How to use old Pentax TTL flash successfully with Nikon Co..

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

I recently found my old Pentax AF280T TTL flash - it must be 15-20 years
old soon. However - it works just fine.

But can I make it work with predictability with my new Nikon Coolpix 8800?

The flash has full manual modes + automodes + TTL.

I belive I can forget the TTL mode, but the automodes (high/low output)
can be used.

But how do I set the camera in order to get predictable flash quality in
terms of ISO, shutter and f-stops?

Any advice will be appreciated,

Bjorn Tore Hoem
Oslo, Norway

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

"Johannes Czernin" <jcz@chello.at> wrote in message
news:HN0fe.15397$_9.11772@news.chello.at...
> Hej, Bjørn,
>
> It is a perfectly useable flash you have here. I have the same - bought it
> many years ago when I was working with a Pentax film SLR camera. The
> camera
> has been sold quite some time ago and I have not used any film for years
> but
> I still work with that Pentax flash fairly regularly in conjunction with a
> modern digital camera.
>
> You are correct in your assumption: Forget everything specific to Pentax
> cameras but for the rest follow the instructions in your manual and use
> the
> unit with your digital Nikon.
>
> 1) With the flash set to any of its two "auto" modes you set the camera to
> "aperture priority" and choose the aperture shown on the flash unit's
> calculator scale after having set this to your ISO speed.
>
> 2) When the flash is set to any of the two "manual" modes you can run the
> camera either in "aperture priority" or in "manual", in both cases setting
> the aperture as prescribed by the scale on the flash.
>
> 3) Everything else is totally up to you. You can use the flash as your
> only
> light source for a scene, you could have it as one of several sources and
> vary the relation between the sources by adjusting the aperture and/or
> shutter speed settings on the camera, you could of course also use a flash
> meter for setting the lighting for a particular scene, and if you have a
> slave firing unit available this would still further your possibilites.
>
> On any accounts don't trash that Pentax flash - it is a great piece of
> engineering, and you can still buy some accessories for it, like tele and
> wide-angle attachments.
>
> Kind regards,
>
> Johannes
> Vienna, Austria
>
> "Bjørn Tore Hoem" <bthoem@yahoo.no> wrote in message
> news:350fe.191$9J.31932@juliett.dax.net...
>> I recently found my old Pentax AF280T TTL flash - it must be 15-20 years
>> old soon. However - it works just fine.
>>
>> But can I make it work with predictability with my new Nikon Coolpix
>> 8800?
>>
>> The flash has full manual modes + automodes + TTL.
>>
>> I belive I can forget the TTL mode, but the automodes (high/low output)
>> can be used.
>>
>> But how do I set the camera in order to get predictable flash quality in
>> terms of ISO, shutter and f-stops?
>>
>> Any advice will be appreciated,
>>
>> Bjorn Tore Hoem
>> Oslo, Norway
>


CAUTION

Before you use as advised above, do check the Trigger Voltage of the Flash
against the maximum allowed for your Camera. Old flashes have much higher
trigger voltages,( up to 300 volts), than the modern ones, and modern
electronic cameras can be ruined by a high Flash Voltage.

Roy G

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

In article <R84fe.22011$Y46.4335@newsfe1-win.ntli.net>, "Roy"
<royphoty@iona-guesthouse.co.uk> wrote:

> CAUTION
>
> Before you use as advised above, do check the Trigger Voltage of the Flash
> against the maximum allowed for your Camera. Old flashes have much higher
> trigger voltages,( up to 300 volts), than the modern ones, and modern
> electronic cameras can be ruined by a high Flash Voltage.

Roy G-

I just measured my AF280T flash with a fresh set of Alkaline batteries.
Using a Fluke meter, the voltage between the center pin and the frame
terminal, was 7.6 volts.

Fred