Nikon SPEEDLIGHT SB-16 User's Manual
Contents
1. Shutter speed SB 16A s Camera s ready light Camera Setting sec Shooting moss ready light Meter ON Meter OFF TTL Lights up Lights up Lights up F3 il i dui gr t AL AZ M MD tightsup Lights up Lights up All settings except M250 and B TTL Blinks Bins Doesnotlightup in P S A and M modes g zi Lightsup Does nottightup FA via AS 6 A1 A2 M MD Lights up Lights up Does not light up M250 B EMS Se are ine ee ree a REIN In P S A and M modes ALAZ2M MD Lights up eer eal Lights up All aettinge exoept M250 and D TREE BMG Does not light up FE2 via AS 8 ALARM MD Lights up Lights up Does not light up M250 8 Blinks Seo ea T QC AM d ALA2 M MD Lights up SS scum Lights up EI Sem Ser Te se Fer RE AE ned Lights up FE via AS 6 Trako or hinter Blinks Blinks oe eines aS re Lights up Blinks Lights up Taso ot seier ER TE FEET EN ET ERE FM2 with 1 250 sec Lights up Lights up Lights up sync speed via AS 6 MAE ME Eee jr gt Blinks Blinks E Ai A2 M MD Lights up Blinks Blinks TTL Blinks Blinks Blinks 1 200 x 200 FM2 with 1 200 sec pe a ag Al A2 M MD Lights up Lights up Lights up syno speed via AS 6 a See PE See eee Lae eae fi sed Ai A2 M MD Lights up Blinks F 501 N2020 via AS 6 All settings TTL Blinks Does not light up F 301 N2000 via AS 6 A1 A22. 10 Set ASA ISO film speed Turn the ASA ISO film speed setting ring 8 around the exposure calculator dial 4 until the ASA ISO index amp is opposite the speed of the film loaded in your camera Also con firm that the film speed is properly set on the camera Note For TTL operation with the F3 series FA FE2 FG or Nikonos V cameras the usable film speed range is from ASA ISO 25 to 400 with no exposure compensation With F 501 N2020 and F 301 N2000 the usable film speed range for TTL operation is ASA ISO 25 to 1000 Set the zoom head 49 Pull out or push in the zoom head until the number indicated with an orange background matches the focal length of the lens on your cam era For lenses longer than 85mm use the 85mm setting For a 24mm lens attach the Wide Flash Adapter D with the zoom head set at Wi To prevent light falloff at the edges of the picture do not use lenses wider than 24mm In the example the zoom head is set at 35 opposite the letter N Note When the subject is closer than 1 meter it is recommended that you use a zoom setting which is one step less than the lens focal length e g use the 35mm setting with a 50mm lens 12 Set the zoom setting 62 knob on the exposure calculator dial Turn the zoom setting knob at the center on the dial until the zoom set ting index 66 is opposite the same letter as you selected in step 11 Note The W2 setting on the dial is used when th
3. Note The closest shooting distance for non TTL automatic operation is always 0 6m 2 0 ft regardless of the film speed and aperture you select With the zoom head set at T however the closest distance is 0 8m 2 6 ft 15 BASIC OPERATION continued A1 A2 MD M MU ev b6 4 B 15 Set the mode selector to the blue or orange dot for automatic operation If you select f 4 you must set the selector to the orange dot corres ponding to f 4 on the exposure calcu lator dial E B 16 Set the lens aperture ring to the appro priate f stop In the example f 4 is set on the lens C 1 4 Set the exposure mode selector of the F 501 N2020 to P DUAL P or PHI or set the shooting mode selector of the F 301 N2000 to P or PHI For programmed TTL auto flash photography use AI S type lenses only C 15 Set lens to the minimum aperture largest f number eue Al A2 MD M ML LEE C 16 Set the SB 16 s to TTL mode selector For automatic operation A2 17 Turn on the flash unit Slide the SB 16 s ON OFF switch to the right Immediately an LED will light up green LED for TTL operation or red A1 or A2 LED for automatic operation Note The LED may blink for a short while after the flash unit is turned on This does not indicate a malfunction BASIC OPERATION 18 Wait for the ready light to come on As soon as the flash ready light built into th
4. pated Continuous use Batteries are drained much more quickly by continuous use than by intermittent use Storage When not in use the batteries should be re moved to prevent damage from leakage To minimize drain during the period of disuse store the batteries in a cool dry place below 20 C 68 F 68 Battery brands Do not mix brands of batteries nor use batteries with different model numbers Also avoid mix ing new and old batteries since proper performance will no be obtained and battery leakage may occur Disposal Do not dispose of batteries by burning Also for safety s sake never disassemble batteries Polarity When installing batteries observe the voltage polarities carefully Reversal of the positive and neg ative terminals will result in leakage If leakage should occur take the SB 16 to your dealer NiCd batteries In comparison with regular batteries NiCd batteries provide faster recycling time and better efficiency at low temperatures However note that the recycling time and the number of flashes per battery set are dependent on the age of the batteries how much charge they have and their capacities SPECIFICATIONS The SB 16 main flash unit has the following specifications when combined with the Flash Unit Coupler AS 8 or AS 9 Electronic construction Guide number at ASA ISO 100 and meters or at ASAIISO 25 and feet Angle of coverage Flash heads Zooming capability Automa
5. is a phenomenon in flash photography where the center portions of the subject s eyes appear as bright red orbs in color photographs or white in black and white pictures This is a result of the light from the flash illumi nating the retina directly If the subject looks straight into the lens and there is little or no ambient light the pupil is wide open making the retina clearly visible in the picture To avoid red eye you can take any or all of the follow ing precautions 1 Ask the subject not to look directly into the lens when the picture is taken 2 Remove the flash unit from the camera and hold it as far away as possible from the camera by using a sync cord 3 Increase the room s overall illumination to reduce the opening of the subject s pupils 65 TIPS ON SPEEDLIGHT CARE To remove dirt or fingerprints wipe with a dry soft or silicon treated cloth Never use thinner benzine or alcohol since they might damage the plastic parts To clean the Wide Flash Adapter wash it with soap and water Never use a brush as this may damage it 66 f you do not plan to use the unit for more than two weeks remove the batteries to avoid possible damage to the circuitry by battery leakage If leakage should inadvertently occur take the flash unit to your nearest Nikon authorized service facility To prevent damage to the flash unit s electronic circuitry keep the camera away from places where the te
6. sen sreci ew vee reece 51 In the non TTL automatic Modesa oiaro srecen renr 51 Synchronization with slow shutter speeds 520 53 Diffusing the Elght 77 eser rne 54757 Bounce flash photography lt se isss creses es 5456 Eirmadtrrouo sioe lot 9 4 0272 i5 925 9 n RS 57 Multiple Flash Photography 587 62 TTL multiple flash photography 597 61 Manual multiple flash photography ar eee 62 AGGESSORIESUS e Loro elo earam i ed 637 65 Sync Cords SC 10 11 and 15 63 TTL Remote Cord SC 14 63 THE Remote Cord SG 17 ones ieee uren ert 63 TTL Multi Flash Sync Cords SC IBAN SEAN LEITE 64 TTL Multi Flash Adaptor AS 10 64 Flash Tripod Adaptor AS 11 64 Flash Unit Couplers AS 1 4 5 6 and 7 64 Soft Flash Unit Case SS 16 65 SREDIEVERUE TN nete vcore si oh ap eran capa a TORIS 65 TIPS ON SPEEDLIGHT CARE sse 667 67 OPTIMUM BATTERY PERFORMANCE 68 SPECIFICATIONS US E nemi eem nimm att 69 70 ATTENTION The Nikon Speedlight SB 16 consists of two parts the main flash unit and the flash unit coupler having the mounting foot Depending on which type is attached the flash unit is identified as the Speedlight SB 16A or SB 16B The SB 16A s Flash Unit Coupler AS 8 has a special mounting foot for the accessory shoe of Nikon F3 series camera while the SB 16B s Flash Unit Coupler AS 9 fea tures
7. the impression of roundness But because the light still comes directly from the flash the shadows are harsh and unattractive By diffusing the light you can eliminate the harsh shadows making snapshots and portraits much more attractive There are two ways to diffuse light you can either bounce the light off a broad reflective surface such as the ceiling or walls or use a diffuser between flash and subject Bounce flash photography With the SB 16 s main flash head tilted back and or rotated the light travels directly to the ceiling or wall and then bounces back to the subject Acting as a broad re flector the ceiling or wall scrambles the direction of the light rays making the lighting diffused and much more natural looking Because the SB 16 s secondary flash head faces straight ahead it provides a small amount of direct illumination to fill in unflattering shadows around the eyes and creates a catchlight for the eyes 54 abeat VE Direct flash harsh unflattering lighting Combination bounce and direct flash soft natural looking lighting with a pleasing catchlight in the eyes 55 The procedure for bounce flash is as follows 1 Choose the bounce surface Select the ceiling or wall you want to bounce the flash off of then tilt and or rotate the main flash head so that it points in that direction The position of the flash unit the bounce angle and the setting of the zoom head should be deter
