I know this isn't directly about film processing and development but I can't think of a better place to ask this question: I have a Vivitar 285 flash that senses light returned to the sensor on the flash and adjusts the duration of flash to keep exposure constant. Has anyone tried using this automated feature to control fill flash? My concern is that bright ambient light will quench the flash too early.

I am planning to run a test on this for myself but was wondering if anyone had an opinion on this.

-- Don Karon (dkaron@socal.rr.com), June 17, 2000

Answers

I use a sunpack auto 522. For my model I need to use the flash on manual and adjust the power output to 1 f stop less (stop down) from the meter reading. Check your instruction book I believe the more current models can perform this function automatically.

-- Robert Orofino (rorofino@iopener.net), June 18, 2000.

The method given by Robert is the one which is most easily understood and offers the most control. If want to use the sensor, proceed as follows:

If you use the flash as you would indoors, I would expect it to radiate too much light rather than too little, lighting up the shadows to a degree that they are no longer recognizable as shadows at all. Therefore, use the flash as indoors, but enter an EI about one f-stop higher than you are actually using, or stop down your camera one f-stop beyond what's recommended by the flash.

-- Thomas Wollstein (thomas_wollstein@web.de), June 19, 2000.