Metz AF-3M User's Manual
Contents
1. Autofocus measuring flash 9 Flash techniques and flash functions 9 1 Automatic fill in flash 9 2 Exposure correction 10 Lighting and attachments 11 Care and maintenance Manual firing button Troubleshooting 12 Technical data 0005 Lighting distances 7 1 Safety instructions 2 Preparing the mecablitz for use 2 1 Power supply 2 2 Loading and replacing the batteries 2 3 Automatic flashgun cut out circuit 2 4 Mounting Removing the mecablitz 3 Setting the mecablitz into operation 3 1 Preconditions 3 2 Switching the flashgun on and off 4 Flashgun instructions to the camera 4 1 Flash ready indication 05 4 2 Automatic flash sync speed control 4 3 Correct exposure indication 4 4 Information displayed in the camera s viewfinder 005 5 TtLflashcontrol 1 Safety instructions 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 There2. down when the mecablitz is used 4 Flashgun instructions to the camera 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 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 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 on the mecablitz 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 b
3. 2 11 14 17 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 4 2 2 8 4 ISO WIN TIWIN TIWIN TIW N T 25 15 8 10 12 5 5 7 18 5415 813 514 50 18 11 14 17 8 10 1215 5 7 18 5 4 516 100 21 16 20 24 11 14 17 8 10 1215 5 7 18 5 200 24 22 28 34 16 20 24 11 14 17 8 10 12 400 27 32 40 48 22 28134 16 20 24 11 14 17 800 30 145156 67 32 40 48 22 28 34 16 20 24 max distance in m 17 Table for max lighting distance Lighting distances IgN 2 28 456 8 11 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
4. Remove the rechargeable or dry cell batteries for a brief period and then load them again 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 An uncontrolled flash can be fired with the manual firing button see fig 8 12 Technical data Number of flashes Flash recycling time ca 100 ca 6 at full light output 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 16 TWIN 1 410 710 2 1 1 12 3 8 4 2 2 5 0 5 8 5 4 5 11 N 1 18 2 5 3 5 5 7 8 121 4 3 2 5 2 3 5 4 2 8 6 5 4 8 5 7 15 5 6 WIN T i 4 5 6 5 5 7 5 8 10 1
5. SO 25 15 and ISO 1000 31 Correct expo sures cannot be guaranteed with other film speeds A strip of film must be loaded in the camera if tests are to be conducted in TTL flash mode The effec tive flash range can only be checked by the cor rect exposure display 0 if the flash is triggered by the camera and not with the manual release on the flashgun With automatic film speed setting DX ISO 32 16 The mecablitz receives its information exclusively 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 signal 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 fil ters 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 automatically defines the requi red amount of light You can also utilize various metering facilities e g spot matrix or centre weighted overall readings offered by some came ras 6 Flash synchronisation Flash shots at low lighting levels and fast shutter speeds normal flash sync speed can o
6. TV VIDEO CAMCORDER gt MECABLITZ MECABLITZ 34 AF 3 M Operating instructions Foreword 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 Minolta Dynax system camera to light up the darkest points and for creative flash lighting Dear Customer We thank you for your confidence in our meca blitz MB 34 AF 3M The MB 34 AF 3M flashgun has been especial ly designed for Minolta system cameras of the Dynax series 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 dest royed The dedicated contacts in the foot of the MB 34 AF 3M only support the controlling commands of Minolta system cameras The following pages give details for the correct operation of the mecablitz flashgun and summari ze its fields of application 32 34 Contents 6 Flashsynchronisation 6 1 Normal synchronisation 5 6 2 Slow synchronisation 6 3 Second curtain synchronisation 7 Flash in the individual camera modes 8
7. are no components inside the flashgun that can be repaired by a layperson 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 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 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 2 Preparing the mecablitz for use Fig 1 Unlocking and exchanging batteries The supplied lithium batteries are expendables and as such are not subject to our warranty pro visions 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 1 Power supply The flashgun can only be operated with 2 CR2 type lithi um batteries This type of battery can be stored for many
8. e 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 Flashgun instructions to the camera The flashgun is primed and ready for firing The flashgun is primed and ready for firing The light output was sufficient for correct exposure 3xi 2xi SPxi 5000i 3000i The flashgun is being primed The flashgun is primed and ready for firing The light output was sufficient for correct exposure Permanently 2 illuminated or blinks slowly Permanently illuminated or blinks slowly blinks 2 blinks rapidly Sl Camera models blinks blinks slowly blinks rapidly Fig 4 Exposure o k 4 4 Information displayed in the camera s viewfinder Camera models 8000i 7000i 700si 2 2 27 5xi Displays in Meaning viewfinder The flashgun will be triggered as soon as the release is pressed gt Permanently illuminated 5 TTL flash control The table on page 37 gives the maximum range for the selected aperture The minimum lighting distance is approx 15 of the maximum thres hold range A If the actual distance is shorter than the minimum lighting distance then this may result in overexposure The speed of films to be exposed under TTL flash control must be between I
