Nikon Speedlight SB-9 User manual

INSTRUCTION
MANUAL

NOMENCLATURE
Shooting
modeselector
Light sensor
Mounting
foot
Hot-shoe
contact
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Aperturesettingscale
Battery
compartment
lid
Open
flash
button

7
I CONTENTS
Foreword .....4
Installingthebatteries
. ...5
Setting
up/
ffashsynchronization ...6
Nikon F2-seriesand F cameras
. . .6
Other
NikonSLR
cameras.. . . . .8
Nikon Rl0, R8SuperZoom. . . . 10
Aperturesettingscale.. . . . .12
Openflash ...."14
Accessories ....15
Synccord
SC-10 . . 15
Flashunit coupler
AS-1 . . 15
Nikkormat
accessory
shoe. . . . . 16
Features/specifications . . . . .17
Camera/speedlight
combinationchart ...18
4
FOREWORD
Slim and lightweight, this is the ideal
flash unit for the occasionaluser as it
slipseasilyinto the pocket
or gadget bag.
But compact size has
rlot been
gained
at
the expense of performance. A flash
guide
numberof 14
(in
meters;ASA100)
providesplenty of power for all but the
most demanding of situations. Versa-
tility is further enhanced by the pro-
vision of a shooting mode selector,
which givesyou choiceof either of two
apertures,thus allowing you to exercise
further control on your composition by
the selectiveuseof depth of field.
To obtain the best resultsfrom your
SB-9,readtheinstructions
in thismanual
carefully before use. Keep this booklet
handy for quick referenceuntil you have
fully mastered
operation.A few minutes
of preparation
will help
you avoidcostly
mistakes.
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INSIALTINGTHEBATTERIES-
The SB-9is powered
by rwo 1.5V penlight
(AA size)
batteries
which arehoused
in the
unit's integral
battery chamber.
To loadbat-
teries,
first remove
the battery chamber
lid
by pushing
it down, then
stide
it back
until
it comes
off. Refer to the diagrams
inside
the battery chamber, and insert the bat-
teries, ensuring that the positive (*) and
negative(-) terminats
are
aligned
.r"oiding-
fy. lt the batteries aretoaded incorrectly,
not only will they be depleted-the SB-9
could also be damaged.
Whenthe batteries
havebeen correctly positioned,
slip the lid
back
into the guide
rai!s
and,
while
pushing
it down gently, slideit until it clicks into
place.
lf you foresee
not using your SB-9
for some
time, it is advisable
to remove
the batteries
for separate
storage.
This will eliminate
the
risk
of damage
caused
by leaking
batteries.

SETTINC
UP
/ILASH SYNCHRONIZNTION
Attachingthe
SB-9
totheNikon
F2-series
and
Fcameras
First attach the flashunit coupler
AS-1
onto the camera'saccessoryshoe.
Then,
slide
the mounting foot forward onto the
AS-1
's
accessory
shoe
as
far asit will go.
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Ff
ash synchron ization
With the Nikon F2-series
cameras,
a built-in
sync selector mechanism controls speed-
light sync adjustment automaticailyas
you
change
shutterspeeds.
Set
the shutter
speed
at1/80
sec.
or slower.
(Note that the redline
between
1l60 and 1
1125
indicates
1/80
sec.)
With the Nikon F
, t sync selector
is adopt-
ed to adjust the camera for use with the
speedlight.First set the shutter speed at
1/60 sec.or slower. Then lift and turn the
knurled sync selector ring around the
shutter-speed
dial of the camerauntil the
FX mark
appears
in the
selector
window.
(Note thot the Photomic FTy finder must
be removed to goin occess to the sync
selector ring.)
ffi

