nelson cotrim

Canons have two independent meters, one for ambient light and one for flash. So it´s possible to change the flash output without altering the exposure for ambient light, and vice-versa.

For (A), I think you should use FEL, just like any other EX flashes, otherwise it will expose for whatever it is that´s in the central metering area. As for (B), I don´t know. My guess is that if the assist light on the 500 only covers the central point, if you use any of the others (as in ECF), it switches to the in-camera assist light.

What about "Full metal jacket"??? There were Nikkormats and I guess one Nikon too...

 

A whole episode of "From the Earth to the moon" featuring the shooting of the "Rising of the Earth" and a few other lunar pictures...

<i>Master-capable flash units:

The Speedlite 550EX and the ST-E2 transmitter both have the ability to act as a master (control) unit. The MR-14EX and MT-24EX macro flashes can also serve as masters, but only with slave units in group C or with slave groups A and B linked to the internal tubes and other slave units in group C (see above).</i></p>

 

From the photnotes page. Maybe that will solve your problem.

Ben, the integral flash has a GN of 12 (in metres, circa 36 in feet). I've only been able to buy a flash (and a Vivitar 285HV, not a Canon) this year, after having the Elan II for more than 6 years now. I've used the flash in many situations, for fill and as my main light. Provided the subjects are within 3 to 5 meters, I've never had any problems with it. In other shots were the subjects were far away or in a large room at night, of course the pictures weren't great, but they were at least passable as a record of the event (not somenthing to hang on the wall).

 

About what the flash will do in each mode, I suggest you read NK's great article in www.photnotes.org

Thanks again Art. For the thousandth time you have helped me, including the purchase of this particular flash :^).

 

The thing is, living in Brazil, either photo equipment is too expensive, or hard to find (mainly both), except for more common stuff. Things like a simple flashmeter, forget about it. I will certainly look for one of these, but I doubt I can find one that´s as reliable as yours... For now I´ll just run a few rolls and note the different setups and the results I get.

Elliot, you´re right, of course!! The flash sensor will cut the flash when the subject is properly lit, and it will be regardless of the camera position (1 or 1000 feet)!! It´s only flash to subject... I was just confused by my first studio like setup... Thanks a lot, both of you.

I have a Vivitar 285HV, which has both manual and auto modes.

In manual, it delivers full power, 1/2, 1/4 and 1/16. In the auto

modes, it uses the built in sensor so you setup different colors for

different appertures (depends on the film ISO). For ISO 100, the

appertures for auto mode are: f/2, f/4, f/8 and f/11. Of course you

get different ranges for different appertures, but this won´t matter

because I want to use it within all the ranges with a stationary

subject (studio like work).

 

 

I can setup the whole thing based on GN and variable output, but what

I want to know is if I can use the auto modes with the flash slaved,

off-camera. I know I can remove the sensor from the flash and fix it

on my camera but I don´t want to buy it.

 

 

So I thought: double the distance -> half the light -> open open one

stop, so half the distance -> double the light -> close one stop.

Example: could I set the flash 10 feet from my subject, select the

auto mode for f/4, and stay 5 feet from the subject with the camera

set on f/2? Is this correct? Or the contrary, flash 5 feet set at f/2

and camera at 10 feet set at f/4? Is my math right? Or should I just

stick with manual and GNs? I wish I had a flashmeter...

I bought the BP50 a few months ago, and never took it off again. It makes the camera/lens combo much more balanced, as the camera gets a little heavier and bigger, specially with heavier tele lenses. Haven´t tried the handstrap yet, so can´t comment on this, but I only heard good stuff about it. The lack of the main dial (or control dial, I never know) and the Exposure Lock and Focus point selection is weird at first, but then you get used to it.

It goes to the slave.

 

Nick, I also have the 285HV, for the same reasons you mentioned: a completely manual flash if I want, plus, I can also use it on my camera. I want to buy the 420 and then use both, but right now I don´t have the bucks.

 

Check out this site, it has lots of info on how to set up "studio like" lights using low cost equipment like this kind of flash and slaves.

 

http://www.lanset.com/rcochran/flash/

Julian, do you how long will the battery last if you keep the shutter opened? New batteries (2CR5 or AA in the BP, guess they will last the same). Just a rough ideia, 5 hours, 10 hours, 2 hours...

I agree with the previous comment. Buy a circular polarizer for the lens with the bigger diamenter and a step down ring. A small bag is nice, try one that will fit the camera and both lenses. They are small, so maybe even a top loading bag may be the right size, plus they are practical. If you listen to Chito and decide to buy a better body, try a used Elan II, probably cost the same as your new Ti, and is much more capable. If the camera doesn't come with batteries and strap, of course you should buy them. UV or Skylight filters are for protecting the lens, if you think it's worth it, then buy one for each. Hoods and tripods are great, but you can live without them if the money is short (just shield your lens with your hand, be carefull not to put fingers in the photo).

 

Great lenses, go with both of them. The 28-105 3.5-4.5 is a great lens, not so much the new version, be carefull. If it is the new version, buy just the 50mm and save for a better lens in the future.

 

Don't buy any more filters as of now, you may not use them as much as you think you will.

 

Oh, and buy lots of film!!!

Nate, thanks for the remark, but that was the whole point, buy used manual equipment. I live in Brazil, and new equipment is very expensive here, and people sometimes don´t know that old manual gear is sometimes of much better quality than new. So it may not be that difficult to get used gear for relatively low prices (compared to AF), mainly those costly lenses I mentioned.

