Nikon vs Norman

[rascal64]

I have an old workhorse norman lighting kit. A couple of problems that

I have run into so far.

I recently purchased a D70

It seems that my manual lenses do not work with the normans (thanks to

responses on previous threads, the manual lens are working great with

my light meter and fixed/natural light)...until I can afford the

wireless hot shoe slave adapter, I have to rely on the built in speed

lite to trigger the normans. I don't know if the use of the speedlite

is throwing off the manual dialins of shutterspeed and aperture and

disabling the camera with a manual lens or what.

 

The other problem is that despite shutter speeds as high as 3000 and

aperture settings as high as F16, I'm still getting really evenly and

brightly lit subjects (I loathe bright, even light)...once again,

because the speedlite is my trigger for the normans.

This is 2 problems in one thread, but I thought the cause was kind of

the same.

Anyone have any suggestions?

[BernardMiller]

Tiffany--

 

I'm not really understanding what you are saying here. How exactly do you trigger your Normans?

 

If you are using some sort of optical slave, then, no, the D70's built-in flash is not going to work, since the pre-flash will probably trigger them prematurely. You can get optical slaves that are built to work with digital cameras, and take into account the pre-flash. Or you could use an older hotshoe flash mounted on top of the D70 to trigger your current setup.

 

Otherwise, you can simply get Nikon's AS-15 hotshoe/PC adapter (about $23), and use a PC cord to trigger the strobes.

 

I'm not sure, either, what you mean by saying the D70 won't work with manual lenses and the Normans. I have a 400B kit that I use all the time with my D70 and an ancient AI'ed 105/F2.5 lens. Now, I don't always agree with what my light meter tells me to shoot at, as far as the aperture setting. I use the light meter as a starting point, and then check my histogram--then adjust the aperture (and/or shutter, if I'm wanting to get some of the ambient light in) to get a good-looking histogram.

 

As far as your second problem, I have no clue. I'm amazed that you get any kind of decently exposed flash picture at 1/3000 of a second, for a number of reasons.

 

Can you tell us more about what precise combinations of aperture/shutter speed/camera setting (M,A, program, etc.) that you are using, and maybe myself or someone else can be of more help?

[hugh stevens]

Bernard

 

I brought up the lack of a PC socket on the D70 with a friend of mine in a conversation as to why I haven't purchased a D70 as yet. He said that a $6 'foot' with PC socket could be purchased so you can hook up a wireless slave system. My N90s and F5 have PC sockets. I do not understand why Nikon neglects essential equipment like this on a camera body that they desire a large market share?

[rascal64]

Bernard, Thank you for all that info. Yes, I am using an optical slave. And actually the pre-flash does not fire them. I will have to look for the hotshoe adapter that you mentioned. My understanding was that the only real solution was the wireless hot shoe mount for about $500.00.

I must be missing something really obvious with the manual lens problem. The camera will let me dial in just about any setting, but as soon as I pop up the speedlite, the shutter won't fire. I used the 3000 at F16 as an exaggerated setting, just to see if anything would work. I tried the other end of the spectrum as well....IE 500 at F5.6.....1000 at F5.6....and on and on. I have no doubt that it is user error. I just don't know what I am missing here. I have a shoot coming up to work with my lighting equipment and my F100. I was hoping to use the D70 as a sort of poloroid or light guide, since hands on is usually my best method of learning.But with that darned speedlite on the D70, I don't think I will get that preview option.

[r_miller1]

Tiffany,

 

I am a relatively new user of a D70. I think your problem is that the D70 will not meter with the older lens and since it can't meter, it is programmed to block shooting. As mentioned above, quit using/trying to use the built-in flash as the triggering device for the Norman. Although a radio slave is a geat way to go, it isn't the only way. As a previous posted said, get an inexpensive hotshoe to PC adapter. In the alternative, if you have a small hot shoe strobe use it. If the head is adjustable, point it up, or really just away from your subject(s) to avoid direct light from the shoe mount flash from falling on your subject. If not adjustable, just fashion a piece of cardboard or other material to prevent the light from falling directly on the subject. Set the shoe mount to low output if manually adjustable or to high ASA/ISO and low f-stop on auto to minimize output. Even without lowering its output, so long as you avoid having its direct light falling on the subject, there should be no adverse effect relative to the light produced by the Normans.

 

Regards,

[rascal64]

fabulous....I am actually on my way now, to pick up the AS-15. I must say, that of all my photo equipment, photo.net is my best tool.

The speedlite and the lack of a plug-in on the D70 were my 2 hesitations on buying it. But I knew that someone out there would have some solutions.

Thanks again!

[BernardMiller]

Tiffany--

 

As R.Miller wrote, the camera will not let you shoot in certain modes with a lens that it cannot meter with. So you can't use Aperture mode (for instance) at all with such a lens. If you set it to Manual, the camera will fire--it will not, however, do so under any circumstances if the internal flash is popped up (I am pretty sure--I think I've tried that) with a non-metering lens. The rest of Mr. R.Miller's advice is excellent indeed, as well.

