Underexposure

[straya]

Boy, I don't know what I'm doing wrong......My images are constantly underexposed! I'm using a Metz 54 in the TTL and Auto Modes......What gives?...Is this a common S2 trait? I understand using a Nikon flash is no better......I bought the Metz because of the two flash option...I like the bounce/fill operation.
Metz tells me the "54-Nikon" will work with the S2.......

Is anyone enjoying paradise with a particular flash?

THANKS:)

[Djordie]

Hi Straya,

I had the same problem with my Metz 54.
I sold it and I bought a Nikon SB80DX.
The problem is solved.

Regards,

Djordie

[Laren]

I use a Metz cl45 on my S2 and it works great.
I use it for weddings and it is one of the reasons I chose the S2.
My old SB-16 works as well.

My understanding is that any flash deticated to Nikon should work in TTL mode between ASA 100 and 400.

Larry

[Mike Flood]

What are your S2 settings?
I was using Org, Org, Std with my S1 and found that those settings with the S2 yielded very low contrast images.
I now use Std,Std,Std and get consistantly good results without a need to use Photoshop to "enhance" them.

Mike

[straya]

Flash Update :confused:

I sent back the Metz Flash and purchased the Nikon SB 80DX...I don't see any improvement. (The flash does fit better in my camera bag though! :p ).........I will call Fuji.

[bob]

Can't vouch for the S2, but on my S1, my (Nikon) Metz CL45 works perfectly.

Maybe a daft point, but if anyone uses a Metz, you have to make sure the AAA batteries in the sync unit (not just the AAs or rechargeables in the head) are OK - mine were getting low and I had all sorts of problems before I traced the fault.


BOB

[Laren]

Bob,
My understanding is that the adapter that goes into the hot shoe for the Metz flash has three batteries used for the auto focus asist light.

I use my cl-45 for weddings and my adapter has had dead batteries for a long time.
My N90 focuses fairly well in low light so I never bothered to replace them.

I have not used my S2 for a wedding yet but on the few times I tried it it seemed to work ok.
Of course the S2 has a built in AF asist light.
I almost always use mine in TTL mode.

I'll keep your experiance in mind if I ever have trouble in the future.

Larry

[memobug]

Originally posted by bob
Can't vouch for the S2, but on my S1, my (Nikon) Metz CL45 works perfectly.

Maybe a daft point, but if anyone uses a Metz, you have to make sure the AAA batteries in the sync unit (not just the AAs or rechargeables in the head) are OK - mine were getting low and I had all sorts of problems before I traced the fault.


BOB

Hi Bob,

Is there an easy way to tell if the Metz interface module battery has discharged? Does the module fill flash lamp stop blinking? How long do they last?

Regards,

Matt

[bob]

To Memobug & Laren

There are 4 AAA batteries in the hot shoe unit and I've never bothered to find out their exact use! There is a small red light on the back of the unit (it's a SCA 346/2 AF by the way) and the light stopped working a long time ago. In theory, the hammerhead (45 CL-4) should still work OK without power in the hot shoe unit, but when I used it with the S1 on a recent shoot, the exposure was all over the place - I think it defaulted to manual power and therefore probably wasn't linked to any of my TTL or Auto settings. I checked the AAAs and they were dead. I replaced these and it all worked fine, so I assumed this was the problem. I haven't used it with my "film" Nikons for ages, but I bet they would still work OK - it must be a digital thing.

There appears to be no warning of dead batteries in the unit (apart from pitch black or blown-out images!!), so I guess you just need to check them from time to time - I have a small, cheap battery tester. I've had the flashgun for about 3 years now and this is the first time I've replaced these hot shoe unit batteries, so I guess it serves me right!

Hope some of this helps

Cheers

BOB

[memobug]

I'm kind of tearing my hair out on this TTL thing.

Seems fine at ISO 100, but as I get towards ISO200 or 400, I don't see any difference in flash compensation and I am getting slight overexposure that I can't correct. No matter whether I dial in -/+3 stops on the hotshoe adapter or -3/+1 on the oncamera exposure compensation, I can't get the same compensation I see at lower ISO

I am using the 45-CL4 with the SCA-3402 adapter and 3000-series cable connector. If the 300 series stuff works better I would certainly be willing to try it, but this is the "N-80" version, so I expected it to work!

Regards,

Matt

[Marc Furth]

Hi All,
I’m using a SB 28 flash and finding the same results in TTL mode. Every shot seem to be underexposed. I tried using the flash in Auto with better results but not perfect. I wish I could understand why this is happening. I’m sorry and happy to here that I’m not alone. Now I wish I could find my manual for the SB 28 so could find out what the difference is between Auto mode and TTL is ?

Marc

[memobug]

There are about 4 different TTL modes the SB-28 supports, so when someone says AUTO it's never clear exactly what they mean. However,

1) In Manual mode, the flash is triggered at some fixed power setting (e.g., 1/64, 1/8, 1/2 1/1) of full power, irrespective of subject distance or anything else. For the SB28, There are "7 flash output levels from full to 1/64th power (+/- 1/3 steps) ; High speed sync flash; Repeating flash for creating stroboscopic multiple-exposure effect"

2) In Auto mode the flash decides when it has had enough light using a photosensor on the flash housing. This is called "Auto mode - Non-TTL auto flash."

3) When in one of the TTL modes, the camera is in charge and the sensor is internal to the camera (Through The Lens). It detects light bouncing off the film plane or CCD (in the S2) or from a separate shutter flap (in the D1 series). There are various TTL modes - "Automatic balanced fill flash with TTL multi sensor with Nikkor lenses with built-in CPU with monitor pre-flash; Matrix balanced fill flash or center weighted fill flash/spot fill flash; Standard TTL fill flash or 1/300 sec. TTL high speed flash for Nikon F5. "

Hope that helps,

Regards,

Matt