I use Nikon DSLR's and also have a couple of Jessops 360AFDN dedicated flashguns. I recently dug out an old Metz 45CT1 left over from my film days to try out. Triggered via wireless to save frying my flash circuitry, whilst the computer thyristor appears to be working perfectly, the shots taken were all grossly overexposed. Only when the flash was used in manual and aperture read from the dial were the shots accurately exposed. Does this mean that my DSLR flash circuitry only measures flash intensity and takes no account of flash duration?
computer thyristor flash with DSLR
- Thread starter jimedge
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arad85
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No, it means you can only use manual settings with off camera flash. The camera controls the flash output with a compatible flash gun, but can only fire the flash (and not control its output) when off camera. Unless you have expensive wireless AND a compatible gun.
No, you dont.
Early guns, like my sunpaks, metz and vivitar all used auto thyristor flash where the flash detected how much light had been put out and quenched itself when it thought enough light for a given aperture had been released.
I still use it now occasionally, as it can be more reliable than ttl (both in output and in triggering via radio). You can use them with reflective umbrellas as long as the head can rotate 180degrees (the viv cant, sunpaks and metz can).
Either you set the iso wrong, set the wrong aperture on the flash/lens or it is faulty. My 45cl1 is extremely accurate and consistent in auto, and is virtually the same as your ct1. You were right not to trigger it via the cable, really high voltage on the CT range!
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