using old flash guns on digital SLRs

[moxi1]

Hi there,

I wonder if anyone of you knowledgeable people has found out a way how to use and older non-digital flash gun with a digital camera.

I use my Nikon SB29 macro flash with my D 200, but can use it only on manual. Since there is no way of changing any settings on this flash, other than full manual and 1/4 manual ( plus the non usable TTL) I wonder if there is a way of automatic flash or f-stop bracketing?

Thank you for your help.

Cheers Moxi1

[peterst6906]

Short answer, not really a way to use it on auto with the D200.

I have an SB-25 and SB-28 in addition to two SB-800s and I've always used the 25 and 28 (and mostly the 800s) off camera with my D200.

Best advice, it doesn't take long to learn manual flash and the results should be just as good as auto or ttl.

Regards,

Peter

[moxi1]

Hi Peter,
Thank you very much for your reply. I did fear that I would have to use my flash only on manual, but I just had a fraction of hope...

I don't mind generally to use my macro flash on manual, but last weekend I could not view the results at all on the LCD as it was too bright - I would have liked not to use flash at all but the wind moved the little native orchids I was photographing so I had to use a fast shutter speed.

I did manual bracketing but was in many instances far off - anyway such is life!
Thanks again and happy snapping.

Cheers Moxi1

[mikman]

I can't wait until I get a strobe.

Many professional photographers use their flashes on manual most of the time, including David Hobby from Strobist. He also has an example somewhere where he shoots macro with a flash. Head over to Strobist 101 and On Assignment on the site, there is some seriously great stuff to read.

[Desmond]

If you're shooting with a D40/50/70 you can do some interesting stuff with an older flash . I did a blog on what I call "realsynch" flash . At F4 and 1/3200th sec I am getting 6X the power as a pro camera in high-fp mode , with my old SB24 .

[moxi1]

Hi Desmond,

Fascinating discovery - I read your interesting Blog about flash and D40.
How did you discover this?
It is almost worth to get a D40 - it would open up a lot of fun-time. Of course the 1/500th flash sync is already more than with any other SLR.

Cheers Moxi1

[Arved]

Originally Posted by Desmond

If you're shooting with a D40/50/70 you can do some interesting stuff with an older flash . I did a blog on what I call "realsynch" flash . At F4 and 1/3200th sec I am getting 6X the power as a pro camera in high-fp mode , with my old SB24 .

From your blog: "...since they do not have a focal plane shutter."

Actually, they do. It's just that at shutter speeds above 1/250th of a second, the focal plane shutter fires at 1/250th second while the electronics limit the shutter to the higher shutter speed.

This is one of the reasons I still keep my D70s and my Sunpak 555 "potato masher" flash unit around.

Now, if Nikon could bring back the electronic shutter in, say, the D700s. Boy, I'd go broke!

[Desmond]

Originally Posted by moxi1

Hi Desmond,
Fascinating discovery - I read your interesting Blog about flash and D40.
How did you discover this?
It is almost worth to get a D40 - it would open up a lot of fun-time. Of course the 1/500th flash sync is already more than with any other SLR.
Cheers Moxi1

I had read that they have an electronic shutter and can be fooled into firing at any speed by sliding a piece of paper under the two back contacts of the flash so it doesn't know a flash is attached . I did some further research and worked out the different power levels I was getting at different shutter speeds . I actually never discovered it , I just put up a decent blog about it

Originally Posted by Arved

From your blog: "...since they do not have a focal plane shutter."

Actually, they do. It's just that at shutter speeds above 1/250th of a second, the focal plane shutter fires at 1/250th second while the electronics limit the shutter to the higher shutter speed.
Now, if Nikon could bring back the electronic shutter in, say, the D700s. Boy, I'd go broke!

As far as I understand it the shutter opens all the way up to a set speed [ I had heard it was 1/125th sec ] and anything faster than that it still opens at 1/125th but the sensor fires electronically so it never behaves as a focal plane shutter .
If it was a focal plane shutter and the electronics limited the sensor was well we would still have a slit across the frame capturing only a section of the flash .
I also wish they would bring back the electronic shutter in some of the higher end bodies - I think there are a lot of wedding photographers that would love that !

[Desmond]

Originally Posted by moxi1

Hi Desmond,
Fascinating discovery - I read your interesting Blog about flash and D40.
How did you discover this?
It is almost worth to get a D40 - it would open up a lot of fun-time. Of course the 1/500th flash sync is already more than with any other SLR.
Cheers Moxi1

If you're interested I just did a video on high-fp flash

YouTube- high fp flash

YouTube- high fp flash

as well ...

[peterst6906]

Lovely drawings at the 4:00 minute mark Desmond. Self portrait perhaps

Nice video.

Regards,

Peter

[Desmond]

Originally Posted by peterst6906

Lovely drawings at the 4:00 minute mark Desmond. Self portrait perhaps
Nice video.
Regards,
Peter

I'll have to lose a couple more kg's for it to be a self-portrait
Thanks for the feedback !

[Songman45]

Desmond, Thank you for taking time to put the video together and share it. Seeing demonstration and hearing narrarion really help me understand things much faster. I appreciate your efforts on this.

Steve

[Desmond]

Originally Posted by Songman45

Desmond, Thank you for taking time to put the video together and share it. Seeing demonstration and hearing narrarion really help me understand things much faster. I appreciate your efforts on this.

Steve

Thanks for the feedback I've noticed that with some people no amount of typing can get them to understand a concept - a picture says a thousand words and moving pictures say a lot more [ as long as they are accurate of course !]

[afterimage]

Desmond, Many thanks for all these flash tutorials! Very well put together video so even dummies like me can understand, given a little time!

Mark

[Desmond]

Originally Posted by afterimage

Desmond, Many thanks for all these flash tutorials! Very well put together video so even dummies like me can understand, given a little time!

Mark

Thanks for the feedback ! For technical reasons I haven't been able to access photocamel for a few days so please excuse the late reply .

[Dirk]

with older flashes on modern digital single lens reflexes you have to find out the voltage , trigger voltage etx of the flas to see if it could harm , but mostely it is not recommended to use a flash designed for analogue on digital

[Dirk]

with older flashes on modern digital single lens reflexes you have to find out the voltage , trigger voltage etx of the flas to see if it could harm , but mostely it is not recommended to use a flash designed for analogue on digital

[Desmond]

Originally Posted by Dirk

with older flashes on modern digital single lens reflexes you have to find out the voltage , trigger voltage etx of the flas to see if it could harm , but mostely it is not recommended to use a flash designed for analogue on digital

There's a very useful site regarding flash voltages where you can find out the trigger voltage of older flashes - assuming the site is correct ! You can measure the flash voltage when it is charged and ready to fire by placing a volt-meter on the centre pin and side earth contact ..... some of the older ones go up to 250 volts and beyond !
. It is better though to just use a newer flash or at least the same brand of flash as your camera if the voltages are right [ I use an old SB24 with my Nikons ] .