Nikon SB-12 Speedlight Instruction Manual
- June 13, 2024
- Nikon
Table of Contents
Nikon SB-12 Speedlight
Specifications:
- Model: Nikon SpeedI
- Battery Type: AA-type pen light batteries (4 batteries required)
- Mounting: Camera’s accessory shoe
- Power Source: Battery
Product Usage Instructions
1. Opening and Loading Batteries:
- Open the battery chamber by sliding the lid in the direction of the arrow.
- Load four AA-type pen light batteries following the + and – symbols inside the chamber.
- Close the battery chamber by sliding the lid back into place.
2. Attaching the Speedlight:
- Rotate the speedlight’s locking ring counterclockwise to uncover the mounting foot.
- Slip the mounting foot onto the camera’s accessory shoe from the front.
- Lock the speedlight securely into place by rotating the locking ring clockwise.
3. Setting Up for Shooting:
- Rotate the flash head to the desired position.
- Set the shooting mode selector opposite the speed of the film in use.
- Set the lens aperture ring according to the camera-to-subject distance indicated on the calculator dial.
4. Turning On and Using the Speedlight:
- Turn on the camera by moving the power switch to uncover the red mark.
- Turn on the speedlight by sliding the power switch to uncover the red mark.
- Check for the LED ready-light to ensure the flash is ready to fire before taking a picture.
FAQ
- Q: How many batteries does the Nikon SpeedI require?
- A: The Nikon SpeedI requires four AA-type pen light batteries.
- Q: How do I know if the flash is ready to fire?
- A: Look for the LED ready-light to come on in the viewfinder, indicating that the flash is ready.
NOMENCLATURE
FOREWORD
Designed exclusively for the Nikon F3, the SB-12 SpeedJight is a direct- mounting electronic\ flash unit providing automatic TTL control of the flash exposure. Because the light is measured through the lens, you are assured of perfectly exposed flash pictures with a wide variety of lenses and accessory attachments for the camera. By using a silicon-controlled rectifier and series circuitry, the Speedlight is able to save its excess energy for the next shot thus reducing recycling time. Even though the SB-12 is as automatic as they come, it is still a good idea to familiarize yourself with the unit’s basic operation as presented in the first section. For more detailed information, please refer to “Controls in Detail.” A few minutes wisely invested now will payoff later in years of rewarding photographic experiences.
BASIC OPERATION
- Open the battery chamber 5 . Slide the lid in the direction of the arrow
- Load the batteries. FollOWing the + and – symbols on the inside of the chamber, load four AA-type penlight batteries into the chamber.
- Close the battery chamber. Slide the lid back into place.
- Attach the speedlight to the camera’s accessory shoe. First rotate the speedlight’s locking ring 10 counterclockwise to uncover the mounting foot. Then slip the mounting foot onto the camera’s accessory shoe from the front.
- Lock the speedlight securely into place.Rotate the locking ring clockwise until it stops.
- Rotate the flash head 4 Turn the flash head 90° so that the calculator dial 3 is on top.
- Set the shooting mode selector 13 to”A.”
- Set the exposure calculator dial 3. , Turn the dial until the ASAIISO index 6 is opposite the speed of the film in use . Note the color-coded f1numbers which appear on the left side of the color-coded lines 1. These lines indicate the range of camera-to-subject distance in which the correct flash exposure can be obtained. For example, if you’re using ASAIISO 100 film and select £14, the automatic shooting range is indicated by an orange line. Thus, you can shoot any subject located between approx . 1 and 6 meters (approx . 3 and 20 feet) away from the camera .
- Set the lens aperture ring to an appropriate f/number. Referring to the calculator dial, select an f-number that is appropriate for the camerato- subject distance; then set this fin umber on the lens . Any aperture can be used as long as the subject is within the automatic shooting range .
- Set the shutter speed dial to “A.”
- Turn on the camera. Move the power switch to the right to cover the red mark.
- Turn on the speedlight. Slide the power switch 7 to the right to uncover the red mark.
- Look into the viewfinder. As soon as the LED ready-light comes on, the flash is ready to fire. If you depress the shutter butlon halfway, you’ll notice that the LCD displays 80 indicating that the proper synchronization speed of 1/80 sec . has been automatically set by the speed light.
- Take picture If the LED ready-light 8 does not blink, then you have a perfect flash exposure.
- Turn off the speedlight. To conserve battery power between shooting sessions, slide the power switch to the left.
CONTROLS IN DETAIL
Mounting Foot 10
The SB-12 features a mounting foot designed for exclusive use with the F3’s new accessory shoe. Inside the foot are three pins 11 which make contact with the three electrical contacts on the accessory shoe. They provide: 1) direct synchronization contact between the flash unit and the camera; 2) LED ready- light signal transmission, plus auto switching to the proper synchronization speed of 1/80 sec. with the camera on “AUTO”, or manually set to 1/125 sec . or above; and 3) through-the-lens control of the flash exposure using the camera’s SPDmetering cell as the auto sensor.
