Metz AF-3N User's Manual
Contents
1. An uncontrolled flash can be fired with the manual firing button see fig 8 Metz mecablitz OM i Fig 8 Manually firing button Troubleshooting If the flashgun does not work as it should in the individual modes then proceed as follows Switch off the flashgun with the main switch e Remove the rechargeable or dry cell batteries for a brief period and then load them again 12 Technical data Guide number ISO 100 21 34 with telephoto attachment 28 without attachment 20 with wide angle diffuser Lighting for 35mm camera from 35 mm focal length onwards with wide angle attachment from 24 mm and with telephoto attachment from 85 mm focal length onwards Colour temperature approx 5600 K Synchronization Low voltage IGBT firing Flash duration 1 250 5 0 s Flash recycling time ca 6 at full light output Number of flashes ca 100 Lighting Rectangular Without attachment horiz approx 56 vertical approx 40 With W diffuser horiz approx 75 vertical approx 55 With T attachment horiz approx 25 vertical approx 18 Weight approx 160 g Dimensions 61mm 102 mm 35 mm Items delivered Flashgun attachments W diffuser T telephoto attachment Operating Instructions 2 batteries CR2 2 8 WIN T W HUE 55 7 4 5 4 ISON WIN TT 25 15 8 10 1 50 18 11 14 17 8 5 6 TIWI2. Your mecablitz provides full and even illumination of normal 24 x 36 mm negatives when using len ses of 35 mm focal length and longer A wide angle diffuser is supplied with the flash gun to increase the coverage if you wish to use a 28 mm wide angle lens A telephoto attachment identified with a T is included for telephoto lenses of 85 mm focal length 5 PLEASE NOTE The use of the wide angle diffuser diminishes the effective range of the flash Mounting and removing the attachments The attachment is swivelled into the bayonet mount see fig 7 Turn the attachment clockwise and insert the guiding edge into the case gap guiding edge case ga Fig 7 Mounting and removing the attachments To remove turn the attachment beyond the retaining spring see fig and withdraw the attachment 11 Care and maintenance Troubleshooting Remove grime and dust with a soft dry cloth Do not use cleaning agents as these could damage the plastic parts Forming the flash capacitor The flash capacitor incorporated in the flashgun undergoes a physical change when the flashgun is not switched on for prolonged periods For this reason it is necessary to switch on the flashgun for approx 10 minutes every 3 months and to fire a few flashes The batteries must supply sufficient power to light up the flash ready light within one minute after the flashgun was switched on Manual firing button
3. camera model Please refer to the camera s opera ting instructions for further details 4 3 Correct exposure indication see fig 4 The red correct exposure light briefly illuminates when flash exposure was correct At the same time the mecablitz sends an o k signal to the camera for display in the viewfinder Please refer to the camera s operating instructions for further details 4 Flashgun instructions to the camera 4 4 Information displayed in the camera s viewer gt The following table only gives a general survey Camera specific deviations ar possible please refer Metz mecablitz to the camera s operating instructions 0 Green arrow Indicates that flash ee oN gun should be used or 0 4 i switched on Red arrow Flash readiness indi cation Red arrow is perma The shot was correct nently illuminated ly exposed L Joso after exposure or Fig 4 Exposure o k disappears briefly Red arrow blinks after The shot was exposure underexposed 5 TTL flash control e The mecablitz receives its information exclusi 1 ely from the connected TTL controlled camera Exposure measurement in TTL mode TTL through the lens is completed by the camera s sensor This sensor measures the light reaching the film through the camera lens An electronic control circuit within the camera transmits a stop sign
4. severe visual disorders even blindness Spent batteries should be immediately remo ved Chemicals leaking out of spent batteries will damage the flashgun Do not short circuit batteries DANGER OF EXPLOSION Batteries should not be exposed to excessive heat for instance sunshine fire and the like NEVER throw spent batteries in a fire Do not expose the flashgun to dripping or splashing water Protect the flashgun against excessive heat and high humidity levels Do not keep the flashgun in the glove compartment of a car In the event of flash shots with full light output observe an interval of at least 3 minutes after a series of 20 flashes This will protect the flash gun against overload NEVER place material that is impervious to light in front of or directly on the reflector screen The reflector screen must be perfectly clean when a flash is fired The high energy of the flash light will burn the material or damage the screen if this is not observed NEVER dismantle the flashgun DANGER HIGH VOLTAGE There are no components inside the flashgun that can be repaired by a layperson 2 Preparing the mecablitz for use 2 1 Power supply The flashgun can only be operated with 2 CR2 type lithium batteries This type of battery can be stored for many years with practically no loss of energy thus making it ideal for occasional amateur flash photography 0 Batteries have become discharged or spent when recyclin
