Christopher Bush wrote:
not familiar with that specific flash, but assuming that there is no ttl compatibility, set it to auto and use whatever aperture cross-reference the unit gives you to set your aperture.  then use the camera's ambient meter to get the ambient exposure.  decide what balance you want and change the aperture/speed accordingly.

The flash itself is TTL, but the in-camera support TTL circuitry is pretty primitive and linked to the same 60/40 CWA-pattern meter as the camera's AE...

Still, it may make more sense use the non-TTL modes if that makes fill easier.

Madcrow Studios wrote:

The flash itself is TTL, but the in-camera support TTL circuitry is pretty primitive and linked to the same 60/40 CWA-pattern meter as the camera's AE...

Still, it may make more sense use the non-TTL modes if that makes fill easier.

try it both ways and see what think, but i get along just fine without ttl.  i have a little nikon sb-30 that i use on my leica, and it is pretty much flawlessy accurate in the "a" mode.

Christopher Bush wrote:

try it both ways and see what think, but i get along just fine without ttl.  i have a little nikon sb-30 that i use on my leica, and it is pretty much flawlessy accurate in the "a" mode.

I guess the only question then is: where do I learn how to make the ratio adjustment calculations... The "modern era" of matrix-balanced TTL fill flash and the like has somewhat made this sort of thing a "lost art"...

Madcrow Studios wrote:

I guess the only question then is: where do I learn how to make the ratio adjustment calculations... The "modern era" of matrix-balanced TTL fill flash and the like has somewhat made this sort of thing a "lost art"...

if you can assume that your flash in auto mode (non-ttl) is accurate (as it really should be), then you just need to know that closing down the aperture one stop and adjusting you shutter speed to maintain proper ambient exposure will give you a -1 fill.  same goes for half stops, 1.5 stops, etc.

BendingLight wrote:
Get a flash that can operate manual at several power levels.   A Sunpak 120J (bare bulb) is my favorite.  A Sunpak 383 is good too, but often to strong.  Use Rosco neutral density gels to knock a couple stops off that baby.  Measure your flash at night (no competing light) at 10 feet for the various power settings (1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 and 1/16).  Calculate the guide number for each setting.  Then make a table of F stops for various distances from the flash (4, 5, 6.... 10, 12, 15, 20, 25, 30 ft) and you can put your flash meter back in your bag.

I like fill flash to be 2 stops down for most work, sometimes as little as 1 stop down for a very sparkly image.

So if my ambient is 1/125 at 5.6, then I want the flash to be F2.8.  I look at the chart I made and see that for that flash, that I get F2.8 with power at 1/16 and the flash at 17 feet for ISO 400.  Put the flash on a light stand 17 feet from the subject (or get Wally to handhold the flash 17 feet away from the subject) and I now have perfect 2 stop down fill flash.....

Of course, if I had the money to spend on fancy flash setups and assitants, I'd not be shooting with a 25 year old prosumer 35mm camera and none of this would be an issue...

I guess, that using the non-TTL "Auto" mode and stopping down a bit from the "recommended" aperture on the calculator dial might do the trick, as a quick and cheap version of your suggestion, though...

EDIT: Drat, Christopher beat me to the punch of interpreatation

Madcrow Studios wrote:
My primary camera is a real oldster, with first generation TTL flash circuitry based Nikon's classic center-weighted averaging metering system. While this works great for indoor events where the flash is the primary light source, I've heard that this doesn't give the best results where you're just using the flash to lighten up a few shadows, which seems to be something I need badly.

Do any "old timers" have some recommendations for doing fill flash with such a system (a Nikon FG with a SB-15 flash unit, for those who are curious)

I never use TTL.  I do use auto thyristor flashes when they're mounted on a camera bracket.. but have never bothered with TTL.  I would meter each flash separately and adjust to get the the effect you want. Basically you probably want the fill to be about a half stop under your primary exposure.. but this can vary widely depending on the effect you want, and how much your shadow areas are soaking up light.

Madcrow Studios wrote:
Of course, if I had the money to spend on fancy flash setups and assitants, I'd not be shooting with a 25 year old prosumer 35mm camera and none of this would be an issue...

Unless you are a very low-volume shooter, Film and processing costs can quickly add up to what a digital camera would cost, so there is some false economy here.

James IV wrote:

I never use TTL.  I do use auto thyristor flashes when they're mounted on a camera bracket.. but have never bothered with TTL.  I would meter each flash separately and adjust to get the the effect you want. Basically you probably want the fill to be about a half stop under your primary exposure.. but this can vary widely depending on the effect you want, and how much your shadow areas are soaking up light.

I'll bet you don't have a flash meter... do you ??   :-)

James IV wrote:

I'll bet you don't have a flash meter... do you ??   :-)

Nope Seems like it could be useful, though...

Bed Head Ed wrote:
Set the flash to manual.

Set the camera's shutter speed to its fastest sync speed.

Take a meter reading using the camera's meter.  That is your base exposure.  Let's say it is f/8.

Calculate your distance from your subject.  Let's say it's 12'.

Look at your variable power control on the back of the flash.  Let's say, for the sake of argument that, at full power, with a subject 12' away, requires an f/stop of f/8.

So, if you wanted 1:1 fill flash ratio for your subject 12' away, you set your flash at full power, your aperture at f/8, and fire away.

If you want your fill 1 stop down, you set your power control at 1/2 and your aperture at f/8

2 stops - set flash power at 1/4

3 stops - set flash power at 1/8

Some flashes from that era did have 1/16 power too.

There you have it.

The SB-15 has only "full power", "motor drive" (1/16 power for fast recycling), flash-metered auto and TTL-metered auto modes. Can I get this same effect by using the full power mode but stopping down (IE going from f/2.8 to f/5.6) and doubling the exposure time (1/45 second versus the normal 1/90 max flash sync)?

Lotus Photography wrote:
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/nikonf3ver2/flash/sb15/index.htm

Been there, read that... Doesn't talk about fill flash.