Braun F810 User manual

I
                 The equipment

                The F 810 professionalis an electronic
                     flash outfit designedon the unit construction
                     principle.

                         Its individualunitsare.
                   a generatorunit,four power supply units
                 and the lamp headwith reflectorand
                   connectingbracket.

                The followingusefuladditionalequipment
                          is also available:FL 300 extensionflash-
                   head,FZK 80 extensionflash-headand FZ 1
                    photo-cell.slave unit'.
                 The generatorunit which provides
                    the electricenergyrequiredfor producing
                    the flash,also containsthe automaticpower
                   supplycontroldevice.

                 The four individualpower supplyunitsare:
                   a barixaccumulatorunit,a nickelcadmium
                     battery unit, an extra large nickel cadmium
                     batteryunit and a mainsunit.
                 Eachof these is entirelyself-containedand,
                     with the exceptionof the extra large NC
                     batteryunit, they are all outwardlyidentical.
                 Any one of the units can be affixedto the
                   generatorunit to supplythe necessary
                      current.With the attachmentof the power
                   supply unit to the generator,the latter is
                    automaticallyadaptedfor proper operation
                     with that unit.

                 The state of chargeof the lead accumulator
                  needsto be checked,and it must be topped
www.orphancameras.comup with distilledwater from time to time.

The standardand extra large nickelcadmium
 battery units are virtually maintenance-free
 -  they need merely be rechargedfrom time
 to time to retain their working capacity.
 The barix accumulatorand the standard
 nickelcadmiumbatteryyield approximately
 120(240) flashes per full chargeat full
 (reduced)power.

 The extra large NC battery yields
 approximately200 (400) flashes at full
 (reduced)power.

The mains unit convertsthe power it derives
 from the mainssupply into the required
 voltage.

2
Assemblingthe equipment

Connectionof power supply unit:
The desired unit (e.9.the NC battery)is
attachedbelow the generatorunit in such
a way that the two red dots coincide.The
units are lockedtogetherby sliding the
catchesat the narrow ends of the generator
unit to the white mark.

Connectionof lamp unit:
Insertthe 3-pin plug on the lamp cable
into the socket on the side of the generator
unit. Lamp head and cameraare connected
throughthe synchronizinglead,the large
plug on the lead fitting into the socket on
the side of the reflectorhousingand the
smallround plug into the cameraflash
contact(contactX or  il.

3
                              Mounting lamp unit on camera

                           The lamp unit clicks into position on the
                                   flash bracket.The unit can be released from
                                  the bracked by depressing the button at
                                 the base of the lamp unit. The lamp head
                             can thus be used either affixed to the
                             camera, or detached and handheld. In
                                  addition to the screw for attachment to
                            camera or generator unit, the flash bracket
                                          is also provided with a thread to enable it
                                      to be attached to a tripod.

                                  fhe reflector head can be separated from
                                the lamp unit base by loosening a milled-
                            head screw (which itself remains affixed,
                            and thus can not be mislaid). The reflector
                            head can thus be affixed directly to the
                           camera accessory shoe.


E




                                4
                                  Settlng the camera

                                Shutter speeds:
                              With a diaphragm shutter any shutter speed
                             can be used, although it is advisable not to
                                                                   1/tzs                             use anything slower than about
       www.orphancameras.comsecond in order to prevent the unwanted

influenceof the .available' lighting.
A focal plane shutter must be used at
l/sothsecond (or as specified by the camera
manufacturer),becausethis type of
shutter exposes the entire picture area at
one and the same time only when set to
this comparativelylong exposuretime.

The milled ring of the aperturecalculator
on top of the reflector head should be set
so that the appropriatefilm speed lies
oppositethe arrow -  at full output,solid
red arrow and at reduced output, red
bordered arrow. The aperture on the central
disc can now be read off againstthe
appropriatedistance setting on the outer
ring. At the wide-angle reflector setting the
film speed setting should be reducedby
3 DIN degrees(i.e.the ASA numbershould
be halved),or the lens should be opened
up by one stop.

It is always the flash to subject distance,
and not the camerato subject distance,
which is decisive.

Example:
Film 50 ASA, Colour and black-and-white,
full output.
Lampto subjectdistance4 m (:  13,2ft).
Solid red arrow set to 50 (25 at wide-angle
setting).
Apertureis 11 (8) at wide-anglesetting).

In rooms which are comparativelylarge
and of low reflectivity open up the lens
by 1 lzto 1 stop, in small rooms with bright
walls close down the lens by l/2 to 1 stop.

5
                      Firing

                   Set the main switch on the generatorto
                           .1'. The indicatorlight abovethe switch
                         will come on to show that the unit is in





                    the flash is triggeredautomaticallyon
                    releasingthe shutter.The flash can also
                 bed used independentlyof the camera(open
                     flash -  cameraand lamp unit not connected
                   by synchro lead) by means of the red firing
                    button on the lower face of the reflector
                  head.





                   6
                     Selec{ing the light outPut

                 The light intensityof the F 810can be
                     varied by adjustingthe electricalpower
                     output,as well as the angle over which the
                       reflectoremits the light.www.orphancameras.com

The output selector switch is on the back
 of the reflector head.
    O indicatesfull power,
and e  indicatesreducedpower.

