Metz MECABLITZ 28 CS-2 digital User manual

MECABLITZ 28 CS-2 digital

Bedienungsanleitung Mode d’emploi

Gebruiksaanwijzing Operating instruction

Manuale istruzioni Manual de instrucciones

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Foreword

Congratulations on purchasing our

flash 28 CS-2 digital and thank you for the confi-

dence in our products.

The following pages give useful instructions for

proper operation of the flash unit and a survey of

all its sophisticated functions.

Please read these operating instructions carefully,

even if one or the other point may not appear to

be very insteresting at first sight. Although our de-

signers have attached great importance to making

the operation of the flash unit as simple as pos-

sible, the cameras with which it will eventually be

used often offer a great diversity of capabilities.

Please also fold open the illustrated page at the

end of these instructions.

We wish you great pleasure with this new flash

unit.

Contents:

1. Safety instructions 88

2. Preparations 89

2.1 Power supply 89

2.2 Loading and replacing the batteries 89

2.3 Mounting / Removing the flash unit 90

2.4 Switching the flash unit on and off 90

3. Flash coverage and reflector attachments 90

4. Slave mode 91

5. Switch on and shoot in EASY mode 91

6. Slave modes (SL) 93

6.1 Slave mode without preflash suppression 94

6.2 Slave mode with preflash suppression 95

6.3 Adapted slave mode 95

7. Settings for camera and flash unit 96

7.1 Cameras where operating mode, ISO

and aperture can be set 97

7.2 Cameras where operating mode, ISO

and aperture cannot be set 98

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8. Flash modes 99

8.1 Auto flash mode A 99

8.2 Manual flash mode M 100

8.3 Metz-Remote Flash Mode SL 100

8.4 EASY Mode 101

9. Flash parameters 102

9.1 Automatic f-stop 102

9.2 ISO speed 102

9.3 Reflector status 102

9.4 Flash exposure correction value EV 103

9.5 Manual partial light output 104

10. Displays 104

10.1 Flash readiness indication 104

10.2 Correct exposure confirmation 104

10.3 Maximum flash range indication 105

11. Special functions 106

11.1

Automatic switch-off function / AUTO-OFF

106

11.2 Meter-Feet changeover (m - ft) 106

11.3 Adapting the flash delay in slave mode

with preflash suppression 106

11.4 Re-establishing the flash unit settings 107

12. Troubleshooting, remedies and

after-sales service 108

13. Technical data 110

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1. Safety instructions

• The flash unit is intended and approved only for

photographical use.

• NEVER fire a flash from a very short distance

directly into the eyes of persons or animals. This

can cause damage to the retina and may even

lead to blindness.

• NEVER trigger a flash in the vicinity of flamm-

able gases or liquids (petrol, solvents, etc.),

since this may cause EXPLOSIONS!

• NEVER shoot flash pictures of car or bus drivers,

cyclists or motorcyclists, or train drivers while the

vehicle is moving! This may dazzle the person

concerned and result in an accident.

• Only use the approved power sources specified

in these operating instructions.

• NEVER attempt to open or short-circuit batteries!

• NEVER expose batteries to excessive tempera-

tures such as intensive sunlight or a fire!

• Remove exhausted batteries immediately from

the flash unit. Such batteries may leak, releasing

chemicals which can damage the flash unit.

• NEVER attempt to recharge dry batteries!

• Do not expose the flash unit to dripping or

splashing water.

• Do not expose your flash unit to high tempera-

tures and humidity. Do not keep it in the glove

compartment of your car.

• Do not touch the diffuser after firing several

flashes at short intervals. Danger of burns!

• When taking flash shots at full light output and

in rapid succession observe an interval of at

least 3 minutes after 20 flashes.

• NEVER place material that is impervious to light

in front of, or directly on the reflector. If this is

not observed, the high energy of the flash light

may cause burning or bleaching of the material

or may damage the reflector.

• NEVER dismantle the flash unit! DANGER: HIGH

VOLTAGE! Repairs must only be completed by

an authorised repair service.

• Do not touch the contacts of the flash unit.

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• The flash unit must not be used if the case has

been so badly damaged that internal com-

ponents are exposed. Remove the batteries!

• Do not use defective batteries!

2. Preparations

2.1 Power supply

The flash unit can be operated with any of the fol-

lowing batteries:

• 2 alkaline-manganese dry-cell batteries, type

IEC LR03 (size AAA). Maintenance-free power

source for moderate power requirements.

• 2 nickel-metal-hydride batteries, type IEC HR03

(size AAA). They have a significantly higher ca-

pacity than NiCad batteries and are less harm-

ful to the environment (no cadmium). They per-

mit very fast recycling and are economical in

use because they are rechargeable.