9. ed pre cisely 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 synchronisati on the flash is fired as the exposure is ending just before the second curtain covers the film again 7 Flash in the individual camera modes Activating the flash manually manual fill in flash Although the camera automatically activates the flash whenever the prevailing light conditions make this necessary it is still possible to trigger the mecablitz manually Please refer to the came ra s operating instructions for the description of this function Flash in the A S and M modes With aperture priority A shutter priority S and manual mode M a flash will be fired with each shot if the mecablitz has been switched on Came ra operation in these three modes is the same as without flash With one exception A shutter speed faster than the camera s flash sync speed cannot be selected Please refer to the camera s operating instructions for further details 12 Auto program mode with flash P function In this mode the camera automatically activates the flash function when the ambient light level is too low it automatically adjusts the aperture and shutter speed and triggers the flash when the shutter release is pressed The flashgun is not triggered in the creative program m
10. ften 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 signifi cantly enhance the background as a result of the extra ambient light Such shots require a tripod to prevent camera shake Please refer to the came ra s operating instructions for further details 10 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 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 6 Flash synchronisation This makes the light trail behind the moving objects instead of appearing in front of them and renders a more natural looking picture 11 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 fir
11. 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 light 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 3 Setting the mecablitz into operation sey H OFF ON 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 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
12. ling ambient light either the AF illuminator of the camera or that of the flashgun will be activated whenever the autofo cus measuring facility becomes necessary The range of the autofocus measuring flash 9 Flash techniques and flash functions Fill in flash in daylight will soften harsh shadows and diminish the contrast thereby producing a more balanced exposure when shooting against the light The camera s computer controlled metering 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 9 2 Exposure correction Various cameras enable the user to influence the TTL exposure control Accordingly the camera s expo sure settings can be corrected by up to 3 aper tures in half f stop settings 5 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 Fig 6 Fill in flash in daylight left without right with fill in flash 9 1 Fill in flash Normally the automatic flash function P function will automatically fire the flash in daylight when shooting against the light However the camera may well measure sufficient ambient light so that the flash firing circuit is not activated see page 32 The mecablitz still enables the user to activate the fill in flash functio
13. n manually when the camera would shoot the picture without flash see also page 32 Activating the flash manually Observe the corresponding displays in the camera s view finder Please refer to the camera s operating instructions for further details 10 Lighting and attachments 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 C Az case gap 34AF 3 PLEASE NOTE The use of the wide angle diffu ppm ser diminishes the effective range of the flash Fig 7 Mounting and removing the attachments Mounting and removing the attachments The attachment is swivelled into the bayonet mourt see fig 7 Turn the attachment clockwise and insert the guiding edge into the case gap To remove turn the attachment beyond the retaining spring see fig and withdraw the attachment 15 11 Care and maintenance Troubleshooting 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
14. odes P P Triggering control On some cameras the flash will not be fired when the prevailing light is sufficient for an exposure in normal mode The exposure is then completed with the settings indicated in the display field Please refer to the camera s operating instructions for further details 8 Autofocus measuring flash 34 AF 3 mi Fig 5 AF red light beam 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 sensor Only the central AF sensor is supported yN ow speed lenses e g with an aperture of f 5 6 or f 8 such as zoom lenses significant ly restrict the range of the 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 or is activated by the eye start system of cameras of the xi series 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 Depending on the prevai
15. years with practically no loss of energy thus making it ideal for occasional amateur flash photography us Batteries have become discharged or spent when recycling 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 Turn off the flashgun with the main switch 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 2 Preparing the mecablitz for use 2 4 Mounting Removing the flashgun Turn off the mecablitz Press the unlocking catch at the back of the mecablitz see fig 2 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 Fig 2 Unlocking catch t When loading the batteries ensure correct pola rity Incorrectly loaded batteries can destroy the flashgun All batteries must be of the same make and have the same charge level Exhau sted batteries must not be thrown into the dustbin Contribute to the protection of the environment and discard exhausted batteries at the appropriate disposal points 2 3 Automatic flashgun switch off To avoid accidental battery discharge the flashgun automatically switches
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