Nikon Autofocus Speedlight SB-20 User manual

D
D
INSTRUCTION
MANUAL il

F0REW0R0 .............3
NoMENCLATURE..... .........4-6
BAS|C0PERAT!0N
... ........7-13
lnstalling
Batteries .....7
Attaching
FlashUnitto
Camera
AccessoryShoe
......8
Adjusting
FlashHead ...........9
Programmed
TTLAuto
FlashShooting
(with
Nikon
F-501/N2020
or
F-301/N2000)
...10-11
FlashShooting
... .......1213
AUTOFOCUS
FLASH
PHOTOGRAPHY
(with
NikonF-501/N2020
camera
only)..........
14-16
SETTING
CAMERASHUTTER
SPEED .,....,...
17
DETERMINING
APERTURE . 18-32
TTLModE
(for
TTLAutomatic
FlashExposure
Control)
.... 18-22
A
Mode
(tor
Non-TTLAutomatic
Flash
ExposureControl) ........
23-27
MMode
(for
Manual
Flash
ExposureControl)
... 28-31
Guide
Numbet
...... ...........32
SETTING
POWERSWITCH .....33
STBY
(STANDBY)
Position .... 33
0N
Position ....33
OFF
Position ......
.....
33
READY.LIGHT
INDICATIONS .......
34-35
Ready-Light
Warning
Functions ......
35
SYNCHRO.SUNLIGHT
FILL.IN
FLASHPHOTOGRAPHY...... .....36-38
lnTTLMode .. ......37
lnAMode. .....37
InMMode .....38
DIFFUSING
THE
LIGHT ...,.39-41
Bounce
FlashPhotography
Procedure
............
40-41
Using
ADiffuser .......
41
SYNC
HRONIZATION
WITHMOTOR-DRIVEN
CAMERA ,.,,,..42
MULTIPLEFLASH
EXPOSURES .,,,,,..
42
MULTIPLEFLASH
PHOTOGRAPHY
...... ..43.46
TTL
Multiple
FlashPhotography
.. ........
43-45
ManualMultiple
FlashPhotography
... .......
46
AV0IDING
"RED
EYE" ..........
46
CLOSE.UPFLASH
PHOTOGRAPHY
INTTLMODE
.... 47
TIPS
ONSPEEDLIGHT
CARE
. ......
48-49
ABOUTBATTERIES .....50
ACCESS0R|ES....... ........
51-52
SyncCords
SC-1land
SC-15. ........51
TTL
RemoteCordSC-17 ......51
TTL
Multi-Flash
AdapterAS-10
. ......
51
TTL
Multi-FlashSyncCords
SC-18and
SC-19
......52
Flash
UnitCouplers
AS-4and
AS-7.. ,.......52
DCUnit
SD-7
.
. ........52
SPEC|F|CATT0NS
.... .......
53-55
2
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FOREWORD
Thank
you
for
your
kind
patronage
ofNikon.Wehope
theNikonAuto-
focus
Speedlight
SB-20willmake
photography
amuch
bigger
part
of
your
life.
Gettoknow
your
SB-20,
butbeforeusing
it,
besuretoread
both
your
camerainstruction
manualandthismanual.
Nikon
cannotbeheldresponsible
formalfunctionresulting
from
use
of
the
SB-20other
thanasspecifiedinthismanual,
orfromuseofthe
SB-20with
acameramadebvamanufacturer
otherthanNikon.

iIOMEIIGLATURE
Batterycoverindex
Autofocus
assist
illuminator
LED
See
pages
14to 16
Zoom indicator window
Zoom set ring
f W(wide)for
lenses
28mmor
longer
N (normal)lor
lenses
35mm
or
longer
T (telepholo)for
lenses
85mm
or
longer
Lightsensor
for non-TTLauto
flashoperation
Mountingfool locknut
Flashhead
Bounceangleset knob
Rotates
from
-7o to90o
For
bounce
flash
shootino.
see
page
40
Hot-shoe
contacts
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Reflectorslot
For
bounce
flash
(see
page
41
).
Synclmultiplellash terminal
For
(1
)of
f-camera
operationwith
a
synccordand
(2)
mulliple
flash
photography
in
manualflash
operalion
(page
46)
External
powersourceterminal
Accepts
power
cordf
rom
NikonDC
Unit
SD-7.
Before
usingtheSB-20,
peel
off the protective
paper
covering
the panel.