Actually, I was looking for a manual system for two reasons: I like to shoot manual - it´s completely different from AF, even if you shut the automatics down and go with MF and M mode. And second, the lenses I´m interested are too expensive with an AF system. I´d like to have some extreme lenses, like a fisheye and super wide-angles, one good portrait lens (something like a fast 100 or 135), a nice true macro and a fast tele. They are all lenses that cost a small fortune in any AF system, and some of them just don´t justify the price for me.

 

Besides, a manual camera is more likely to have features only available to higher end cameras, like a split circle focusing finder, removable prism (and the ability to shoot from the hip), very long shutter speeds and such.

 

Thanks a lot for all your answers, I´ll tell you later what I thought about the F501 - actually, this same camera was the first SLR I´ve ever used :^)

First of all: I already have an EOS AF camera. I´ll be given an old

Nikon F501 (I believe its the N2020) and some lenses (don´t know

which, but no AF big glass for sure, maybe MF) probably next week,

from my grandpa, who doesn´t shoot anymore, unfortunately, because he

was my inspiration (and he took wonderfull pictures too!!). I´ve been

looking for manual cameras for a while, because I like to use them,

and because better glass is cheaper than for my EOS.

 

My question is: Should I keep this body or should I sell it and buy a

manual body, such as F3 or F2 and keep the nice lenses? I don´t know

of its features (I´ve used it once, in 1995), but I´d like a cheap

camera capable of taking really long exposures, damaging the ground if

it falls (and not the camera), MLU, DOF preview, working without

batteries and all that stuff you can find on good all-manual cameras

(and for wich you pay top dollar with AF). If so, which Nikon body do

you recomend?

Beisdes checking those sites (NK and his pals did a great job that´s worth reading) check the voltage in your flash, as it varies from pice to piece.

Forgot to mention: the flash will meter the total light (flash+ambient) falling on the subject (hence the "auto") with a on flash light sensor (not TTL). Mine is a small round window 4mm wide. Be sure not to block this, or the flash will overexpose the picture. This may also cause the flash to give less light if something is closer to you than the subject. The good part is that there is no need to correct for bounce or diffusers.

I couldn´t find anything on the 225 on Vivitar site. I have the 285 Auto Thyristor Flash. They probably work the same way.

 

 

M is for full output (refer to GN to use this). Red and Blue are probably the auto settings. There might be a on flash table with the apperture and ranges for these two settings (color coded).

 

 

ie: red setting: f/4, range 5-30ft;

blue setting: f/8, range 3-15ft.

 

E-mail me if you need some more help.

NK, thanks anyway. You answered something I wanted to ask: the Sigma being the master. I was unsure if it could be a master and slave or only a slave.

Jim, that was exactly what I wanted. I remembered there was some problem using slave adapters, just couldn´t remember. This locking up was the problem, not damage. Thanks a lot guys.

Richard, many thanks. I´ve just bought a Vivitar 285, the 50 year old camera works fine!! And I´ve just compared the meter with the one onmy EOS, maximun difference of just 1 point. No wonder people like Leicas, these old cameras were all made to last!!! And synch at 1/500!!! Not even the $9000 EOS1Ds does that!!!

NK, I want to use an optical slave adapter, mounted on the 420EX´s hotshoe, which will trigger it in response to a burst of light from another flash unit (ie the built-in flash in my EOS Elan II).

Example:, I´m very distant from my subject, let´s say a bird, and have time to prepare the shot, so I mount the 420EX on a tripod with the slave attached, and fire it using my built-in flash. I´m just concerned if this might damage the flash in any way (fry the circuits). I don´t think so, cause there is no batteries on the adapter, just the light sensor.

Can I attach an optical slave to the 420EX? I know it works as a slave

with either the 550EX or the ST-E2 transmitter, but they are both way

expensive for me right now. I know I lose E-TTL, I just want to know

if it will work, and if it may damage the flash in any way.

 

Also, when I fire the flash manually (press the pilot button) will the

flash use full power? Thanks.

Thanks guys!! That was exactly what I needed to know. I´ll practice a lot until then, and it will be lots of fun, as I really enjoy that camera. It´s controls are rather awkward to use, I could never manage to use the middle finger to control focus, but it sure is nice to shoot with it.

I have a Zeiss Ikon Contaflex II that just came back from a general

cleaning looking brand new and working perfectly (it was working

working before cleaning). I´d love to be able to take pictures with

it, especially from my family (it was my grandpa´s camera) during

X-mas. The only problem is that it will be indoors and the meter

doesn´t work anymore and I dont´t have a handheld meter. So I would

like to buy a flash and use it as my primary light (it will be during

the afternoon/night). I would then be able to take some pictures,

regardless of the meter.

 

(1)Which manual flash would fit it? No hot shoe, but it does have a

small socket beside the lens, looks like an AC contact. I don´t know

how a PC socket looks like. It´s a 50s camera, has both the X and M

settings (I know what they stand for). Preferably, a new unit, because

it´s hard and expensive to buy used here, especially old things like

that (people sell them as antique items). To be able to control the

light output would be nice too.

 

(2)The manual says that flash synch with electronic units is

1/60-1/500. Is this for real? Apparently the shuter is OK, so can I

really use it with very high speeds (camera´s max is 1/500 anyway)?

What about slower speeds, to add some backgroud?