8. 501 N2020 or F 301 N2000 camera set the camera s ex posure shooting mode selector to A or a manual setting C OPERATION continued A 15 Choose an f stop from the exposure calculator dial Depending on how far away your subject is from the camera you must Select an appropriate working aper ture by referring to the calculator dial You ll notice that each f stop from f 2 to f 22 has its own color coded line 0 above the white dis tance scale 8 indicating the range of distances at which you can shoot For example if you are using ASA ISO 100 film with the zoom head set at N 35mm and want to shoot sub jects up to 4 meters 13 ft away you can select f 8 f 4 f 2 8 or f 2 At f 4 the automatic shooting range indi cates you can shoot any subject between 1 4 and 8 0 meters 4 6 and 26 ft away A 16 Setthe lens aperture ring to the appro priate f stop If you decide to shoot at f 4 then you must set the aperture ring on the lens to f 4 B 14 Choose an f stop from the exposure calculator dial For non TTL automatic operation the exposure calculator dial provides a choice of two f stops The blue and orange lines 89 at the bottom of the dial show the usable f stops For example with ASA ISO 100 film you can choose f 8 or f 4 The auto shooting ranges with the zoom setting at N for a 35mm lens are 0 6 to 4 meters 2 0 to 31 ft and 0 6 to 8 meters 2 0 to 26 ft respectively
9. Exposure is more easily affected by the brightness of the background in the non TTL automatic mode than it is in the TTL automatic mode 2 Because the usable apertures are limited in the non TTL automatic mode a proper shutter speed to match the shooting aperture may not be available 51 PHOTOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUES continued Synchronization with slow shutter speeds If you are using the SB 16 at a high shutter speed under Note When using color film especially transparency film unnatural color dim light the background may come out too dark To casts may occur when the ratio of flash illumination to ambient light is low avoid this use a slower shutter speed The procedure for synchronization with slow shutter speeds is the same as that described before however you should mount the camera on a tripod to avoid camera shake at speeds of 1 30sec and below Also it is recommended that you make the background somewhat underexposed 52 Fast synchronization speed the background is too dark Slow synchronization speed now details in the background can be seen 53 PHOTOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUES continued Diffusing the Light Light is what gives form to solid objects If the flash is pointed directly at the subject and located near the lens the subject will look flat because of the lack of shadows However if the flash is moved off axis shadows start to appear on the side opposite the light source thus giving
10. First make sure the power switch of the flash unit is at the off position then put the holder back into the chamber so that the slots at both sides of the holder are aligned with the guide rails inside the battery chamber DUG SS Ciose the lid While applying pressure to the battery holder with your finger slide the lid as far as it will go until it clicks into place BASIC OPERATION continued 8 Attach the flash unit to the camera s accessory shoe Notes 1 If you are using an F3 series camera make sure that the ASA ISO film speed is already set on the camera before attaching the flash unit as the camera s ASA ISO dial cannot be changed after the flash is attached to the accessory shoe 2 For the Nikonos V camera an optional V Type Sync Cord is required For details about flash unit attachment to the Nikonos V refer to the Sync Cord s instruction manual 10 With the SB 16B turn the locking nut 40 on the mounting foot coun terclockwise until it reaches its upper limit fig 1 Then slide the mounting foot forward into the shoe as far as it will go fig 2 Finally tighten the locking nut to prevent the unit from accidentally slipping off fig 3 BASIC OPERATION continued 9 Tilt the flash head to the normal shooting position Tilt the flash head 90 so that it faces straight ahead 12 RS m Fen W 4 7 8 nr gs og ASA ISO
11. M MD Lights up Lights up Does not light up TTL Blinks Does not light up t i AUT AU Rod T cep M M A1 A2 M MD Lights up Lights up Does not light up M90 B TTL Blinks Blinks A1 A2 M MD Lights up UU C mA Lights up aa ss ae Binks Doesnotlightup All settings except M90 and B Ln Do nat m up FG 20 via AS 6 ights up NE es not light up moo B rn ms EI Md oan eee TIS TTL Blinks Does not light up ones ibd ie eda ALAZ M MD Lightsup Ligwsup Doesnotligmup via V Type Sync 2 LEES Lights ue Does not light up Cord and AS 6 M90 B li SEP a eS KT ELGEN A1 A2 M MD Lights up oS ei Lights up It blinks when the film speed setting on the camera is beyond the usable range for the TTL mode or when the mounting foot is not securely locked It blinks when the mounting foot is not securely locked It blinks irregularly Proper flash synchronization is impossible due to improper setting of shutter speed or shooting mode Note With a mechanical shutter speed set on the camera the camera s exposure meter remains off even if you depress the shutter release button CONTROLS IN DETAIL continued With the SB 16B As soon as the flash unit is turned on the ready light on 1 When the shooting mode selector is set at TTL with any the flash unit lights up when the flash is ready to fire camera other than the Nikon FA FE2 F 501 N2020 while the ready light in the camera s viewfinder blinks
12. MD Lights up Lights up Lights up All settings except M250 and B TTL Lights up Lights up Does not light up in P S A and M modes A1 A2 M MD Lights up Does not light up M250 B TTL Lihgts up TE mm ud in AE in P S A and M modes A1 A2 M MD Lights up FREIE Lights up TTL Lights up Lights up Does not light up I FER Alieetng except Mane and Ai A2 M MD Lights up Lights up Does not light up enone TTL Lights up TIERS camcn 1 EA UA Jeu 2 A1 A2 M MD Lights up Es un p CMM Lights up L lo BAM I VE 1 AUTO lowe Ms ke EA ALAZM MD Lights up Lights up Lights up Lights up TT VEE E Mia e At Aa MMO Lights up EET Lights Up Lights up EE EE 1 i FM2 with 1 250 sec POERA At A2 MMD Lights up Lights up Lights up syne speed Lights up Blinks EUR LITEN Al A2 M MD Lights up Blinks Blinks TTL Lights up Blinks Blinks 1 200 x 200 or slower Lights up A1 A2 M MD Lights up Lights up Lights up AAR MMD Lights up Blinks Blinks FM2 with 1 200 sec sync speed 1 250 or faster F 501 N2020 All settings TTL Lights up Lights up Does not light up F 301 N2000 bed A1 A2 M MD Lights up Lights up Does not light up TTL Lights up Lights up Does not light up e Ms e ENN Ai A2 M MD Lights up Lights up Does not light up TTL Lights up Donum DC gm n nm e M Al A2 M MD Lights up L
13. Q9 TTL multiple flash terminal CONTENTS NOMENGUATURE eee tret ae tertius 23 AMENT ONIE SR Festo vienen e ROTER IS enia 5 FOREWORD n se oe Pa e ers 6 BASIC OPERATION sists cs v I wee einn s brise 70449 CONTROLS IN DETAIL aia eria za omar nme 20 47 Flash Unit Couplers AS 8 and AS 9 20 Synchronization Speed 21 Zoom Mead See ae eee nn 22 Shooting Mode Selector 237 24 TTL through the lens automatic operation 23 A non TTL automatic operation s sicssir sas 23 M manual operation esaet either sn 23 MD synchronization with motor drive 24 Exposure Calculator Dial 24 35 SOE THE TM SDeOG oes esie na d oen mnn n PIS 24 Set the zoom setting Knob 0 eee eee 25 Determine the exposure 000000e 250 32 Exposure compensation ss cas eas renro 33 35 Headysblght o rr erre 36 41 WAITING FUL HORS ere craven ETE ex ware eters 37 41 Open Flash Button 055 42 43 Tilting Rotating Flash Head 44 Secondary Flash Head 45 Wide Flash Adapter SW 7 46 TTL Multiple Flash Terminal 47 Sync Multiple Flash Terminal 47 PHOTOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUES 487 62 Synchro Sunlight Fill In Flash Photography creer nc semet aen 48 53 mihornanda MOIO aaee see lt 0 cia 5 de 50 in the TIL automatle mode
14. SB 16 is fully recycled the LED might light up this not a malfunction 44 Nikon srEeDLIGHT SB 16 ES Secondary Flash Head The smaller secondary head is built into the front of the flash unit and faces straight ahead Its purpose is to fill in the shadows in the eye sockets and provide a catch light for the eyes when doing bounce flash The second ary head has a guide number of 8 45 CONTROLS IN DETAIL continued Wide Flash Adapter SW 7 The Wide Flash Adapter attached in front of the SB 16 s main flash head with the zoom head set at Wi for a 28mm lens increases the angle of coverage from the 70 horizontal and 53 vertical to 78 and 60 respec tively allowing the SB 16 to be used with a 24mm wide angle lens With the SW 7 attached remember to set the zoom head knob on the exposure calculator dial at Wa 46 0 25 ASA ISO Because the SW 7 diffuses the light emitted from the SB 16 the guide number is reduced to 19 at ASA ISO 100 and meters refer to pages 31 and 32 and the auto shooting ranges are less refer to page 27 for the TTL auto shooting ranges and page 29 for the non TTL auto shooting ranges TTL Multiple Flash Terminal amp The TTL multiple flash terminal is provided for TTL multi ple flash photography For more information refer to pages 58 61 Sync Multiple Flash Terminal 2 Located at the side of t
