tom_patrick
Member
Hi
Have been trying out the flash with my Hexar, and had poor results with camera set to P and flash set to P.
After some reading, it sounds as though using the camera on manual is my best option, as i dont want ghosting. I would prefer a wider aperture and smaller DOF than slower SSs. Any tips? What would i set the flash to?
Also, i would like to use a flash off camera. The konica doesnt have a pc socket but apparently it is possible with an adaptor? I have equipment but it is for EOS, what do i need for the hexar?
Also lastly - since i updated the hexar, apparently i can use any flash? How so?
Thanks people!
Have been trying out the flash with my Hexar, and had poor results with camera set to P and flash set to P.
After some reading, it sounds as though using the camera on manual is my best option, as i dont want ghosting. I would prefer a wider aperture and smaller DOF than slower SSs. Any tips? What would i set the flash to?
Also, i would like to use a flash off camera. The konica doesnt have a pc socket but apparently it is possible with an adaptor? I have equipment but it is for EOS, what do i need for the hexar?
Also lastly - since i updated the hexar, apparently i can use any flash? How so?
Thanks people!
Moriturii
Well-known
Copy pastying from the long thread on photo.net
"Many people have commented having difficulties with the flash on the Hexar. I hope the following will help. The flash has two modes p.full (full power) and auto. With the camera on P and the flash on p.full, the camera is now in flashmatic mode. In this mode the flash fires at full power, the camera adjusts aperture based on the distance form the subject, and the shutter speed will be set for whatever would be necessary for a properly exposed photograph regardless of flash but will not drop below the user set minimum. Setting the user set speed to 1/60 in this set up is obviously advisable. There are two drawbacks to this mode. One is the possiblity of overexposure with fast film. At distances closer than about 4' even f/22 is insufficient to prevent overexposure. The other is the the relatively slow shutter speed. There is little point in using p.full in A or M mode on the camera unless you are a fan of manual flash setting. The auto mode on the flash requires the camera to be set to A or M and the aperture which matches the film speed must be set. 100 speed film aperture is set to f/4, at 200 f/5.6, and at 400 f/8. In this mode the aperture stays put and the flash varies it's output according to it's built in light sensor. In A mode the shutter speed sets to whatever would be necessary for proper exposure regardless of flash. This can result in very long shutter speeds. In M mode the shutter speed is whatever you choose! Up to 1/250. My usual set up for a typical low light scene that requires flash is auto mode on the flash and M mode on the camera with the shutter set to 1/100. I've also had a lot of success with outdoor fill flash. I set the flash to auto mode, the camera to A mode, and the aperture to one value stop less than recommended. For example at ISO 100 I would set to f/5.6 rather than f/4. With the camera in A mode you get properly exposed background and the smaller aperture gives you less flash effect. Try it you'll like it. Finally, the flash whipped me at first, but an e-mail to Richard Caruna set me straight on how it worked. If any profit from this information, thanks should go to him. If it's confusing, it's because I confused his explanation."
And
"Manual Guide Number is fairly easy, you just hold the SELECT button down when you turn the camera on. Then you can use the UP/DOWN buttons to set the GN. It saves the GN, so if you always use the same alternate flash, all you have to do is turn the camera on with the botton held down,and you're good to go. The ability to use most (but not all) flashguns with the Hexar makes it pretty versatile, but the camera is really good for available light photography, so its not as useful as you might expect. Besides, the Hexar is so small and light, it would be a pity to lose the advantage by lugging around a big flashgun. The Konica flash seems about the right size for the camera. The best use for this feature, in my view, would be to share a flash between the Hexar and another camera, such as an SLR. I wanted to use my Contax TLA 200 on the Hexar, its smaller and more powerful and recycles faster then the Konica flash, but it doesn't work. All the other flashes that I've tried worked fine."
+
"When using the flash in P-mode, Hexar will first use the aperture and shutter speed it would use when photographing without a flash. Just before flashing at the end of the exposure time, it will change the aperture to the value needed for the flash. When I noticed this I expected to see some overexposure on color slides, but that didn't happen."
Yea, I have a notepad file with these saved
Hope that helps
"Many people have commented having difficulties with the flash on the Hexar. I hope the following will help. The flash has two modes p.full (full power) and auto. With the camera on P and the flash on p.full, the camera is now in flashmatic mode. In this mode the flash fires at full power, the camera adjusts aperture based on the distance form the subject, and the shutter speed will be set for whatever would be necessary for a properly exposed photograph regardless of flash but will not drop below the user set minimum. Setting the user set speed to 1/60 in this set up is obviously advisable. There are two drawbacks to this mode. One is the possiblity of overexposure with fast film. At distances closer than about 4' even f/22 is insufficient to prevent overexposure. The other is the the relatively slow shutter speed. There is little point in using p.full in A or M mode on the camera unless you are a fan of manual flash setting. The auto mode on the flash requires the camera to be set to A or M and the aperture which matches the film speed must be set. 100 speed film aperture is set to f/4, at 200 f/5.6, and at 400 f/8. In this mode the aperture stays put and the flash varies it's output according to it's built in light sensor. In A mode the shutter speed sets to whatever would be necessary for proper exposure regardless of flash. This can result in very long shutter speeds. In M mode the shutter speed is whatever you choose! Up to 1/250. My usual set up for a typical low light scene that requires flash is auto mode on the flash and M mode on the camera with the shutter set to 1/100. I've also had a lot of success with outdoor fill flash. I set the flash to auto mode, the camera to A mode, and the aperture to one value stop less than recommended. For example at ISO 100 I would set to f/5.6 rather than f/4. With the camera in A mode you get properly exposed background and the smaller aperture gives you less flash effect. Try it you'll like it. Finally, the flash whipped me at first, but an e-mail to Richard Caruna set me straight on how it worked. If any profit from this information, thanks should go to him. If it's confusing, it's because I confused his explanation."
