Nikon SB-4 User manual

NOMENCLATU RE





Auto/manual selector
Synch socket
Mounting foot
Locking nut
Hot-shoe contact





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Colored exposure
                   index
          Flash-to-su blect
           distance scale
               (in meters)
         F/nu mber scale
          Flash-to-su b ject
              d istance scale
                    (in feet)
          Calculator disc
       Film speed index
         Power switch
             Ready-light

     Open flash button
     (Test firing button)

Battery compartment lid

CONTENTS
  Foreword.....      ...   .....    o. 5    Accessories...............         .19
   Features ....    o.....              . o . 6      SynchcordSC-8. ........       .19
   fnstallingthe batteries . . . . . . . . 7        Flash unitcouplerAs-l. . . . . . .20
  Setting-up/                              Nikkormataccessoryshoe..  ...20
   flash synchronizatioll . . . . . . . . . . 8     Features/specifications   . o . . . . . .21
      Nikon F2-series and F cameras . . 8   Cam eralspeedlight
      Nikkormat ELrFT2and  FTr.u . . .10    combination chart. . . . . . . . . . . .22
     Nikon Rl 0, R8 Super Zoom . . . .12
   Automatic exposure operation. . . . .14  r
     Example of automatic
      exposure operation . . . . . . . . .,',6
      Testfiring/openflash. ..  ..  ..   .'i.7
   Manualoverride  . . . . . .     . . . . .18
     Example of manuat override
      operation.  . . . . . . . . . o .   . .18                                                                 '





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FOREWORD

Nikon Speedlight Unit SB-4 has a built-in
computerized series-control system using
an SCR (silicon control rectifier) which
automatically adjusts light intensity for
effective flash photography at all times.
It is compact and lightweight for greater
convenience. The speedlight can be
mounted directly on a camera which has
a hot-shoe contact'or on a camera with a
standard accessory shoe using a synch
cord.  ( For cameralspeedlight combina-
tions, refer to the chart on pp. 22-23.1





                                        5

FEATU RES

Autom atic exposure control              Shortened recycling time and
The amount of light output emitted from     increased firings
the speedlight is automatically controlled    The unit's series-control system reduces re-
according to the flash-to-subject distance      cycling time drastically, especially at shortwithin a range of 4m to 0.6m; this removes                                                distances. Since the speedlight consumes
all worries about exposure calculation.         only the required amount of power for a
                                                flash assignment and stores excess electric
                                                 energy, battery life is extended; consequent-
                                                              ly, the number of firings is increased.
Compact and lightweight
The SB-4 is designed compact and light-
weight for greater convenience in picture-
taking situations which require quick re-
sponse.





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SETTI NG-UP/F LASH SYNCH RON IZATION

Attaching the Sts--l ro rhe Nikorr
F2-series and F cameras
First attach the flash unit coupler AS-1
onto the camera's accessory shoe. Then
turn the locking nut on the SB-4's                 ttmounting-foot until it reaches the upper
limit. Slide the mounting foot forward
onto the AS-1's accessory shoe as far as
it will go. Finally, tighten the locking nut
to secure the unit in place and prevent  it
from accidentally slipping off.



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Flash synchronization
With the Nikon F2-series cameras, a built-in     With the Nikon F, a synch selector is adopt-
synch selector mechanism controls speed-    ed to adiust the camera for use with the
light synch adjustment automatically as you     speedlight. First set the shutter speed at
change shutter speeds. Set the shutter speed     1/60 sec. or slower. Then lift and turn the
at 1/80 sec. or slower. (Note that the red line    knurled synch selector ring around the
between 1/60 and 11125 indicates 1/80 sec.)      shutter-speed  dial of the camera until the
                                  FX mark appears in the selector window.
                                          (Note thot tlte Photomic FTu finder must
                                   be removed to qoin occess to the synch
                                                                         se lec tor ring. )
                    C

