Page 1
TV • VIDEO • CAMCORDER • MECABLITZ MECABLITZ 34 AF-3 C Operating instructions...
Page 2
flashgun is intended offer a great diversity of capabilities. We wish you much pleasure with your new Metz flashgun in conjunction with a Canon EOS system camera to light up the darkest points, and for...
• NEVER fire a flash in the immediate vicinity of the eyes! Flash fired directly in front of the eyes of a person or animal can damage the retina and lead to severe visual disorders - even blindness! • Spent batteries should be immediately remo- ved.
2. Preparing the mecablitz for use 2.1 Power supply The flashgun can only be operated with 2 CR2- type lithium batteries. This type of battery can be stored for many years with practically no loss of energy, thus making it ideal for occasional ama- teur flash photography.
2. Preparing the mecablitz for use When loading the batteries ensure correct polarity. Incorrectly loaded batteries can dest- roy the flashgun! All batteries must be of the same make and have the same charge level. Exhausted batteries must not be thrown into the dustbin! Contribute to the protection of the environment and discard exhausted bat- teries at the appropriate disposal points.
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.
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.
4. Flashgun instructions to the camera Fig. 4: Exposure o.k. 4.4 Information displayed in the camera’s viewer The following table only gives a general survey. Camera-specific deviations ar possible (please refer to the camera’s operating instructions. blinks: Indicates that flashgun should be used or switched on (on some cameras).
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;...
5.1 E-TTL flash control E-TTL flash control is only possible with cameras featuring this function. E-TTL flash control is auto- matically set on the flash unit. In the E-TTL flash control mode, a pre-flash is fired to establish the reflective characteristics of the subject just before the actual shot is taken.
Different modes of flash synchronisation are pos- sible, depending on the camera model. Please refer to the camera’s operating instructions to find out how the individual modes of synchronisation are set on the camera. 6.1 Normal synchronisation This mode is available with all TTL cameras, and it is suitable for most flash shots.
7. Flash in the individual camera modes 7.1 Use of flash in the program modes TTL-controlled flash shots can be made in all expo- sure and auto program modes. Once the mecablitz is attached to the camera and switched on, it auto- matically operates with TTL flash control in auto program (P), aperture priority (A ) and in the manual modes.
The integrated AF red-light beam of the mecablitz supports the automatic focusing of autofocus TTL cameras. When the prevailing light is insufficient for automatic focusing, the mecablitz will project a pattern of red vertical stripes onto the subject as soon as the camera’s release is lightly touched. The camera’s autofocus system then focuses the picture by this striped pattern.
8. Autofocus measuring flash • Depending on the camera type, either the AF illuminator of the camera or that of the flashgun will be activated whenever the autofocus mea- suring facility becomes necessary. • Only the central AF sensor is supported Low-speed lenses, e.g.
Your mecablitz provides full and even illumination of normal 24 x 36 mm negatives when using len- ses of 35 mm focal length and longer. A wide-angle diffuser is supplied with the flash- gun to increase the coverage if you wish to use a 28 mm wide-angle lens.
11. Care and maintenance - Troubleshooting Remove grime and dust with a soft, dry cloth. Do not use cleaning agents as these could damage the plastic parts. Forming the flash capacitor The flash capacitor incorporated in the flashgun undergoes a physical change when the flashgun is not switched on for prolonged periods.
Guide number ISO 100/21°: 34 (with telephoto attachment) 28 (without attachment) 20 (with wide-angle diffuser) Lighting for 35mm camera from 35 mm focal length onwards, with wide-angle attachment from 24 mm, and with telephoto attachment from 85 mm focal length onwards. Colour temperature: approx.
W – 20% T + 20% This table indicates a section of the most im- portant maximum lighting distances in different ISO/aperture combinations. The sticker can be applied to the back of the flashgun. Lighting distances W – 20% [ft] T + 20% W –...
Need help?
Do you have a question about the Mecablitz 34 AF-3 C and is the answer not in the manual?
Questions and answers