15. Some diffusion materials may cause a slight reddish tint in color photo graphs by decreasing the color temperature of the light from the flash 3 When a diffuser is used shooting distance cannot be read with the exposure c lculator dial 57 PHOTOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUES continued Multiple Flash Photography If you have another flash unit you can use it as a second ary light source for multiple flash photography When you use only one flash unit in front of a subject harsh shad ows may be produced or light may not reach the back ground But by using more than one flash unit you can Solve these problems With the SB 16 and F3 series FA FE2 F 501 N2020 F 301 N2000 FG or Nikonos V camera combination both TTL and manual multiple flash photography are possible In both cases one important fact to remember is that the effect produced by using more than one flash unit depends on the lighting ratio or balance of illumination between flash units So first you should determine the role of each flash unit deciding which flash will be the main flash and which the secondary To create pictures with high contrast give different ex posure to the subject and background by adjusting the aperture shutter speed and or camera and flash to sub ject distance One flash unit standard rather static lighting Two flash units dramatic lighting resembling window light 58 TTL multiple flash photography By using the SB 1
16. a 85mm lens the zoom set ting knob must also be set at T Note The W2 setting on the dial is used when the wide flash adapter is attached to the flash unit with the zoom head set at Wi 3 Determine the exposure Depending on which shooting mode you ve selected read off the usable f stop s from the dial In either the TTL or non TTL automatic mode more than one f stop is usable When choosing an aperture make sure that your subject is within the auto shooting range indicated by the color coded lines The larger the aperture the smaller the f number you select the greater the maximum shooting distance whereas the smaller the aperture the larger the f number the less the maximum shooting distance If the subject distance remains the same the larger the aperture you select the less depth of field in the final photograph however the recycling time is shorter On the other hand the smaller the aperture the greater the depth of field but the recycling time is longer Therefore in choosing an f stop all these factors should be taken into consideration 25 CONTROLS IN DETAIL continued As For through the lens TTL operation On the dial there are eight f stops ranging from f 2 to f 22 Each f stop determines the usable distance range in which you can obtain the correct automatic exposure These ranges are indicated by a series of color coded lines above the distance scale For programmed TTL operation it is n
17. auto shooting range changes according to the amount of exposure compensation 33 CONTROLS IN DETAIL continued For example if you are using ASA ISO 100 film with the exposure compensation dial set at 2 overexposure you can read 25 from the table Reset the exposure calculator dial of the SB 16 to ASA ISO 25 and then the correct TTL auto shooting range to match the compen sated amount will be shown on the exposure calculator dial 34 ASAIISO film speed to set for TTL exposure compensation Exposure compensation value Film speed in use 25 50 100 200 400 800 1000 For Nikon F 501 N2020 and F 301 N2000 only E Not possible make the necessary compensation in the non TTL automatic mode see the following or shoot on manual Non TTL automatic exposure compensation In the non TTL automatic exposure mode exposure compensation can be performed by stopping down or opening up the lens With a dark subject use a smaller aperture When a subject is light in tone use a larger aperture 35 CONTROLS IN DETAIL continued F3 series Ready Light After the ON OFF switch is turned on the ready light at the back of the SB 16 lights up to indicate that the SB 16 is recycled and ready to fire At the same time the ready light inside the viewfinder of all Nikon F3 series cameras in addition to the FA FE2 FM2 FE F 501 N2020 F 301 N2000 FG FG 2
18. closed knob push the flash unit coupler into the flash unit until it Clicks into place Note f batteries have already been installed in the battery chamber make sure the ON OFF switch is at the off position to avoid acci dental firing BASIC OPERATION continued Lock the flash unit coupler Turn the open closed knob to the Note To remove the flash unit coupler set the closed position indicated by a knob to the OPEN position and while applying dot to lock the flash unit coupler pressure to the knob gently pull the coupler off make sure the flash unit and flash unit coupler fit tightly together 4 Remove the Battery Holder MS 5 23 Open the battery chamber lid by sliding it in the direction of the arrow and remove the battery holder Note You may feel slight tension when re moving or replacing the holder This tension however can be ignored 5 Load the batteries into the holder Load four 1 5V AA type penlight alkaline manganese cells or 1 2V rechargeable NiCd batteries into the holder making sure that the positive and negative and terminals match the diagrams on the holder Notes 1 Use of manganese batteries is not recom mended because their power is insufficient for operating the SB 16 at full capacity 2 Do not mix brands or types of batteries Also avoid mixing new and old batteries since proper performance will not be obtained Replace the holder
19. light up again to tell you the flash unit is recycled and ready to fire for the next shot Note f the flash unit fired at its maximum output the ready light blinks as a warning im mediately following the shot to indicate there still may be underexposure In this case check the combination of shooting distance and aperture selected and use a wider aperture or move closer to the subject if necessary This warning is also provided in the viewfinder of all Nikon cameras having a built in ready light except F2 series cameras 20 Turn off the flash unit To conserve battery power between shooting sessions slide the power switch to the left 19 CONTROLS IN DETAIL Flash Unit Couplers AS 8 i6 and AS 9 The detachable lower part of the SB 16 called the Flash Unit Coupler AS 8 or AS 9 houses the mounting foot the shooting mode selector with shooting mode indication LEDs the ready light open flash button the light sensor the sync multiple flash terminal and the special ter minal 29 for TTL multiple flash The only difference in appearance between the AS 8 and AS 9 is the type of mounting foot The AS 8 s mounting foot is specially designed for use with Nikon F3 series camera while the AS 9 has a standard ISO type mount ing foot The flash unit with the AS 8 attached is identified as the Speedlight SB 16A whereas the flash unit with the AS 9 as the Speedlight SB 16B The SB 16A and SB 16B can be mounted o
20. the zoom head set at Wi 29 CONTROLS IN DETAIL continued OL 9 0 0 A2 NE T For manual M operation After setting the ASA ISO film speed and zoom setting knob on the exposure calculator dial focus on the sub ject then look at the lens and read off the focused dis tance to determine exactly how far away the subject actually is Now find the end of the color coded line directly above the flash to subject distance and read off the f number next to this line Then set this aperture on your lens 30 25 ASA ISO Example When using ASA ISO 100 with the zoom head set at N for a 35mm lens and the subject is located 1 5m 5 0 ft away the correct aperture is approx f 22 With a subject 3m 10 ft away the aperture is approx f 11 Without referring to the exposure calculator dial you can also determine the f stop by using the following equation guide number fistop flash to subject distance With ASA ISO 100 film and meters and the zoom head set at N for a 35mm lens the SB 16 s guide number is 32 If the subject is 4m away divide 32 by 4 to get f 8 With ASA ISO 25 film and feet and zoom head set at N for a 35mm lens the guide number is 52 Therefore if the subject is 20 ft away divide 52 by 20 to get approx f 2 8 The guide number at various film speeds and zoom head settings is shown in the following table Gui
21. use the guide number might also be reduced slightly The flash output of the SB 16 depends on the available ambient light and the reflectivity of the subject Note that because of these factors the ready light may blink to indicate that the light output was insufficient for correct exposure even if the subject is within the auto shooting range Other warnings shown by the ready light s blinking vary according to the type of flash unit and the camera in use For more detailed information refer to the tables on the following pages 37 CONTROLS IN DETAIL continued With the SB 16A As soon as the flash unit is turned on both ready lights blink in the following cases 1 When the AS 8 s mounting foot is not securely locked 2 When using the TTL mode with the Nikon F3 series camera and the camera s film speed setting is set well beyond the usable range of ASA ISO 25 400 without exposure compensation 3 When the shooting mode selector is set at TTL with any camera other than the Nikon F3 series Note that when the shutter speed setting on the Nikon FE or FM2 is improper for correct flash synchronization and the camera s meter is on only in the case of the FE just the camera s ready light blinks as a warning while the one on the flash unit does not blink but simply lights up to indicate when the flash is ready to fire 38
