User Manual - VS-260N TTL Flash.indd
Contents
1. WAMAN CR 23 Bolt VS 260N OFF F 9 Overview 1 Flash head Battery compartment cover Autofocus assist light Mounting foot Mounting foot lock Test button Ready light Power switch Automatic exposure confirmation light 9o E 260 Warnings Before using your VS 260N please read the following safety notices carefully and thoroughly to ensure safe use and to help prevent damage to your flash or injury to yourself or others Do not fire the flash at close range directly into the eyes of people or animals This can cause damage to the retina and may even lead to blindness To avoid overheating and damaging your flash unit please wait for at least 10 minutes after 20 continuous flashes at full power Do not disassemble or attempt to repair this product yourself There are high voltage components inside that can produce a hazardous electric shock Keep this product and its batteries out of reach of children e Use only the power sources specified in this manual e Always switch the flash off before changing the batteries e Always install AA batteries of the same type brand and age Do not combine different types or brands or old and new batteries This could cause batteries to leak overheat or explode Install batteries in the proper orientation according to the indicator the battery chamb2. User s Manual Copyright 2014 Gradus Group Bolt and other names of Bolt products are trademarks of Gradus Group Other product and corporate names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective holders 2 Introduction Introduction Thank you for choosing the Bolt VS 260N TTL Autofocus Flash This flash unit combines a compact design with versatile features to give you both automatic ease of use and creative lighting control Among the benefits you ll enjoy Full compatibility with Nikon s i TTL metering system Adjustable five position flash head e Autofocus assist for low light photography Rear curtain sync e Automatic power saving function Introduction Bolt VS 260N OFF Contents Installing Batteries Mounting the Flash T rning onthe Flash and FIirig E cacciatore reete ee reta ratto teet eter reta eate tete petat teta tate tete petet te tate eese 14 15 Eocking Flash EXpOSu re sarra EHE 16 Using Red Eye 16 Using Flash Exposure 17 Using the Autofocus Assist Light Bouncing Your Flash crine rrr HE Using Rear or Second Curtain Synchronization 20 Troubleshooting
3. function on your camera To apply flash exposure compensation press the flash exposure compensation button on your camera and adjust the flash exposure level up or down with your camera s controls The flash exposure compensation range and controls vary between different camera models Consult your camera s manual for more information about this feature Using the Autofocus Assist Light Camera autofocus systems can have difficulty locking on a subject in dim light When the ambient light level is Using Flash Exposure Compensation 17 low the VS 260N will emit red autofocus assist beam when you press your camera s shutter release button halfway to autofocus The camera will then be able to autofocus by locking on the projected light Note that the autofocus assist light is only available when your camera s autofocus system is set to AF A or AF S It is not available when AF C is selected Bouncing Your Flash Using flash to directly illuminate a subject often creates harsh unnatural and unattractive shadows To avoid this the flash can be tilted up allowing you to aim it at a large white or neutral colored surface such as a Ceiling a wall or a reflector The light will bounce off of the larger surface before striking your subject providing softer more natural illumination 18 Bouncing Your Flash The VS 260N flash head be tilted up at 45 60 75 and 90 degree angles to the lens When b
4. source 2 AA lithium Ni MH or alkaline batteries Number of flashes with fresh batteries Approx 100 Bounce positions 0 45 60 75 90 Dimensions W x D 2 6 x 3 9 x 2 in 65 x 98 x 54 mm Weight without batteries Approx 4 6 oz 127 0 22 Specifications One Year Limited Warranty This BOLT product is warranted to the original purchaser to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal consumer use for a period of one 1 year from the original purchase date or thirty 30 days after replacement whichever occurs later The warranty provider s responsibility with respect to this limited warranty shall be limited solely to repair or replacement at the provider s discretion of any product that fails during normal use of this product in its intended manner and in its intended environment Inoperability of the product or part s shall be determined by the warranty provider If the product has been discontinued the warranty provider reserves the right to replace it with a model of equivalent quality and function This warranty does not cover damage or defect caused by misuse neglect accident alteration abuse improper installation or maintenance EXCEPT AS PROVIDED HEREIN THE WARRANTY PROVIDER MAKES NEITHER ANY EXPRESS WARRANTIES NOR ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE This warranty provides you with specific le