5. Fig 3 Switching the flashgun on and off 3 2 Switching the flashgun on and off Set the main switch in the ON position to turn on the flashgun The green flash ready indicator lights up to indicate flash readiness Set the main switch in the OFF position to turn off the flashgun 4 Flashgun instructions to the camera The mecablitz transmits different signals and messages to the camera when it is connected to the camera and is switched on 4 1 Flash ready indication The green light gt on the mecabilitz illuminates when the flash capacitor is fully primed thereby indicating flash readiness This means that flash can be used for the next exposure The flash rea diness signal is transmitted to the camera where it is indicated by a corresponding display in the camera s viewfinder On some cameras depen ding on the model the shutter is automatically changed to flash sync speed when flash readiness is reached The flash will not be fired if the shutter is released before the flash ready light illuminates with the result that the exposure may be incorrect if the camera control circuit has already changed over to flash sync speed Please refer to the came ra s operating instructions for further details 4 2 Automatic flash sync speed control Most system cameras automatically change to flash sync speed when flash readiness is reached The flash sync shutter speeds may vary between 1 30th and 1 300th second depending on the
6. N T 6 5 8 11 16 WIN TWIN T WIN T A 70 9 1 2 2 5 3 1 4 1 8 2 1 1 12 5 4 2 100 21 16 20 24 11 14 17 8 7 8 5 4 5 6 2 8 3 5 4 2 2 2 5 3 8 11 14 17 8 10 16 20 22 14 200 24 22 28 34 400 27 32 40 48 22 28 4 12 5 5 7 17 8 10 4 5 6 2 8 3 5 4 2 2 2 5 3 5 5 7 8 5 4 5 6 5 8 5 12 800 30 45 56 67 32 40 48 22 28 34 16 20 2414 6 5 4 8 5 7 55 12 10 8 17 max Table for max lighting distance 19 istance in m Lighting distances This table indicates a section of the most im portant maximum lighting distances in different ISO aperture combinations The sticker can be applied to the back of the flashgun W 20 T 20 34AF15 eps
7. TV VIDEO CAMCORDER gt MECABLITZ MECABLITZ 34 AF 3 Operating instructions Foreword Dear Customer We thank you for your confidence in our mecablitz MB 34 AF 3N The MB 34 AF 3N flashgun has been especially designed for Nikon AF system cameras IMPORTANT Never mount the flashgun in the accessory shoe of any other system camera otherwise the flashgun s foot or the camera s accessory shoe can be destroyed The dedica ted contacts in the foot of the MB 34 AF 3N only support the controlling commands of Nikon AF system cameras The following pages give details for the correct operation of the mecablitz flashgun and summari ze its fields of application Please read these operating instructions carefully even if at first sight some points may not appear to be of interest Our design work placed particular value on ensuring that operation of the mecablitz is as simple as possible but it should be noted that the system cameras for which the flashgun is intended offer a great diversity of capabilities We wish you much pleasure with your new Metz flashgun in conjunction with a Nikon AF system camera to light up the darkest points and for creative flash lighting Disposal of batteries Do not dispose of spent batteries with domestic rubbish Please return spent batteries to collecting points should they exist in your country Contents 1 Safety instructions 24 2 Preparing the mecab
8. al to the flashgun as soon as the film has been exposed by the correct amount of light the flash is then instantly cut out The advantage of the TTL mode is that all factors influencing the exposure of the film such as filters change of aperture or variable aperture zooms are taken into account You need not worry about adjustment of the light output The camera s electronic system automati cally defines the required amount of light You can also utilize various metering facilities e g spot matrix or centre weighted overall readings offered by some cameras The Table on page 39 gives the maximum range for the selected aperture The minimum lighting distance is approx 15 of the maximum threshold range us gt If the actual distance is shorter than the minimum lighting distance then this may result in overexposure A strip of film must be loaded in the camera if tests are to be conducted in TTL flash mode The effective flash range can only be checked by the correct exposure display 0 k if the flash is triggered by the camera and not with the manual release on the flashgun 6 Flash synchronisation Different modes of flash synchronisation are pos sible depending on the camera model Please refer to the camera s operating instructions to find out how the individual modes of synchronisation are set on the camera 6 1 Normal synchronisation This mode is available with all TTL cameras and it is suitable
