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ENGLISH
Parts Description
1. Zoom Indicator
2. Zoom Head
3. Fresnel Lens
4. Sensor
5. Decorative Front Panel
6. Locking Ring
7. Mounting Base
8. Battery Cover
9. Ready indicator (orange LED)
10. Flash On/Off and Mode Switch
11. Hold Button
12. Tilting Angle Scale
13. Swivel Angle Scale
14. Distance Table
15. Detection Indicator (green LED)
16. Power Ratio Switch
17. Power-On indicator (red LED)
18. Bracket (not shown in diagram)
CAUTION Read this section before use
§ The DF200 flash unit is designed to be used with any
digital camera with a built-in flash. The DF200 can be
used as a supplemental slave flash.
§ The DF200 flash unit contains high voltage circuitry. To
avoid electrical shock or burn, do not attempt to dismantle
any part of the flash. If the external shell of the flash unit
is broken or cracked, do not touch the internal
mechanisms or circuitry even when the batteries are
removed.
§ When replacing the batteries, replace all of the battery
cells. With weaker cells, the flash unit will take longer to
recharge for the next shot.
§ The DF200 flash unit is neither weatherproof nor
waterproof. When using the DF200 in the rain or near
water, avoid any contact with water. The warranty does
not cover water damage. It is often impractical to repair
electrical components damaged by water.
Batteries
The DF200 flash unit uses four AA batteries. You may use
alkaline, NiCD, or NiMH rechargeable batteries. Manganese
batteries are not recommended, because of shorter life and
longer flash recharging time.
Replace the batteries if the Orange Ready LED Indicator
takes more than 30 seconds to illuminate after each flash
shot.
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Battery Precautions
1.
To ensure proper electrical contact, clean the battery
terminals before installing the batteries.
2.
To prevent battery explosion, leakage or overheating, use
four new AA
batteries of the same type and brand. Do not
mix and match different types or new/used batteries.
3.
Do not attempt to recharge batteries other than NiCD or
NiMH rechargeable batteries.
4.
If the flash will not be used for an extended period of time,
remove
all batteries from the flash to avoid possible
damage from battery leakage.
5.
Battery performance decreases at low temperatures. Keep
batteries warm (near room temperature) before
using
them, especially in cold weather.
6. Take spare batteries when going on
a long trip, or when
photographing outdoors in cold weather.
Battery Installation
1. Turn the Flash On/Off Switch
(10) to the Off position, then
open the Battery Cover (8) by sliding it forward.
2.
Insert four AA batteries into the battery compartment. Be
sure the polarity (+,-
) of the batteries are aligned according
to the diagram inside the battery chamber.
3. Close the Battery Cover (8).
4.
Slide the Flash On/Off Switch (10) to the “1” position. The
red Power-
On Indicator (17) will light come on. You may
hear the high-
pitch whine of the capacitor as it charges.
After a few seconds, the orange Ready Indicator (9) will
light up indicating that the flash is ready for use.
Auto Standby System
To conserve battery power, the flash unit will automatically
switch
to standby mode if the flash is not used for
approximately 3 minutes.
Important Note
: Even though the flash unit is automatically
switched to standby mode, it will still use some battery power
for flash detection. Therefore, if the flash will not be us
ed for a
long period, it is recommended that you set the Flash On/Off
Switch (10) to the Off position.
Low-Battery Power Indication
The amount of time that it takes for the orange Ready
Indicator LED to come on is your indication of battery
condition. As the batteries are depleted, the time will
increase. As the charge time approaches 30 seconds,
consider a new set of batteries.
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Attaching and Removing the Flash
Turn the Flash On/Off (10) to the Off position.
Slide the Mounting Base (7) onto the shoe on the flash
bracket and turn the Locking Ring (6) until it is secure.
When you attach or remove the flash, grasp the bottom of the
flash to prevent damage to the Mounting Base (7) or the
bracket’s shoe.
Mount your digital camera on the bracket, on the grip pad,
using the ¼-20 thumbscrew and tighten securely. (Refer to
the following section “Flash Photography with the DF200”.)
Turn the Flash On/Off Switch to the “1” position.