 

And, Huey, I feel you on that. Plus MLU (in shooting mode), cable release, vertical grip, etc. Still, limitations and all, it's a great camera--I suppose if Nikon made it *too* good, pros wouldn't feel quite so much like ponying up the premium on a D1 or D2 series camera...

[alan_woolnough]

Hello Tiffany,

 

Your D70 shutter WILL fire, even with old manual non-cpu lenses, with the pop-up flash active. The pop-up flash AND shutter will work perfectly, even without any lens attatched to the body.

 

I suspect the flash settings in the menu are set to ttl {which will disable the shutter with non cpu lenses.

 

I use non cpu lenses with my D70, and even an old manual diaphram lens {with no electrical OR mechanical linkage to the body} and the pop-up flash and shutter function perfectly.

 

Although non cpu lenses disable the meter, some of the other functions are still active, and it is worth checking these settings are not conflicting with the pop-up flash and shutter. I use the pop-up flash to trigger my remote flashguns, by dangling a small peanut slave over the flash {which is set to 1/16 power}. the peanut slave is attatched to my remote flashguns by the cables, and this works perfectly.

 

I suspect your problem is just with finding the appropriate camera settings {which can be a bit daunting for people like me, who has only recently gone digital}.

 

Alan

[david_h._hartman]

<em>"I do not understand why Nikon neglects essential

equipment like this on a camera body that they desire a large

market share?" --Huey Stevens<br>

</em><br>

This is just one of many clues that the D70 is designed for snap

shooters. Due to the price and lack of choice in Nikon's DSLR

line up many are buying a camera thats not well suited to

their needs.<br>

<br>

---<br>

<br>

<em>"The camera will let me dial in just about any setting,

but as soon as I pop up the speedlite, the shutter won't fire."

--Tiffany Araluce<br>

</em><br>

<em>"When a non-CPU lens is attached, the built-in

Speedlight can only be used when Manual is selected for Custom

Setting 19" --D70 Manual, page 94.<br>

</em><br>

Regards,<br>

<br>

Dave Hartman.

[david_h._hartman]

It looks like you can have Full to 1/16th power in manual mode.

You can add a diffuser to the flash if you like. You might try a

Nikon SG-1, a standard accessory with the Nikon SU-4 TTL Slave.

You might buy one from Nikon Parts if available. The SG-1

attaches to the hot shoe. The diffuser is a 50x60mm opal plastic

thing that flips down. <br>

<br>

I would not use a hot shoe adapter without knowing if the flash

trigger voltage is safe. Im used to the PC terminal on my

Nikons taking 256v but I dont know about the hot shoe of

consumer cameras. The safe trigger voltage is found in some Nikon

manuals.

[rascal64]

I actually just picked up the AS-15. For now, the problem is solved. I am extremely thankful for all the info that has been donated. I think that the D70 is fine for me. I'm semi-pro and since I don't do (nor do I think I will ever) sports photography, the difference in price and features made the D70 the wise digital decision for me. For now, my F100 is the preferred camera. And once digital can compete with medium format, I will buy another. I'm having a blast with the D70 and it is nice to know that as each obstacle arises, someone out there in photonet land will have a solution.

[aardvarko]

Seriously, it's just TTL flash metering that won't work. Use full-manual, CSM 19.

[rascal64]

Thanks, Chris. I will try that.

[discpad]

<b>Tiffany:

<br><br>

<i>Full halt!</i>

<br><br>

You'll blow out your D70's circuits if you hook it up to your Norman: Digital cameras are limited to 6 volts, while strobe packs can have as much as several hundred volts on their terminals. Even my battery powered Norman 200B has over 30 volts across its' terminals.

<br><br>

Throw away (or return) the Nikon hot-shoe - to - PC adapter, and instead get a Wein <i>Safe Sync</i> hot shoe to hot shoe adapter HSHSB -- It has both a PC cord socket output as well as a hot shoe output. These are <u><a href = "http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=245292&is=REG" target = "_blank">$49.99 at B&H</a></u> -- I just bought two of these at B&H last weekend! </b>

<br><br>

We've already had two customers at the lab where I moonlight blow out an S2 Pro and a 10D when they hooked them to their studio strobes...

<br><br>

Cheers!<br>

Dan Schwartz

[rascal64]

Thanks Dan! I actually have had some sessions with the Normans and the D70. I didn't hurt the camera, but I had the lights at the 50 setting. I did take your advice and exchanged the adapter I bought, for the one you mentioned. Now I am ready to go full throttle. It seems that the old way of learning....just plugging in, flipping switches, dialing numbers doesn't work as well with digital. I just fried my SB50 that way.

Thanks again for the 911 call. It's nice to know that someone is watching my back.