• 2 NiCad batteries, type IEC KR03 (size AAA).

The batteries are exhausted if the recycling

time exceeds 60 seconds when firing flashes

at full light output. Remove the batteries from

the flash unit if you are not going to use it for

an extended period of time.

2.2 Loading and replacing the batteries

• Turn off the flash unit by its main switch.

• Slide the battery compartment cover to the out-

side of the flash unit.

• Insert the batteries as indicated by the symbols

in the battery compartment.

When loading the batteries ensure that their

+ and - poles are aligned with the symbols.

Transposed poles can destroy the flash unit.

Always exchange both batteries, replacing

them with identical batteries of the same

capacity from the same manufacturer! Do not

dispose of spent batteries in the domestic

waste bin. Spent batteries should be handed

in to an appropriate collecting point.

• Close the battery compartment cover and slide it

towards the unit’s foot.

☞

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2.3 Mounting / Removing the flash unit

Turn off the flash by their main switch!

Fold down the flash unit’s pivoted camera bracket.

Secure the flash unit to the camera with the thread-

ed tripod screw.

To dismantle release the threaded tripod screw

and remove the flash unit from the camera. Push

the camera bracket forwards at the hinge and si-

multaneously fold upwards.

2.4 Switching the flash unit on and off

To switch on set the main switch to “ON”. To

switch off push the main switch down.

Automatic switch-off function / AUTO-OFF

To save battery power and prevent inadvertent

battery discharge the flash unit is factory-set to

switch over to standby mode (AUTO OFF) approx.

8 minutes after:

- switch-on,

- a setting procedure,

- firing a flash.

The flash readiness signal and the indications on

the LC display go out. After automatic switch-off

the last used settings are retained and instantly

available when the flash unit is switched on again.

The flash unit is reactivated merely by depression

of any key (wake-up function).

The flash unit should always be turned off by

its main switch if it is not going to be used

for an extended period of time.

The automatic switch-off function can be deacti-

vated whenever required (see Chapter 11.1).

3. Flash coverage and reflector

attachments

If there is no attachment in front of the reflector,

the flash unit provides full lighting coverage for

normal 24x36 mm shots with lenses as of 35 mm

focal length. If a wide-angle diffuser (identified

by W) is used the flash will cover the image angle

of a 24 mm lens. When positioning the telephoto

attachment (identified by T) in front of the reflector

the flash unit will fully illuminate shots taken with a

telephoto lens of 85 mm focal length and longer.

☞

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Please note that the effective range of the

flash light is diminished by using a wide-

angle diffuser, and increased with a tele-

photo attachment . For digital cameras take

into account that the focal lengths are given

for the 35 mm format (see operating instruc-

tions of the individual camera).

4. Slave mode

The slave mode is intended for cordless, delay-free

triggering of one or more slave flash units. The

slave is triggered by the light pulse from the flash

unit built into the camera.

Some digital cameras fire one or more measuring

preflashes a fraction of a second before flash ex-

posure. Normally, these measuring preflashes can-

not be deactivated on the camera because they do

influence, for example, the flash exposure. More-

over, a preflash function can be activated on many

cameras to diminish the “red eye effect”.

The internal photo cell sensor of the slave

must be able to perfectly capture the light of

the camera’s flash unit reflected by the sub-

ject so that it can be triggered. The working

range of the assembly depends on the inten-

sity of the light pulse from the camera-inte-

grated flash, the reflective properties of the

subject and the prevailing ambient light.

Please note that the working range is diminished

outdoors and with bright ambient light. Avoid

exposing the sensor to direct sunlight!

5. Switch on and shoot in EASY mode

The EASY mode permits easy use of the slave flash

unit for flash photography. Auto aperture, ISO

speed rating, etc. do not have to be set on the flash

unit.

The EASY mode is a simplified automatic flash

mode intended for digital cameras without setting

capabilities, or the “Program P” and full auto

modes.

Prior to its first use, the slave has to be adapted to

the technology of the flash unit built into the came-

ra to find out if the camera-integrated flash unit

works with or without preflashes.

☞

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Adapting the slave flash unit

• Activate the camera’s internal flash unit. If ne-

cessary, switch on the camera’s red-eye re-

ducing preflash function.

• Turn on the slave flash unit by the main switch

and wait for the flash readiness indicator to

light up.

• Keep the “Mode” key on the flash unit depress-

ed for approx. 5 s until the symbols

flash in an ascending sequence on the LC dis-

play. All other indications on the LC display and

the flash readiness signal go out.

