scott_blair1

Although the N80 requires a CPU lens for ambient light metering, the TTL flash works fine with non-CPU lenses. Just remember to set the aperture on the lens. There is no particularly compelling reason to do this, unless you have a favorite (or find a bargain) manual focus macro lens, and will be doing night time macro photography.<P>The N80 has a five selector spot AF/spot metering system. In other words, the selector functions for AF as well as the spot meter, when it is selected. I personally would never use Matrix metering for macro, but if you want to, I won't turn you in. I generally use the spot meter for macro with flash. It's especially beneficial with very small subjects. My SB24 manual has a section on close up photography, with guidelines for the maximum aperture for different film speeds, for use at distances less than one half meter. It's no big deal, as f8 is wide enough for ISO 100 film. Any wider and you may as well turn off the flash. I have used a Sunpak 355, with a translucent diffuser made from a Crystal Light container, or with an old Vivitar bounce reflector; Vivitar 6000AF TTL ringlight; SB24 with a homemade bracket to position the flash head a couple of inches from the subject (softest possible shadows); and, maybe best of all, a SB22s on a SC17 off-camera cable, handheld and positioned all kinds of ways for different effects. My favorite use of the Vivitar ringflash is as a daylight fill (at close-up distances). It gives the appearance of a reflector, not like flash at all.

Chuck, this question is asked many times about the NIKKOR 105mm AF-D MICRO, not about using macro lenses. This is not a bellows factor question, it is a specific lens question. When the 105mm Micro is attached to either my N60 or N80, infinity focus, the maximum aperture reads f2.8; as it is slowly focused towards near focus, the maximum aperture increases, until closest focus is reached, and the aperture reads f5. This is with the lens cap on. But if I set the aperture to f8 at infinity, it remains f8 at near focus. The maximum aperture, therefor, is changing, not the exposure. You do have this lens, do you not? I know the math, and yes, with a fixed diaphragm opening, shortening the focal length would increase(faster) the fstop. But that is only in a simple example. I do not know what is moving, and in what direction, inside this lens. But it is pretty clear that the relationship between the maximum diaphragm opening and the focal length is affected by focusing. I repeat, I DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER. I admit it up front. I am hoping this particular question about this particular lens will be anwered correctly someday.

Don't they always do a check-all-functions? Maybe that is included in that quote. Otherwise the Goo sounds good. GENTLY peel back a little beyond the loose area, apply a thin layer to both surfaces, and let sit for a few minutes before you press it together. Josef, are you a model railroader?

Ooops....wrong file, but maybe you can learn something from that one, too. That was comparing straight ahead flash vs. bounced flash. THIS is the comparison (unaltered PhotoCD files, Supra 100), of TTL vs. auto, BOTH bounced.<div></div>

It keeps being asked because I haven't answered yet. Set the camera to aperture priority or manual, maybe shutter priority, don't know about Program. Set the SB22s to one of the four "A" (auto) settings. The fstops on the left will light up. Choose one to match your lens aperture for the equivalent of an uncompensated flash exposure. Close the lens aperture for minus (reduced flash) compensation, or open for plus (increased) flash compensation. How does the SB22s work in auto compared to TTL? It's a Nikon, isn't it? In the included example, the Camera was a N60, the flash SB22s, bounced off an 8ft white ceiling. One was TTL, the other uncompensated auto. I don't recall which was which. Don't give TTL flash credit for working miracles. It's basically just another sensor location. Shoot a few rolls of film, and you will be ready to upgrade to an FM2. :-)<div></div>

www.keh.com

Two lenses for about two hundred dollars total:<P>50mm f1.8--the foundation of any 35mm system. CHEAP, yet FAST and SHARP. You can take indoor shots by lamplight, with ISO400 or faster film, or use that wide maximum aperture to get action-stopping shutterspeeds in marginal outdoor light. The "pro" lens anyone can afford.<P>70-300mm "G" zoom--again, very inexpensive; not fast, but can be handheld in daylight with ISO400 or faster film; sharp enough for publishable results IF you stay under the "bell curve", that is, 70mm to 200mm, f5.6 (at 70mm) to f16 (at 70mm), which would be about f6.7 at 200mm to f19 at 200mm. Once you get one on your N65, you will see what all that means.

If you want the N80, get it. It sounds like you have lenses a little older than the current "D" models, and the SB24 is a little before the 3D matrix flash exposure which utilizes those "D" lenses. Big damn deal. That's all great stuff, and anyone would be hard-pressed to demonstrate that you would benefit in any measurable way from trading what you already have for something which you would have to spend (alot) more money on. Actually, that sounds like gear from the N6006, N8008s, and F4 era, (late Eighties); the flash is for sure. I use one on my N80. The N6006 is the predecesor of the N70 and N80, the N8008s, of the N90/N90s and F100, the F4, the pro "flagship" prior to the F5. You could get any of those used, but I really think the N80 would be the best value. Have fun.

Chuck, I don't think so. I'm not saying you're wrong, just that I don't think so. Since this question is so often asked, I have seen a lot of answers. The best explanation that I have seen is that the actual focal length is changing due to the internal spatial relationship of the elements changes. This is to ensure better macro focusing than a simpler design. In other words, the aperture change is similar to a zoom's variable aperture. I wish there was some way to get to the bottom of this once and for all.

Not necessarily. You need to read the manual, because I'm not going to copy it all down for you. You need to calculate a minimum aperture for distances under one half meter, for each film speed. (Oh God!! I have to <i><B>think</B></I>?) See page 92.

It sounds like you may have caused a problem cutting and patching the SC-17s. The way to do this would have been one flash on a SC-17, and one on an extension from the SC-17, which I believe is the SC-19. But if the SB-23 does not have a cable socket, then that must be why you can't use it for a slave. If you are willing to spend the money, get two SB22s, one SC-17, and the correct additional slave cord, and do it right.

Get down low.

Next try a screw in filter type close up lens. You can skip the cheap set of three different strengths, usually +1, +2, and +3, and just get a decent +2 and save a few bucks. Some people say they are no good, but some people say everything (except what they use) is no good. You can still use the 2x converter, but unless you have a real need to magnify tiny things, you will get nicer photos without it. Not because of image degradation, but because you will be forfeiting a precious two stops of light, which can cause too shallow depth of field from too wide an aperture, or unsharp photos due to camera shake from a too slow shutterspeed.

Philip, your participation has been missed. Photo.net's discussion forums have changed 100% for the better in just this last week. Hope you get to check in from time to time during your sojourn.