5. the mounting foot lock in 12 Mounting the Flash Dismounting the VS 260N 1 Turn the flash off 2 Press both sides of the mounting foot lock in it will pop out away from the flash 3 Slide the mounting foot out of your camera s hot shoe Mounting the Flash 13 Turning the Flash and Firing a Test To turn the flash on simply slide the power switch to the On position When the flash is ready to fire the Ready light will glow red If the flash is mounted on your camera a flash icon will also appear in the camera s viewfinder when you press the shutter release button halfway To fire a test flash press the Ready light Test button Automatic power saving function After 3 minutes of inactivity the flash will automatically enter power saving mode to conserve battery life The Ready light will turn off To reactivate the VS 260N simply press the Ready light Test button or your camera s shutter release button During long periods of inactivity it is recommended that you use the power switch to turn the flash off completely 14 Turning on the Flash and Firing a Test Taking Photos When the VS 260N is mounted on a compatible camera it will set the appropriate flash level automatically in conjunction with the camera s through the lens TTL metering system For information about your camera s flash sync speed range the shutter speed range your camera will allow you to use when taking flas
6. er Installing batteries in the reverse orientation could cause them to leak overheat or explode Do not use or store the VS 260N in flammable conditions such as environments containing flammable gases or liquid chemicals This could damage the flash start a fire or cause an electric shock Do not clean the VS 260N with agents containing corrosive or flammable substances such as paint thinner benzene or nail polish remover This product is not water resistant Keep it away from rain snow humidity and general moisture Should the VS 260N get damaged do not touch any exposed interior metal parts If touched they may generate an electric shock or cause a malfunction Promptly remove the batteries and take the product to an authorized service center for repair e f you detect excessive heat smoke or a burning smell coming from the flash immediately stop operation and remove the batteries to prevent the product from igniting or melting Take the product to an authorized service center for repair Do not drop or otherwise cause a strong physical impact to the VS 260N as this could cause a malfunction that may cause it to explode or ignite Remove all batteries from the VS 260N before long term storage in order to prevent the product from igniting or leaking corrosive liquids Do not store or use this product at temperatures above 104 F 40 C e Keep the metal contacts in the battery compartment clean and free of co
7. gal rights and you may also have additional rights that vary from state to state To obtain warranty coverage contact the BOLT Customer Service Department to obtain a return merchandise authorization RMA number and return the defective product to BOLT along with the RMA number and proof of purchase Shipment of the defective product is at the purchaser s own risk and expense For more information or to arrange service visit www boltflashes com or call Customer Service at 212 594 2353 BOLT Gradus Group Brand Product warranty provided by the Gradus Group Www gradusgroup com BOLT is a registered trademark of the Gradus Group 2014 Gradus Group LLC All Rights Reserved Limited Warranty 23 www boltflashes com Bolt
8. h photos consult your camera manual To take photographs with the flash turn the flash and camera on and follow these steps 1 Press the shutter release button on your camera halfway to ensure that the camera is communicating with the flash A flash icon will appear in the camera s viewfinder 2 Press your camera s shutter release button to take the picture The OK light will glow green momentarily to indicate that the proper exposure was attained Taking Photos 15 Locking Flash Exposure You can lock the flash output level that is optimal for specific elements of your scene by using the flash exposure lock FV Lock on your camera To lock flash exposure follow these steps 1 Position the element of your scene that you want to be correctly exposed in the center of your viewfinder 2 Press the FV Lock button on your camera The flash will fire a test shot and lock its output level 3 Reframe your image as desired and take the shot For more information about the flash exposure lock feature consult your camera s manual Using Red Eye Reduction The VS 260N supports red eye reduction mode which is set automatically by your camera Consult your camera s manual for more information about this feature 16 Locking Flash Exposure Using Flash Exposure Compensation You can use flash exposure compensation to adjust the VS 260N s flash output incrementally just as you would adjust exposure with the exposure compensation
