fredrik_annell1 Posted January 25, 2003 Share Posted January 25, 2003 I love my F3, but when it comes to flash... So I´m thinking of getting a younger body to do the flash work. Problem is I don´t want to get rid of my beloved AI lenses, particularly the 24/2 and 85/1.4. Is the F4 still best together with AI lenses, or is a F90X a better choice? F100..? FM3a??! /Fredrik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellis_vener_photography Posted January 25, 2003 Share Posted January 25, 2003 all of the above Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredrik_annell1 Posted January 25, 2003 Author Share Posted January 25, 2003 *haha* Ok, I figured that much out myself... Is there any differance between the F100, F90x and F4 when it comes to flash via a AI lens? They all measure TTL flash via the Matrix sensor, when a AI lens is used..? I head somewere that the 801 uses a center weighed TTL sensor with AI lenses. /Fredrik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan_ratzlaff Posted January 25, 2003 Share Posted January 25, 2003 I think they all use center or spot with AI lenses. the lens has to have a CPU for any type of matrix metering. You can get CPU's put into the lenses by Rolland Elliot. A list of the lenses that can be modified is on this site. http://www.naturfotograf.com/index2.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric_stevens Posted January 25, 2003 Share Posted January 25, 2003 The F4 will matrix meter with AI lenses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lex_jenkins Posted January 25, 2003 Share Posted January 25, 2003 I use older Nikons too (F3HP, FM2N) and plain ol' auto thyristor flashes. So far the combination has worked well enough for the little bit of wedding photography I do. But if I were to get more serious about it I'd have to consider something like the F100, SB28 flash and 35-70/2.8 D lens, since that type lens is designed to take full advantage of the TTL capabilities of that body and flash. Recently I checked into some top of the line Metz shoe and "hammerhead" units for use with my F3HP and found it difficult to get a definitive answer from Metz about the extent to which their units take advantage of the F3's limited TTL capability. So I'm forced to conclude that if flash photography became a serious part of my work I'd have to upgrade my entire system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael R Freeman Posted January 25, 2003 Share Posted January 25, 2003 Yes the F4 will matrix meter with AI lenses, but the flash exposure is CW. Fill flash or slow-sync will matrix meter the ambient exposure and CW the flash exposure. The F4 is still the best AF Nikon body to use with manual focus Nikkors - nothing else comes close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_guzzi Posted January 26, 2003 Share Posted January 26, 2003 I use a N70 with a Vivitar 285HV so I don't know anything about TTL. Your F3 has 80/20 CW metering, the F4 and FM3a have 60/40, the N90s and F100 have 75/25. I just bought an old FE after using and knowing 75/25, now I'm learning the nuances of 60/40. Do you want a spot meter? Mirror lock-up? How do you feel about wired shutter release cables? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mskovacs Posted January 26, 2003 Share Posted January 26, 2003 Does the F4 have matrix flash metering capability with any lenses? Lex: I did manage to pull an end around on my F3 TTL flash by buying a cheap 2nd hand Vivitar 3700 with the DM/N2 dedicated module. If you have the Vivitar TTL ISO flash foot, it will work full TTL with the DM/N2 module (it has ISO settings on the flash module for the F3 as well as one marked "FG" for standard Nikon TTL). This flash setup also has manual and three auto flash modes. Check ebay. A friend has lent me a second unit. I'm curious to see if they will work together with the SC-17 and other cords (otherwise I might buy the new Nikon TTL slave unit). Note that the Vivitar shoe DOES NOT work TTL with a standard Nikon TTL flash. You need the $110 AS-17 for this. (I've found this out the hard way on my Metz 40AF4-N which I'm selling) But yes, I'm still stuck with 1/80 X-synch, not a problem for my macro work but problematic for outdoor shots of the family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lex_jenkins Posted January 27, 2003 Share Posted January 27, 2003 Interesting info about the Vivitar module, Mike, thanks. My unsophisticated flash rig for the F3HP consists of the AS-4 adapter and whatever auto-thyristor flash I happen to have handy. All the AS-4 does is provide a method for physically attaching a flash to the body, automagic sync downward to 1/80 if the shutter speed dial was set to anything faster (tho' it allows slower speeds) and a flash ready light. Nothing to cheer about but it gets the job done. I just have to choose film speed appropriate for the ambient light conditions. Until I stumbled across some of this info on the Nikon area of the mir.com site I was totally ignorant of flash use with the F-series, since I switched to Nikon only a year ago. For those of us using the F3 and earlier F's flash info is a bit arcane. Anyone who manages to memorize it all should qualify as a 33rd Degree Master and be able to deliver handshakes that would baffle most athletes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob_nienburg Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 >Note that the Vivitar shoe DOES NOT work TTL with a standard Nikon TTL flash. You need the $110 AS-17 for this.< NOT true! I've used a vivitar shoe for six years on my F3 and an SB-16b with TTL. There are two different vivitar adapters for the F3, one with and one without the TTL contact. You may have had the one without (it has two dots instead of three, the fourth being incorporated into the larger metal plate). My point is, you DON'T have to spend $110 on the AS-17. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mskovacs Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 Have you tried the Vivitar shoe on a flash that doesn't "understand" the F3? What I mean is that with the correct bottom module, the SB-16 is designed to work with the F3. Perhaps this is why its happy to work with your Vivitar TTL shoe. I have not seen a Vivitar shoe with all 4 contacts. Do you have a photo of yours? Mine has 3 and I now use it with the Vivitar system flashes it was designed for (Vivitar 3500, 3700, 4600). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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