Light
output
index
windows
Used
inMmode Flashmodeindicators
Apertureindexwindow
Used
inAmode
Aperture
scale
window
Film
speedscale
window
Filmspeed
index
Film
speed
knob
Flash
shooting
distance
range
indicators
The
patterned
bar
(fourth
bar
from
thetop)
shows
programmed
TTL
auto
flashinformation.
Distance
scale
window
Distance
scale
selector
Powerswitch
See
page
33.
Flashmodeselector
TTL
mode-for
programmed
TTL
auto
flash/TTLauto
flashoperation
A mode-for non-
TTLauto
flash
operation
Mmode-for
manualflash
operation.
Aperture
index
knob/light
output
selector
knob
Used
inAand
Mmodes
Bounceset
indicator
Lightsup
when
llash
headis
rotated.
Ready-light
See
page
34.
Open-llashbutton
For
(t)test
firinqinAmode.
(2)
multiole
flash
exposures'(page
42\
and
(3)
toiurnon
SB-20
after
itis
automatically
turnedoff
(page
33).
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Installing
Batteries
BASIG
OPERATIO]I
1.Remove
batterychamber
cover. )_Loadfour
1.5VAA-type
-' penlight
alkaline-
manganese
batteriesor1.2V
NiCd
batteriesintothe
batterychamber.
For batteryinformation,
see page
50.
? Toreattach
battery
-' chamberooYer,
alignlront
edgeofthecover
with
batterycovsr
index
onthe
flash
unit,then
push
coYer
downandslide
asfaras
it
goes.

AttachingFlash
UnittoCamera
Accessory
Shoe
4_
Tum
the
mountingfoot
" locknutclockwiseas
far
as
itgoes.
f,, Slide
mountingloot
-' forvardinto
tli'ecamera's
accessoryshoeasfarasit
goes.
at--r-rrrr-rrrrlrrl,
I WithNikonF3-seriescameraswithDE-2
or I
I Og-glinder:
AttachFlash
UnitCoupler
AS-4
or I
I nS-z to camera's accessory shoe before I
I mounting
the SB-20.
The SB-20cannotbe I
1 mounted
on F3-seriescamerawiththe other I
t finders. ,
$. Tighten
locknut
firmly.
irr-rrrrrr-rr-r--O
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8. fi"dtili"tJf,f
setring
until
desiredzoom
settingappearsin
Make
sure
zoom
set
ringis
properly
setat
its
click-stop
position.
Adjusting
FlashHead
/- Make
surebounceangle
- - setknobis set at01

Programmed
TTL
Auto
Flash
Shooting
(with
Nikon
F.501rN2020
orF'301tN2000)
Steps
9 through
11
provide
instructions
forprogram-
medTTLautoflashshooting
with the Nikon
F-501/
N2020.
orF-301/N2000*
camera.
Forother
flashexposure
operations
(TTL
auto,
non-TTL
auto
and
manual
flash
qxposure
operations)
see
"SET-
TINGCAMERA
SHUTTER
SPEED"
on page
17
and
"DETERMINING
APERTURE,"
pages
1Bto32.
'The
Nikon
N2020and
N2M aresold
exclusively
inthe
U.S
A.
and
Canadian
markets.
at--II-IIIII
For
programmed
TTLautomatic
flashopera-
tion,
notethe
following:
. Use
Al-Stype
lensesonly.
rFor autofocus
operation
with Nikon
F-501/
N2020,set
camera's
focus
modeselector
to
S for Single
Servo
Autofocus.
Fordetails,
see
pages
14
to16.
t'lrr--rrrrrrrrr-sr.O
10
O Set
the
SB-20's
flash
modeselector
to
-'TTL.
Forthe
flashshooting
range
in
programmedTTLauto-
maticoperation,
see
table
on
page
21.
Theshooting
distance
range
panel
attheback
of the
SB-20
also
helps
you
to see
the
flashshooting
range'
Toreada proper
distance
range,setthefilm.
speed
knoband
distance
scale
selector
(see
page
19.)Apat-
terned
bar among
theflash
shooting
distance
range
indicatorsshows
theshooting
distance
range
in pro-
grammed
TTLauto
oPeration.
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wirhF.501rN2020 wirhF.301rN2000
10- Setcameratoaprogrammed
exposurcmode
(P
DUAL,P
'-'or P
HlforF-501IN202O;P
or
PHlforF-3011N2000). 11 Set
lens
tominimum
' " aperturc
(largest
f-number).
WithAF Nikkor
lenses,lock lens
apertureat minimumsetting.
(See
the
lensinstructionmanual).

