FM3a & SB-800 settings?

[bennett ho]

Hello informative folks,

 

I have a general question about flash photography using a FM3a and

SB-800. Firstly, I understand in "A" mode the FM3a will fire at 1/250

every time with a flash mounted on. That is fine for daytime

fill-flash use but for evening shots I am better off selecting slower

shutter speeds manually, right? 1/60-1/15 depending on the lens in use...

 

On the SB-800, in TTL mode I still have to manually select the

aperture and zoom(len's lenght) since it won't automatically identify

this data from the FM3a. Is this the way it works? What about "A"

mode on the SB-800 vs "TTL" mode, what's the difference?

 

What are the best settings to use in general for

daylight/evening/night shots? Much appreciated.

[david_h._hartman]

<em>That is fine for daytime fill-flash use but for

evening shots I am better off selecting slower shutter speeds

manually, right? 1/60-1/15 depending on the lens in use...

--B Ho<br>

</em><br>

Youll probably want to select a shutter speed based on the

1/focal length rule or put your camera on a tripod to use a

slower shutter speed. Things that move in the image will still be

blurred but they will also be recorded sharply by the flash as

well when the shutter speed is too a slow one. If the moving

subject is close to the flash the sharp image will predominate

and the blur is referred to as ghosting. At a greater distance

youll get mostly ghosting. This can be a defect or a

feature of your photograph depending on what you want. You may

also want to have some cluttered backgrounds dark or might like

the paparazzi look for a particular subject. Here you would use a

1/250 or 1/125 second shutter speed. These are all your option.

Experiment to see what you like and select whatever suites your

photograph. <br>

<br>

Its best to keep the flash fairly high over the lens and

use a flip type bracket for vertical shots or you can use an SC-17,

28 or 29 cord to get the flash off the camera. If you are using

an MD-12 motor drive you can hand hold the flash at arms length.

Its easier to do this with an AF camera but you can do it

with a manual focus camera. Youll need to pre-focus, use a

medium aperture for depth of field. You can also focus with your

feet doing a sort of dance with your subject. This was a

technique use by press photographers in the 40s and 50

using Speed and Crown Graphic 4x5 cameras. Dancing with the

subject is also something that is or was done by fashion

photographers before AF.<br>

<br>

This was more than you asked but I just though Id toss some

ideas your way to offer future possibilities. I recommend buying

a flip type bracket, probably from Stroboframe as soon as

practical.<br>

<br>

<em>On the SB-800, in TTL mode I still have to manually

select the aperture and zoom(len's lenght) since it won't

automatically identify this data from the FM3a. --B Ho.<br>

</em><br>

You will need to manually select the zoom setting or use one that

is the same or shorter/wider than the lens you are using. Setting

the aperture on the lens is required to your taste but setting

that aperture on your speedlight is not. All it does is make the

bar graph showing the shooting distance range accurate. I dont

bother when using my SB-24 on my FM2n, FE2 or Hasselblad. Ive

never used my SB-800 on any camera but my F5 and D2H.<br>

<br>

<em>"What are the best settings to use in general for

daylight/evening/night shots? Much appreciated." --B Ho<br>

</em><br>

Generally you will want to use TTL. There is a GN or Distance

Priority mode that you may find useful for fill flash with your

FM3a. I only tried it once long ago with my D2H. You can check it

out in your SB-800 manual.<br>

<br>

The SB-800 has many features that are not supported by your FM3a

but it is for many purposes the best choice you could make. I

highly recommend the fifth battery option when using NiMH battery.

Thats all Ill use as AA alkaline battery are more

prone to leaking and give slower recycle times.<br>

<br>

Enjoy your SB-800<br>

<br>

Dave Hartman.<br>

<br>

PS: A or Auto mode uses the metering sensor on the face of the SB-800.

This is provided mostly for cameras with no TTL function. You

have to keep the aperture set on the lens and the speedlight in

sync or the exposure will be incorrect. You can purposely set the

lens a stop or so +/- as exposure correction. You probably will

not want to use the Auto mode.

[alan_olander1664878205]

I don't own an SB-800, but in general, with TTL, the flash exposure is determined by light refected off the subject and back Through The Lens (TTL). With "Auto" flash, a small sensor on the flash itself measures the reflected light. This may or may not be as accurate as "TTL", but in many situations works just fine. With either TTL or Auto you set your camera to the f/stop the flash is using.

 

Using manual exposure control on the FM3a will allow you to use a range of shutter speeds to control the background exposure. If you want your image to have a very dark background you would use a faster shutter speed than if you want more detail in the background. There's a whole lot more to flash photography than I can tell you. You may be interested in this web page: http://www.moosepeterson.com/techtips/flash.html

[lilly_w]

Ah yes, the bane of many and a good question that continues to perplex...soon to be your boon. I recall well going through similar hair-pulling machinations. Here you get the full story not found in the manuals.

 

I generally shoot in Manual Mode on FM3A and Std-TTL on the SB-800 (same as SB-28 and other SB's on FM3A) unless I have good reason, where time is of the essence, to shoot in Aperture Priority, regardless of day / night shooting. The reason: I want the metering 'fixed' to my composition vs. altered to what the FM3A feels is correct...although the handy Auto-Exposure Lock button could serve the same purpose in Aperture Priority...nice feature.