22. 0 EM and Nikonos V also lights up Thus without removing your eye from the eyepiece you can tell when the flash unit is ready for the next shot 36 F 501 N2020 F 301 N2000 FG eol Notes 1 With the Nikon FA FE2 F 501 N2020 F 301 N2000 FG FG 20 or Nikonos V the meter must first be turned on by depressing the shutter release button halfway to activate the ready light function 2 The ready light will light up when the SB 16 is recycled to approx 80 full capacity Therefore it is a good idea to wait for a few more seconds when shooting subjects located at the far limit of the auto shooting range 3 With alkaline manganese batteries if the ready light takes more than 30sec to light up you should replace the batteries with a fresh set 4 The voltage of NiCd batteries decreases rapidly when their power is almost exhausted increasing the recycling time When this occurs stop using them immediately and recharge them or they may be damaged Warning functions In the TTL or non TTL automatic mode both the ready lights on the flash unit and in the camera s viewfinder blink for 3 seconds after the flash unit fired at its maxi mum output indicating that the light might have been insufficient for correct exposure In this case check the subject distance and if it is out of the automatic shooting range use a wider aperture if possible or move closer to the subject Because the voltage of batteries decreases with
23. 00 film with the zoom head set at N for a 35mm lens the usable aperture is f 8 at the blue A1 setting and f 4 at the orange A2 setting The automatic shooting range in this case is 0 6 to 4 0m 2 0 to 13 ft at A1 and 0 6m to 8 0m 1 0 to 26 ft at A2 For a subject more than 4m away the only usable f stop is f 4 With a subject 3m away you can select either f 8 or f 4 If a shorter recycling time is preferable use f 4 If greater depth of field is desired use f 8 OF ON 800 VETT Example 2 If you are using ASA ISO 400 film the usable aperture is now f 16 at A1 and f 8 at A2 The auto shooting range varies according to the zoom head setting as shown in the table At the same zoom head setting the range is the same regardless of the film speed and the corresponding f stop available at A1 or A2 As you can see in the table the closest subject distance is always 0 6m 2 0 ft except at the T setting of the zoom head Note Regardless of the settings on the exposure calculator dial any film speed can be used for non TTL automatic operation Auto shooting range Zoom head setting Unit m ft Shooting range 0 8 5 2 2 6 17 0 8 10 2 6 33 0 6 4 7 2 0 15 0 6 9 5 2 0 31 Shooting mode 0 6 4 0 2 0 13 0 6 8 0 2 0 26 0 6 3 3 2 0 11 0 6 6 7 2 0 22 0 6 2 3 2 0 7 5 0 6 4 7 2 0 15 We is used when the wide flash adapter is attached to the flash unit with
24. 3 FOREWORD The Nikon Speedlight SB 16 is a direct mounting elec tronic flash unit providing automatic through the lens TTL control of the flash exposure when used with Nikon cameras having TTL flash capability Through the use of an interchangeable mounting foot the SB 16 can be at tached to the special accessory shoe of all Nikon F3 series cameras as well as the standard ISO type shoe of the Nikon FA FE2 F 501 N2020 F 301 N2000 and FG camera or the V type Sync Cord for the Nikonos V Because light is measured through the picture taking lens you are assured of just the right exposure with a variety of lenses and accessory attachments at any aperture from f 2 to f 22 Programmed TTL auto flash photography can be performed by using the SB 16 with the Nikon F 501 N2020 or F 301 N2000 via the AS 9 In programmed TTL auto flash photography the proper aperture is automatically set for correct exposure according to the film speed in use It is not necessary to change the lens setting from the minimum aperture used for non flash programmed shooting Thanks to the incorporation of a front mounted light sensor the SB 16 is also compatible with all other Nikon cameras for automatic but not through the lens flash output control In the non TTL automatic mode you have a choice of two apertures With a silicon controlled recti fier and series circuitry the SB 16 is able to conserve energy when shooting subjects at close range thus re c
25. 4 8 26 4 0 22 3 4 19 2 413 4 1 3 v 2 17 95 16 85 13 72 11 62 7 9 43 3821 349 3016 2413 1795 56 13 58 4 1281 2 26a 1 62 9552 7 943 56 32 i 2744 2413 2011 1695 1267 8 13 8 56 4 28 2 89 46 7943 6630 623 3922 1910 1795 1480 1267 0947 11 1 3 11 8 5 6 4 28 2 56 31 fistop 1 0 5 2 0 9 4 0 7 4 0 0 6 3 3 0 6 2 3 3 3 17 3 015 2 3 13 2 0 11 2 0 7 5 1 0 8 3 7 0 6 3 3 0 6 2 8 0 6 2 3 0 6 1 6 26 12 20 1 20 92 207 5 2 0 5 2 _ J fpp lie lin 0826 0623 0620 0616 0611 2685 2075 2066 2052 203 ll lale 0818 0616 0614 0611 0608 2 6 5 9 20 52 20 46 2 0 3 6 20 26 For Nikon F 501 N2020 and F 301 N2000 only W is used when the wide flash adapter is attached to the flash unit with the zoom head set at Wi Programmed TTL auto flash information 27 CONTROLS IN DETAIL continued For non TTL automatic A operation For non TTL automatic operation you can select one of two f stops indicated by the blue and orange aperture indicator lines at the bottom of the calculator dial After determining the aperture set the shooting mode selector corresponding to the aperture you selected 28 Example 1 If you are using ASA ISO 1
26. 6 connected to an F3 series FA FE2 F 501 N2020 F 301 N2000 FG or Nikonos V via VType Sync Cord camera as a master flash unit and either the Nikon Speedlight SB 11 SB 14 SB 15 SB 16 SB17 SB 18 and or SB 140 as slave flash unit s TTL multiple flash photography with up to five flash units can be performed To perform TTL multiple flash photography use the optional TTL Multi Flash Sync Cord SC 18 1 5m and or SC 19 3m to connect the flash units together via the TTL multiple flash terminal To use the SB 11 SB 14 and or SB 140 in TTL multiple flash photography the TTL Remote Cord SC 23 is required 59 PHOTOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUES continued SYSTEM CHART FOR TTL MULTIPLE FLASH OPERATION Nikon F 301 indicates the master flash unit TTL multiple flash photography is possible only with an F3 series FA FE2 F 501 N2020 F 301 N2000 FG or Nikonos V camera 60 SC 18 SC 19 61 PHOTOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUES continued Manual multiple flash photography If the secondary flash unit is either a Nikon Speedlight SB 11 SB 12 SB 14 SB 15 SB 16 or SB 17 use either the SC 11 approx 25cm or SC 15 approx 1m sync cord to connect the flash units together via sync multiple flash terminal With the SB 7E or SB 10 use the SC 5 approx 15cm SC 7 approx 25cm or SC 6 approx 1m All these sync cords are available as optional ac cessories Note In manual multiple flash operation
27. Nikon Speedlight op INSTRUCTION MANUAL NOMENCLATURE i Wide Flash Adapter SW 7 2 Main flash head Main flash uni QA fiet uk Flash Unit Coupler AS 9 9 Locking nut Mounting foot 1 4 Secondary flash head 5 Positioning slot 6 Main flash unit contacts Flash contact 12 Ready light contact 3 Monitor contact 14 7 Light sensor TTL flash auto stop signal contact 15 8 Open closed knob Flash Unit Coupler AS 8 Auto shooting range indicators with aperture scale 80 2 Zoom scale _ Distance scale 8 Zoom setting knob 2 18 Zoom head ed index FET JR ilm speed index 19 Bounce angle scale LESS ASA ISO 20 Flash head locking lever film speed scale 4 Aperture scale for non TTL automatic shooting mode 5 Zoom setting index 66 QV Power switch gt of Q2 Exposure calculator dal Zoom setting scale 7 ASA ISO film speed setting ring 88 Q3 Battery Holder MS 5 Battery chamber lid Aperture indicator lines Locking ring 5 Shooting mode indicator LEDs _Mounting fc foot ot 4 Q6 Flash unit coupler contact pins Flash contact pin Positioning claw _Ready light contact pin 4 a 28 Sync multiple TTL flash auto Stop signal contact pin flash terminal 1 i f Shooting mode selector Ready light open flash button 46 3
28. a standard ISO type mounting foot As shown in the table the SB 16A and SB 16B can be mounted on any type of Nikon camera either directly or with the use of another Nikon Flash Unit Coupler Usable shooting modes however are limited according to the combination of the flash unit and camera Please reconfirm that the flash unit you purchased is suitable for your camera referring to the following table Flash unit Mounting Usable shooting mode F3 series FA FE2 F 501 N2020 F 301 N2000 SB 16A FG FM2 FG 20 EM FE FM with AS 8 F2 Series Via AS 5 Nikonos V Via VType Sync Cord and AS 6 F3 series except F3AF Via AS 4 or AS 7 FA FE2 F 501 N2020 F 301 N2000 Direct SB 16B FG MINAS G FM2 FG 20 EM FE FM Direct F2 series Via ASA Nikonos V Via VType Sync Cord The Nikon N2020 and N2000 are sold exclusively in U S A and Canadian markets Motor drive is not available for the Nikonos V camera The SB 16B cannot be used with the Nikon F3AF or other F3 series cameras with the AF Finder DX 1 Action Finder DA 2 Waist Level Finder DW 3 or 6X Magnification Finder DW 4 attached The SB 16B cannot be mounted on the Nikon F2 series cameras with the Action Finder DA 1 Waist Level Finder DW 1 or 6X Focusing Finder DW 2 attached Note For more detailed information about shooting modes refer to page 2