Flash
Shooting
button
onto
12_Set
power
switchto STBY
(standby
'-' position)
totumon
58.20.
LEDindicating
selectedflash
modeimmediately
lights
up.
It- Lightly
prcss
shutter
release
-
-- viewlinder
ready.light
comes
indicate
flash
isready
tofire.
t
t
-
aa--tI-rrrr--r--rr
trrrrrrrrrr-rr--r
TTL mode ls selected
12
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'lf- Fully
depress
shutter
- --
release
button
totake
picture.
Unless
viewfinder
ready-light
blinks
after
theshot,
your
flash
exposure
will
be
perfect;
ifit
doesblink,
pic-
ture may be underexposed-
movecloserto
subject.
'l$. Turn
off
theSB-20.
13

AUTOFOGUS
FTASHPHOT0GRAPHY(wilh
NikonF-5fitN2020
camela
only)-
aD-f-I--IIIIII-Il fr\
In programmed TTLautofocus flashphotog-
raphy,usefilmwitha filmspeedspecified in
the
tablebelowforgreater depthoffield:
Lensmaxlmum
apertur€ Fllm speed
Lens
only f/2.8
or
faster ISO
50orfaster
Slowerthan
f/2.8 ISO100
or
higher
wlth
TC.16A
111.4ort11.2 ISO 50or
higher
il1.8,1t2,il2.50r
il2.8 ISO100
or
higher 1- Setlocusmode
selectortoSlorSingle
-- Servo
Autolocusmode.
Continuous
Servo
Autofocus
cannotbe used
forauto-
focus
flash
photography.
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
ti
14
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2. S"tlens
aperture.
For
programmed
TTLoperation,settosmallest
lens
aperture
(largest
f-number)andlock
the
lensaperture.
(For
details,seethe
lensinstructionmanual).
Forotherflashoperations,setasfollows:
Lens
maximum
aperture Aperlure
setting
Lens
only
f/2
8or faster tl28or larger
f-number
ftt28,1t4,
f/5
6,etc)
Slowerthan
f/2
8f/5
6or
largerf-number
(f/5.6,
f/8,
f/11,erc.)
wirh
TC-16A
t11.4
or
tl1
2tl2orlargerf-number
(t2,il2 8,f/4,etc
)
tl18.ll2.
tl2
5
or
t12.8 l14
orlargerf-number
fit4,It56,
f/8,
erc)