9. for most flash shots With normal synchronisation switching to the camera s flash sync shutter speed is automatic The shutter speed may vary from 1 30th and 1 300th seconds depending on the camera model Please refer to the camera s operating instructions for further details 6 2 Slow synchronisation Some cameras feature specific exposure pro grams for slow synchronisation 11 Flash shots at low lighting levels and fast shutter speeds normal flash sync speed can often result in overexposed subjects in front of a very dark back ground The slow sync function allows the use of slow shutter speeds right up to 30 seconds to significantly enhance the background as a result of the extra ambient light Such shots require a tri pod to prevent camera shake Please refer to the camera s operating instructions for further details 6 Flash synchronisation First curtain Second curtain 6 3 Second curtain synchronisation REAR Some cameras offer the facility of second shutter curtain synchronisation With normal synchronisation the flash is fired precisely after the opening of the first shutter curtain When using slow shutter speeds and with moving objects this would result in an unnatural rendition of light traces With second curtain or rear curtain synchronisa tion the flash is fired as the exposure is ending just before the second curtain covers the film again 12 This makes the light trail behi
10. g takes more than 60 seconds The batteries should be removed from the mecablitz if the flashgun is not going to be used for a prolonged period 2 2 Loading and exchanging batteries e Turn off the flashgun with the main switch e Press the unlocking catch slide the battery compartment lid to the right and fold open see fig 1 Insert the batteries according to the indicated battery symbols Og 1 V Fig 1 Unlocking and exchanging batteries The supplied lithium batteries are expendables and as such are not subject to our warranty provisions After the batteries have been inserted fold down the battery compartment lid and push to the left until it engages audible with the unlocking catch 2 Preparing the mecablitz for use us When loading the batteries ensure correct polarity Incorrectly loaded batteries can dest roy the flashgun All batteries must be of the same make and have the same charge level Exhausted batteries must not be thrown into the dustbin Contribute to the protection of the environment and discard exhausted bat teries at the appropriate disposal points 2 3 Automatic flashgun switch off To avoid accidental battery discharge the flashgun automatically switches itself off to save power approximately 8 minutes after the flashgun was switched on the last flash was fired tripping the camera release or switching on the camera li
11. ght metering system The green flash ready indicator is turned off To turn on the mecablitz again switch the main switch OFF and then ON The flashgun should always be turned off if it is not being used 2 4 Mounting Removing the flashgun e Turn off the mecablitz Press the unlocking catch at the back of the mecablitz see fig 2 e Slide the mounting foot into the camera s mounting shoe Always turn off the flashgun before it is removed Press the unlocking catch at the back of the mecablitz fig 2 and withdraw from the camera b Fig 2 Unlocking catch 3 Setting the mecablitz into operation 3 1 Preconditions The mecablitz must only be used with TTL flash controlled cameras The sensor of TTL flash controlled cameras measures the light reaching the film through the camera lens and instantly cuts out the flash when the film has been correctly expo sed Please refer to the camera s operating instructions to find out whether your camera features this function A full power flash is fired if the camera does not feature TTL flash control In other words Without TTL flash control the mecablitz fires an unmeasured flash at maximum output If there is a flashgun integrated in the camera it must be switched off or completely folded down when the mecablitz is used sy J or OFF ON fon NS
