Metz MECABLITZ 34 AF-3 M User manual

TV • VIDEO • CAMCORDER • MECABLITZ
MECABLITZ 34 AF-3 M
Operating instructions

Foreword
Dear Customer,
We thank you for your confidence in our meca-
blitz MB 34 AF-3M.
The MB 34 AF-3M flashgun has been especial-
ly designed for Minolta system cameras of the
Dynax series. IMPORTANT: Never mount the
flashgun in the accessory shoe of any other
system camera, otherwise the flashgun’s foot
or the camera’s accessory shoe can be dest-
royed! The dedicated contacts in the foot of the
MB 34 AF-3M only support the controlling
commands of Minolta system cameras.
The following pages give details for the correct
operation of the mecablitz flashgun and summari-
ze its fields of application.
Please read these operating instructions carefully,
even if, at first sight, some points may not appear
to
be of interest. Our design work placed
particular
value on ensuring that operation of the mecablitz is
as simple
as possible, but it should be noted that
the system cameras for which the flashgun is
intended offer a great diversity of capabilities.
We wish you much pleasure with your new Metz
flashgun in conjunction
with a Minolta Dynax
system camera to light up the darkest points, and
for creative flash lighting.
1

Contents
1. Safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
2. Preparing the mecablitz for use . . . . . . .24
2.1 Power supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
2.2 Loading and replacing the batteries . . . . . .24
2.3 Automatic flashgun cut-out circuit . . . . . . .25
2.4 Mounting/Removing the mecablitz . . . . . . .25
3. Setting the mecablitz into operation . . .26
3.1 Preconditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
3.2 Switching the flashgun on and off . . . . . . .26
4. Flashgun instructions to the camera . . .27
4.1 Flash-ready indication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
4.2 Automatic flash sync speed control . . . . . .27
4.3 Correct-exposure indication . . . . . . . . . . .27
4.4 Information displayed in the
camera’s viewfinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
5. TTL flash control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
6. Flash synchronisation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
6.1 Normal synchronisation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
6.2 Slow-synchronisation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
6.3 Second curtain synchronisation . . . . . . . . .31
7. Flash in the individual camera modes . .32
8. Autofocus measuring flash . . . . . . . . . . .33
9. Flash techniques and flash functions . .34
9.1 Automatic fill-in flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
9.2 Exposure correction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
10.
Lighting and attachments . . . . . . . . . . . .35
11. Care and maintenance -
Manual firing button
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
12. Technical data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Lighting distances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
2

1. Safety instructions
•NEVER fire a flash in the immediate vicinity of
the eyes! Flash fired directly in front of the eyes
ofapersonoranimalcandamagetheretinaand
leadto severevisual disorders- evenblindness!
• Spent batteries should be immediately remo-
ved. Chemicals leaking out of spent batteries
will damage the flashgun.
• Do not short-circuit batteries! DANGER OF
EXPLOSION!
• Batteries should not be exposed to excessive
heat, for instance sunshine, fire and the like!
•NEVER throw spent batteries in a fire!
• Do not expose the flashgun to dripping or
splashing water!
• Protect the flashgun against excessive heat and
high humidity levels! Do not keep the flashgun
in the glove compartment of a car!
• In the event of flash shots with full light output
observe an interval of at least 3 minutes after a
series of 20 flashes. This will protect the flash-
gun against overload.
•
NEVER place material that is impervious to light
in front of, or directly
on, the reflector screen.
The reflector screen must be perfectly clean
when a flash is fired. The high energy of the
flash light will burn the material or damage the
screen if this is not observed!
•NEVER dismantle the flashgun! DANGER: HIGH
VOLTAGE! There are
no components inside the
flashgun that can be repaired by a layperson.
Disposal of batteries
Do not dispose of spent batteries with domestic
rubbish.
Please return spent batteries to collecting points
should they exist in your country!
3

4
2. Preparing the mecablitz for use
2.1 Power supply
The flashgun can only be operated with 2 CR2-type lithi-
um batteries. This type of battery can be stored for many
years with practically no loss of energy, thus making it
ideal for occasional amateur flash photography.
Batteries have become discharged or spent
when recycling takes more than 60 seconds.
The batteries should be removed from the
mecablitziftheflashgunisnotgoingtobeused
for a prolonged period.
2.2 Loading and exchanging batteries
• Turn off the flashgun with the main switch.
• Press the unlocking catch, slide the battery
compartment lid to the right and fold open (see
fig. 1).
• Insert the batteries according to the indicated
battery symbols.
The supplied lithium batteries are expendables
and, as such, are not subject to our warranty pro-
visions.
After the batteries have been inserted, fold down
the battery compartment lid, and push to the left
until it engages audible with the unlocking catch.
☞
☛
➭
Fig. 1: Unlocking and exchanging batteries