29. apid succession in this way At the MD setting only the main flash head fires and the light output is approx one Sixteenth that of the flash unit s maximum power Like the M setting this setting is also for manual operation therefore the exposure should be calculated manually using the exposure calculator dial or guide number equation shown on page 30 Note As sufficient power is required for the flash unit to synchronize with a motor drive use the newest and freshest batteries whenever possible For the same reason avoid tripping the shutter immediately after the ready light comes on but wait for at least 30 seconds before beginning the motor drive sequence 24 5 ASA ISO ASA IS0 Exposure Calculator Dial 22 The exposure calculator dial on the back of the SB 16 helps you select the aperture you must set on the lens depending on the camera to subject flash to subject distance To use the dial follow these steps 1 Set the film speed To set the ASA ISO film speed turn the ASA ISO film speed setting ring until the number corresponding to the speed of your film is opposite the ASA ISO film speed index Dots between the numbers on the film speed scale represent intermediate settings 2 Set the zoom setting knob Turn the zoom setting knob at the center on the dial until the zoom setting index is opposite the same letter as you selected in setting the zoom head For example if you set the zoom head at T for
30. as two terminals for TTL multiple flash photography can be used to connect up to two slave flash units when the SB 16B is used as a master flash unit A tripod socket is provided pL i S v 63 ACCESSORIES continued TTL Multi Flash Sync Cords SC 18 and SC 19 The SC 18 and or SC 19 are used to connect the flash units together for TTL multiple flash operation The SC 18 is 1 5m long while the SC 19 is 3m I AMALA t TTL Multi Flash Adaptor AS 10 When you plan to perform TTL multiple flash operation with more than three flash units or to use the SB 15 or SB 18 as a slave flash unit the AS 10 is required With one AS 10 having three TTL multiple flash terminals you can use up to three slave flash units including one mounted on it A tripod socket at the bottom enables the SB 16B mounted on the AS 10 to be fixed to a tripod To per form TTL flash photography with two units using the SB 16B as a slave flash unit or to perform TTL photography with three units using the SB 16B as a master flash unit mounted on the SC 17 use of the AS 10 is not always needed Without the AS 10 however the electrical con tacts on the flash unit are uncovered and can be the cause of incorrect output control 64 Flash Tripod Adaptor AS 11 The AS 11 enables the SB 16A used as a slave flash unit to be attached to a tripod Also it prevents the SB 16A ready light from blinking for no reason and lets you see when the flas
31. background is this Exposure with a flash unit is determined only by the aperture selected whereas exposure for ambient daylight is determined by a combination of shutter speed and aperture Without flash or expo sure compensation the backlit subject comes out too dark Without flash but with the exposure compen sation dial set at 2 the subject s face is correctly exposed but the background is too bright 48 With fill in flash both the subject and the background come out properly exposed Synchro sunlight fill in flash photography is possible with the SB 16 s shooting mode selector set to the TTL auto matic non TTL automatic or manual mode Operation in the manual mode assures you of good re sults in virtually all cases so we will describe this proce dure first In the manual mode 1 Set the shutter speed on the camera manually Set the camera manually to the highest synchronization speed for electronic flash or a slower one 2 Take a meter reading of the background Frame the background in the camera s viewfinder so that the back lit subject is not included Turn on the camera s exposure meter to determine the proper f stop for the shutter speed you have set 3 Determine the flash to subject distance Using the equation below calculate the flash to subject distance using the guide number for the film in use as shown on page 31 and the f stop set on the lens guide number flash t
32. coded dots A1 or A2 push the FLASH button if it starts blinking then you know the amount of light might have been insufficient for the subject In this case reset the selector to A1 if it was set at A2 or move closer to the subject This test firing is especially useful when the flash head is tilted and or rotated for bounce flash In the TTL mode test firing must be performed by trip ping the shutter Note that without film loaded in the camera the ready light will blink even if the correct exposure is obtainable As a substitute for loaded roll film you can use a strip of cut film provided it is not too old or a piece of gray paper 43 CONTROLS IN DETAIL continued 90 25 0 Tilting Rotating Flash Head For truly creative bounce flash photography the SB 16 has two flash heads The main head tilts back 90 with click stops at the 30 45 60 75 and 90 positions It also rotates through an arc or 270 90 clockwise with click stops at 30 60 and 90 positions and 180 counterclockwise with click stops at 30 60 90 120 150 and 180 posi tions To rotate it push the flash head locking lever up as you move the flash head until it clicks into place Notes 1 In the MD mode only the main head fires 2 A special red LED is built into one end of the flashtube to ensure stable light output If you release the camera s shutter or push the open flash button before the
33. de numbers in the manual mode ASAIISO film speed 400 200 100 so a2 38 30 68 21 63 s 107 as1 76 so sa rrn ae 126 27 89 e 62 Unit m ft Fw 90 205 6s 210 as nam sa 109 ea ra 16 52 38 125 27 89 19 62 13 43 w 76050 54 172 Wet 540177 38 125 27 89 19 62 13 43 9 5 31 W2 is used when the wide flash adapter is attached to the flash unit with the zoom head set at Wi EO A2 MD M TTL For motor drive MD operation After setting the ASA ISO film speed and zoom setting knob on the exposure calculator dial focus on the sub ject then look at the lens and read off the focused dis tance to determine exactly how far away the subject actually is 31 CONTROLS IN DETAIL continued 5 i ASA ISO Now you are ready to read the usable f stop from the dial Each color coded line indicating the auto shooting range for each f stop has a notch on it Find the notch directly above the flash to subject distance and read the f number at the end of the line Example With ASA ISO 100 zoom head set at N for 35mm lens a subject 2m 6 6 ft away the aperture is approx f 4 With a subject 4m 13 ft away the aperture is f 2 Without referring to the exposure calculator dial you can also determine the f stop by using the guide number equation found on page 30 32 The guide number at various film speeds and zoom
34. e back of the flash unit comes on the SB 16 is ready to fire With the exception of the Nikon F2 series if your camera has an LED ready light inside the viewfinder make sure that it is lit up indicating that the SB 16 is ready to fire Note that with the Nikon FA FE2 F 501 N2020 F 301 N2000 FG FG 20 or Nikonos V you must first turn on the exposure meter to activate the finder ready light 18 continued Notes 1 With the SB 16A and F3 series cameras If both ready lights blink make sure that a The flash unit is securely locked in place b The film speed setting on the camer is within the usable range when the flash unit is used in the TTL mode With the SB 16B and FA FE2 F 501 N2020 F 301 N2000 FG or Nikonos V If the camera s ready light blinks check to see if a A mechanical setting is not used in the TTL mode b The film speed setting on the camera is within the usable range when the flash unit is used in the TTL mode For more detailed information about the ready light warning refer to page 37 2 If the ready light does not come on first make sure the batteries are properly installed If they are replace them with a fresh set 19 Take the picture When the shutter is tripped both the main and secondary flashes fire as the picture is taken After you take the shot watch the ready light inside the camera s view finder or the one on the SB 16 After a short while it will
35. e wide flash adapter is attached to the flash unit with the zoom head set at W1 13 Set the shutter speed on the camera The proper shutter speed setting for flash synchronization of each cam era is listed on page 21 For example set the shutter speed dial of F3 series cameras or the FE2 to A or set the shutter speed mode selector of the FG to P or A Note For TTL operation with a Nikon F3 series camera the camera s backup mechanical release lever cannot be used with the shutter speed dial set at T time With the Nikon FA FE2 FG or Nikonos V a mechanical shutter speed i e M250 M90 or B cannot be used for TTL operation Steps 14 through 17 are divid ed into three sections accor ding to the shooting mode selected Section A is for TTL automatic operation with an F3 series FA FE2 F 501 N2020 F 301 N2000 FG or Nikonos V camera section B is for nonTTL automatic operation and section C is for progammed TTL auto operation with the F 501 N2020 or F 301 N2000 camera set at a programmed exposure mede For manual operation and syn chronization with motor drive see pages 23 and 24 13 BASI Msi Di e25 ASA IS0 A 14 Set the SB 16 s mode selector 4 to TTL Slide the mode selector to the right as far as it will go so that the index on the selector is opposite the square mark for automatic through the lens TTL flash exposure control With the F
