Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site wjvax.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxj!houxm!whuxlm!harpo!decvax!decwrl!sun!qubix!wjvax!ron
From: ron@wjvax.UUCP (Ron Christian)
Newsgroups: net.rec.photo
Subject: Re: Nikon TTL flash and flash related problems
Message-ID: <295@wjvax.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 2-Jan-85 19:31:44 EST
Article-I.D.: wjvax.295
Posted: Wed Jan  2 19:31:44 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 4-Jan-85 00:55:22 EST
References: <226@ttidcb.UUCP>
Organization: Watkins Johnson, San Jose, Calif.
Lines: 44

***************
From: josephs@ttidcb.UUCP (Bill Josephs)

Question:  does anyone know of an easy way to meter synchro flash
(using the flash as fill to an already sunlit scene) using the TTL
setting and not the auto setting of the Nikons (or any TTL flash for
that matter)?  As soon as the flash is turned on, the normal meter is
disabled.  The scene brightness, then, controls the duration of the
flash and not the aperture/shutter combination, i. e., you are stuck
at 1/250th and the aperture you set.  If this would lead to an
underexposure, then the flash is forced to a maximum fill destroying
any subtle effects that you're after.  If the setting would result in
an overexposure, there is nothing you can do (unless you can arrange
to have the flash "suck" up some of the excess light and and use it to
recharge the battery!?!) The only success I've had is to meter the
scene manually, note the aperture used for 1/250th, turn the flash on
and set that aperture (and hope that things don't change too rapidly
while the flash is charging).   Not a satisfactory procedure.
****************

I too was concerned about this, as my next camera will
probably be an FE2.  (I have an FE.)  According to one
of my books, (Kodak flash techniques or some such thing.
Book is at home.) you have to use the flash synch shutter
speed, (1/250 or whatever) but you can fool the flash by
subtracting stops with the compensation knob.  Think about
it:  Fixed apature, fixed shutter speed, the only thing
that can change is the amount of light that the flash pro-
duces.  An easy way to compute fill balance, by the way.
Only disadvantage: if the meter turns off with the flash
on, (A non-feature if I ever heard of one!  Shame on Nikon.)
you must first calculate the correct exposure with a hand held
lightmeter.  (The flash can then be left on.)  I wonder if
you could have someone 'fix' your FE2 so the meter stayed
on all the time?  Of course, if the light is so bright you
need a faster shutter speed than 1/250 to get correct exposure,
you couldn't use flash fill anyway.

I would like to know if anyone has tried this technique, and
how well it worked.
-- 

	Ron Christian  (Watkins-Johnson Co.  San Jose, Calif.)
	{pesnta,twg,ios,qubix,turtlevax,tymix}!wjvax!ron