F-1N + Speedlite 299T = Problems

[bsharpe411]

<p>I've had my F-1N for several years now and have often used it with flash units such as the 100A mounted on the hotshoe. Everything worked as expected.</p>

<p>Recently I saw several posts about using the 299T with the F-1N and how well they interacted. I bought a 299T and used it for the first time with the F-1N a few days ago. The situation was bright sun with many well-shaded areas. My plan was to use the flash at 'manual 1/16th' as a fill flash for shadows on the face and the exposure set for shutter priority. I know the 299T manual mentions using the unit on 'program' for this purpose. I was reluctant because of bad results with my T-90 and 300TL set to do the same job, only to have the flash overpower the scene.</p>

<p>OK, so many of the shots were badly underexposed. I re-read the flash manual where, on page 26, they remind us to take the lens off the 'A' setting. I didn't think about this at the time. The aperture went by default to f/16 for each shot. Since I had the shutter at 1/125 and ISO 400 film, some of the shots actually came out well.</p>

<p>Using the camera metering system with the flash on manual involves way too many adjustments for each shot. Looking at this now after the fact, my 2 possibilities to keep shutter priority automation and still have a fill flash were...(a) place a piece of tape over the 2 rear contacts on the flash or hotshoe to fool the camera into thinking there is no flash attached.....or (b) use a flash like my old trusty Sunpak Auto 411 (non-dedicated) with manual fill flash from full to 1/32nd in full stop increments. It would have been nice if the 299T had an override for the dedicated contacts.</p>

<p>Years ago I often used the combination of my ever-faithful FTb-n and Sunpak 411 for such purposes...and should have stayed with the winning team I trusted. A combination of getting older, encountering more photo technology, and having a few glasses of scotch before shooting makes for a very bad situation. I suppose the lesson here is...if you're going to shoot and drink, at least shoot with the setup you know best.</p>

[thomas_goehler]

<p>You are aware that the F-1N can only synchronize flash units up to 1/90? With 1/125 the shots cannot be exposed correctly.</p>

<p>In your case, I'd set the aperture manually, set the time at 1/90 and put the flash at 1/16th as you wished. The rest should be compensated for by the flash.<br>

Works fine on the T90 as well, where I always set the aperture manually on the lens, set 1/250 in Tv and put the flash on "A". Thus, I have complete control and always got proper results.</p>

[philip_wilson]

<p>I found at the time that until the T90 and 300TL Canon was best using manual flash settings so I always stayed with what I knew. It took me ages to get used to the T90 and trusting the camera. Of course the T90 and 300TL prepared me well for EOS flash.<br>

I know this will not help but I find that using my F1s (and New F1s) with my old Metz CL 45 in manual or semi auto mode has served me well. In general I have got lazy and tend to reach for a modern SLR (usually a DSLR) when I shoot with flash. When I do shoot older bodies I tend to only use flash in simple situations such as fill in or indoor bounce flash. In these cases I just set things manually.<br>

Remember when you mount the flash on the F1 you need to put it in the hotshot before you turn the flash on. You should also be aware that the maximum flash synch on the F1 is 1/90 and I suspect that setting a faster speed with the program flashes may cause the camera to be confused. That said i believe that with a canon compatible flash the New F1 will change the shutter speed to 1/90 if you set a faster speed unless you select B.<br>

I am not sure what your exact problem is but setting the camera manually and having the flash on manual 1/16 should work fine so long as you set the camera to shoot manually. Are you sure that the exposure issue was the flash and not the camera settings. I think that the meter may well be metering for the flash not the camera. In general when I use fill in I keep the flash on the PC socket so I know that the camera is metering without the flash and just use the flash meter to set the flash (if I use Auto). It may well be that you were shooting at ISO 400 1/90 (synch) and whatever aperture the lens was set on. If you explain the exposure issues (under / over, foreground, background) that will help.<br>

Your final point of separating the flash is easy - either use a flash bracket and a PC cable orI have a plastic hotshot connector (it is Canon but I no longer remember its origins). The plastic connector has no electrical connections on the bottom so the flash is in the hotshot but is not connected so you use the PC socket.<br>

I should also add that I have had my share of flash disasters over the years with FD bodies before the T90.</p>

[bsharpe411]

<p>Thomas and Philip. Thanks for your input to my problem. Setting the shutter at 1/125 was definitely a mistake on my part. I'm going to experiment with this using my Sunpak 411 at various manual settings. Basically all I intend to do is just add just enough flash to lighten up the shadows without having it overpower the scene. I realize that it also varies by distance, so I need to keep that in mind also.</p>

<p>Next time I'll limit myself to just soft drinks :-)</p>

[kader_nazef]

<p>Philip,<br>

Sorry, but I am still confused on using my Canon 300TL on my T90 for Fill in flash. I usually shoot birds. I always use my T90 in Manual mode. I determine my exposure manually, by metering a medium gey surface close by the bird when possible or any other tone and compensate for it or Sunny rule when adequate. Now, I would like to put a bit of light on the birds eye, using fill in possibility of the 300TL. The 300TL Instruction manual says only "Fill in flash is possible", but don't elaborate and show HOW? Your help will be very well appreciated. Thank you.</p>