I had an SB-15 but it died on me. I loved it. Used it for years. I put a strip of lens cleaning tissue over the flash tube to soften it. I used it on my FM2 and FE2. I have the SB-16 for my F3.
In answer to tron3`s question about the differences between the SB17 and SB12. the main difference is that the SB12 has no auto aperture settings and no bounce facility. It is however a TTL and manual flashgun and has a wide panel which I believe is the SW4. Hope this helps.
Hi Paul, I found this video really helpful. I can't figure out how to read the dials at the top. Am I to believe that the flash is only usable at certain ranged when set to each aperture? How would you recommend I should learn this? Thanks.
Hi Dan, if you have you`re SB17 in front of you set it to 100 iso(asa) and at the normal setting. If you are using auto apertures they should be f4 and f8. I f you now look at the aperture ranges at f4 the usable range is 1 to 6 meters, as long as your subject is within that range you`re good to go. At f8 the range is 0.8 to 3 meters. In TTL mode the dial is a useful guide to ranges at different apertures but you can only use f2 to f22 and iso (asa) 25 to 400. The SB17 and F3 work well together. I forgot to mention the wide panel SW-6 which is neat little addition to this set up and allows coverage of 28mm lenses. Hope that this has been helpful. Paul
BEfore i even try to understand how this flash works - do you need a TTL cable to use TTL? Or just mount it on your hotshoe and you're all set? [Ok, i just figured out i have an SB-10 which is probably the simplest model ever...no TTL even..]
Hi eladbari, your SB10 cannot be fitted directly to a Nikon F3, however you may be able to get a secondhand AS4,AS7 or AS17 to adapt this Flash gun for use on an F3. You will however have to control the flash output manually of use the auto settings on the gun itself. I you use an SB17 or SB16A on the F3 camera TTL is available with the flash mounted on the hotshoe, the SC14 cable will give TTL control off the camera. Sorry if my video was confusing, I tend to do them off the cuff and unscripted but hope I`ve cleared up an issues. Hope this has been helpful Best wishes Paul
@@paulhill3575 hey Paul! Thank you for the kind response! I have a Nikon FE + FE2 + F100. All I wanna do is be able to use flash in the simplest way possible. Like you have Aperture priority mode- which takes a big load off your mind (compared to exposing fully manually) - i hope there's also a way to set & forget flash and just start shooting. Please, Paul, take it from here. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Thanks 😊
@@eladbari Hi again. OK the S10 was designed to be used with the FE (no TTL) but can be used with your other two cameras as well without TTL. The best way to use this set up indoors is set the flash speed on the camera unless it sets it automatically, set the aperture on the camera, focus then set the aperture on the flashgun appropriate to the distance on the lens. Hope this was helpful Paul
@@paulhill3575 Thank you for this! I still don't understand the workflow, though: 1. "set the flash speed on the camera (unless it sets it automatically)" - The only controls on the camera are shutter speed + aperture + ISO. So what is a "Flash speed" exactly? 2. "set the aperture on the camera"- Ok, that I understand. 3. "focus then set the aperture on the flashgun appropriate to the distance on the lens." - I don't understand. What decides my aperture opening? Is it the flashgun who decides it? Or is it me deciding what aperture i wanna shoot on my lens [and then i match that number on my flashgun]. I was just confused that you mixed aperture size with distance... Hope you can explain again, or send a video link to an english tutorial if you ever saw one :) Thanks Paul!
@@eladbari Hi again. Ok, try this. Set your FE to auto, you flash or synch speed is set by the camera to 1/90 second. Now you need to focus on your subject then you choose from the two apertures on the SB10 the most appropriate one to use, in this case f4 2ft-20 or f8 2ft to10ft. The flash controls light output and cut off, you can literally then just focus and shoot, f4 for subject further away, f8 for closer subjects. just make sure that you set the same film speed on both the camera and the flash gun. Hope this is helpful Best wishes Paul
Hello Paul. Weird question: do you know how to remove the ISO dial? I need to clean mine on the inside but can't figure out how to remove it. The centerpiece of the knob in the center seems flexible, and I assume there is a screw underneath, but I can't figure out how to loosen it. There may be a special tool needed.
Hi clan:rewired Good question as my flashgun is also dusty. I really don't know the answer to this but I would imagine that the dial is fixed inside the case in some way but don't quote me on that. If you do find a solution please let me know. Sorry I can help. Best wishes Paul
I had an SB-15 but it died on me. I loved it. Used it for years. I put a strip of lens cleaning tissue over the flash tube to soften it. I used it on my FM2 and FE2. I have the SB-16 for my F3.