Att.rtlrinr llre SB--l to tlre Nikl..ornr.rt
sr'rie: (.ullcr.l\
Nikkormat EL and FT2
Turn locking nut on mounting foot to up-permost limit. Slide foot onto accessory        tx
shoe (hot-shoe contact eliminates need for
synch cord) as far as it will go. Retighten
nut to secure unit and prevent slippage.
Nikkormat FTN
Unscrew camera finder eyepiece. Slip
Nikkormat accessory shoe and replace eye-
piece. Insert synch cord SC-8 into SB-4
synch socket. Turn locking nut on mounting
foot to uppermost limit. Slide foot onto
accessory shoe as far as it will go. Then re-
tighten nut to secure unit and prevent
slippage. Connect synch cord SC-8 to
camera's X terminal.
 (.'Lt ttliott:    ltt.,t'rl  \\ tt(lt  tortl   .\(--,t   irt!'t
(dn)L't'(t':  .\'  lt't'tttittttl itt tttlt'Lttl( |  lo  1'tt-tt't'ttl
 tltt'ctllitlltl lront lirirtq ucLitlt'tttttll.r  v'lrt'rt i!  i'                tT.\lipprd irr ,\iklirtrrttttt  l: Iv 's r-rt r t'ssrrt-.t' slioi'.     -rib-
'10
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Flash synchronization
 With the Nikkormat EL, first set the shutter    The Nikkormat FTx has two synch terminals
speed at 11125 sec. or slower. Then lift and    on the side of the camera. Make sure the
turn the knurled synch selector ring around     synch socket on the SB-4 speedlight  is con-
the shutter-speed dial until the lightning     nected to the X terminal by the accessory
symbol (.9,) appears in the selector window.     synch cord SC-8. The speedlight synch-
With the Nikkormat FT2, set the camera     ronizes with the camera's shutter speed at
shutter speed for 11125 sec. or slower. Due     11125 sec. or slower.
to the built-in automatic MX switchover
mechanism, this is the only step necessary
to ensure proper flash operation.

Attaching the SB-4 to the R10 and
R8 Super Zoom cine cameras
First insert the accessory synch cord SC-8
into the synch socket on the SB-4 speedlight.
Turn the locking nut on the mounting foot
until it reaches the upper limit. Slide the
mounting foot forward onto the accessory
shoe of the R10 or R8 as far as it will go.
Then retighten the locking nut to secure the
unit and prevent it from accidentally  slip-
ping off. Both of these cine cameras have a
speedlight synch terminal (markedS). Con-
nect the synch cord 5C-8 to this terminal.

Caution: The already-charged  speedlight moy
fire occidentolly when it is slipped into the
occessory shoe of the R10 or R8 Super
Zoom cine camera. You con prevent this by
inserting the synch cord SC-8 into the speed-
light synch terminol on the comero in
odvonce.
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Flash synchronization
With the R10 and R8, flash synchronization
is possible only with single'frame shooting.
With the R10, depress the lock release
button and turn the running speed control
dial until the "5F" (single frame) mark
clicks into place opposite the white line.
Then fully open the angle of the shutter
blade opening by depressing the shutter
blade opening control and turning it clock-
wise.
With the R8, first set the camera at 18 fps,
and slide the changeover switch toward the                            .d"S" (single frame) mark. Then fully openthe angle of the shutter blade opening by tr
depressing the shutter blade opening control
and turning  it clockwise.



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AUTOMATIC EXPOSU RE OPERATION
1. Set-  the auto/manual synch selector at
   SgIl[ posruon.   (At auto position, the light scanner
   surrounded by an orange ring is un-
   covered. )
2. Position the


   scale represent intermediate settings, as
    illustrated.
3. Read off the f/nqmber indicated bv tlre
   orange exposure indexof the calculator
    otsc.



