Nimslo flash-- RE: [photo-3d] Digest Number 441

[ers <ers@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Message: 13
Date: Sun, 28 Jan 2001 21:17:09 -0000
From: "Gerrard M Burnell" <circle@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Using a Nimslo with Flash?

I have just aquired a Nimslo and would like to use it with my flash gun, which 
isn't of the Nimslo type. In order to set my flash gun to the correct setting, 
what speed and aperture does the Nimslo use with flash? Is it a 1/60th sec? I 
have read the aperture is set to f11 is this correct? Does it "know" there is 
a flash gun attached so it can react accordingly?

Regards
Ged

---------------------------

Ged, we've had quite a discussion on this topic here and in macro-3d, but 
here's a summary. The Nimslo will work with any flash, but has a dedicated 
Optlite flash that uses an extra pin for the camera running on autopilot. The 
camera knows there's a flash there whether it's the Optilite or any other 
flash. It automatically goes to full aperture, f 5.6. To fool it, there are 
two methods. Rig an external dongle with a battery/bright LED, the LED going 
in front of the camera's photocell. This requires no modification to the 
camera. People have reported success using this method. According to the 
manual, the camera will go to f22 at 1/500. I haven't put a shutter meter on 
the camera to see if the f22-1/500 information is true, I'm only quoting from 
the Reel-3D book. The permanent modification, which David Burder figured out, 
is to use a 47k ohm resister (1/4 watt is fine) across the photocell, hooked 
up to a momentary contact switch mounted on the camera top. This latter 
approach requires disassembly of the top of the camera, and some precise 
soldering to existing leads on the back of the circuit board. Unless you know 
what you're doing, know the correct leads, and have the Nimslo manual 
available from Reel-3D. best not to try the permanent modification.

On the camera I tested, even with a bright light on the sensor, with a flash 
installed the camera would only stop to 5.6 until I added
the resistor fix. There are a fair number of variants on the Nimslo, some of 
which were made in the UK and some in Japan. However, the photocell part of 
the circuit looks nearly the same, tho the board itself is different.

Lastly, you can further fool the camera by the use of neutral density filters 
in front of the photocell to make it work automatically with films like 
Kodachrome (asa 64) Velvia (asa 50), Ektachrome 200, etc. This involves using 
.2 and .3 Wratten ND material in conjunction with the position of the camera's 
ASA 100/400 slider.

Hope this helps.

Elliott