In answer to tron3`s question about the differences between the SB17 and SB12. the main difference is that the SB12 has no auto aperture settings and no bounce facility. It is however a TTL and manual flashgun and has a wide panel which I believe is the SW4. Hope this helps.
Hi Paul, I found this video really helpful. I can't figure out how to read the dials at the top. Am I to believe that the flash is only usable at certain ranged when set to each aperture? How would you recommend I should learn this? Thanks.
Hi Dan, if you have you`re SB17 in front of you set it to 100 iso(asa) and at the normal setting. If you are using auto apertures they should be f4 and f8. I f you now look at the aperture ranges at f4 the usable range is 1 to 6 meters, as long as your subject is within that range you`re good to go. At f8 the range is 0.8 to 3 meters. In TTL mode the dial is a useful guide to ranges at different apertures but you can only use f2 to f22 and iso (asa) 25 to 400. The SB17 and F3 work well together. I forgot to mention the wide panel SW-6 which is neat little addition to this set up and allows coverage of 28mm lenses. Hope that this has been helpful.
Paul
very precise overview! I love it thank you so much : )
Hi there Bro Harry,
happy to help.
Happy snapping
Paul
BEfore i even try to understand how this flash works
- do you need a TTL cable to use TTL? Or just mount it on your hotshoe and you're all set?
[Ok, i just figured out i have an SB-10 which is probably the simplest model ever...no TTL even..]
Hi eladbari, your SB10 cannot be fitted directly to a Nikon F3, however you may be able to get a secondhand AS4,AS7 or AS17 to adapt this Flash gun for use on an F3. You will however have to control the flash output manually of use the auto settings on the gun itself. I you use an SB17 or SB16A on the F3 camera TTL is available with the flash mounted on the hotshoe, the SC14 cable will give TTL control off the camera. Sorry if my video was confusing, I tend to do them off the cuff and unscripted but hope I`ve cleared up an issues.
Hope this has been helpful
Best wishes
Paul
@@paulhill3575 hey Paul! Thank you for the kind response! I have a Nikon FE + FE2 + F100. All I wanna do is be able to use flash in the simplest way possible. Like you have Aperture priority mode- which takes a big load off your mind (compared to exposing fully manually) - i hope there's also a way to set & forget flash and just start shooting.
Please, Paul, take it from here. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Thanks 😊
@@eladbari Hi again. OK the S10 was designed to be used with the FE (no TTL) but can be used with your other two cameras as well without TTL. The best way to use this set up indoors is set the flash speed on the camera unless it sets it automatically, set the aperture on the camera, focus then set the aperture on the flashgun appropriate to the distance on the lens.
Hope this was helpful
Paul
@@paulhill3575 Thank you for this!
I still don't understand the workflow, though:
1. "set the flash speed on the camera (unless it sets it automatically)" - The only controls on the camera are shutter speed + aperture + ISO. So what is a "Flash speed" exactly?
2. "set the aperture on the camera"- Ok, that I understand.
3. "focus then set the aperture on the flashgun appropriate to the distance on the lens." - I don't understand.
What decides my aperture opening? Is it the flashgun who decides it? Or is it me deciding what aperture i wanna shoot on my lens [and then i match that number on my flashgun].
I was just confused that you mixed aperture size with distance...
Hope you can explain again, or send a video link to an english tutorial if you ever saw one :) Thanks Paul!
@@eladbari Hi again. Ok, try this. Set your FE to auto, you flash or synch speed is set by the camera to 1/90 second. Now you need to focus on your subject then you choose from the two apertures on the SB10 the most appropriate one to use, in this case f4 2ft-20 or f8 2ft to10ft. The flash controls light output and cut off, you can literally then just focus and shoot, f4 for subject further away, f8 for closer subjects. just make sure that you set the same film speed on both the camera and the flash gun.
Hope this is helpful
Best wishes
Paul
Nice
Hello Paul.
Weird question: do you know how to remove the ISO dial? I need to clean mine on the inside but can't figure out how to remove it. The centerpiece of the knob in the center seems flexible, and I assume there is a screw underneath, but I can't figure out how to loosen it. There may be a special tool needed.
Hi clan:rewired
Good question as my flashgun is also dusty. I really don't know the answer to this but I would imagine that the dial is fixed inside the case in some way but don't quote me on that. If you do find a solution please let me know. Sorry I can help.
Best wishes
Paul