To terminate briefly depress the “Mode” key.

• Take a picture of an appropriate subject (e.g.

wall or ceiling of a room) at a distance of 2 m to

3 m with the camera’s internal flash. With the

aid of this shot the 28 CS-2 establishes the num-

ber of preflashes fired by the camera-integrated

flash unit and automatically stores the data.

• The flash readiness indicator on the flash unit

briefly lights up again to confirm the completed

adaptation.

• The LC display indicates the symbol “SL ”

for adapted slave mode, “EASY” flash mode

and the maximum flash range (see Chapter

10.3).

• The slave flash unit is now ready for operation.

Flash unit adaptation only has to be completed

once because the stored settings are retained,

even when the flash mode is changed, the

flash unit is switched off and the batteries are

replaced. Adaptation must be renewed when

the settings of the camera’s flash unit, the pre-

flash mode (e.g. red-eye reducing preflash

ON / OFF) or the camera are changed.

The flash mode of cameras working with an

automatically changing number of preflashes

(e.g. Nikon 3D and D-TTL), as well as the

Metz Remote Flash Mode, is not supported!

Test shots

Take some test shots with flash: The subject must

be within the maximum flash range indicated on

the LC display (see Chapter 10.3)! Assess the ex-

posure results, e.g. on the camera monitor.

☞

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Depress the “+” key on the flash unit for a positive

correction value when the flash shots are too dark,

and the “-” key for a negative correction value

when the flash shots are too bright. The correction

value can be adjusted from +10 to -10. The setting

becomes immediately effective and is automatical-

ly stored. The set correction value is taken over as

the new zero value (“0”) for the next flash shot.

Maximum flash range indication is adapted to the

given correction value.

If the slave unit is not triggered repeat the

flash unit adaptation procedure and take

another test shot.

Tip:

Carefully read the next chapters of these Operat-

ing Instructions to be able to make full use of all

the capabilities of this flash unit.

6. Slave modes (SL)

Selection of the slave mode suitable for your ca-

mera depends on the properties and technology of

the camera-integrated flash. The important point is

to know whether the flash unit built into your came-

ra works with or without measuring preflashes.

Selection of the slave mode determines whether

the slave is triggered immediately after the first

flash pulse from the camera’s flash unit, or whe-

ther one or more preflashes have to be suppressed

before the slave is triggered together with the ca-

mera’s main flash.

Select one of the three different slave modes by

repeated combined depression of the “MODE”

and pre-select keys. The selected slave mode

flashes on the LC display of the flash unit.

Establishing the slave mode suitable for your

camera

It is not necessary to establish the suitable

slave mode if you know whether or not your

camera operates with preflash measuring

technology!

Often it is rather difficult to establish whether or not

a digital camera operates with preflash measuring

technology. Proceed in the following manner to se-

lect the slave mode that is suitable for your camera:

☞

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• Activate the camera’s internal flash unit.

• Deactivate the red-eye reducing preflash func-

tion on the camera.

• Select on the slave unit the “M” flash mode with

P 1/1 full light output (see Chapter 8.2).

• Then select the slave mode without preflash sup-

pression on the slave unit (see Chapter 6.1).

• Take a test shot in which the reflector of the slave

unit can be seen, for example in a mirror.

NEVER look directly into the flash unit’s reflector

from a short distance as this could blind or inju-

re your eyes!

• Assess the test shot, e.g. on the camera monitor.

• If the slave unit’s reflector is brilliantly illuminated

in the test shot, then you have set the right slave

mode for your camera.

• If the slave unit’s reflector is not bright or is dark

on the test shot, then select on the slave unit a

slave mode with preflash suppression (see Chap-

ter 6.2) and take another test shot.

• If this still proves to be unsuccessful, then select

the adapted slave mode. This enables you to

adapt the slave automatically to your camera’s

flash function (see Chapter 6.3).

6.1 Slave mode without preflash

suppression SL

This slave mode is suitable for all cameras working

without measuring preflash technology. The slave is

triggered at the same time as the flash unit incor-

porated in the camera. The light output of the slave

is controlled by the selected flash mode (EASY, auto

flash mode A or manual flash mode M).

If your camera has a red-eye reducing preflash

function, this function must be switched off!

Otherwise it may be accidentally activated by

flashes of other photographers working within

the same action radius as the slave flash unit .

Settings on the slave flash unit

Repeatedly depress the pre-select and “MODE”

keys simultaneously until the symbol SL flashes on

the LC display. The setting instantly becomes effective

and is automatically stored after 5 s.

☞

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