Bessa R2, flash and settings

[g0tr00t]

Ok, I bought this flash used SUNPAK SOFTLITE 1600A and was wondering if someone could explain how to use it.

I know about the settings on the back, ISO, FT/Meters, etc.... My question is that I just keep the Bessa under 125th and what Ap? Do I set it to 30 f8 and let the flash do the rest?

Sorry, but this is VERY new to me....🙂

 

[fraley]

Re: Bessa R2, flash and settings

Hey gotroot, I'll give it a try. Looks similar to a Sunpak auto flash I have.

The general idea is you set your camera to its flash synch speed -- 1/125 on the Bessa R2. Then you pick an aperture, and for this flash the specs say either f/2.8 or f/5.6. (I guess the 2.8 would be for closer work and the 5.6 for more distance.) The specs say the auto distance is 2.3 to 18 ft.

The 'auto' part is that the unit measures the light and adjusts the duration of the flash as needed. If you want to use it manually, you use the flash's guide number and the film speed to come up with appropriate shutter speeds and f stops. You can find the formula in photo books and online.

I hope this helps. Please correct me everyone if I got it wrong.

 

[g0tr00t]

Agh, that makes sense. Cool! I will give it a try! 🙂

 

[Kris]

David, the shutter speed you pick depends on how you want the background to appear.

If the background brightness is 1/30 + f/2.8, setting shutter speed at 1/30 gives you normal look and 1/125 gives you really dark background.

Fraley got it the other way around for aperture setting. F/2.8 allows you to illuminate the subject at further distance than f/5.6.

Flash exposure is based on GN (Guide Number). Say your subject distance is 10ft and your aperture is f/5.6, then the auto setting on your flash will set the output to GN 56 (10*5.6). If you set the aperture to f/2.8, then it's GN 28. Your flash has a maximum GN rating so you can't illuminate subjects that's very far away.

I believe studio strobes normally work the other way around. You place the strobes, set the output and dial the correct aperture on the camera, but this is not your case.

 

[fraley]

Thanks Kris! I knew someone would correct me.. let's see, did I post that before or after this excellent glass of cabernet? 🙂