t- Llghtly
press
camera
shutter
rclease
-- button.
When
ready-light
comesonbutambientlightisinsuffi-
cientfor autofocusoperation,AF illuminatorfiresto
startSingleServo
Autofocus
operation.
lfambientlight
is
sufficienl,
the
AFilluminator
does
not
fire.
[_ Gonllrmwhetherthegrcen
In-focus
" indicatorLEDlights
up,then
lullydeprcss
theshutterrclease
button.
lf focus-not-possibleindicatorLED
(x) remainslit up,
autofocusflash photography
is impossible.
Focus
manually
ontheclear
mattefield.
16
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-- SETTINGGAMERA
SHUTTERSPEED
Set camera's
shutter
speed,
referrng
to the table Asshown.inthetable,automatic
syncspeed
setting
is
below. available
with
mostNikon
cameras.
Nikon camera Synchronization
speed (sec.) Camera setling Running shutter
spe€d (sec.) Viewf indai shutter speed Indlcation
F-501/N2020- l/125
or slower
P DUAL. P. P HI 1t't25 125
lightsup
A, 1/2000-1/250sec t125 125lights
up andLEDlor proper non-flash
shutter
speedblinks
'l.1125-
1sec.and B as set LEDlor manually-set
shutter
speed lights up and LED for proper
non'flash
shutter
speedblinks:no indacation
at B
F-301/N2000. 1/125or slower
PHI,P 1t125 125lights
up
A. 1|2OOO-
1/250sec 1t125 125
lightsup and LEDfor proper non-flash
shutterspeedblinks
/125 - 1
sec. and B as sel LEDfor manually-setshutter
speed lightsup, and LED for proper
non-flash
shutter
speedblinks;noindication
at B
FA 1/250
or slowel
Allshutterspeedsetlings
except M250and B in P,
S
andA modes 1t250 LCD shows 250
1/4000-1/500sec.
inM mode 1t250 LCDshows M250
1/250- 1sec.inM mode LCDshows manually-set
shuller speed
M250 and B in P, S, A and
M modes*' as set No indication
FE2 1/250
or slower A, 1/4000- 1/500sec 1t250 1/250-8sec as sel
M250and B- AS SEI
FG l/90 or slower P,
A, 1/1000-1/125sec. r/90 TwoLEDsrepresenting1/90sec.
light
up
.l/60-1sec. as set LEDlor manually-set
shutterspeed lights
up
M90 and B' as set No indication
F3-series
(viaAS-4or AS-7
coupler) 1/80
or slower 1/80 LCDshows 80 1I2OOO
- 1/125
sec. 1/80 LCDshows M80
1/60
- 8sec..X.
B andT AS SEI LCDshows manual-sel
shultersoeed:no indicationat B or T
FM2 /250 or slower 'l
l25O - 1sec. and B asset
FG.20 1/90
or slower A, (lr , 1/1000
- 1/125sec 1/90
1/60
- 1
sec..
M90
andB as set
*ln TTL
mode,
programmed
TTL
autoflashoperation
will
beperformed with
the Al-S type lensand F-501/N2020
or
F-301/N2000setatprogrammed
auto
exposuremode.
**
lmproper
for
programmed
TTL
auto flash operationand TTLauto flash
operation.
"lr**xk*,r6i{i"rt';r..x:r,:"* ,..1;*.,,.
. 1?

DETERMINING
APERTURE
TTL
Mode
(for
TTLAutomatic
Flash
ExposureControl)
TTL
modeisfor
exclusive
use
with
Nikon
F-501/N2020,
F-301/N2000,FA,
FE2,
and
FGcameras
only
For TTL auto f
lash operation
with the Nikon F-501/
N
2020 or F-301/
N2000,besuretosetthecameralo aperture
prrority
auto
or manual expo-
suremode
For
correct
exposure
inTTLmode,
use
frlmwrtha film
speed
specified
in
thetablebelow:
To
determine
aperture
with the SB-20's
apertureselection/shooting
dis-
tance
range
panel
forTTL
auto
flash
operation,
read
the
following.
(For
programmed
TTL
auto
flash
operation,see
pages
10
to 11
)
mode
selector
Camera Film
speed
F-501/N2020and
F-301/N2000 ISO
25to
1000
FA.
FE2
and
FG ISO
25to
400
1B
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!. Align lilm. speed in use with the film
speeo Inoex.
Forintermediate
filmspeeds,usefigure
nearest
the
film
speed
in
use.
With
ISO
32
film,
for
example,set
to
ISO25.Withfilmspeeds
notlistedon the scale,be
suresubjects
aresufficiently
withintheshooting dis-
tance
rangeindicated
on
thebackoftheSB-20.
3 Torcad
proper
shooting
distance
range,
-' setdistancescale
selector
toletter shown
inzoomindicator
window.
19