And
"Manual Guide Number is fairly easy, you just hold the SELECT button down when you turn the camera on. Then you can use the UP/DOWN buttons to set the GN. It saves the GN, so if you always use the same alternate flash, all you have to do is turn the camera on with the botton held down,and you're good to go. The ability to use most (but not all) flashguns with the Hexar makes it pretty versatile, but the camera is really good for available light photography, so its not as useful as you might expect. Besides, the Hexar is so small and light, it would be a pity to lose the advantage by lugging around a big flashgun. The Konica flash seems about the right size for the camera. The best use for this feature, in my view, would be to share a flash between the Hexar and another camera, such as an SLR. I wanted to use my Contax TLA 200 on the Hexar, its smaller and more powerful and recycles faster then the Konica flash, but it doesn't work. All the other flashes that I've tried worked fine."
+
"When using the flash in P-mode, Hexar will first use the aperture and shutter speed it would use when photographing without a flash. Just before flashing at the end of the exposure time, it will change the aperture to the value needed for the flash. When I noticed this I expected to see some overexposure on color slides, but that didn't happen."
Yea, I have a notepad file with these saved
Hope that helps
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
tom_patrick
Member
Thanks both of you. Im going to keep them on a notepad file myself
I know i can use other flashes, but i dont understand how. Their hotshoe is totally different to hexar flash, and contacts not the same. Also how can i use it off camera, even the dedicated hexar one?
Thanks again.
I know i can use other flashes, but i dont understand how. Their hotshoe is totally different to hexar flash, and contacts not the same. Also how can i use it off camera, even the dedicated hexar one?
Thanks again.
roboflick
Well-known
I use a nikon sb 28 flash set to aperture priority and set the same aperture on the hexar and use in manual at 1/30.
I get nice results this way, increase the shutter speed for more ambient light.
Nik
I get nice results this way, increase the shutter speed for more ambient light.
Nik
roboflick
Well-known
Oh and get a hotshoe to pc plug adapter and use the flash off camera
Nik
Nik
tom_patrick
Member
Hi roboflick...
What sort of hotshoe adaptor? Are they universal? The flashes i have for canon digital and film EOS, pentax mv-1 and the hexar are all different shoe contacts???
Thanks!
What sort of hotshoe adaptor? Are they universal? The flashes i have for canon digital and film EOS, pentax mv-1 and the hexar are all different shoe contacts???
Thanks!
roboflick
Well-known
Tom try this one it should work ok
http://www.amazon.com/Adorama-Hot-Shoe-PC-Adapter/dp/B00009R8G3
Nik
I have had great success with nikon sb28 with Gary fong light sphere
Used sb 28 are available form Keh for around 75 dollars.
http://www.amazon.com/Adorama-Hot-Shoe-PC-Adapter/dp/B00009R8G3
Nik
I have had great success with nikon sb28 with Gary fong light sphere
Used sb 28 are available form Keh for around 75 dollars.
tom_patrick
Member
Cheers. Looks a bit cheap and nasty but i assume any hotshoe to pc adaptor is okay as there are quite a few listed. As long as they dont say that theyre for nikon or canon eos etc.
Hopefully my eos flash will work. I have two, one is a nissin.
Got any pics taken with your combo?
Hopefully my eos flash will work. I have two, one is a nissin.
Got any pics taken with your combo?
roboflick
Well-known
Tom nice pics on flickr.
Unfortunately I don't have any examples to post as they are all 3d slides taken with an rbt s1 which is a conjoined twin of the hexar af that I use for stereo photography with slide film. One needs a powerful flash for auto f16!
http://www.ignomini.com/photographica/3dcameras2.html
The rbt s1 is down the page. I ordered an hexar af from Keh hopefully I get one without a shutter button issue. I had to return one a few weeks ago for that issue
Nik
Unfortunately I don't have any examples to post as they are all 3d slides taken with an rbt s1 which is a conjoined twin of the hexar af that I use for stereo photography with slide film. One needs a powerful flash for auto f16!
http://www.ignomini.com/photographica/3dcameras2.html
The rbt s1 is down the page. I ordered an hexar af from Keh hopefully I get one without a shutter button issue. I had to return one a few weeks ago for that issue
Nik
Mablo
Well-known
Some early Hexar AF's won't do TTL with Nikon flashes. I know because I have one. I use my Hexar in manual mode and the flash (SB-30) in Automatic mode.
tom_patrick
Member
Hi
Still havnt sorted this out. How do I connect the dedicated konica flash to the hexar to use off camera? Hotshoe extension or something is needed but I can't find one that isn't for eos or nikon dslrs?
Thanks
Still havnt sorted this out. How do I connect the dedicated konica flash to the hexar to use off camera? Hotshoe extension or something is needed but I can't find one that isn't for eos or nikon dslrs?
Thanks
tom_patrick
Member
Nobody?????