3500xi flash - what does this mean?

[bill_thorlin]

Following on from previous good advice received here I have (with a

little compromise) added a 3500xi for use with my 800si.

 

Having done my initial familiarisation I have 2 points of confusion :-

1. On the name of parts diagram it shows "channel selector switch"

but I am unable to find any further reference to it in the rest of

the instruction manual - what is this for/what does it do ?

2.Under sections 9 & 10 it has a caveat which says "When you use

the 3500xi with the 700si/600si/9xi ........." Am I correct in

thinking that this will also apply to an 800si ?

[scott_lewis3]

The channel selector switch is inside the battery compartment of the flash. You can select 1 and 2 these are for you with the wireless flash controller. The wireless flash controller goes on the hot shoe and can control as many flashes as you want to use over 4 different frequencies. The 5400xi flash has 4 channels to chose from.

[ivan_dzo]

Channels are there for that rare occasion when you're shooting in a room with another minolta photographer also using wireless flash and the signals are setting off each others flashes. Not a common occasion and unless you have a seperate wireless controller, not something you can do anything about. The 800 si is much more advanced than the other three cameras you list, and will do anything the 3500xi is capable of. I've got the camera and it works fine with 3500xi's.

[tom_montemarano]

As others have said It is used to select the wireless channel. But the 800si built in flash acts as the wireless TTL controller. (You don't need a separate wireless controller).

 

You set the flash to the channel you want to use. Then you mount it on the camera and set the camera to wireless. That synchronizes the camera to the channel number being used by the flash.

 

See the 800si manual for additional info.

 

Tom