12. ity of activating auto matic fill in flash control or automatically trigger a fill in flash Fill in flash will soften harsh shadows and diminish the contrast thereby producing a more balanced exposure when shooting against the light The camera s computer controlled measuring system automatically selects the shutter speed working aperture and light output in such a manner that both the main subject in the foreground as well as the background are uniformly exposed 16 9 2 Exposure correction Various cameras enable the user to influence the TTL exposure control Accordingly the camera s exposure settings can be corrected by up to 3 apertures in one third or half f stop settings PLEASE NOTE Do not forget to switch off this function when it is no longer required Please refer to the camera s operating instructions for further details 9 3 Flash exposure sequences Some cameras permit a sequence of shots to be taken of the same subject with different exposure parameters When this function is activated three pictures as an example can be taken in succession The first shot is made with a negative flash exposure correction less light output the second is normally exposed and the third is taken with a positive flash exposure correction more light output For further details on this function and the settings to be made please refer to the camera s operating instructions 10 Lighting and attachments
13. litz for use 25 2 1 Powersupply cece cece eee 25 2 2 Loading and replacing the batteries 25 2 3 Automatic flashgun cut out circuit 26 2 4 Mounting Removing the mecablitz 26 3 Setting the mecablitz into operation 27 3 1 Preconditions 2 0020 7 3 2 Switching the flashgun on and off 27 4 Flashgun instructions to the camera 28 4 1 Flash ready indication 28 4 2 Automatic flash sync speed control 28 4 3 Correct exposure indication 28 4 4 Information displayed in the camera s viewfinder 00005 29 5 TTL flash control 30 6 Flash synchronisation 31 6 1 Normal synchronisation 31 6 2 Slow synchronisation cues 31 6 3 Second curtain synchronisation 32 7 Flash in the individual camera modes 33 8 Autofocus measuring flash 5 34 9 Flash techniques and flash functions 36 9 1 Automatic fill in flash cece 36 9 2 Exposure correction cece ee aaee 36 9 3 Flash exposure sequences s 36 10 Lighting and wide angle telephoto attachment 37 11 Care and maintenance Manual firing button Troubleshooting 38 12 Technical 095 39 Lightning 0155206665 40 1 Safety instructions NEVER fire a flash in the immediate vicinity of the eyes Flash fired directly in front of the eyes of a person or animal can damage the retina and lead to
14. nd the moving objects instead of appearing in front of them and renders a more natural looking picture 7 Flash in the individual camera modes Use of flash in the program modes TTL controlled flash shots can be made in all exposure and auto program modes Once the mecablitz is attached to the camera and switched on it automatically operates with TTL flash control in auto program P aperture priority A shutter priority S and manual M modes For details please refer to the camera s operating instructions Special functions not supported by flash Red eye reduction function multi sensor fill in flash 13 8 Autofocus measuring flash The integrated AF red light beam of the mecablitz supports the automatic focusing of autofocus TTL cameras When the prevailing light is insufficient for automatic focusing the mecablitz will project a pattern of red vertical stripes onto the subject as soon as the camera s release is lightly touched The camera s autofocus system then focuses the picture by this striped pattern Notes When the camera s autofocus system is on the electronic circuit will automatically activate the autofocus measuring flash whenever the prevailing light is insufficient for the exposure The autofocus measuring flash cannot be activated in every exposure mode or AF mode of the camera In most cases it will only support the SINGLE AF function see camera s operating instructions with
15. out follow up focusing 14 34 AF 3 4 Fig 5 AF red light beam The range of the autofocus measuring flash depends on the speed of the lens maximum aperture With an f 1 8 standard lens of 50 mm focal length the range is approx 6 10 m depen ding on the sensitivity of the camera s AF sen Sor Low speed lenses e g with an aperture of f 5 6 or f 8 such as zoom lenses significantly restrict the range of the autofocus measuring flash 8 Autofocus measuring flash AF operating modes Two operating modes are available with AF came ras depending on the camera model Focusing priority SINGLE AF The shutter can only be released when the subject has been sharply focused by the AF system If the camera s AF system is unable to focus sharply then the shutter cannot be released and the flash cannot be fired Shutter release priority CONTINUOUS AF The shutter can always be tripped irrespective of sharp focusing us Shots may be blurred if the release is actuated before focusing has been com pleted by the camera a gt The AF measuring flash is deactivated in this operating mode 15 Please refer to the camera s operating instructions for further details about the AF modes and their activation 9 Flash techniques and flash functions yt ied Fig 6 Fill in flash in daylight left without right with fill in flash 9 1 Automatic fill in flash Some cameras offer the facil
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