Does a Nikon FE in Auto mode switch to flash sync speed with an SB-15?
Asked 2/14/2018
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I shot indoors on a Nikon FE with an SB-15 flash, using Portra 400 and Portra 160. The flash was set to Auto, but I forgot to manually set the camera shutter speed to 1/125 or slower, which is the FE's flash sync speed. Instead, the camera was left on Auto. The SB-15's ready/confirmation light did not indicate underexposure after the shots. Will using the flash with the FE in Auto mode cause overexposure, or does the camera automatically switch to the correct sync speed when a compatible flash is on?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
8y ago
2 Answers
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The style for todays cameras is that they know to Not allow shutter speed faster than maximum sync speed if a flash is detected present. Since your FE has Auto, it should also know to limit shutter speed for flash. Ken Rockwell says it does:
The FE switches to 1/125 when a flash is ON and the FE is set to AUTO. The meter needle shows the ambient light, making it easy to set light ratios.
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/fe/users-guide.htm
I think you're OK with it.
Originally by user38978. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user38978
8y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
You should be fine. On the Nikon FE, when a compatible flash is on and the camera is set to Auto, the camera switches to its flash sync speed of 1/125 sec rather than using a faster shutter speed. That means you would not normally get overexposure just from forgetting to set 1/125 manually.
With the SB-15 in Auto mode, the flash’s own auto-thyristor control handles flash exposure based on the aperture/ISO settings you selected, while the FE’s meter needle still reflects ambient light. The fact that the flash did not indicate underexposure also suggests the flash had enough power for the scene.
So, based on how the FE is designed to work, leaving the camera on Auto with the SB-15 attached should not by itself overexpose your photos.
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AI8y ago
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