TROUBLE WITH Nikon SB-80DX FILL LIGHT (it doesn't turn on)

TROUBLE WITH Nikon SB-80DX FILL LIGHT (it doesn't turn on)

 

I bought the SB-80DX in July. Since the day I bought it, I don�t

think the little "fill light" ever worked. When you use bounce flash,

the fill light is supposed to go on to help fill the eye sockets.

However, it never seems to go on. The same light is supposed to be an

AF assist light. Even in dark situations, it never turns on (yes, I

checked that it put it in "AF-ILUM" mode). However, when I sup the

camera on red eye mode, the light does turn on.

This means that the light bulb is fine, just it doesn't turn on when

it's supposed to.

 

On Friday, I went to B&H and showed it to the guy there. He

said "yeah, its known to do that." He suggested I send it in to Nikon

USA to be repaired, but I'm scared to do that since they'll probably

send me a refurbished one.

 

Any advice?

 

Thanx in advance!

 

(I shoot with the F100, 28-105 Nikkor and SB-80DX)

I had to send my SB-28 in a couple of years ago. They sent the same unit back within two weeks. As a matter of fact, they didn't get it fixed the first time, so I sent it back the second time. Same thing, it was back in about two weeks.

 

T.O. Galloway

<i>...Since the day I bought it, I don�t think the little "fill light" ever worked. When you use bounce flash, the fill light is supposed to go on to help fill the eye sockets. However, it never seems to go on. The same light is supposed to be an AF assist light.</i><p>

I don't know where you are getting your information but it certainly is not from reading the manual that came with that flash or any other Nikon flash for that matter.<p>

That "little fill light" IS NOT an fill light, it is for red eye reduction and will come on when you select red eye reduction on the flash. It would be ridiculous to think that that is a fill light since it is WAY too dim and the wrong color to be effective as you suggest. <p>

The AF assist light is the red light below the red eye reduction light. It will project a red light and a pattern on your subject under low ambient light conditions.<p>

To sum it all up, there is nothing wrong with your flash and the guy at B&H is obviously brain dead. YOU need to read your manual!

SB-80DX 's red-eye reduction lamp is a lamp, not a flash tube, it will not function as a fill light. The source of information about "fill is supposed to come on" is seriously dillusional.

OK,

Everyone has been replying to me that it is not supposed to be a fill light. (Thank you for the help!!!)

When I bought the flash, I was told that that the SB-80DX is supposed to have some sort of fill light to help when using bounce flash.

I guess they were wrong. (or maybe they were referring to the built in bounce card?)

As for the IR, is there any way I can check if it is working properly? (In my Minolta, I could actually see the IR light)

 

Thanx!

-franky

Test the IR lamp? That should be pretty easy. Go to a dark place so the camera and flash will call for the IR assist. Put your hand in front of the IR lens. Depress the shutter lightly to focus.

 

You'd have thought of that on your own...

Hello All

 

I'll keep this brief.

 

1. Using my F5 and SB-28 yes, it is not a F100/SB80; the "Infrared" Autofocus assist (AF-A)ONLY works when it is dark AND the CENTER viewfinder focus spot is choosen AND Servo focus mode selected. Any other focus spot, i.e. up, down, left or right will not cause the focus assist to come on. If the camera is in Manual, or Continous focus mode even with the center focus spot chossen, it will not illuminate. Explained all in the instruction manual.

 

2. WITH an SB-28, focus assist has a useful range of about 10-15 ft tops, as mentioned in the instruction manual. In addition it has been my observation after some thousands plus photo's in low light situations; that you better have that red beam on something reflective, like the brides dress, and not the black tux.

 

3. Once again, WITH AN SB-28, fill flash is accomplished using the reflector card, this also applies for the SB-26 which has a red eye reduction lamp, which IS NOT used for fill flash, it is used for red eye reduction.

 

4. To "calibrate" the AF assist light; I go into a dark room with the camera body set as in #1, flash turned on (you gotta tell people this) with AF-A choosen "active/on" on the flash. Firstly; see if the AF-A will come on. If it illuminates, I then "calibrate" the AF-A using my 24-120mm lens set at 120mm.I stand 10-15ft from a white wall, I presss the shutter release button half way down and look for the red AF-A pattern in the viewfinder. Once found I center it on the CENTER focus point. This is accomplished using a Stroboframe Pro-RL, which permits the user to turn the flash and camera body left and right, and move the flash only up and down. If you do not own this stroboframe mentioned, most likely this will not make sense.

 

So much for brief - Hugh

 

Sincerely - Hugh