36. exposures It is recommended that you take additional shots with the camera s exposure compensation dial set in the direction for TTL automatic shooting or with the lens opened up one or two f stops in the regular non TTL automatic mode Notes 1 In general there is a two or three f stop loss in illumination because of the absorption of light by the reflective surface 2 Unless the surface of the reflector you are bouncing the light off of is white or silver your color photographs will come out with an unnatural color cast similar to that of the reflecting surface 3 When the flash head is tilted back 45 or less some amount of light from the flash head may reach the subject directly causing uneveness of illumination To avoid this make sure the head is tilled back 60 or more 4 In bounce flash the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of re flection Using a diffuser It is also possible to diffuse the light by placing a trans lucent material such as one or more sheets of tracing paper between the flash and subject You can create more pronounced diffusion by placing a certain distance between the diffuser and flash than by wrapping the diffuser around the flash head Experimentation with different flash to diffuser distances and or with more than one diffuser is recommended Notes 1 In non TTL automatic shooting make sure that the diffuser does not come between the SB 16 s sensor and the subject 2
37. h is ready to fire and whether or not the flash fired at its maximum output Flash Unit Couplers AS 4 5 6 and 7 The AS 1 AS 4 or AS 7 convert the accessory shoe of a Nikon F2 or F3 series camera to the standard ISO type accessory shoe allowing direct attachment of the SB 16B The AS 1 is for the F2 series camera and the AS 4 and 7 are for the F3 series camera A special feature of the AS 7 is that it lets you change film without removing the flash unit The AS 6 on the other hand is used when you want to mount the SB 16A directly on the Nikon FA FE2 FM2 FE F 501 N2020 F 301 N2000 FG FG 20 EM or FM camera To mount the SB 16A on an F2 series camera the AS 5 is required AS 1 AS 4 AS 5 AS 6 Soft Flash Unit Case SS 16 The SS 16 accommodates the main flash unit of the SB 16 and both Flash Unit Couplers AS 8 and AS 9 one at tached to the main flash unit and one stored separately inside the pocket with the Wide Flash Adapter SW 7 attached to the flash head If you do not store a flash unit coupler in the pocket then you can put the SW 7 inside the pocket instead of attaching it to the flash head The pocket can also be used to store spare batteries Note In storing the coupler or adapter inside the pocket never put them together or anything else with it If you do so the electrical contacts on the mounting foot of the coupler or the glass surface of the adapter may be damaged RED EYE Red eye
38. he AS 8 or AS 9 is a threaded terminal which serves two purposes it can be used to attach a sync cord to the SB 16 for off camera operation or you can attach a second electronic flash in series for manual multiple lighting setups For more detailed infor mation about manual multiple flash refer to pages 58 and 62 Notes 1 When the SB 16 is used off camera via a sync cord ready light indica tion inside the camera s viewfinder and automatic sync speed setting are not available and TTL auto flash operation cannot be performed 2 When attached to an all metallic accessory shoe such as the one on the Nikkormat FTN camera the SB 16 does not fire even if it is con nected to the camera body with a sync cord In this case isolate the flash contact with vinyl tape or use the optional accessory sync cord SC 10 as required 47 PHOTOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUES Synchro Sunlight Fill In Flash Photography A backlit subject such as a person outside with his her back to the sun or indoors in front of a window may come out almost as a silhouette if the background is correctly exposed On the other hand if exposure com pensation is made to give the correct exposure for a backlit subject the background may be washed out To fill in the shadows and balance the illumination levels of the subject and background you can use an electronic flash unit even in daytime One important fact to remember in balancing the expo sure for both subject and
39. head settings is shown in the following table Guide numbers in the MD mode ASAIISO film speed 400 200 100 50 25 3o 66 S aro 22 72 t6 52 11 36 19 62 13 43 9 5 31 Wz 12 39 8 4 28 5 9 19 4 2 14 3 9 8 2 1 6 9 We is used when the wide flash adapter is attached to the flash unit with the zoom head set at Wi Unit m ft Zoom head setting 800 Exposure compensation In TTL or non TTL automatic operation with a dark sub ject one with low reflectivity or one light in tone having high reflectivity over or underexposure may occur To prevent this exposure compensation is required Note f you photograph a subject of very high reflectivity such as when shooting directly into a mirror or metallic surface underexposure is certain to occur In this case take the picture on manual cf TTL exposure compensation When shooting TTL auto flash pictures you can use the camera s exposure compensation dial or the exposure compensation button also available when using the Nikon FG in the normal way to make exposure compen sation according to the shooting situation or to make intentionally over or underexposed photographs Turn the dial in the direction to give more exposure and turn it in the opposite direction to give less expo sure refer to the camera s instruction manual for more information The TTL
40. in F 301 N2000 FG or Nikons V the following cases 2 When using the FA FE2 FG or Nikonos V to perform TTL automatic flash photography with the camera s shutter speed dial set at a mechanical setting M250 M90 or B The B setting on the F 501 N2020 and F 301 N2000 camera is not a mechanical setting you can use any set ting on the camera s shooting mode selector 3 When using the FA FE2 F 501 N2020 F 301 N2000 FG or Nikonos V to perform TTL automatic flash photography with a camera film speed setting over the usable range without exposure compensation or when using DX coded film with film speed higher than ISO 1000 for the F 501 N2020 and F 301 N2000 Make sure to use film within the usable range for TTL flash photography ISO 25 to 400 with the FA FE2 FG or Nikonos V or ISO 25 to 1000 with the F 501 N2020 and F 301 N2000 With the FA the ready light also blinks when the film Speed setting on the camera is near ISO 12 with or without exposure compensation in the direction 4 When the shutter speed setting on the FM2 or FE is im proper for flash synchronization and the camera s meter is on only in the case of the FE 40 Shutter speed iera s ready light Camera Shooting mode 1 500 or faster Setting sec Meter ON OFF TTL Lights up EEE TI KE EE rU rm See A1 A2 M
41. make sure to use both flash units on manual In the TTL or non TTL automatic shooting mode the correct exposure cannot be obtained because light from each speedlight affects the measurement 62 The SB 16 employs a special low voltage triggering circuit to prevent electrical shock and damage to the hot shoe contact We do not recommend mixing Nikon Speedlights with flash units of other makers for multiple flash photography unless you use slave units for remote trigger ing Otherwise incorrect operation and or damage to the unit may result ACCESSORIES Sync Cords 10 11 and 15 For use with cameras not provided with a hot shoe or for off camera or multiple flash lighting setups The SC 11 is 25cm while the SC 15 is one meter To use the SC 10 with F2 or F3 series cameras use of the Nikon Flash Unit Coupler AS 1 for the F2 and AS 4 7 for the F3 is required f SC 10 SC 1 I TTL Remote Cord SC 14 The SC 14 enables the SB 16A to be used up to one meter off a Nikon F3 series camera for TTL automatic flash operation TTL Remote Cord SC 17 The coiled cord SC 17 enables the SB 15 SB 16B or SB 18 to be used up to one and half meters off a Nikon FA FE2 F 501 N2020 F 301 N2000 or FG camera for TTL automatic flash operation Even with the SC 17 automatic sync speed setting and ready light indication in the viewfinder are provid ed just as if the flash unit were mounted directly on the camera The SC 17 which h
42. mined after considering the size and shape of the subject and the effect desired With a subject having great depth some light should reach the point furthest away from the camera to create a three dimensional effect For portraits consider how much brightness you want for the background 2 Set the zoom head In bounce flash photography a large amount of light is required because the light has to travel a longer distance than in direct flash photography and also the bounce surface absorbs a certain amount of light Therefore it is recommended that the zoom head be set at T The ratio of diffused illumination from the bounce surface to direct illumination from the secondary flash head is also an important consideration If the bounce surface is too far away or is not very reflective the level of the diffused illumination may be almost the same as the direct illumi nation thus effectively cancelling the diffused lighting effect In this case adjust the angle of the main flash head or shorten the bounce distance so that there is more difference in illumination levels 56 PHOTOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUES continued 3 Choose an aperture Test firing the flash is necessary because exposure in bounce flash photography depends on so many condi tions such as reflectivity of the bounce surface and the bounce distance Note that in bounce flash shooting distance cannot be read with the exposure calculator dial 4 Bracket your