Distance Table – Using the Zoom Head
The distance table (14) on the back of the flash suggests the
maximum effective flash range for the five (5) zoom positions
- W2, W1, MID, T1 and T2 . The zoom positions correlate to
the “35mm equivalence” focal length of your digital camera
lens. (Digital cameras vary greatly. Use these numbers as a
guide.) In general: use W1, W2 for wide angle, MID for
normal (no zoom), and T1, T2 for telephoto. Select the zoom
setting appropriate for your lens positioning. For example:
Guide
Number
(in meters)
Zoom range of
camera (35mm
equivalence)
Suggested Zoom
Position on flash
unit (in mm)
23 28-34mm W2
25 35-49mm W1
28 50-84mm MID
30 85-104mm T1
31 105mm and above T2
*This table is based on Full power setting - Power setting 1
(W2 = 28mm, W1 = 35mm, MID = 50mm, T1 = 85mm, T2 = 105mm)
Flash Photography with the DF200
In order to ensure that the images taken with your digital
camera are sufficiently illuminat ed, follow these instructions:
Step:
1. Before mounting your digital camera onto the bracket set
the White Balance and Flash mode:
i. If your digital camera allows for the adjustment of white
balance, set the camera to “sunlight”, or “outdoors”.
(*Refer to your digital camera user manual.)
ii. Set the flash mode of your digital camera to “On“ or
“Red Eye” to ensure that the flash is emitted for every
shot. “On” is also known as “fill” for some cameras.
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For most digital cameras “Red Eye Reduction” mode will
pre-pulse the camera flash several times prior to the actual
flash pulse.
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2. Once you have set the
white balance and flash mode on your
digital camera you may mount your camera onto the flash
bracket.
3.
Turn on your digital camera and take a few shots using the
camera’s built-
in flash. If you can, count the number of flash
pulses emitted by your camera’s built-
in flash each time it
flashes. (Many digital cameras emit more than one pulse.)
4. Look at the DF200 Flash On/Off and Mode Switch (10).
§ If your digital camera flash emits only one pulse -
slide
the DF200 On/Off and Mode Switch (10) to the “1
”
position. Proceed to Step 6 .
§ If your digital camera flash emits two pulses -
slide the
DF200 On/Off and Mode Switch (10) to the “2/N
” position.
Proceed to Step 6.
§
If you cannot determine the number of pulses emitted by
your camera’s built-in flash proceed to Step 5
for further
instructions to profile your flash.
5. If the number of flash pulses cannot be determined:
i. Slide the Flash On/Off and Mode
Switch (10) to the
“DETECT” position.
ii.
Take a flash shot with your digital camera. (Make sure the
digital camera flash fires.)
iii.
Shortly after the camera flash has fired, the green “detect”
LED indicator (15) should illuminate for approximately two
seconds indicating that the DF200 has “learned” the flash
profile of this digital camera. If the green detect indicator
LED d
oes not light up, switch off the DF200 and repeat the
prior two-step procedure.
iv.
After the DF200 has successfully detected your digital
camera’s flash, slide the DF200 switch (10) from “DETECT
”
to “2/N”. (One detent position to the left.)
v. The DF200 has now
“profiled” your digital camera flash and
is now synchronized with it. Try a few sample shots.
Important note: If the DF200 flash is switched
off it will
“forget” the profile for your camera. Turn on the DF200
and repeat the profiling procedure (step V).
To use your
DF200 with a different digital camera, turn the DF200
off and repeat the profiling procedure, if necessary.
6.
Next, adjust the zoom position of the DF200 flash head to
match the field of view of your digital camera. Refer to the
Distance Table
(14) as a guide. If your digital camera does
not have an optical zoom lens, try the MID position.
7.
Next, set the DF 200 power level. Depending on the lighting
conditions and distance to your subject, the power of the
DF200 can be set to four different power ratios: 1 (full), 1/4
th
,
1/8th, or 1/16
th
power. Based upon the zoom setting and
distance to your subject, use the distance table to select a
suitable power level. Take a few shots to perfect your settings.
8. Now, you are ready for digital flash photography.
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Hold (Manual Standby) Feature
The DF200 is a slave flash, triggered by your cameras built-in
flash. In a situation where other cameras are present it is
possible that your DF200 flash may be triggered by another
cameras flash. You may prevent this by using the DF200’s
hold feature. Press the hold button (11) to suspend the
operation of the DF200 temporarily.