9. nd moving subjects That means rear curtain sync creates a more realistic impression of movement The VS 260N supports rear curtain sync modes on cameras that offer the setting Consult your camera s manual to find out how to activate it Use your camera s manual or shutter priority mode to control the amount of blurring and light trails you capture by varying the shutter speed 20 Using Rear or Second Curtain Synchronization Troubleshooting The flash is stuck in the camera hot shoe Make sure that the mounting foot lock is released The flash is turned on but won t fire Make sure that fresh batteries are installed and in the proper orientation The edges of images look dark Your lens angle of view is wider than the flash angle of coverage Use a lens with a longer focal length There s a whining sound coming from the flash This is normal and does not indicate a malfunction When the flash becomes warm from continuous use vibrations inside the unit may cause this sound It will dissipate as the unit cools Customer Service For customer service please go to www boltflashes com Troubleshooting 21 Specifications Type On camera TTL automatic flash Compatible cameras Nikon cameras with i TTL flash system support Guide number at ISO 100 72 ft 22 Flash coverage Equivalent to a 35 mm lens on a 35 mm format camera Flash duration 1 2 000 1 40 000 second Flash recycle time 0 3 10 seconds Power
10. ouncing your flash you may need to adjust your exposure settings since the level of light falling on your subject will be reduced The farther away the bounce surface and your subject are the more illumination will be reduced Tip Bouncing your flash off of colored surfaces can create a color cast in your images Bouncing off of a white or neutral colored surface will not alter the color of the light while bouncing off of a gold toned surface can give portraits a warmer look Other colors while usually not desirable can be used for creative effects Bouncing Your Flash 19 Using Rear or Second Curtain Synchronization When you photograph a moving subject with a slow 1 30 second or longer shutter speed and a flash the flash will freeze the moving subject and the long exposure will cause motion blur and light trails to appear in the image especially in low light This slow sync flash technique also referred to as dragging the shutter can be applied in two different ways The flash can be synchronized with the camera s shutter release so that it fires at the beginning of the period when the shutter opens or it can fire near the end of that period The former is called front curtain or first curtain flash sync and the latter is called rear curtain or second curtain sync Front curtain sync causes motion blur and light trails to appear in front of moving subjects while rear curtain sync makes them appear behi
11. rrosion and dirt Do not touch them with your fingers Corrosive elements on the contacts can damage the VS 260N and prevent it from functioning properly Contacts may be cleaned with isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab Dispose of used batteries properly Never heat them or throw them into a fire as this could cause the batteries to leak overheat or explode Installing Batteries The VS 260N can be powered by two AA batteries of several types e Lithium 1 5V Nickel metal hydride Ni MH 1 2V Alkaline 1 5V Note For the fastest recycle times and longest battery life lithium and Ni MH batteries are recommended 10 Installing Batteries To install batteries make sure the VS 260N is turned off and follow these steps 1 Press the battery compartment cover and slide it in the direction of the arrow 2 Insert batteries in the orientations indicated inside the compartment 3 Replace the battery compartment cover by pressing and sliding it into place in the opposite direction of the arrow on the cover Important Replace both batteries at the same time Do not mix battery types or brands or use old and new batteries together Installing Batteries 11 Mounting the Flash To mount the VS 260N on your camera turn it off and follow these steps 1 Press both sides of the mounting foot lock in it will pop out away from the flash 2 Slide the mounting foot all the way into your camera s hot shoe 3 Push
Download Pdf Manuals
Related Search