43. mperature is likely to go higher than 50 C such as inside the trunk of a car in the hot summer sun also do not store the unit in exceptionally damp places Use the SB 16 within the range of 10 C 50 C e f your SB 16 has not been used for a long time its recycling time may be longer To maintain the built in condenser in peak condition there by enabling you to use the SB 16 for many years fire the flash unit a few times every month After firing wait until the ready light lights then turn off the power switch remove the batteries and store the SB 16 in a suitable location This will pre vent the condenser from deteri orating Keep the flash unit away from salt Never attempt to disassemble or water and out of the rain repair the flash yourself These deli cate procedures should be left to an authorized service facility 67 OPTIMUM BATTERY PERFORMANCE New batteries Between manufacturing and first use all batteries exhibit some drain Therefore care should be taken to purchase the newest and freshest ones possi ble To help you do this some manufacturers stamp the date of manufacture on the bottom of each battery Ask your camera dealer for assistance in interpreting the codes Temperature Battery life ratings are based on operation at around 25 C 77 F At other temperatures battery life is shortened Spare batteries should therefore be kept available if operation in low temperatures is antici
44. n almost any type of Nikon camera either directly or with the use of another Nikon Flash Unit 20 Coupler The TTL automatic shooting mode however is available only when the SB 16A is used with a Nikon F3 series camera or when the SB 16B is used with either the Nikon FA FE2 F 501 N2020 F 301 N2000 FG or Nikonos V via VType Sync Cord For more detailed informatin about flash unit camera combinations refer to the table on page 5 Even with use of the Flash Unit Coupler AS 4 or AS 7 the SB 16B cannot be used with F3 series cameras with the AF Finder DX 1 Action Finder DA 2 Waist Level Finder DW 3 or 6X Magnification Finder D W 4 Note Be careful not to soil or damage the contact pins on the coupler or the contacts 6 on the main flash unit as this may cause poor connec tion and possible malfunction Synchronization Speed In flash photography the shutter speed with which elec sync speed setting is available with Nikon F3 series FA FE2 tronic flash will synchronize depends on the camera in FE F 501 N2020 F 301 N2000 FG FG 20 EM and Nikonos use The table shows the usable shutter speeds with V cameras various cameras As shown in the table automatic Synchronization Nikon camera speed sec Camera setting Viewfinder shutter speed indication F3 series AY 80 via AS 4 or AS 7 1 80 or slower 1 2000 1 125 sec M80 coupler 1 60 8 sec X Band T LCD shows manual se
45. o subject distance f stop 4 Position the SB 16 at the correct distance Set the flash to subject distance on the lens distance scale then move in and out until the subject appears sharp in the camera s viewfinder To vary the composition you can use a wideangle to telephoto zoom lens As an alternate 50 PHOTOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUES continued method remove the flash unit from the camera using a separate sync cord and position it at the correct distance then you can shoot from any position 5 Take the picture Set the SB 16 for manual operation turn it on and wait until it is fully recycled before taking the shot This procedure balances the exposure for the subject with that of the background However in synchro sunlight fill in flash photography it is a good idea to use the light from the flash unit as a secondary light by decreasing the flash illumination by approx one or two stops to eliminate harsh shadows caused by the ambient daylight There are two ways of decreasing flash illumination One is to use an aperture that s one or two f stops smaller than that determined in step 2 in combination with a shutter speed that should be slower by one or two steps to give the background a correct exposure the other is to use a flash to subject distance 1 4 or two times longer than that determined through the equation You will obtain more natural looking results with either method You can also combine the two methods Some
46. ocs Sees Lights up TTE RR Oe BERGEN A JE Does not light up AV setinge except MOD ance AI A2 M MD Lights up Lights up Does not light up Tights up De Te OQ NUS M90 B A1 A2 M MD Lights up MERETE ET Lights up TTL Lights up Lights up Does not light up Kifisoe All settings except M90 and B Al A2 M MD Lights up mmo Does not light up Sync Cora Moo 8 twm cpu n a A1 A2 M MD Lights up Lights up It blinks when the film speed setting on the camera is beyond the usable range for the TTL mode It blinks irregularly Proper flash synchronization is impossible due to improper setting of shutter speed or shooting mode Note With a mechanical shutter speed set on the camera the camera s exposure meter remains off even if you depress the shutter release button 41 SB 16 JAPAN Open Flash Button 45 The ready light on the SB 16 can be used as an open flash button to fire the flash unit manually without having to trip the camera s shutter In this manner you can create multiple exposure stroboscopic effects or paint the scene with light by firing the flash unit repeatedly with the camera set at B In this case make sure that the flash unit is not connected to the camera 42 The open flash button is also useful for test firing the SB 16 to determine whether the illumination from the flash was sufficient for proper exposure in the non TTL automatic mode With the shooting mode selector set at one of the color
47. ot necessary to select the lens aperture Once the lens is set to its minimum aper ture the camera automatically selects the proper aperture according to the lens in use For information on the aperture selected and automatic shooting range see page 27 26 Sd N C ao 215 Z EI 0 23 ASA ISO K ASA ISO Example 1 If you are using ASA ISO 100 film with the zoom head set at N for a 35mm lens and select f 4 the auto shoot ing range is indicated by an orange line Thus you can take pictures of subjects located between 1 4 and 8 0m approx 4 6 and 26 ft from the camera Example 2 If you are using ASA ISO 400 film with the zoom head set at T for an 85mm lens and select f 4 the auto shoot ing range indicated by the orange line this time is 3 8 to 21m approx 12 to 69 ft 0 5 ASA ISO Example 3 If you are using ASA ISO 100 film with the zoom head set at N for a 35mm lens and the subject is 2m away you can select either f 2 8 f 4 f 5 6 f 8 f 11 or f 16 If a shorter recycling time is preferable use f 2 8 If greater depth of field is desired use f 16 The auto shooting ranges for TTL photography are shown in the following table TTL auto shooting range Unit m ft Film speed E ASAIISO Zoom head setting 1000 800 400 200 100 50 25 T S N Wi W2 Sea eanls 5539 116690 6080 4826 34 19 25 98 22 98 20 98 16 85 11 62 5 3 29
48. peed lights up M90 and B as set No indication A i gt 1 1000 1 125 sec 1 90 20 AMI FOR no 1 60 1 sec M90 and B as set Nitshany A 1 1000 1 125 sec 1 90 LED or proper non flash shutter speed blinks via V lype Sync cord 1 90 or slower 1 60 1 30 sec as set LED for proper non flash shutter speed blinks M90 and B as set No indication Automatic sync speed setting only occurs when the SB 16 is mounted in the camera s hot shoe and turned on it does not occur when the SB 16 is turned off or when sync cord is used for off camera operation When the shutter speed dial setting is higher than flash sync speed the camera s ready light blinks as a warning 21 CONTROLS IN DETAIL continued Angle of coverage Horizontal 5 30 sommorionger 34 35mm or longer mn gt same er W with wide flash adapter Zoom Head i The SB 16 s zoom head has four settings which provide various angles of coverage as shown in the table The number with an orange background indicates that you can use a lens with the same or a longer focal length at that setting However please remember that the lower the numbered setting the smaller the guide number and the narrower the automatic shooting range is The guide number and automatic shooting range for each zoom setting is shown in the table on pages 31 and 32 To set the zoom head simply pull it out or push it in until your desired number a
