Noob with a new Flash

[chrisburke]

I popped into a pawn shop today and picked up an external flash, nothing fancy, an Image TFD-45.

Because I'm a noob, I really dont know what all the buttons on the back mean. I did a google search, trying to find a manual, but no success.

On the back I have the following:

ISO-1000 400 200 100 50 25

Below that there is a switch that says W S (i can select one of the other. then we have the on button, and the test button. then at the bottom

M TTL

and on the front another switch where i can select rither M a blue dot or a red dot.

If someone could tell me what all these buttons mean and do that would be great

 

[Mike_E]

Well that info seems to be well hidden.

Likely if you set the flash to m then the iso setting would be a control for the flash output. How are you triggering this? I don't know how much voltage a D40 will take but do be careful.

mike

 

[chrisburke]

I don't know how much voltage a D40 will take but do be careful.

mike

how do i find out... can it fry my camera?

 

[Mike_E]

It's in your manual somewhere. Or you can call 1-800-Nikonus -just ask them what the max voltage is for your camera and don't say anything about the flash. First they wouldn't know and second if they say anything that implies that they will extend the warranty to the usage of the item-and they wont.

And yes you could conceivably fry your camera. My D200 will handle 250 volts but I don't know about the D40. There are limiters -Weinscott (sp?)- that will go between the flash and your camera. I don't remember seeing a PC terminal on the 40 so you may have to get a hot shoe to PC adapter. If so you might look for one that has a safety built in.

There is so little information on this flash that I am thinking that it is rebranded and really something else. Can you post a photo of it in case someone might recognize it?

mike

 

[chrisburke]

Here's the Flash

 

[JIP]

I popped into a pawn shop today and picked up an external flash, nothing fancy, an Image TFD-45.

Because I'm a noob, I really dont know what all the buttons on the back mean. I did a google search, trying to find a manual, but no success.

On the back I have the following:

ISO-1000 400 200 100 50 25

Below that there is a switch that says W S (i can select one of the other. then we have the on button, and the test button. then at the bottom

M TTL

and on the front another switch where i can select rither M a blue dot or a red dot.

If someone could tell me what all these buttons mean and do that would be great

.
The "ISO" is the speed of you film or the ISO setting of your camera. The M/TTL is Maual or through the lens metering wich leads me to believe this is a dedicated flash so make sure this is dedicated to your camera an easy way to see this is to see if the pins on the bottom of the flash match the ones on the hotshoe of your camera.

 

[Mike_E]

OK, I've found you a guide! http://www.kenrickparish.com/jgeerling/articles/photography/vivitar_285-voltage.html

Evidently his name is Ken Parish :hail:! WAY TO GO KEN!!!

Be sure to check your manual for max flash trigger voltage (I believe it to be ok to 250 volts but I'm not the one who will have to pay for it if you fry it.

These are guesses!
On the front the M is for manual, blue dot is for auto and the red is for ttl (there is no chance that the ttl will work on your camera-sorry) It may also be that this flash has no real ttl but uses an auto function in which case the blue button is for the zoom on the flash head and the red is for shorter lenses.

on the back the auto check is most likely to test fire the flash to assure the correct exposure in ttl or auto, one.
The ready test is just that.
The ISO you set to what ever you are shooting at. -may control the power
The w s is a puzzle to me but I would start testing by using it as a switch between the two ranges described by the red and blue bands in manual mode.

After testing for trigger voltage and assuring that it is safe to use, set the flash to auto mode (ttl) blue or red on the front depending on how far away you are from your target and set your aperture to the middle of the color band you have chosen and your shutter speed to 1/60. Fire away at a couple of targets at different distances and grey values and see what you have. If this works then play with the aperture on the camera and flash and congratulations! Aren't you glad you didn't fry a Rebel XTi with it's 6V maximum.

For manual set the ISO as before and then match up the f number to the distance and whatever aperture you chose be sure to stand that many feet or meters in front of your target.

Hope this helps

mike

 

[JIP]

On the front the M is for manual, blue dot is for auto and the red is for ttl (there is no chance that the ttl will work on your camera-sorry) It may also be that this flash has no real ttl but uses an auto function in which case the blue button is for the zoom on the flash head and the red is for shorter lenses.

I think you might be wrong here. Actually if you look closley at the shot of the flash you will see that it says "module N" pn the bottom and I take that to mean it is like Ritz Camera's Quantaray flashes that they make dedicated by different modules. And in this case it is even more important to make sure the pins on the flash match the pins on the camera.

 

[Mike_E]

Ok, I'll bite. Why? It can't possibly be iTTL and even if it were for an earlier Nikon the TTl is not compatible (not even an Sb 80DX is iTTL). So long as the camera will trigger it (and not be fried by the flash) the flash should be able to be used in auto or manual. I have tested my Sb28 on my D200 (in case I ever needed a backup) and it works in auto and manual both- though not in TTL. A hot shoe adapter uses only a center post -and Chris's flash surely has one of these- so accurate triggering within the sync speed should work. If the camera flash mechanism can handle the voltage it won't matter what the flash is saying as long as the camera is in manual mode as there is no programing by the flash in manual flash mode.

So, the only thing that I can see is that the camera will trigger the flash at the appropriate time
and it is then up to the flash to do it's thing. If set properly it should work. Probably not very well but better than nothing.

So, what did I miss?

mike

 

[chrisburke]

The pins deffinatley match the camera... I've been goofing around with all the different settings, and have had no fryage yet.... which makes me happy!!!

Will continue to do all this stuff you guys have told me to test it, and will check the link you posted above.

Also something I found a little odd. Tonight I was taking some shots at the skate park, I had the new flash in place, and for kicks, instead of Manual Mode on the camera, which I normally use, I flipped it to night, and the built in flash tried to pop up. Is that normal?

In my manual what would it be under.. flash volatage??? camera voltage???

Correction: Just Found it it's 250V

 

[Mike_E]

Cool, if the pins match then you probably have no voltage worries (though I would still check before using it too much).

As to the built in flash popping up? ?? does it do that in night mode with out the flash in the hot shoe?mike

 

[chrisburke]

Cool, if the pins match then you probably have no voltage worries (though I would still check before using it too much).

As to the built in flash popping up? ?? does it do that in night mode with out the flash in the hot shoe?mike

Yes, when the flash is not in the shoe it still comes up. I would think that with the flash in the show, it should tell the camera not to use the built in shouldnt it?