Using Sunpak 266d with X-700

[jason_fitzmaurice]

I recently purchased a X-700 to replace my now dead x-7a. Included

with the camera was a Sunpak 266d flash that says "dedicated for

Minolta Ricoh Cameras" It has several settings on the back. How shoudl

it be set u p for TTL work?

[fmueller]

I agree with you that 'dedicated for Minolta' should really mean capable to support the TTL flash metering of the X-700/600/570/500, but unfortunately there is also another possibility. It could mean that it can set XD, XG, and X-series cameras to manual exposure mode and their respective flash sync speed, without actually being capable of TTL flash metering (which the XD and XG series cameras don't support anyhow). Calling this dedication is really a mis-nomer, but that's what the marketing department is for ;-)

 

Check the hot shoe of the flash to see if there are two or three contacts. If there are just two, you are out of luck, because the flash will not support TTL flash metering.

 

If there are three, we can go ahead and address your initial question. All you have to do on the flash is set it to TTL mode. On my Sunpak 444D the TTL mode is marked by a blue star, but it could be another symbol on your flash. At any rate, there should be only one additional symbol other than M (fully manual flash) and two or three coloured A (auto flash modes for different apertures). That other symbol would be the one you want.

[jason_fitzmaurice]

It has three contacts, so I presume it will work as ttl then.

 

As for the settings. It has one slider to select the ISO, one to choose between two different aperatures (I presume this is for non TTL Auto flash use).

 

The third slider has three settings rx(a) rx(b) and M. Do you know where that should be set? I suppose I could just runa roll ofd film through it and see which one works, but I'd prefer to avoid the expense. Thank yuo for your hjelp,and for letting me know the three contacts confirm it is ttl.

[jason_fitzmaurice]

Okay so I'm an idiot. I found the blue dot setting. Now I assume the settings for iso are irelevant, and the other settings which I was wrongon are. mx(a) mx(b) and Rx. I assume RX is for the Ricoh setting. Does anyone know if I need to use MXa or MXb?

 

Thanks

[fmueller]

Could MXa and MXb be two auto flash settings with Minolta 'dedication' (ie one of the pins setting XG, XD, and X series cameras to the flash sync speed), and RXa and RXb corresponding auto flash settings with Ricoh dedication (whatever that might be)?

 

It doesn't hurt to set the proper film speed on the flash regardless which mode you are in, from my understanding, for TTL flash metering you should not need it.