49. photographers prefer to overexpose the background by one stop in order to create an intentionally backlit effect by using a shutter Speed that s slower by a further one step In the TTL automatic mode 1 2 3 Take the picture With the SB 16 set at TTL and turned on just take the picture Same as Steps 1 and 2 in the manual mode Notes 1 With a strongly backlit subject such as a scene containing the sun the desired exposure balance may not be obtained In this case use the SB 16 on manual 2 To give different exposures to the subject and background you can re set the camera s shutter speed dial and exposure compensation dial accordingly For example use a slower shutter speed to make the back ground overexposed and turn the exposure compensation dial in the direction to make the subject underexposed In the non TTL automatic mode 1 Set a shooting aperture on the lens Read off the two usable apertures from the exposure calculator dial and set one of them on the lens 2 Take a meter reading of the background Frame the background in the camera s viewfinder and turn on the camera s meter to determine the proper shutter speed for the aperture you have set Note that the shutter speed should be within the flash synchronization range for the camera you are using 3 Take the picture With the SB 16 set at A1 or A2 and turned on take the picture only if a proper synchroniza tion speed is available Notes 1
50. posure is measured through the lens no exposure compensation is required in off camera and or bounce flash operation or even with a teleconverter or filter attached to the lens This setting is also used for programmed TTL auto opera tion with F 501 N2020 and F 301 N2000 A non TTL automatic operation In the non TTL automatic A mode the light output of the flash varies automatically to match the flash to subject distance but instead of the light being measured through the lens it is read by the light sensor on the front of the SB 16 At any film speed setting you have a choice of two working apertures indicated by the blue A1 and orange A2 aperture indicator lines on the bottom of the exposure calculator dial M manual operation At the manual M setting the SB 16 fires at its maximum light output regardless of the flash to subject distance When it is difficult to obtain correct exposure on auto i e when the brightness of the background affects exposure strongly use the SB 16 on manual In the manual mode exposure should be determined with the exposure cal culator dial or with the guide number equation found on page 30 23 CONTROLS IN DETAIL continued MD synchronization with motor drive At the motor drive MD setting the SB 16 is able to recycle fast enough to synchronize with a motor driven camera firing continuously up to four frames per second It is possible to take up to eight flash pictures in r
51. ppears with an orange background behind it Notes 1 With subjects closer than 1 meter it is recommended that you select a setting with a one stop smaller number than the focal length of the lens in use to reduce the amount of light at such close distances 2 With the wide flash adapter attached you can use a 24mm lens 22 Zoom head setting Usable lens 24mm or longer 60 i ar A2 MD M TIL Shooting Mode Selector 4 The shooting mode selector on the back of the SB 16 has five click stop settings Directly above the selector read ing from left to right there are the blue and orange dots for non TTL automatic operation two white dots in the middle indicating MD Motor Drive and M Manual operation respectively and a white square at the far right which is for TTL operation As soon as the SB 16 is turned on one of the appropriate LEDs green for TTL and red for all the rest above the selector lights up to indicate the setting selected Usable shooting modes depending on the combination of the type of the flash unit and camera are as listed on page 5 TTL through the lens automatic operation This mode provides automatic through the lens TTL control of the flash exposure at any aperture from f 2 to 1 22 to match the camera to subject distance the farther away the subject the more light emitted by the flash unit the closer the subject the less light given off Because the ex
52. rticles or reviews may be Fuji Bldg 2 3 Marunouchi 3 chome Chiyoda ku Tokyo 100 Japan made without written authorization from Nippon Kogaku K K Phone 81 3 214 5311 Telex J22601 NIKON Fax 81 3 201 5856 Printed in Japan 8 amp 137 E06
53. t shutter speed no indication at B or T All shutter speed settings except M250 and B InP SandAmodei 1 250 LCD shows 250 FA 1 250 or slower 1 4000 1 500 sec in M mode 1 250 LCD shows M250 1 250 1 sec in M mode as set LCD shows manually set shutter speed M250 and B in P S A and M modes as sel No indication A 1 4000 1 500 sec 1 250 I FE2 1 250 or slower 1 250 8 sec as set M250 and B as set FE 1 125 or slower MS 190 1 125 8 B as set FM Willi 11280 900 1 250 or slower 1 250 1 sec B as set sync speed FM2 with 1 200 seo 1 200 or slower 1 125 1 X200 B as set sync speed P DUAL P PHI 1 125 125 lights up F 501 N2020 1 128 or slowBr A 1 2000 1 250 sec 1 125 es up aa P Jor propor a Tash shutter speed blinks 73 lor manually set shutter sp igi p ani lor proper non 11281800 and B me est flash shutter speed blinks no indication at B PHI P 1 125 125 lights up F 301 N2000 1125 or slower A 1 2000 1 250 sec 1 125 s up ang ED tor proper ua er sprod blinks z lor manually set shutter speed lights up an for proper non LARS 000 KE gol flash shutter speed blinks no indication at B P A 1 1000 1 125 sec 1 90 Two LEDs representing 1 90 sec light up FG 1 90 or slower 1 60 1 sec as set LED for manually set shutter s
54. tic ex posure control when the SB 16A is combined with the Nikon F3 series camera or when the SB 16B is combined with the Nikon FA FE2 F 501 N2020 F 301 N2000 FG or Nikonos V film speeds from ASA ISO 25 to 400 with the FA FE2 FG or Nikonos V or ASA ISO 25 to 1000 with F 501 N2020 or F 301 N2000 usable aperture range from f 2 to f 22 Automatic exposure control via the front mounted light sensor two working apertures depend ing on film speed f 8 and f 4 at ASA ISO 100 are usable and identified as A1 and A2 69 SPECIFICATIONS continued Manual exposure control Synchronization with motor driven camera Dimensions W x H x D SB 16A SB 16B Weight SB 16A SB 16B Accessories provided Full output at M setting Possible at MD setting with 1 16th of full output guide number is 8 at ASA ISO 100 and meters or 13 at ASA ISO 25 and feet with the zoom head set at N only main flash fires approx 82mmx 166 5mmx 100mm approx 82mm 144 mm 100mm approx 4859 without batteries approx 445g without batteries Wide Flash Adapter SW 7 Soft Case SS 16 Battery Holder MS 5 Specifications and designs shown herein are subject to change without notice 70 M UN Haan etur a vtacot hn e vmi tw tts Pra iet Lnd ete raten orto eo gere NETT zi ener v No reproduction in any form of this manual in whole or in part NIPPON KOGAKU K K except for brief quotation in critical a
55. tic silicon controlled rectifier and series circuitry At full output 32 52 with the zoom head set at N 19 33 with the zoom head set at Wi and Wide Flash Adapter SW 7 attached 60 horizontal and 45 vertical with the zoom head set at N 78 horizontal and 60 vertical with the zoom head set at W and Wide Flash Adapter attached Two flash heads provided main head tilts back 90 with click stops at the 30 45 60 75 and 90 positions and also rotates through an arc of 270 90 clockwise with click stops at 30 60 and 90 positions and 180 counterclockwise with click stops at 30 60 90 120 150 and 180 positions the smaller secondary head faces straight ahead to provide a catch Non TTL auto exposure light for the eyes Possible with four settings T S N and Wi for 85mm 50mm 35mm and 28mm lens Batteries Four 1 5V AA type alkaline manganese penlight batteries or four 1 2V AA type NiCd batteries recommended Number of flashes and recycling time on manual at 25 C Battery type Number of flashes Recycling time Alkaline manganese approx 100 times approx 11 sec minimum NiCd approx 40 times approx 8 sec minimum At full output of course more flashes and shorter recycling times are possible in the TTL non TTL automatic or MD mode This data depends on brand of battery and amount of recharging TTL auto exposure Through the lens automa
56. ycling times are shorter and the number of flashes per battery set is greater For truly creative bounce flash photography the Nikon Speedlight SB 16 has two separate flash heads a combination of tilting and rotating main flash head with zooming capability and a smaller secondary flash head which faces straight ahead to fill in the shadows in the eye sockets and provide a small catchlight for the eyes Moreover a special MD setting allows the SB 16 to synchronize with a motor driven camera firing at 4 frames per second for shooting 8 pictures in series Even though the SB 16 is extremely easy to use you should familiarize yourself with its Basic Operation as presented in the first section For more detailed infor mation please refer to Controls in Detail and Photo graphic Techniques A few minutes wisely invested now will pay off later in years of rewarding photographic experiences To insure proper service make sure the Nikon Warranty Card is enclosed in the speedlight box BASIC OPERATION Set the open closed knob on the flash unit coupler to the OPEN position Attach the flash unit coupler to the flash unit Position the flash unit and flash unit coupler so that the secondary flash head on the flash unit and the sen sor 2 on the flash unit coupler face the same direction Insert the posi tioning claw into the slot amp on the flash unit Then while applying pressure to the open
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