Bugged by d200 flash vs d2x. Ideas?

spider-t

Hi all,

I just picked up a d200 as a backup to my d2x and I'm a little bugged by the flash.

It may seem like a minor thing. I'm so used to my d2x and how I cannot see the flash go off in my viewfinder. When I use the d200 with a flash, I can see the flash trigger in my viewfinder. It is really bright and kind of distracting.

I'm not sure what the shutter/flash trigger relationship is that makes the d2x behave in this way, but I am hoping there is a setting in my d200 that will make it look more like my d2x.

Has anyone else noticed this?

Is this just a pro vs. pro-sumer thing? Should I just buck up and get used to it?

thanks!
Trish

spider-t

preflash

spider-t wrote:

Is this just a pro vs. pro-sumer thing? Should I just buck up and get used to it?

Here's what I have learned so far. It is a pro vs. pro-sumer thing. The d200 uses a preflash to establish correct ttl flash exposure and the d2x does not need to do this.

So from where I sit, the D200 is not an ideal second camera to the d2x if you're shooting indoor events (and a preflash bugs you). It's also noticeably not as fast a focuser as the d2x, so it's not an ideal second camera to the d2x for sports either. It's an excellent backup camera as it takes up half the room in your bag and (half the cash out of your wallet). It's a beautiful natural light camera and will probably end up being my primary camera for walking about.

So all in all, I'm happy. But not ecstatic.
-Trish

the godfather

Well I have no idea how nikon flashes work but on a canon setup the E-TTL setting means the flash has to prefire just before the mirror goes up to get the exposure correct. Another way to set the exposure is to do it manually (I'm not talking about manual setting on your camera...but the one on your flash full power, half power, etc).

I really don't see how your d2x is any different than the d200 unless the d200 is slower at calculating exposure etc and needs more time (flash goes off sooner).

spider-t

the godfather wrote:

I really don't see how your d2x is any different than the d200 unless the d200 is slower at calculating exposure etc and needs more time (flash goes off sooner).

Thanks for your response.

You are correct about the d2x also needing a preflash to calculate exposure.

A little more reading and I have learned the d2x has a super fast mirror action that eliminates the delay between the preflash and the exposure.

So the pro camera gets a pro shutter.

Trish