Nikon FM3A + SB-28DX Flash Blinking in TTL Mode

[KrisK_]

Hi,

 

I mounted a (like new) SB-28DX flash on my Nikon FM3A. If I set the flash to TTL, the flash symbol in the camera will keep blinking. I cannot find behavior like this described in the manuals of the flash or the camera. I am using a 50mm 1.8 AF-D and the speed is set to A or 250. If I set the flash to A, the blinking stops. Just to be clear, the flash blinks before the picture is taken (not after; which is described in the manual as underexposure).

 

Any idea what is wrong or what this means?

Kris

[John Seaman]

I don't think the SB28DX is compatible with the FM3a in TTL mode. You will probably have to use non TTL auto mode.

 

Have a look here: LINK New Page 1

[ShunCheung]

The SB-28 DX was the first Nikon flash for the early DSLRs, such as D1 and D100. It is compatible with Nikon film TTL and D-TTL. On the FM3a, it should work like a regular SB-28. I would think TTL should work.

[rodeo_joe1]

The issue may be with setting 1/250th as the shutter speed in manual mode. Try setting 1/125th and see if the blinking goes away.

 

I'm not familiar with the FM3a, but 1/250th seems a high synch speed for a camera of that vintage. And TTL metering might require a slower speed to be set.

 

What shutter speed is set by the camera in A mode?

[KrisK_]

First of all thanks for all your replies! The FM3a indeed supports 1/250th. In fact, setting it to A will set 1/250th, otherwise speeds below are fine as well. The SB-28DX is just the SB-28 with limited support for DSLR. According to the manual https://cdn-10.nikon-cdn.com/pdf/manuals/Speedlights/SB-28.pdf it should work just fine. I also checked the FM3a manual https://www.nikonsupport.eu/europe/Manuals/QZZGX8FE/FM3A_En_06.pdf . Now, if the flash symbol would be blinking and the pictures would come out fine, I would not be worried but some are super bright and some are almost black. I also set both the aperture of the flash and the camera to the same speed and used the 50mm AF-D to make sure the lens has CPU support. I have limited experience with using a flash which makes it even more difficult to figure out.

[erichsande]

Do you have a Nikon DSLR to try it on to see if it works properly?

 

Eric Sande

[ShunCheung]

Do you have a Nikon DSLR to try it on to see if it works properly?

Unfortunately, unless you have one of the very early Nikon DSLRs, the SB-28 DX is not going to work; i.e. no TTL flash.

 

When Nikon introduced the D1 in 1999, they introduced D-TTL that works similar to film TTL, but only the D1 family (D1, D1X, D1H) and the D100 use this technology. Starting from the D2H (2003) and D70 (2004), Nikon switched to i-TTL that uses a pre-flash before the mirror flips up and the light meter inside the prism to measure flash strength. The entire D2 family, D2H, D2X, D2Hs, and D2Xs are dual D-TTL and i-TTL compatible.

 

In other words, unless one has one of those early DSLRs, i.e. D1 family, D100, and D2 family, you cannot test the TTL on the SB-28 DX. Besides that, Nikon only has one other D-TTL flash, namely the SD-80 DX. Both have the DX suffix, but that doesn't mean APS-C sensor size.

 

After that, all Nikon DSLRs are i-TTL compatible and the flash model numbers have 3 digits, e.g. SB-800, SB-700, SB-910, etc.

 

Again, on a film SLR, the SB-28 DX should work just like an SB-28. Similarly, the SB-80 DX can also work with film TTL, but not the newer i-TTL.

[rodeo_joe1]

I also set both the aperture of the flash and the camera to the same speed and used the 50mm AF-D to make sure the lens has CPU support.

Hmmm. With an SB-28 on my F801s and in TTL mode, the aperture displayed on the flash can't be altered by using the flash 'select' button. It just reflects the lens aperture.

 

The shutter speed defaults to 1/60th as well, despite the 801s having a top synch speed of 1/250th.

 

In Manual or Shutter priority mode the camera shutter speed won't go beyond 1/250th with the flash attached and switched on. So see if your FM3a prevents a speed higher than 1/250th being selected with the flash attached. Also, does the aperture shown on the flash echo the lens aperture automatically in TTL mode?

 

What about the flash ISO speed. Is that the same as is set on the camera?

 

If not, I'd suspect a communication error between the flash and camera. Dirty or corroded hotshoe contacts maybe?

[bgelfand]

Hmmm. With an SB-28 on my F801s and in TTL mode, the aperture displayed on the flash can't be altered by using the flash 'select' button. It just reflects the lens aperture.

 

 

Your F801s is a Group II camera; the FM3a is a Group VI camera (see page 3 of the SB-28 manual). There are different requirements - see pages 31 -32 for the F801s and pages 40-41 for the FM3a. For the FM3a setting the aperture on the SB-28 is required - see Step 2 page 41.