Nikon FE2 w/Nikon SB 800

[skip_converse]

What lens aperture do I have to use when shooting TTL on my Nikon FE2 using

the Nikon SB 800? Or do I just use any aperture? Does it make a difference

which aperture I use?

 

Thank in advance.

 

Warm regards,

Glen Converse

[richard_driscoll]

I don't use an SB800 on my FE2 but I expect it's the same as the SB23 I do use. You can use any aperture but there is a balance to be struck. If you use a large aperture you will get rapid recycling and a long range while a small aperture will give slow recycling and a shorter range. If the range is too great for the aperture chosen the LED at the top of the eyepiece will blink rapidly after the exposure to let you know and you can try again at closer range or with a larger aperture. There is not much danger of using too large an aperture and risking overexposure except when shooting closeups. You do need to avoid using films faster than ISO 400 with the FE2 and this applies to all TTL flash units.

[User_276104]

You'll simply have to manually enter the lens' focal length and aperture your using - TTL will basically take care of the rest.

 

I don't know how advanced you may be in use of flash, but that's enough to get you started.

[russ_butner___portland__or]

Skip

 

I use my FE-2 with the SB-600 & 800, quite often. You can use any aperture that you'd like to. I've also found that with the newer Nikon flashes, you can use the FE-2 with TTL flash metering with films speeds as high as 800, 1600 & 3200. Yes, the flash indicator will still blink when you go above 400, but ignore it. The exposures are accurate. When I asked a Nikon tech about this, he said that they just don't "guarantee" accurate TTL flash settings above 400.

 

Russ

[bravin_neff]

FE-2 with any 1980's + Nikon flash works perfectly TTL. Ata any aperture.

 

I would even go so far to say that my FE-2's TTL kicks the living crap out of any of my Nikon DSLR's with iTTL.

[ShunCheung]

Technically you can use any aperture, but if the ambient environment is already bright, using a large aperture means you may be forced to use a high shutter speed, and you may be limited by the FE2's 1/250 sec flash sync speed.

 

Or perhaps you might want to use a slow shutter speed to increase the contribution of ambient light into your overall exposure; i.e. to decrease the percentage of the flash's effect, you may need to use a small aperture so that you won't overexpose.

 

Those are merely some of the basic relationships. It highly depends on each exact shooting condition; e.g. it makes big difference outdoors (where you are using the flash as fill) and indoors.

[richard_driscoll]

As Shun says you can, of course, use the FE2 for daylight fill flash. On these older cameras there is no automatic balancing of flash and daylight but it can be done using a combination of manual exposure and TTL flash. First of all put the camera on manual, turn off the flash, and set the exposure for the ambient light using the built-in meter. In bright sun you'll probably want to use 1/250 sec to give the flash its best chance. Then switch on the flash leaving aperture and speed as already set and set the exposure compensation dial on the camera to about 1 to 2 stops under (-1 2/3 is often quoted as a good setting). Then you just take the picture. The compensation dial reduces the power of the TTL flash to give a natural effect, helping to light the shadows. I don't know if you can set the compensation on the SB800 rather than on the camera - with the simple flashes you can't.

[ShunCheung]

Yes, you can set flash exposure compensation on the SB-800.

[lilly_w]

I'd like to offer a couple corrections. Eric noted, '...simply have to manually enter the lens' focal length and aperture your (sic) using.' It's not necessary to enter the aperture setting on 800 as it has no bearing on flash output though it does help to provide a reference for proper shooting distance.

 

The FE2 controls the flash duration via its' TTL capability < during exposure > (as opposed to pre-exposure using pre-flashes) and quenches the flash when it has had enough. Try a test for yourself (w/out film, of course) by leaving the aperture setting on the SB-800 at one extreme or the other (1.4 or 22) but do change the aperture on the lens (using extremes) and note the visual and audible difference in output (flash intensity and 'pop') and recycling time.

 

Adjusting focal length on 800 - yes, in order to properly adjust zooming of flashhead to ensure coverage, be it broad for wide-angle or beam-like for distance with a normal to tele-lens.

 

When using the FE2 flash-comp cannot be adjusted via the SB-800; it must be done via the effective method noted in R Driscoll's 3:26 post.