 

<On the SB-800, in TTL mode I still have to manually select the...zoom(len's lenght) (sic) since it won't automatically identify this data from the FM3a. Is this the way it works?>

 

Correct, it is important to select the lens focal length on the SB-800 to ensure adequate coverage (left / right, top / bottom) and reach for both Std-TTL and Non-TTL Auto. As for setting the aperture value on the SB-800...the long answer first.

 

I find Std-TTL metering (using the camera sensor, of course) more accurate than relying on the 'one-size-fits-all-focal-lengths' Light Sensor Window on the front of the SB-800 in Non-TTL Auto Flash Mode (or simply < A > on the SB-800) and requires less button-pushing / synchronizing of f-values between flash and lens. In Std-TTL it is not necessary to set on the SB-800 the ISO or aperture since the duration ('amount') of flash is determined by the FM3A sensor *during* the exposure. The camera will quench the flash when sufficient light has reached the sensor. The reason to set the ISO / f-stop value on the SB-800 in Std-TTL is to visually verify on the back of the flash that your subject-to-flash distance is appropriate.

 

If using SB-800 in Non-TTL Auto Flash Mode it is imperative to 1) set the ISO on the SB-800 and 2) ensure there is some relationship between the lens aperture setting and the aperture value on the SB-800 for either 'normal' powered flash (same f-value on each) or flash compensation (off-set f-values depending on desired compensation; e.g. f5.6 on SB-800 and f4 on lens = 'plus 1 flash compensation'; f4 on SB-800 and f5.6 on lens = 'negative 1 flash compensation'). I find this tedious as I routinely change the aperture many times during the course of shooting session whereas the amount of flash comp often remains a constant. Further, I don't have much faith in the Light Sensor Window's capabilities when using wide-angle lenses.

 

Well, that was the long answer. The simple solution I recommend is to: 1) shoot in Manual mode on FM3A (always at or less than 250th SS), 2) Std-TTL on SB-800, 3) dial-in the desired flash compensation using the comp dial below the film-rewind crank and 4) this is the critical part, ensure that the meter NEEDLE, for -1 flash comp for example, is aligned to the next fastest shutter speed (e.g. 125th) relative to the green Shutter Speed indicator (e.g. 60th) in the viewfinder when setting aperture / shutter speed combo. Or for -2 flash comp: needle at 125th, green SS indicator at 30th. The simple match / needle mechanism makes performing this a breeze.

 

The benefits of Std�TTL are obvious: no fiddling with aperture value for each different setting or ISO on flash...simply ensure a 'one-over' needle/match after dialing-in -1 comp (or whatever level of comp is desired).

 

The critical point is that you've set the shutter speed and aperture to what you feel are the 'proper' settings yet the ambient exposure remains unaffected by the comp dial; only the flash is affected. An alternative to this would be to leave the comp dial at zero and instead adjust the ISO dial (at rewind crank)...e.g. for -1 flash comp, shooting 200 ISO film, set ISO dial to 400. Off-set meter needle / SS-indicator rule still applies.

 

The -1 Flash Compensation button next to the Lens Lock button seems to be a handy feature though I've not experimented with it much and must reserve comment. I like to keep my left hand free for focus / aperture adjustment on the fly or holding the flash.

 

<What are the best settings to use in general for daylight/evening/night shots?> Much depends how you intend to render a scene relative to depth-of-field, whether you want a more 'balanced' looking fill flash or perhaps want the background a bit darker so your subject has a little 'pop' and appears more prominent. As a rule-of-thumb, the aperture affects the flash exposure and shutter speed affects the ambient exposure.

 

Miscellanea: I suggest experimenting with different settings (SS, aperture and flash comp) in different light. Keep some notes. An additional item or three that will improve your results are 1) SC-17 cord (SC-28 and SC-29 will also work but are more expensive) to get the flash off-camera, hand-held if need be so harsh shadows fall outside of frame 2) flash bracket and / or 3) a diffuser as direct flash can be harsh. When the situation permits, bounce the all-powerful SB-800 off white walls for even better results. If your back is against or near the wall in tight quarters, don't be afraid to spin the flash head backward and up over your head/shoulder. Wonderful results await. Off-color walls will reflect off-color light; not so wonderful.

 

If you find the combo of lighting / film speed / aperture / shutter speed making flash work too bright for the max sync speed (250th for FM3A), e.g. desiring a wide aperture (f2 or f2.8) for minimal DOF while wanting fill, you could mount a neutral density filter to the lens to knock-out one or more stops, thus getting you back into the sync-speed range. Well if all that wasn't more than you were asking...

[lex_jenkins]

Dunno 'bout the FM3a but I've gotten excellent results using the SB-800 on my F3HP and FM2N in auto thyristor mode. I don't have a TTL adapter for my F3 yet and may not bother since the SB-800 works well enough in ordinary non-TTL auto mode.

 

In really tricky lighting I'll switch to distance based flash, which is relatively easy to do with the SB-800. I've used it to photograph candlelit ceremonies, which would trip up even some TTL flash.

 

I agree with Lilly that it's kind of a hassle having to adjust the flash setting every time I adjust the aperture. But I did things the old school way for so many years - guide number based flash and/or flash metering - that it seems like a minor inconvenience. At least the SB-800 allows these adjustments, something few auto thyristor flash units do.