2. Preparing the mecablitz for use
5
When loading the batteries ensure correct pola-
rity.Incorrectlyloadedbatteriescandestroythe
flashgun! All batteries must be of the same
make and have the same charge level.
Exhau-
sted batteries must not be thrown into the
dustbin! Contribute to the protection of the
environment and discard exhausted batteries
at the appropriate disposal points.
2.3 Automatic flashgun switch-off
To avoid accidental battery discharge the flashgun
automatically switches itself off to save power
approximately 8 minutes after
- the flashgun was switched on
- the last flash was fired
- tripping the camera release, or
- switching on the camera light metering system.
The green flash-ready indicator is turned off.
To turn on the mecablitz again switch the main
switch OFF and then ON. The flashgun should
always be turned off if it is not being used.
2.4 Mounting/Removing the flashgun
• Turn off the mecablitz.
• Press the unlocking catch at the back of the
mecablitz (see fig. 2).
• Slide the mounting foot into the camera’s
mounting shoe.
•
Always turn off the flashgun before it is removed.
• Press the unlocking catch at the back of the
mecablitz (fig. 2) and withdraw from the camera.
☞
Fig. 2: Unlocking catch
☛

6
3. Setting the mecablitz into operation
3.1 Preconditions
The mecablitz must only be used with TTL
flash controlled cameras!
The sensor of TTL flash controlled cameras
measures the light reaching the film through
the camera lens and instantly cuts out the
flash when the film has been correctly expo-
sed. Please refer to the camera’s operating
instructions to find out whether your camera
features this function.
A full-power flash is fired if the camera does
not feature TTL flash control!
In other words: Without TTL flash control, the
mecablitz fires an unmeasured flash at maximum
output.
If there is a flashgun integrated in the camera it
must be switched off or completely folded
down when the mecablitz is used.
Ǻ
Fig. 3: Switching the flashgun on and off
OFF ON
3.2 Switching the flashgun on and off
Set the main switch in the ON position to turn on
the flashgun. The green flash-ready indicator
lights up to indicate flash readiness.
Set the main switch in the OFF position to turn off
the flashgun.

4. Flashgun instructions to the camera
The mecablitz transmits different signals and
messages to the camera when it is connected to
the camera and is switched on.
4.1 Flash-ready indication
The green light on the mecablitz illuminates
when the flash capacitor is fully primed, thereby
indicating flash readiness. This means that flash
can be used for the next exposure. The flash rea-
diness signal is transmitted to the camera where it
is indicated by a corresponding display in the
camera’s viewfinder. On some cameras (depen-
ding on the model) the shutter is automatically
changed to flash sync speed when flash readiness
is reached. The flash will not be fired if the shutter
is released before the flash ready light illuminates
with the result that the exposure may be incorrect
if the camera control circuit has already changed
overto flashsync speed. Please refer tothe came-
ra’s operating instructions for further details.
4.2 Automatic flash sync speed control
Most system cameras automatically change to
flash sync speed when flash readiness is reached.
The flash sync shutter speeds may vary between
1/30th and 1/300th second, depending on the
cameramodel.Pleaserefertothecamera’sopera-
ting instructions for further details.
4.3 Correct-exposure indication (see fig. 4)
The red correct exposure light briefly illuminates
when flash exposure was correct. At the same
time the mecablitz sends an o.k. signal to the
camera for display in the viewfinder.
Please refer to the camera’s operating instructions
for further details.
7

4. Flashgun instructions to the camera
8
Fig. 4: Exposure o.k.
Permanently
2)
The flashgun is primed and
illuminated
ready for firing
or blinks slowly
1)
Permanently The flashgun is primed and
illuminated
2)
ready for firing
or blinks slowly
1)
blinks 2) T he light output was sufficient
blinks rapidly
1)
for correct exposure
Camera models: 3xi / 2xi / SPxi / 5000i / 3000i
blinks The flashgun is being primed
blinks slowly
The flashgun is primed and
ready for firing
blinks rapidly The light output was sufficient
for correct exposure
4.4 Information displayed in the camera’s viewfinder
Camera models 8000i 1)/ 7000i 1)/ 700si 2)
9xi 2)/ 7xi 2)/ 5xi 2)
Displays in Meaning
viewfinder
Permanently The flashgun will be triggered as
illuminated soon as the release is pressed.

5. TTL flash control
The mecablitz receives its information exclusively
from the connected TTL-controlled camera.
Exposure measurement in TTL mode (TTL =
through-the-lens) is completed by the camera’s
sensor. This sensor measures the light reaching
the film through the camera lens. An electronic
control circuit within the camera transmits a stop
signal to the flashgun as soon as the film has been
exposed by the correct amount of light; the flash is
then instantly cut out.
The advantage of the TTL mode is that all factors
influencing the exposure of the film (such as fil-
ters, change of aperture or variable aperture
zooms)are taken intoaccount. Youneed notworry
about adjustment of the light output. The camera’s
electronic system automatically defines the requi-
red amount of light. You can also utilize various
metering facilities
(e.g. spot , matrix or centre-
weighted overall readings)
offered by some came-
ras.
The table on page 37 gives the maximum range
for the selected aperture. The minimum lighting
distance is approx. 15% of the maximum thres-
hold range.
If the actual distance is shorter than the
minimum lighting distance, then this may
result in overexposure.
The speed of films to be exposed under
TTL flash control must be between ISO
25/15°* and ISO 1000/31°. Correct expo-
sures cannot be guaranteed with other
film speeds.
Astrip offilmmust beloadedin thecamera iftests
are to be conducted in TTL flash mode. The effec-
tive flash range can only be checked by the cor-
rect-exposure display (o.k.) if the flash is triggered
by the camera and not with the manual release on
the flashgun!
* With automatic film speed setting (DX): ISO 32/16°
9