is the plug at the back of the M6-TTL a standard PC socket? can i use it then to connect to studio flash? thanks...

-- Dexter Legaspi (dalegaspi@hotmail.com), March 17, 2002

Answers

Yes and yes!

:-),

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), March 17, 2002.

The more interesting question is: Is there a way to use the TTL flash feature with those studio flashes?

-- Phil Stiles (Stiles@metrocast.net), March 17, 2002.

As Jack said, "Yes, and yes."

As usual, however, there's also a "but" involved. If your sync cord for the studio strobes has the usual PC-to-household stubby cord at one end, you may find that the flash occasionally fails to fire on the M6 - particularly if you swap cords around, shoot with other cameras and such.

When that happens, reverse the polarity of the household end of the cord. It appears the sync circuitry in the M6 is polarity-sensitive.

As to the question of using the TTL features of the M6 TTL with studio strobes, the general answer is, "no." Most studio strobes do not have the TTL quelching circuitry needed to communicate with the TTL feature in the camera, so exposure with the studio strobes must be measured and set manually.

-- Ralph Barker (rbarker@pacbell.net), March 17, 2002.

Dexter,

I'd be careful about this. I've known a few Sports Illustrated photographers who've blown the circuitry in their EOS-1n's and the like when they've hooked them up to some Speedotron packs and other older units. Same with some fashion guys who shoot with lots of power and fast recycling times. There's a triggering voltage that runs through the synch cord into your camera...it'll fire and won't fry the first time but extended use and you're taking your chances. I'm not sure if on the M6 TTL the PC synch is isolated from the TTL hot shoe or not...but maybe someone else can answer this?

On newer packs, the triggering voltages are lower and 'supposedly' safe for electronic systems. I'd hate to think what replacing the circuitry would cost in a TTL M6. Use a Nikkormat or something similar and you're fine ;-)

-- Carlin (carlinm@abac.com), March 17, 2002.

ah...i don't know if i have a problem...

the reason i asked this was that my friend has a novotron 150 studio flash set...i tried it on my F5 it worked fine...i tried it on the M6 it doesn't! is there an extra step that i should do to make the studio flash work with M6? or is the M6 broken?!

help...

-- Dexter Legaspi (dalegaspi@hotmail.com), March 17, 2002.

Dexter,

As I mentioned above, the M6 TTL's PC socket appears to be polarity sensitive. Try reversing the other end of the sync cord (the end with the household electrical connector), and I'll bet it works. Remember, too, to keep the shutter at the sync speed.

-- Ralph Barker (rbarker@pacbell.net), March 18, 2002.