Nikon FA and TTL flash

[pkr1979]

Hi all,

I just got an Nikon FA Im using with an AI-s lens. I tried using it with my SB-24... it does fire but Im suspecting somethings up.

When I use this flash with my F4 and 50/1.4AF I do not have to set the aperture also on the flash. Its enough to adjust the aperture on the lens. If I use the AI-s lens on the F4 I will have to set the aperture also on the flash. I dont actually know if this has to be done to get the correct amount of light from the flash (?) - but at least it does not read the aperture automatically.

On the FA the SB-24 does not detect the aperture on either of the two lenses. I assume this is because the FA is an older camera then the F4 and that this isnt indicating that it isnt working?

What I dont get though is that is I use the flash in aperture priority the camera will use a shutter speed as if the flash isnt firing (it is). This I assume isnt working as it should? Is there a setting Im missing? I assumed that the SB-24 worked well with the FA or are there better suited flashes?

Cheers
Peter

 

[choiliefan]

I had an FA back in the nineties which worked well with the SB-15 flash.
Perhaps old school is the way to go? Here's the manual at Butkus.org:

https://www.cameramanuals.org/flashes_meters/nikon_sb-15.pdf

 

[pkr1979]

So, Im not sure why, but now the FA seems to recognize the flash and use sync speed in A. Probably user mistake - sorry.

 

[benveniste]

So, I'm not sure why, but now the FA seems to recognize the flash and use sync speed in A. Probably user mistake - sorry.

No worries. At a guess, you didn't quite have the flash attached correctly to the camera. While I haven't used an SB-28, I've used my FA in TLL mode with an SB-28, an SB-30, an SB-800, and third party flash units from Cullman, Metz, and Sunpak.

 

[pkr1979]

Thanks man - you are probably right.

 

[neilt3]

So, Im not sure why, but now the FA seems to recognize the flash and use sync speed in A. Probably user mistake - sorry.

It's possible the contacts need cleaning on the camera body .
Over years of lack of use they develop a bit of surface corrosion/ dirt build up .
Although the centre contact still triggers the flash, the contact for the information pins might be insufficient.
Playing around with the flash , on and off the shoe , might have cleaned it up a bit and got it to behave.