The slide switch under the reflectorhead
alters the angle of emissron.
     e  indicatesnormalangle of 600 (ASA),
and (D indicateswide angleof g0o (ASA).

Light level 1.
Full power output (O) and reflector at
normalangle(9)
 :  guide number45 (metres)or  l S0 (ft)
   for 50 ASA (18 DIN).

Light level 2.
Full power output (O) and reflector at
wide-anglesetting (@)
 :  guide number32 (metres)or l0G (ft)
   for 50 ASA (18 DIN).

Light level 3.
Reducedpower output (v)and reflector at
normalangle(€)
 :  guide number22 (metres)or 73 (ft)
   for 50 ASA (18 DIN).

Light level 4.
Reducedpower output (v)and reflectorat
wide-anglesetting (@)
 :  guide number16 (metres)or 53 (f0
   for 50 ASA (18 DIN).

9
 Extensionleads

The lamp unit can be separatedfrom the
camerafor side- or back-lightingby
exchangingthe synchrolead for a longer
one. Synchroleads are availablein lengths
 of 1m, 2m, 3m, 4m and 5m, and there are
also extensionleadsof 5 and 10mwhich
can be used in conjunctionwith the synchro
leads.

Where extra long main lamp cables are
required,pleaseconsultyour Braun service
agency.




1 0
Batteries-  Charging and Maintenance

Before drarging check voltage setting on
chargingplug or mains unitl

The barix accumulator:
This battery is ideal for professionaluse
and for cases where it will be used fairly
frequently.The colouredbeads visible at
the side of the battery unit indicatethe
state of charge.The batteries are fully
chargedwhen all the beads are floating at
the top. When the black (red) beads have
sunk, the batteriesare one (two) thirds
discharged.When the green beads sink the
battery is completelyexhaustedand should
be rechargedat once. The battery will be

unit. The charglngtime for the extra large
 NC battery is about 16 hours, using the
 speciallyprovidedplug. While it is safe
 to exceed the recommendedcfrargingilme
 by about 10 per cent, conilnued excesslve
 charglngwill shortenthe ltfe of the battery.

 In order to keep the NC batteries In top
 conditlonthey should not be ueed to
 compfeteexhaustion(recycllngilme longer
 than 30 secs), nor should they be stored In
 a discfrargedcondition.

 Both barix accumulatorsand NC batteries
 should be fully chargedbefore being stored
 away for an extensive period. They can
 then be put away quite safely for about six
 months.

A special counterdial on the generatorunit
can be set after each flash, to glve a
constantindicationof the numberof flashes
that have been used.


1 1
Topplng up the barix accumulator

 lf the liquid level in the control tubes does
not reach the lower mark after drarging,
the battery must be topped up wtth dtsfllled
water. Unscrew the plugs from the tops of
the battery cells, uslng a coin, and then
add dlstilled water, ucing the plpette
provlded, untll the upper mark ls reached.
Topplng up should take place tmmedtately
after cfrarglng.

The beads in the control tubes may sihk
                                                              slightlyafter toppingup. lf this happens,
                                                        put the battery on chargeagain until all
                                                beads rise to the top





                                                    1 2
                                                    Extensionlamps for studio lighting

                                                      Studio lightingeffects can be achieved
                                                  by addingone or more extensionlamps.

                                                  Both the main lamp and the FL 300
                                                     extensionflash-headderive their power from
                                                       the one generatorunit.The total light output
                                                remainsunaltered,it beingdividedequally
                                              betweenthe flash-headsin the circuit.

                                        When one FL 300 extensionis used,the
                                              main lampand the extensioneachemit
                                               50 per cent of the light previouslygiven by
                                                       the main lamp.lf two FL 300 extensionsare
                                                  connected,eachflash head in the circuit
                                                                   will give r/sof the total lightoutput,and
                        www.orphancameras.com
t

wlth three extensionseach will give only
I lt of the total output.

The FZ'K80 extensionflash-head,on the
other hand, has its own condenser,and
consequentlyits own power supply. lt thus,
in effect, increasesthe light output. With
its own guide number of 30 (metres)for
50 ASA (18 DIN) it has half the llght output
of the main lamp. With one or more FZK 80
extensionsin use the main lamp retains
its full light output.

Both types of extensionflash-headhave
the same facilitiesfor bounceflash and
adjustmentof the reflector angle as the
main lamp unit. When the main flash is
operated,the extensionsfire synchronously.
In view of the extra power called for when
the FZK 80 extensionsare in use, the
recycllngtime is longer under these
conditions.The numberof flashesyielded
by a fully chargedbattery is at the same
time reduced. lt is therefore advisableto
use the mains unit under these working
conditions.

1 3
Aperture setting when using extension
lampe

When using one or more extensionlamps
the effectlve illuminationchangeswlth a
changein lamp positions.The lens aperture
must thus be altered accordingly.Exact
detallson this are containedin the
instructionbookletsfor extenslonlamps.
                                                  l