Attaching the SB-9 to other Nikon SLR
cameras
Nikon EL2, FM and Nikkormat EL, ELW,
FT2,FT3
Slide foot onto accessory
shoe (hot-shoe
contact
eliminatesneedfor sync cord)as
far
as
it will
go.
Nikkormat FTr.r
To attach the S
B-9to the N
ikkormat FTN
you need
two accessories.Oneisthe Nikkor-
mat accessory
shoe,which screws
into the
eyepieceframe. The other isthe synccord
SC-10, which slides into the N
ikkormat
accessory
shoeand accommodatesthe SB-9
flash unit. The sync cord from the SC-l0
should
be plugged into the X-sync terminal
on thecamera.
Coution: lnsert sync cord SC-l 0 into
comero's X terminol in advonce to prevent
speedlight from firing occidentally when it is
slipped in Nikkormat FTir's occessory
shoe.
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Flash synchronization
With the Nikkormat EL and ELW, first set
the shutter speed
at 11125
sec.
or slower.
Then lift and turn theknurted
sync
selector
ring around the shutter-speed
dial until the
lightning
symbot ($) uppears
in theselecror
window.
With the N
ikon EL2, FM and N
ikkormat
F'12,FT3, set the camera
shutterspeed
for
11125
sec.
or stower.
Due to the built-in
automatic
sync switchover
mechanism,
this
is the only step
necessary
to ensureproper
flash
operation.
The Nikkormat FTN has
two sync
terminars
on the side of the camera.
Make sure the
sync
cord SC-l
0 is
connected
to the
camera,s
X
-
sync terminal. The speedlight
synchro-
nizes with the camera,s
shutter speed
at
11125
sec.or slower.

Attaching
the
SB-9
totheRl0 and
R8SuperZoomcinecameras
To attach the SB-9 to the R10 or R8 cine
camera, you will need an SC-l
0 cord.
The SC-l0 slidesinto the accessory
shoeon
the top of the camera;its synccord is
plug-
ged into the camera'ssync terminal (9,).
The SB-9is then mounted onto the SC-l0's
accessory
shoe.
Coution: Theolready-chorged speedlight moy
fire occidentolly when it is slipped into the
occessory shoe of the RlO or R8 Super
Zoom cine comero. You con prevent this by
inserting the sync cord SC-|0 into the
speedlight sync terminol on the camera in
odvq
nce.
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Flash
synchronization
With the Rl0 and R8,
flash
synchronization
is
possible
only with single.frame
shooting.
With the R1O, depress the lock release
button and turn the running speedcontrol
dial until the "SF" (single frame) mark
clicks into place opposite the white line.
Then fully open the angle of the shutter
blade opening by depressingthe shutter
blade
opening control and turning it clock-
wtse.
With the R8, first setthe cameraat 18 fps,
and slide the changeoverswitch toward the
"S" (single frame) mark. Then fully open
the angle of the shutter blade opening by
depressing
the shutterbladeopening
control
and
turning
it clockwise.
R1O
Super
Zoom
RB
Super
Zoom

ApTnTURE
SETTING
SCALE Your SB-9 speedlight
gives
you a choice
of
two apertures
for eachASA film speed
set-
ting. The shooting mode selector on the
front of the flash unit allows
you to set
the
aperture required. The choice of aperture
also
determines
the effective
shooting
range
of your SB-9-the higher
the f/number,
the
higher the power required and the shorter
the range. With the color-coded shooting
mode selectorset on orange,you have a
smaller
aperture
anda 0.6to 3.5m
shooting
range. With the selector
set to green,
you
havea largeraperture
and a shootingrange
of 0.6 to 5 meters.
This is
explained
graphi-
cally on the rear
of the SB-9.
For eachASA
film speed,
there are two f/numbers-one
above,
and the other below
the ASA num-
ber. Both are color-coded to correspond
with the colors
of the modeselector
switch.
Consult the scale,
and set
the modeselector
switch and the lensaperture
to the settings
which give you the best combination
of
working distance and depth-of-field. Re-
member,
for each
ASA film speed,
you have
F1.4..2"2'8
F2.2.8o.4
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a choice
of either one of the two aperture
settings.
Other apertures
will not give cor-
rectexposure.
Thesituation is a little different when using
the Nikon R8 or R10 Super Zoom cine
cameras.
With the Rl0, you have
a choice
of either
f
14,which gives
anoperating
range
of 1.5to
3.5
meters,
or f
12.8
which has
an operating
range
of 1.5 to 5 meters.
With the R8, an aperture
of f
14
givesyou a
range
of '1.2
to 3.5 meters;
f 12.8,1.2
to 5
meters.
These
figuresare all based
on an ASA film
speed
of 100.
To activate
the unit, sl
idethe power
switch
to the ON position.
When
the speedlight
is
fully charged,
the readylight
glows
andthe
unit is ready
to fire.Then compose,
focus,
and press
the shutter-release
button on the
camera.
The speedlight
automatically
deter-
mines the correct flash intensity aslong as
the subject remains within the distance
range.

