikon I don't know boo about anything. TTL?dedicated?? What's that all about? Can someone start me out? Recommend good simple book? Anyway, I know this holding me up. I would appreciate any help. Jim F.
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Jeff S. Kennedy |
There's just way too much to cover regarding flash here with such an open ended question. There are books on the market that deal with flash photograhy. I suggest checking those out. Beyond that, I say get a flash and start messing around with it. The best way to demystify something is to get it in your hands. Have fun.
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Jim |
Thanks! I kinda hoped this could have been answered in a sentence or two. Let's narrow it down...recommendations anyone? How about a simple book to start? -Jim-
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Jon Close |
The built-in flash is weak in two main areas. One, it is of very limited power (Guide Number 12m) and so is useful generally only to about 6-8 ft with ISO 100 film and your typical f/4-5.6 zoom lens. Look for an add on flash with a Guide Number about 3-4x the built-in's (ie. 36m to 48m or greater). Secondly, the built-in flash is very close to the lens and fires straight on only. An add-on flash will be farther removed from the lens axis, reducing red-eye and the harshness of shadows, and you should get one with a tilt/swivel head so that you can bounce flash to eliminated red-eye and shadows completely. TTL and dedicated are virtually interchangable terms. TTL stands for Through The Lens flash metering. It communicates with a flash meter built into the camera body that measures light reflected off the film while the shutter is open, and directly controls the flash output. To communicate with the camera meter the flash must be "dedicated" to that particular camera maker's system. Depending on the system, the camera will sense the presence of the flash and in some modes automatically set the shutter speed and aperture. "Auto" flashes that are not dedicated have a light meter built into the flash to control the output and exposure, but the user has to manually set compatible shutter speed and aperture on the camera.
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Jim |
Good Jon, that's the stuff I'm very short on. your explain very clear & IS EXACTLY what I want and need. My sunpak is dedicated??? and the vivitar is automatic & SB 15 is both??? Thanks, JON -Jim-
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Jon Close |
Right, the Vivitar 285HV is automatic, but not a dedicated TTL flash. It is still a very good unit used by many pros. The Sunpak PZ-4000 is a dedicated TTL flash. Sunpak makes a different version for Nikon, Canon, Minolta, and Pentax camera systems. The zoom head on the flash (which varies the spread of light) will automatically adjust to match the camera lens zoom setting, where the Vivitar 285HV's zoom has to be set manually. The PZ-4000 also has an autofocus assist light, but it only covers the center focus sensor. The Nikon SB-15 is a dedicated TTL flash, but it is an older version first introduced with the manual focus FA, FE2, FG models, so it does not have a focus assist light or auto-zoom head. It also has a built-in sensor so that it can also be used with non-TTL capable camera bodies. The head of the SB-15 swivels as well as tilts.
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JAMES F. FINGER |
AND LET THERE BE LIGHT...& S0 THERE IS. GREAT JOB, JON I HAVE TO RUN TO CATCH UP & DIGEST, BUT I SHALL RETURN. -JIM F-
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John A. Lind |
Metz also makes a number of shoe mounted flash units that use "SCA" modules for TTL control of the flash, including an SCA-3000 series module for your Nikon. These are pro-grade units and most are relatively powerful. Expensive new, several late models can be found on the used market at much less cost. Among these are the 40MZ1i, 40MZ-2 and 40MZ-3i at about $200 or so (without the dedicated module). A used SCA-3000 series module would run the combined cost to the vicinity of about $250, perhaps slightly more. Somewhat less powerful is the 32MZ-3 and the 32Z-2. The curent Metz module for the Nikon N70 is the SCA-3402. Exact features will vary when used in combination with the various flash units above. Some will have more than others, but all at least have dedicated TTL control plus a number of additional useful functions. Something to consider and compare pricing on if looking for a used flash. -- John
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John A. Lind |
Metz also makes a number of shoe mounted flash units that use "SCA" modules for TTL control of the flash, including an SCA-3002 series module for your Nikon. These are pro-grade units and most are relatively powerful. Expensive new, several late models can be found on the used market at much less cost. Among these are the 40MZ1i, 40MZ-2 and 40MZ-3i at about $200 or so (without the dedicated module). A used SCA-3002 series module would run the combined cost to the vicinity of about $250, perhaps slightly more. Somewhat less powerful is the 32MZ-3 and the 32Z-2. The curent Metz module for the Nikon N70 is the SCA-3402. Exact features will vary when used in combination with the various flash units above. Some will have more than others, but all at least have dedicated TTL control plus a number of additional useful functions. Note that some Metz "SCA-300" units even older than the ones I listed may use the SCA-343, an SCA-300 series module that predates the SCA-3000 series and SCA-3002 series. The SCA-343 still provides dedicated TTL control and Metz still makes them . . . and an SCA-300 series can be used on any of the flash units made for SCA-3000/3002 modules . . . they're backward compatible with the older modules. Something to consider and compare pricing on if looking for a used flash. -- John
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Jim |
Thanks, for the response. I am taking to heart. I have been looking at the SB-28 and the SB-80DX Nikon flashes on Ebay...Nikon also gets their pound of flesh. I am going to use what I have for the time being, w/one eye open for something different. I appreciate the time you ALL have taken to get me upright in the water of mystery FLASH. -JIMF-
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