Metz MECABLITZ 34 AF-3 N User manual

TV • VIDEO • CAMCORDER • MECABLITZ

MECABLITZ 34 AF-3 N

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 mecablitz for use . . . . . . .25

2.1 Power supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

5. TTL flash control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

6. Flash synchronisation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

6.1 Normal synchronisation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

6.2 Slow-synchronisation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

6.3 Second curtain synchronisation . . . . . . . . .32

7. Flash in the individual camera modes . .33

8. Autofocus measuring flash . . . . . . . . . . .34

9. Flash techniques and flash functions . .36

9.1 Automatic fill-in flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

9.2 Exposure correction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

9.3 Flash exposure sequences . . . . . . . . . . . .36

10.

Lighting and wide-angle/telephoto attachment

. .37

11. Care and maintenance -

Manual firing button

Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

12. Technical data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

Lightning distances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

1. Safety instructions

•NEVER fire a flash in the immediate vicinity of

the eyes! Flash fired directly in front of the eyes

ofapersonoranimalcandamagetheretinaand

leadto severevisual disorders- evenblindness!

• 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.

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.

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.

☞

☛

➭

Fig. 1: Unlocking and exchanging batteries

2. Preparing the mecablitz for use

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 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.

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

☛

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

must be switched off or completely folded

down when the mecablitz is used.

Fig. 3: Switching the flashgun on and off

OFF ON

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 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 be incorrect

if the camera control circuit has already changed

overto flashsync speed. Please refer tothe 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

cameramodel.Pleaserefertothecamera’sopera-

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

The following table only gives a general survey.

Camera-specific deviations ar possible (please refer

to the camera’s operating instructions.

• Green arrow Indicates that flash-

gun should be used or

switched on.

• Red arrow Flash readiness indi-

cation.

• Red arrow is perma- The shot was correct-

nently illuminated ly exposed.

after exposure, or

disappears briefly

• Red arrow blinks after The shot was

exposure underexposed.

Fig. 4: Exposure o.k.

5. TTL flash control

The mecablitz receives its information exclusi-

velyfrom theconnected TTL-controlledcamera.

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 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.

If the actual distance is shorter than the

minimum lighting distance, then this may

result in overexposure.

Astrip offilmmust beloadedin thecamera iftests

are to be conducted in TTL flash mode.

The effective flash range can only be checked by

the correct-exposure display (o.k.) if the flash is

triggered by the camera and not with the manual

release on the flashgun!

☞

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