Flash Head CD
The SB-12’s flash head rotates through an arc of 180° with click-stops every 90°. With the speedlight unit mounted on the camera, it is recommended to turn the flash head to the horizontal position (with the calculator dial on top) to insure adequate coverage when using wideangle lenses. In this position, the angle of coverage is 56° horizontal and 40 ° vertical allowing the SB-12 to be used with a 35mm wideangle lens . With the optional Wide-Flash Adapter SW-4, coverage is wide enough for a 28mm lens. Using the SB-12 in the vertical pOSition is generally not recommended, since this will result in inadequate coverage with light fall-off in the corners of the frame . The color temperature of the SB-12’s light output makes it suitable for use with daylight -type color film.
Shooting Mode Selector 13 On Auto
To shoot on Auto , slide the shooting mode selector to “A.” The SB-12 is able to vary its light output automatically to match the camerato- subject distance. The farther away the subject is, the more light is emitted; the closer the subject, the less light is given off . In addition, recycling time varies with distance. The closer the su bject, the shorter the recycling time and vice versa.
On Manual
The SB-12 incorporates an override for manual control. You can use it in situations requiring a regular electronic flash unit . To use, slide the shooting mode selector to “M.” Then the SB-12 will fire at its maximum light output.
Flash synchronization
As soon as the SB-12 is mounted onto the F3’s accessory shoe and turned on, the shutler speed is automatically switched to the proper synchronization speed of 1/80 sec. This is the case when the shutter speed dial is at “A” or manually set to 11125 sec. and above . However, if the dial is manually set to 1/80 sec . (X) or below, the flash unit synchronizes with the shutler speed selected.
Exposure Calculator Dial 3 For Automatic Operation
The SB-12’s exposure calculator dial helps you select the usable range of f/stops for the speed of the film in use and the camera-to-subject distance. On the dial there are eight f/stops to choose from. Each f/stop determines the usable distance range in which you can obtain the correct automatic exposure. The automatic shooting range for each f/stop is indicated bya color-coded line 1 . When the subject distance remains the same, the larger the aperture selected, the less the depth of field in the final photograph, and the maximum shooting distance is greater, but the recycling time of the\ speedlight is shorter. On the other hand, the smaller the aperture, the g reater the depth of field, but the recycling time is longer and the maximum shooting distance is less. Therefore, in chOOSing an f/stop, all these factors should be taken into consideration. The follOWing two examples explain how to use the exposure calculator dial:
Example 1
If you are using ASAIISO 100 film, you can shoot subjects at distances from 0.6m to 12m (approx. 2ft to 40ft) at the respective f/stops shown in the table .
Example 2
With ASA/ISO 100 film and a subject three meters (approx . 10ft) away, you can shoot at any aperture from fl2 to flS. If a short recycling time is preferable, use fl2. If greater depth of field is desired, use liS. A good compromise is lI5.6 . Once you’ve selected the appropriate lIstop for the film in use, set this on your lens and fire away. Your pictures will come out properly exposed.
For Manual Operation
Simply read off the lIstop which is opposite the distance (1) from camera to subject; then set this aperture on your lens.
Ready-Light 8
Built into the back of the SB-12 is a ready-light which comes on as soon as the speedlight is recycled and ready to fire. Another readylight also appears inside the camera’s viewfinder aUhe same time . Thus, without removing your eye from the eyepiece, you can tell when the flash unit is ready for the next shot. Both ready-lights also blink to warn you of the folloWing conditions: I ) when the SB-12 is not
attached properly to the F3’s accessory shoe;
when the ASA/ISO dial on the camera is not set between ASA/ ISO 25 and 400; or
3) when the speedlight fired at its maximum output indicating that the light
might have been insuffic ient for correct exposure . The warning blink is
approx. 2 seconds in duration.
Open-Flash Button 9
Located on the back of the SB-12, the red open-flash button is used to fire the flash unit manually without having to trip the camera’s shutler. In this manner, you can create multipleexposure “stroboscopic” effects or paint the scene with light by firing the speedlight re peatedly with the camera set to “B” or “T.” The open-flash button is also used for test-firing the speedlight.
Sync Socket 12
Plug one end of the optional SC-II Sync Cord into this socket and the other end into the camera’s sync terminal. Then you can remove the speedlight from the F3’s accessory shoe for off-camera operation . Automatic operation is not possible when using the SB-12 off-camera . In this case, set the shooting mode selector to “M” and compute the exposure manually. The sync socket also allows you to connect more than one SB-12 together for multiple lighting setups.
ACCESSORIES
Wide-Flash Adapter SW-4
This diffuser slides over the SB-12’s flash head to increase the angle of coverage from the normal 56° horizontal and 40 ° vertical to 67 ° and 48° respectively. This insures that there will be adequate coverage when a 28mm wideangle lens is used. At the same time, the guide number (ASA/ISO 100 and meters) is reduced from 25 to 18, or from 40 to 28 (ASAIISO 25 and feet). For the a utomatic shooting ranges, please refer to the table on page 17.
Sync Cord SC-ll (Not pictured)
For off-camera or multiple-flash lighting setups.
“RED EYE
This phenomenon, in which a subject’s eyes appear red in color photographs taken with flash, results from the fl ash directly \illuminating the retina . To avoid this, ask the subject not to look straight into the camera and, if possible, increase the overall illumination in the area where you are shooting to minimize the opening of the subject’s pupils.
SPECIFICATION
No reproduction in any form of this booklet, in whole or in part (except for brief quotation in critical articles or reviews). may be made without written authorization from the publishers.