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