OPENFTASH
Coution: Chonge the botteries if a soft
whining sound is not heord ofter the circuit
hos
beenswitched on. The fully-charged unit
may fire occidentolly when it is mounted on
o metollic occessory shoe which is not pro-
vided with o hot-shoe contact.
To test fire the unit to verify that it is
working correctly, depress the "open"
flash button. This button can alsobe used
to discharge
the unit at the end of a shoot-
ing session,
prior to storage.lf the flash
unit has not been used for some time,
you should try a few 'test' flashes to re-
activatethe unit's capacitors.This will en-
sure that full power isobtained right from
thestart
of theshootingsession.
t4
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_ ACCESSORTES
Sync
Cord
SC-l0
Connects
the SB-9 to
Rl0 and R8 Super
Nikonos III and other
no hot shoe.
Flash
Unit
Coupler
AS-1
Adapts the SB-9
to the Nikon F2-series
and
F cameras.
Hot-shoe
contact eliminates
the
needfor a synccord.
the Nikkormat
FTr.l,
Zoom, Nikonos
tr;
cameras
whichhave

Nikkormat Accessory Shoe
Adapts the SB-9 to the Nikkormat FTru
camera. To attach the shoe onto the
Nikkormat
FTN,unscrew
the
finder
eyepiece
of the camera.
Next, slip the shoe
in place
and
replace
theeyepiece.
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Light
output control:Automatic;
choice
of
two apertures
Guide
number:'14
(meter)
with ASA 100
film
Power
source:
Two 1.5V AA-type batteries
Flashcolor temperature:Equivalent
to day-
light
Angle
of coverage
: 56" horizontal
;40"
vertical
(coverage
for a 35mm lens)
Automaticshooting
range:5m to 0.6m at
f 12.8;3.5m
to 0.6m
atf/4 (when
using
a
film ratedASA 100)
F/numberselector:f
14or f/2.8 (whenusing
afilm rated
ASA .100)
Numberof flashes
(with 1m subject
dis-
tancesatf
l4 for ASA 100film):
Approx. 55 whenusingzinc-carbon
batteries
Recycling
time (with'lm subject
distance
at
f
14
forASA 100film):
9 - 13
sec.when
usingzinc-carbon
batteries
Dimensions:
Approx.
ggmm
x 56mm
x
24mm;106mm
x 56mmx24mm
(including
the
mounting
foot)
Accessories:
Soft
case
SS-9
{
;.iJr'. r*.:-:.-..*--!',
t7

CAMERA/SPEEDLIGHT
COM
BINATIONC
HART
Cordless
Nikon F2-series
cameras
r8
n
t
i
-* i.-*-- -*
t
A Ftasfr
unit coupler ,
|rTII
" AS-1
Nikon
EL2, Nikon
FM, Non-Nikon
NikkormatEL, Nikkormat FT2, cameras
with
ELW FT3 hot shoe
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Cord
Connection
ik
kormat
accessory
shoe
Nikkormat
Fl-"r
Speedlight
Unit
SB-9
*When o sync cord is used with
light, plug the sync cord into
light before you mount the
onto the comero.
the speed-
the speed-
speedlight
*Sync
cord
SC-l0
ikon
Rl0,
Rg
Super
Zoom
Flash F
unit q!
adapter
(Xcontact)r
L---.
NikonosII,
NikonosIII
Non-Nikon
cameras
without
hot shoe t9