Vintage flash! NEED HELP!

[eman_a]

<p>Hi all,</p>

<p>I recently purchased a minolta xd-7 which came with a morris 300tx-d flash and i cant for the life of me figure out what the colored dots correspond to! HELP! I've scoured the web in search for a manual or maybe a forum post or something but alas! I end the day with no results.<br>

I've attached a picture for your reference, if anyone knows anything about this flash please share it with me!<br>

Many thanx in advance!</p><div></div>

[railphotog]

<p>I've never seen nor heard of this flash, but it seems to be as in other flashes - the dots refer to the settings on the flash and camera. I assume there is a table on the back of the flash, perhaps with colored areas corresponding to the f-stops the camera should be set at. White is for photos between 6 -10 feet, yellow is for 10-20 feet, etc.</p>

[frank_skomial]

<p>As Bob suggested, if you also show us the back side of the flash, we could tell more, possibly.<br>

In front there is a color dot coded switch/slider that changes automatic range of the flash, and corresponding aperture/ISO combination. One of the position, perhaps the white color, is for the full power manual flash output. If there are other sliders or switches on the back of the flash?, you would get a better explanation.<br>

Form the capacitor powering the flash for few hours, and then experiment how it works. Possibly there is a test switch, or a PC sync cable with it?<br>

Not sure if the optical sensor on the flash is removed ? or it is like that - recessed.<br>

There is also a socket on the visible side. It could be for a PC sync cord, or for an external battery?</p>

[paul_wheatland]

<p>A word of caution: if you plan to use this flash unit on an electronic film camera or a digital camera, be aware of trigger voltage. This strobe may be an older type with high voltage and could damage a modern camera. I "fried" a Nikon F3 years ago with an off brand Strobe and now use dedicated flash guns on my electronic and digital cameras.</p>

[jim_momary]

<p>I come up dry on Google and Altavista.<br>

Only a thought. If you search on ebay there is one for sale at the moment. Ask them if they have a manual, they might copy it and sell it to you. The flash is going for buy it now $20. (working and 'excellent' condition)</p>

<p>At that price, it may not be worth screwing around?<br>

Good luck.<br>

Jim</p>

[vick_vickery]

<p>I'd bet money the dots stand for 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and full power. Would expect a sliding or wheel on the rear with corresponding colored markings, but since it has an eye in front, it might be fully automatic; you'll have to figure out which end is full and which is 1/4, though! :-) As I think about it, most strobes like that require you to use a given lens setting, like f/16 for full, f/11 for 3/4, f/8 for 1/2, and f/4 for 1/4 or some such...there should still be a scale of some kind on the back to give you the f/stop and applicable distance range on the back of the strobe.</p>

[eman_a]

<p>thank you all for the responses. u are right there is a dial behind but i dont fully understand. i've included a pictures if someone can clarify.</p>

<p>appreciate it!</p><div></div>

[steve m smith]

It's fairly simple. The white setting is fully manual. You set the ISO of the film (in your picture it's between 100 and 200 but I'm going to assume it's at the 100 setting for now).

 

Determine the distance to the subject then use the aperture next to that distance. So at 7 metres it will be around f4 and at 3 metres, about f11.

 

The coloured dots are automatic modes. In the ISO 100 setting, use f11 for yellow, f5.6 for red and f 2.8 for green i.e. the closest aperture to the dot.

 

The coloured lines show the distance over which it will work in the automatic mode.Green being the greatest distance as the aperture is wider so it needs less light.

[eman_a]

<p>Thanks for clarifying that, big help! :)</p>