BeBu Lamar

Back in 2002 I could buy the FM3a for less than $600 new but I bought the F5 instead for $1930. I can't sell my F5 now but if I bought the FM3a I would sell it for the money. The F5 is still worth more to me but I can't sell it for money like I could with an FM3a.

I have a question for the OP. How much money did you lose by adding all the money you spent buying all those equipment and subtract the money you got for selling them? I am curious because I know I may buy all the stuff you bought but I really can't sell them for the lost that they incur.

My mistake. I got it right now. The caps are rated at 500V not 400V as I said. The step up transformer secondary is about 350VAC RMS with 120VAC input from the outlet. This voltage is rectified and charge 1 or 2 banks of 2 caps. It would charge 1 cap for half of the cycle and charging the other cap the other half of the cycle. It's a voltage doubler circuit. The fully charge caps has the voltage of 487VDC (this because the peak of the AC cycle is 1.414 times the RMS value). These 2 caps are connected in series and thus gives the total voltage of 975VDC. There is a choice of 120ws or 240ws. If the choice is 120ws then only 1 bank of caps is charged. So the 2 480uF caps in series makes them 240uF. Parallel that to the other bank makes it 480uF again but the voltage rating is now 1000V instead of 500V. So at 975VDC and 480uF the energy is 228J which is close to the rating of 240ws.

I think I made some mistakes. I don't feel like to power it up with the caps outside of the case. The caps may be rated for 480V now I am not sure. I will have to take it apart again later. Thanks for all the replies. This is not a monolight. It's a power pack capable of 3 heads.

With the Sekonic L718 you still have to get the 5 degree spot attachment. I would recommend the Minolta Spotmeter M. I saw several on ebay for $150 or so. Its a 1 degree meter and would do average and also uses only 1 AA battery. It also has a real on/off switch so it can't drain the battery either.

For a spot meter the smaller the spot the better it is. It's a compromise because making the smaller spot you lose sensitivity and also make the meter less accurate.

I have this Novatron 240 which is supposed to be 240WS. I found 4 capacitor of 480μF and rated at 400V. So assuming that the voltage will be 350V (I think they don't charge the capacitors to their rated voltage) and using the formula E=1/2CV² so it's only 117J or 117Ws wich is about half of what is rated? Did I make wrong calculations somewhere?

I would rather forgo the meter than focus with the lens stopped down. I need the shallow DOF to focus as I don't use the split image rangefinder.

Can you focus well with the DOF button depressed?

Since you just picked it up recently there is no sentimental value to it. The best bet is to find another one to buy. It's the least expensive way. These cameras only worth having someone fix it if they have great sentimental value otherwise buying another is the best and least expensive way.

That is a BS law. I don't even think the USB-C connector is a good one for charging purpose. Also that requires all the charging controls as well as a buck/boost converter to be built in to the device rather than the charger. You don't want those weight and bulk on the device when you're doing the charging.

I found the Nikon tech on the phone while they are tentative and really want to help but their expertise aren't all that good. When my Nikon Df meter messed up it only affect the viewfinder mode. In live view it works fine and the tech couldn't believe that it's possible. He didn't understand that on a DSLR when in viewfinder mode it uses the metering sensor in the viewfinder and when in liveview mode it uses the imaging sensor for metering too.

The guy called Nikon again and the tech worked with him for 45 min and determined that the focus point can not be locked of course no charge. He called some number and got a scam earlier. I guess when you search for Nikon support number there may be links to scam.

I am skeptic on this so I would really like to find out. Since I don't have the Z6ii (or any Z) I don't know but my research seems to indicate that you can't lock the AF point nor lock the cursor buttons.

In the other forum (the ugly hedgehog) on guy said that when he called and asked Nikon on how to lock the focus point to the center point so that when he accidently hit the selector it doesn't change the focus point. He said Nikon asked him to pay before they give him the answer. Also is the focus point on the Z6ii can be locked to the center point? Moderator note: It turns out that apparently, that person dialed a wrong number for Nikon support and reached some scammer, who wanted his credit card information. See the OP's follow up post on this thread. Nikon's support hotline does not charge. -- Shun Cheung

I call them counting wheels. When you turn them the camera counts the number of click you turn clockwise or counter clockwise.

Shun it's kind of terminology. What you call knobs I call dials. What you call dials I call wheels. So I meant the Zf has 3 knobs but there is none for the aperture.

The Zf has 3 dials but there isn't one for the aperture.

I have 2 of them 199A. They work OK except that they don't reliably set the aperture on the AE-1 or A-1.

I used to have the mecamat for the 45CT1 which was the first flash I bought back in 77. Now I have the 60CT4 but I couldn't find the mecamat for it. Yes I do like the basic auto flash better than TTL.

I actually like the fully articulate screen of the Zf which can be fold in when not in use. That would protect the screen.

Yes but the market for the Zf (or the Zfc or the Df before that is limited although a significant one). The market for the Z8 is much larger.

Even at half the price I don't think Nikon can sell as many Zf as the Z8.

It would do pretty well and Nikon would make money on it. I think Nikon best seller is the Z8.

I think it's not possible to have the aperture ring (one with engraved aperture number on the ring) with the Nikon Z. I think the interface with the lens and the control ring is incremental and not absolute.