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e  4. Set the lens aoerture accordins to this
          f/nrr mhPr.
     With the RlO Super Zoom, set the
      needle in the viewfinder by 213 more
      than the indicated f/number by lifting
     the EE lock/manual aperture setting
        ring. With the R8 Super Zoom, set it by
      1/3 more than the indicated number by
      depressing the central locking button
      and turning the A-M-C knob.
      5. To activate the unit, slide the power
      switch to the ON position. When the
       speedlight is fully charged, the ready-
        light glows and the unit is ready to fire.
     Then compose, focus, and press the
       shutter-release button on the camera-
      The speedlight automatically determines
       the correct flash intensity as long as the
       subject remains within a distance range
       of 4m to 0.6m.
  07*e<)

Caution: Chonge the batteries  if o soft   Example of automatic exposure whining sound is not heord after the circuit                                          operation hos becn switched on. The fully-charged unit
moy fire occidentally when it is mounted on   When using a film rated ASA 100 with a
o metallic occessory shoe which is not pro-    flash-to-subject distance of approx. 2.5m,
 vided with a hot-shoe contoct. you con     line up the speed of the film (100)with the
prevent this by inserting the occessory synch    white delta of the calculator disc. In this
cord SC-8 into the synch socket of the SB-4     case, the colored exposure index indicates
speedlight before mounting the unit onto     that you should set the lens aperture at  f J4.
 the comero shoe.                                         Coution: lf o large port of the picture
                                          oppeors whitish, or the picture includes
                                                  reflecting objects such as a window pane,
                                            the subject moy be slightly underexposed.
                                                   Conversely,  if the picture is unduly dark, the
                                                   subject moy be o little overexposed.





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Test  f iring/open flash
Depress the test firing button if necessary.
The test firing button also serves as the open
flash button for firing several times with the
shutter held open at the B setting for strobe
and other like effects.

MANUAL OVERRI DE
The SB-4 incorporates an override for manu-    Cuution: With the R l0 Supar Zoont,  r.tpert
al control. The overrid-e is used when a    up the lens ttperturc bS 213 rnore thurt tlte
greater or shallower depth of  f ield is desired.    lfnumbcr indicuted b;.'the culculator disc;
To set the speedlight for manual control,     with the R8 Super Zoom, by 113 more.
slide the auto/manual selector to the M posi-   Example of manual override
tion (uncovering the letter "M"). Next, read                                            Suppose that you are using a film rated ASAoff the most suitable f/number correspond-                                              I00, and that the  f lash-to-subiect distance ising to the flash-to-subfect distance by means                                           approx. 2.5m. First slide the auto/manualof the calculator disc. Then set the lens                                                     selector to uncover the letter "M". Then setaperture according to the indicated f/number.                                            the speed of film (ASA 100). The desired
Iln manual control operation, setting the     distance (2.5m) comes midway between
speed of film (RSR number) determines         f 15.6 and f/8. In this case, set the lens aper-aperture/flash-to-sublect distance combina-                                                                     tu re at  f 15 .6.tion. Distance for each aperture setting, or
vice versa, can be observed through the cal-
culator disc. lf the f/number and distance
figure do not line up, choose the f/number
to the desired distance. And if the desired
distance comes midway between two f/num-
bers, choose the smaller f/number-this
means larger lens aperture.]

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ACCESSORIES

                                     Synch
1. Remember that even before completion
of chorging the reody-light glows. lf  the    Connects the SB-4 to the Nikkormat FTN,                                      R10 and R8 Super Zoom, Calypso/Nikkor  II,speedlight fires immediotely ofter the lomp                                                               cameras which havelights up, pictures taken will be slightly    Nikonos III and other                                       no hot shoe. Length: 25cm.underexposed. To prevent this, open up the
lens by ll2 stop more, or shoot sevcral
seconds ofter the lamp lights up. However,
perfect exposures can be made at all times
in automatic exposure operation, except for
the forthest distonce ronge.
2. Continuous firing groduolly deteriorates
the botteries ond mokes recycling time
longer. /ust before the possibility of flosh
dischorge comes to on end, recycling time
goes up to 30 sec. (on manuol).