That is interesting and surprising to me.
Because I have made exactly the opposite experience in the Nikon system:
Especially with introducing the 3D flash metering system with the F90/N90 in 1992 I've seen a really huge step forward with TTL metering compared to the auto mode with the metering sensor built-in the flash.
Metering and exposure results became so much better and more precise with the 3D system. The difference was so significant that from that time on I stopped using flash with my older Nikon manual SLRs, and used flash exclusively with the F90, later F5, F100, F80, F6.
The F6 with i-TTL is the top-performer in that regard: brillant results!
That the results are so much better is not surprising, if you look at the physical background: Light is loosing intensity by quadruple in meters. So if you double the distance, light intensity of flash is reduced down to 1/4.
The 3D system is metering both the distance to your subject and the needed flash power, and so you get exactly the needed value.
The built-in sensor in A mode in a flash cannot do that.
My suggestion for solving your problem:
1) Look on the used market for one of the top flashes who still have the in-built sensor, like Metz MZ-54, Nikon SB-800 etc.
There are thousands on the used markets. And these top-flashes are very robust and long-lasting. My oldest is over 35 years old, and still running flawlessly.
2) Use the best tool for the job, be flexible and pragmatic: For flash photography the modern SLRs just work much better than the older ones in my experience.
I would not recommend for example a F2 or FM for flash photography. Better to use a F90/F90X, F5, F100, F80, F6.
And an F90X or F80 can be bought on the used market for ridiculous low prices. Same for the AF-D or AF G lenses.
It's also kinda interesting that interest in speed lights seems to have greatly diminished compared to say, ten years ago. I remember when there was a seemingly large and thriving strobist community. Is there still?
My experience with the F5 TTL flash really sucks. It consitenty underexpose my neg by different amount (so exposure comp doesn't help) So much that I stopped using TTL on the F5. The distance system is for direct flash and I rarely use direct flash. It works OK for fill but I don't use flash as fill that often. I sent the F5 in for service twice due to this and and Nikon said they found nothing wrong. On the older system like the F3 it was OK but not better than non TTL auto.
My experience with the F5 TTL flash really sucks. It consitenty underexpose my neg by different amount (so exposure comp doesn't help) So much that I stopped using TTL on the F5. The distance system is for direct flash and I rarely use direct flash. It works OK for fill but I don't use flash as fill that often. I sent the F5 in for service twice due to this and and Nikon said they found nothing wrong. On the older system like the F3 it was OK but not better than non TTL auto.
If you have a film camera and it doesn't support TTL the most convenient kind of flash to use is one that has an auto mode that uses the sensor on the flash. You can buy old flashes that have this feature and cheap but if you want a new one you're out of luck. Cheap new flashes like the Godox or Younguo are quite good except that they don't have this feature. The only new flash I found that has this feature is the Nikon SB-5000 which is way too expensive to buy if you have something like a Pentax KX or Nikon FM etc..
Interesting that iTTL and Canon eTTL were both about the same vintage, ........... Methinks iTTL and eTTL both went thru some teething issues back in the early days of nTTL.
Interesting that iTTL and Canon eTTL were both about the same vintage, and you experienced flash underexposure with Nikon and so did I with Canon 20D and 30D, but then with the Canon 40D the underexposure issue disappeared (even with the same flash units used on the 20D and 30D) Methinks iTTL and eTTL both went thru some teething issues back in the early days of nTTL.
I suspect that the market for people who wish to use new flashes with 20th century film cameras is quite small. While the Tocad website still lists, the Sunpak PZ58X, it seems to limited to "new old stock."
Sunpak PZ58X Flash - ToCAD America
The Sunpak PZ58X flash for Canon, Nikon or Sony is [...]www.tocad.com
I own this one, but I was disappointed to find out it was incompatible with my Z8:
If you own more than 1 brand of digital camera you would have to have different flashes for different cameras. Besides some old stuff like the Metz 45-CL4 would work just fine on your Z8 using non TTL auto mode. So it's not about using old film camera only.
As I said I suspect I may have a bad unit but I did try to send the camera back to Nikon twice for calibration and they said they found nothing wrong.
If you own more than 1 brand of digital camera you would have to have different flashes for different cameras. Besides some old stuff like the Metz 45-CL4 would work just fine on your Z8 using non TTL auto mode. So it's not about using old film camera only.
The Metz 45 CL-4 Digital provides TTL with the Z8, and then only if you have one of the most recent (now discontinued) SCA modules. I own one with Nikon, Pentax 645, and MFT, and generic modules. It's clumsy and the NiMH battery pack is slowly dying. I do have a AA pack as a backup. But for the Z8, I normally use either an SB-800 or a Godox TT350n in lieu of a popup flash. (I still want an iTTL version of the SB-30, darn it.)
Metz went bankrupt trying to compete with less expensive Chinese offerings. For the list price a new CL-4 Digital and 3 SCA modules, one can now buy 3 Godox V1 or 6 TT685n units for different systems and use the off-system flashes for slaves. While the Metz is still great when you need to machine gun, the higher ISO offered by digital cameras has significantly reduced that need. sic transit gloria mundi.
Interesting that iTTL and Canon eTTL were both about the same vintage, and you experienced flash underexposure with Nikon and so did I with Canon 20D and 30D, but then with the Canon 40D the underexposure issue disappeared (even with the same flash units used on the 20D and 30D) Methinks iTTL and eTTL both went thru some teething issues back in the early days of nTTL.
Yeah I too have been scratching my head reading these comments. My eTTL experience has been excellent, and that includes the 20D. And I was doing all kinds of stuff, with triggers and slave flashes, bouncing off random objects, indoors/outdoors, etc. What's interesting is that more experienced Canon users told me that the Nikon's iTTL was even better back then. I can only think of defective equipment or user error as a possible explanation.
One thing for Nikon iTTL the delay between preflash and actual flash is 167mS which is significant delay.
I assume this is because the measurement preflash doubles as red eye reduction?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?