How to use: Olympus XA and flash with EI 400 film?
Ron Snider
I have never been able to figure out how to *properly* use the flash
with 400 film. The latter has two ASA settings: 100 and 400.
When one turns on the flash (sets the f-stop lever to "flash") one can
see that the lens is set to almost wide open. The back of the flash has
a simple guide that show the range with ASA 100 is 9ft. at f2.8 and with
ASA 400 it is 18ft at f5.6 . The system works fine with EI 100 film.
However, if one has 400 film in the XA and sets the lens to f5.6 (after
turning on the flash)... and fires the camera in dim light, the shutter
will stay open long enough to get "proper" exposure without the flash!!
This leads to always severe ghosting!
What should I be doing to use the flash with 400 film...other than leave
the f-stop lever at flash, i.e., almost wide open--even with 400 film?
Thanks for any tips!
-Ron Snider-
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MDDESKEY
>turning on the flash)... and fires the camera in dim light, the shutter
>will stay open long enough to get "proper" exposure without the flash!!
>This leads to always severe ghosting!
>
>
Do not set aperature lever to f 5.6 when using flash, but slide it up to
the"flash" position. Also set the ASA lever under the lens to the film speed
you are using. The ASA setting will determine proper exposure settings for
non-flash when you are selecting your own aperatures.
steven T koontz
also my flash (A-11) has a setting for 100asa or 400 asa film on the
flash unit itself.. Like he said, use the flash position only.. and
the numbers on the guide are describing the max distance in meters and
feet with no f stop designation on mine..
--
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sko...@mindspring.com
Ron Snider
-the ASA setting on the camera itself is set to 400.
-the ASA selector on the flash itself is set to the 400 position.
-I can visibly see that the lens is set to "almost wide open" (looks like
something like f3.5) no matter which ASA (100 or 400) is selected.
-that is why I am confused. Where does the f5.6 come into the situation? How
does the lens get set to f5.6 if I leave the f-stop lever in the "flash"
position? I am sure the lens *does not* stop down to f5.6 at the instant the
flash goes off...or any similar hi-tech scenario!
-I understand that the built in auto exposure mechanism will kick-in if I
move the lever off the "flash" setting...and thus the severe ghosting in dim
light. I realize that.
Thanks for any further insight!
-Ron Snider-
Ron Snider wrote:
> I have an Olympus XA (35mm f2.8) with the A11 flash and no user-manual.
> I have never been able to figure out how to *properly* use the flash
> with 400 film. The latter has two ASA settings: 100 and 400.
>
> When one turns on the flash (sets the f-stop lever to "flash") one can
> see that the lens is set to almost wide open. The back of the flash has
> a simple guide that show the range with ASA 100 is 9ft. at f2.8 and with
> ASA 400 it is 18ft at f5.6 . The system works fine with EI 100 film.
>
> However, if one has 400 film in the XA and sets the lens to f5.6 (after
> turning on the flash)... and fires the camera in dim light, the shutter
> will stay open long enough to get "proper" exposure without the flash!!
> This leads to always severe ghosting!
>
> What should I be doing to use the flash with 400 film...other than leave
> the f-stop lever at flash, i.e., almost wide open--even with 400 film?
>
> Thanks for any tips!
>
> -Ron Snider-
>
> --
> **Remove anti-spam X's before replying, thanks!**
--
** remove the anti-spam X's before replying!**
Merritt Reece
The camera setting for flash is the same irregardless of film setting.
changing the film setting on the flash is like changing color settings
on a auto thyristor flash such as a vivitar 283. The flash simply
measures the light during the exposure with the sensor that you are
changing when you move the little lever.
steven T koontz
>
> I should have said:
> -the ASA setting on the camera itself is set to 400.
> -the ASA selector on the flash itself is set to the 400 position.
> -I can visibly see that the lens is set to "almost wide open" (looks like
> something like f3.5) no matter which ASA (100 or 400) is selected.
> -that is why I am confused. Where does the f5.6 come into the situation? How
> does the lens get set to f5.6 if I leave the f-stop lever in the "flash"
> position? I am sure the lens *does not* stop down to f5.6 at the instant the
> flash goes off...or any similar hi-tech scenario!
> -I understand that the built in auto exposure mechanism will kick-in if I
> move the lever off the "flash" setting...and thus the severe ghosting in dim
> light. I realize that.
>
> Thanks for any further insight!
>
>
bet if you set camera and flash to 400asa and set aperature setting to
"flash" it will work great.. mine works fine with 400asa film doing
that.. I think what happens is when set to "flash" it auto sets
shutter to 1/60 or something like that and lets the auto flash take
over exposure.. They make you shoot flash at max aperature to get the
most range out of the small flash. These flashes have an eye that
reads the amount of light required and only gives it that much.. When
you set to other than "flash" the camera assumes you aren't using
flash and does a time exposure.. You can set flash on "full" at normal
aperatures and use for fill flash outdoors in daylight.. Varying the
aperature will vary the effect of flash vs ambient. Something to play
with..
A note did you know that camera will do auto exposures at night for
up to 7 sec.? I set mine on something and use self timer and get some
cool night shots with no flash that way... Also varying the asa will
bracket exposures for slide shooting.
ron_s...@hotmail.com
'80s) is a guide for fill-in shooting with the flash set on full...or
something. If Olympus have technical help on line, maybe it's something I
could ask them! It's a nice little camera from the era before auto-focus.
I haven't tried night shots with it, thanks for the tip. And thanks to
everyone who posted.
-Ron Snider-
> Well my flash says nothing about f3.5 or 5.6 or anything like that.. I
> bet if you set camera and flash to 400asa and set aperature setting to
> "flash" it will work great.. mine works fine with 400asa film doing
> that.. I think what happens is when set to "flash" it auto sets
> shutter to 1/60 or something like that and lets the auto flash take
> over exposure.. They make you shoot flash at max aperature to get the
> most range out of the small flash. These flashes have an eye that
> reads the amount of light required and only gives it that much.. When
> you set to other than "flash" the camera assumes you aren't using
> flash and does a time exposure.. You can set flash on "full" at normal
> aperatures and use for fill flash outdoors in daylight.. Varying the
> aperature will vary the effect of flash vs ambient. Something to play
> with..
>
> A note did you know that camera will do auto exposures at night for
> up to 7 sec.? I set mine on something and use self timer and get some
> cool night shots with no flash that way... Also varying the asa will
> bracket exposures for slide shooting.
>
> --
>
> steve's photography & Z car stuff @ http://www.mindspring.com/~skoontz
> sko...@mindspring.com
>
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