Help with my new Speedlight!

[dj-cline]

I just bought a used Nikon Speedlight SB-50DX
and it seems to work fine, i am just lost when it comes to alot of the settings.

what is the difference between Manual and Ttl?
What is the zoom button on a flash used for?
The flash didnt come with a manual, and i've looked everywhere for online manuals, and nothing has come up.

Please give me any tips, or info you might have that would help me know my new flash better!.
thanks in advance.

 

[Big Mike]

TTL stands for Through The Lens.
That is the auto mode of the flash. It uses a pre-flash to measure the light that comes back to the camera, through the lens, and uses that information to determine the amount of flash power needed, taking into consideration the lens aperture and the ISO etc.
Manual mode does not use a pre-flash. It just fires at the power setting that it's on.

The zoom feature is the zoom position of the bulb in the flash head. It controls the spread of light. It's meant to match the angle of view on your lens. For example, if you're shooting at 100mm, you don't need the light to spread as wide as a 24mm lens, because most of that light would just be wasted. With some flashes, this zoom might be automatic as it detects what the focal length of the lens is.

 

[dj-cline]

Is the Speedlight SB-50DX a good starter flash?
i know its older. but i got it used from Henrys for about 80 bucks including batteries.
is that a good deal?

 

[gpardo64]

Here you can fin the manual:

http://www.nikonusa.com/pdf/manuals/Speedlights/SB-50DX.pdf