Maxxum 1800 AF flash with Nikon F4 anyone?

[Minox]

Anyone tried the above combination? I have a Maxxum flash in very good shape, and checked last night on my Nikon F4, seems to be working all right. No film in the camera, but it worked all right on the various settings I put it through. It even fired very fast, when the camera was set on C mode.

I do have the dedicated SB flash for the F4, but I was wondering if this Minolta flash can be also used on the Nikon. It's smaller and cheaper, so it would make a good road companion. My only concern is the possibility of frying the camera if this is not suitable for the F4.

Thank you !

 

[neilt3]

What exactly do you expect it to do ?
It's a dedicated flash for the Minolta 7000AF , 9000AF and 5000AF , and later Minolta AF cameras via a hotshoe adapter .
The only control on the flash is an on/off switch .
There are no power output controls , or sensors for non TTL flash control .
Being a basic dedicated flash , exposure is controlled by the camera body , but only with compatible Minolta bodies .

When mounted on a Nikon body all it will do is fire at full blast when the shutter is fired .
You have no control of the flash output , the only way to control exposure on the film is by the aperture .

If you have a Nikon flash or any non dedicated , non-TTL auto flash , there is no reason you would use this flash .

 

[xkaes]

The first generation of Maxxum cameras (7000,9000,5000) used the same dedicated flash shoe from the earlier, manually-focusing, Minolta X- series of cameras. For auto exposure mode, the camera controlled the flash. Minolta made lots of manual-focus, and auto-focus flash units that used this same, dedicated shoe and it will provide auto-exposure on various Minolta and Maxxum cameras -- depending on the flash & the camera. They both have to have the same dedicated shoe. No other camera brand used that exact, dedicated shoe (except some Seagull-made cameras made in China).

You cannot get any auto-exposure features by using these Minolta & Maxxum dedicated hot-shoe flashes and any other cameras -- except particular Minolta & Maxxum (and Seagull) cameras.

You can get them to work in manual mode -- if the camera has a hot shoe -- but that's it. Just because you set "Camera XYZ" to "AUTO MODE", and the flash fires, does not mean that a correct exposure will result.

 

[Minox]

Perhaps my question was not clear enough: I just wanted to know if this flash will damage the F4's circuitry in some way, if used on this camera. I know it's a proprietary flash for the Minolta Maxxum cameras.

Thank you !

 

[neilt3]

No , the trigger voltage won't do it any harm .
Some older flashes have higher trigger voltages that might do harm .

For more information, see here ;

Photo Strobe Trigger Voltages

www.botzilla.com

 

[neilt3]

Don't Nikon do some small , cheap , TTL flash ?
Having the option of TTL would be a big help at times .
Other small cheap options are these ones that are just a basic auto/manual flash with a sensor on the front to shut the flash off .
Just check the list I linked to for flash voltage .
They frequently sell for less than £5 , and save you from just firing a flash at full blast for every shop and having to stop the lenses aperture down to defraction educed softness for each shot .

 

[Chan Tran]

I have a couple of SB-15 which I paid about $5 for each. They are small and works well with the F4. TTL flashes (any brand) generally have low trigger voltage so it won't harm you camera but being from another brand you can't use the TTL feature and the 1800AF offers little else so it's not a good flash to use with the F4.

 

[Minox]

Well, question was asked, question got replied to. Thank you !