Fill Flash With a Nikon FE2?

[FilmOnly]

Would there be any effective fill flash capability with a Nikon FE2 and an AI lens? I would like to avoid the cost of an F5, an AI-p lens, and a big modern flash. My subject would be within 40-50 feet, and I would be shooting in daylight, and so I am wondering if something like an FE2/SB-16 combination may work. As you may gather, I am looking to use my AI lenses, and remain within the manual focus realm (I do not need AF). The 1/250th sync speed on the FE2 should be sufficient. I welcome any advice.

 

[Bob-D659]

Fill flash in daylight at 40 feet is going to require some serious flash power. What aperture and film speed are you thinking of using?

 

[mudman]

According to the late great Galen Rowell - Set the TTL mode of the flash down -1.3 ev or so. Should do the trick. If the flash doesn't have a compensation button, change the film speed - faster ISO for less flash, slower ISO for more flash. The SB28 is a great flash for around $100 these days, the SB 26 is even more usable if you decide to start doing off camera flash.

 

[John Koehrer]

40-50 feet? I'm holding a Sunpak Auto 30DX and it gives f2 at 50' full power with ISO 100.

Presuming your exposure with ambient light gives you 1/250 @ f2, you would need to reduce the light from the flash by 50% to about f2.8. Or about 1 stop less than ambient exposure. This all changes with different ISO.

The limitation I think you will deal with is the flash itself, not the camera or lens.

 

[FilmOnly]

I was planning on using ISO 100 film, and hoping for something along the lines of f/5.6 or f/4. After reading the above comments, I can see these apertures are out of the question. Perhaps a 30-foot subject distance might work...

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

What are you photographing? If you're using a long lens there are fresnel flash extenders that will give you about two stops more power by narrowing the beam as long is your lens is longer than 200mm. Google "Better Beamer" to see one of the more popular versions.

Here's a description of the kind of flash setup I use with long lenses--

http://www.davidagoldfarb.com/photo/techbird.htm

 

[eddym]

I shot with an FE2 and SB16 for many years before I bought an F100. The SB16 works great for fill flash. As mentioned above, set it for 1-2 stops below ambient, depending on how much fill you want.

Like others, I am curious about what subjects you want to shoot with fill flash at 40-50 feet....?

 

[FilmOnly]

Thanks, David, Eddy, et. al...

Here is the full scenario. I have actually been pondering this for more than a year. I sometimes shoot trains at a certain east-west track wherein I am faced with something of a side-lit scenario--the sun in the southern sky with the track east-west. Thus, during a fair portion of the day, I am prone to getting some shadows on the locomotive's nose. If I could just get the flash to reach the loco's nose, the shot would look much better.

I have been using my 50/1.8 or 1.4 or 55/1.2 for this shot, but will soon be experimenting with my 200/4 as well. In any case, since a 50 is good for focus from about 30 feet to infinity at f/4, I had been thinking of using the 50 in this manner, as the nose of the loco tends to be about 30 feet away. I had originally mentioned 40-50 feet just to assess what my absolute maximum range might be. Overall, 30 feet at f/5.6 would provide a little bit of "insurance," so to speak. At this locale, the train moves fairly slowly--usually in the range of 15-25 mph--and so 1/250th should be sufficient on most days.

I am appreciative of the advice, as, with regard to fill flash shots, I have worked only with program mode (that was years ago with my N80 and some much closer subjects). Thus, when you say "1-2 stops below ambient," I gather you mean that if I am metering the scene at 250 @ f/4 I should stop down to f/5.6 or f/8 and take the shot? In this scenario, I gather I would be using the flash on manual and at full power? Also, how would I go about setting the flash? I will purchase either an SB16B or SB28. As long as the SB16's power is adequate, I would rather remain more "period correct" with the FE2--again, if possible.

 

[Rol_Lei Nut]

when you say "1-2 stops below ambient," I gather you mean that if I am metering the scene at 250 @ f/4 I should stop down to f/5.6 or f/8 and take the shot?

No, it means that you meter the scene and leave the camera at, say, 1/250 f/4.0, but adjust the flash for f/2.8 or f/2.0.

Or use the flash fully manually (distance calculation) and expose so that your diaphragm is 1-2 stops more closed.

 

[John Koehrer]

You may have a situation where pocket wizards or radio tripped flash could really help out.
You can put the flash nearer the engine for greater light & be able to move around with the camera.
Vivitar 285's have both a zoom head so it can "throw"light further and a power control dial to control output in manual mode.
I have used 283's in auto mode(set to A & shoot away) in daylight with OK results at about 10-15' but closer was better.

 

[Mike1234]

In broad daylight and at 50 feet you'll need one bad-ass flash. If you're shooting tele then make sure you're flash output can be focused that far. Too, you'll need a really fast flash synch such as is available on most leaf shutter lenses. An FE2 synchs at 1/250, right? That's probably not enough speed no matter what flash you're using.

OTOH... if you set the flash closer to the subject and rig a wireless remote... that's more workable.

 

[FilmOnly]

Yes, Mike, 1/250 for the sync speed. I have gone over the numbers, and see that you make some good points here, especially in regard to speed. I read the specs on the Vivitar 285HV, and this would seem to be my best candidate (in regard to both power and price), although the 1/250th sync speed would still be something of an issue (especially on a bright summer day). I have calculated that only on a partly or mostly sunny winter day will the FE2 and 285HV have a chance at doing the job at 30 feet.

 

[Mike1234]

That sounds reasonable. Have you considered a more powerful potato masher flash from Metz or Sunpack? The old 622 Sunpack with the zoom head might have a better chance of achievng your goals if setting up remote flashes is not practical.

 

[eddym]

That sounds reasonable. Have you considered a more powerful potato masher flash from Metz or Sunpack? The old 622 Sunpack with the zoom head might have a better chance of achievng your goals if setting up remote flashes is not practical.

I have that Sunpak and it is indeed much stronger than the shoe mount flashes. I don't think they sell them anymore, do they?

 

[Mike1234]

^^^ I don't know but my old 622 with zoom head I had years ago could reach quite a distance in daylight with my Bronica ETRS leaf shutter set to 1/500. IIRC, it could reach approximately 30 feet in full noon midsummer sunlight zoomed all the way out. It may have been farther but I can't remember.