Fill flash

[haris]

Originally Posted by MattKing

Mike:

Don't you mean that you set the flash to expect the camera lens to be set to f/4, rather than f/8?

If the flash thinks you are using f/8, won't it put out twice the light needed for f/5.6, not half the light needed?

Matt

True.

[haris]

Originally Posted by ajuk

...all I have is a cheap Sunpak 888AFZ which is supposed to do TTL with Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Minolta. I am using a Nikon F80. ...

But, you need SCA adapter for your camera! You can't use flash with SCA adapter for Canon on your Nikon. You do have SCA adapter for your camera?

If you don't have SCA adapter, you can use flash as generic, that is you are without TTL, that is without camera-flash communication, and you have to use flash as with any old not automated camera

[ajuk]

I always used to think I had the Nikon model unless its a generic instruction manual, how do I find out and whats an SCA adapter?

[rob champagne]

An SCA is an adapter which sits between your flash unit and your camera hotshoe. It must be the correct one your camera/flash unit combination. Basically allows your camera to work a flash unit which has different connector configuration than your camera does. Depending on camera and flash unit, some or all functions will work. Just sticking any old flash unit direct onto camera will not neccessarily allow the ttl or OTF metering to work the flash properly.

So, as I said before, read the flash manual carefully and check its compatibility with your camera.

[rob champagne]

Also read your camera manual carefully because I suspect it thinks you will be using standard TTL flash which does not balance flash with background(assuming your flash can actually talk to the camera).

[ajuk]

I did a test with the lens cap, and it must do TTL.

One thing about the F80 is that for some reason when it's in slow sync mode their is nothing to tell me on the LCD.

[jeroldharter]

If you have a TTL flash, use aperture priority mode on the camera and meter the subject as normal. Then set the flash to underexpose. Experiment with the degree of underexposure from the flash, probably settling somewhere from -2/3 stop to -1 1/3 stop for a fill flash effect.

In this setup, the camera is determining the background exposure and the flash is affecting the subject exposure. Therefore, if the ambient lighting is dim, you might need a tripod even with the flash.

[rob champagne]

Have you tried using flash expsoure compensation by setting EV to -2

[John Koehrer]

Originally Posted by ajuk

I did a test with the lens cap, and it must do TTL.

One thing about the F80 is that for some reason when it's in slow sync mode their is nothing to tell me on the LCD.

?
check the bottom of the flash. It should have the same number & pattern of connections as the hot shoe does.

[ajuk]

I think the lens cap test was conclusive, with the cap on it came out full blast, without it didn't.