When the hold button (11) is depressed, the green detect
indicator LED (15) will illuminate, indicating that your DF200
is now temporarily inactive. While on hold, the green LED will
remain a steady green. The DF200 will not respond to any
flash trigger, either intentional or not.
To resume operation, depress the hold button (11) again and
the green detection indicator (15) will cease to illuminate. The
DF200 is now ready to resume normal operation.
Power Output (Power Ratio Switch)
The flash output can be adjusted manually to prevent under
or over-exposure. The power of the DF200 flash can be set
adjusting the “Power Ratio” switch to four intensities: 1 (Full
power), 1/4, 1/8, or 1/16 power. Use this table as a guide:
ft/meter ZOOM W2 W1 MID T1 T2
1 75/23 83/25 92/28 98/30 102/31
1/4 37/11 41/13 46/14 49/15 51/16
1/8 26/8 30/9 33/10 35/11 36/11
Power
Setting
1/16 18/5 20/6 23/7 24/7 25/8
Bounce Flash
When you take a flash photograph, sometimes a strong
shadow will appear behind the subject as a result of a direct
flash. To minimize or eliminate this shadow, tilt the flash head
upward to reflect the flash off of the ceiling or a wall.
The flash head is adjustable from 0° to 90° vertically. There
are detents (click-stops) at several positions including 30°,
45°, 60°, 75° and 90° positions. The flash head may be
rotated 330° horizontally for additional flexibility.
§ The effectiveness of a bounce flash is dependent upon
distance and the condition of the reflecting surface. The
angle of the flash must be set properly to achieve the best
possible lighting effect. Normally, when a flash is bounced
against a surface, it loses 2-3 apertures of light (f-stops),
even if the surface is white.
§
Exposure in bounce lighting is a factor based upon
distance, first from the flash to the reflected surface, then
to the subject and finally back to the camera. The
exposure will vary with camera aperture setting, the
distances involved, and quality of the reflective surface.
Experiment to derive the best results.
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§ The use of a white surface i
s highly recommended for
bounce lighting effects, resultant in the best overall
reflective light level. If a colored surface is used for
bounce lighting, it will reflect its color upon the subject.
Precautions During Use
1. The DF200 is a precision instrum
ent. Be very careful
not to bump or drop it.
2.
Avoid exposure to extremely high or low temperatures
or excessive humidity.
Store your flash away from heat
or direct sunlight. Never store in a car. Always use fresh
batteries, and replace all 4 batteries du
ring
replacement.
3.
Do not use a thinner, benzene or other cleaning agents
to remove dirt or fingerprints from the unit.
Clean with a
soft, moistened cloth.
4.
When the flash unit is brought from a cold exterior into a
warm interior, condensation may occur
on the inside of
the flash unit. In such case, do not use the flash
unit
until it has reached room temperature.
5.
For extended storage, choose a cool dry place,
preferably with good ventilation. Never store
the flash
in a drawer or cupboard containing nap
hthalene or
camphor (moth balls) as these will have negative effects
on the flash.
Note
We are continually upgrading the DF200 flash to meet market
demands. As such, specifications may change and the
product may vary slightly from the description provid
ed in this
manual. Check the Vivitar website for updates
and
information at www.vivitar.com
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Specifications
Guide number 28 @ISO 100
Power Settings Four Power Ratios:
Full, 1/4th, 1/8th, 1/16th
Zoom Range Five detent positions:
W2, W1, MID, T1, T2
Bounce Angle
0° - 90° (multiple detents)
Swivel Angle
330° (multiple detents)
Ready Light
Orange LED
Detect Light
Green LED
Ready Light Red LED
Auto Power Standby Three minutes
Duration of Flash Max. 1/1000 second
Power Source 4 AA batteries (Alkaline, NiCd, or
NiMH Recommended)
Number of Flashes
- Alkaline
- NiCd or NiMH
Approximate flashes/battery set
80 – 1000
150 – 2000
Recycling Time
- Alkaline
- NiCd or NiMH
0.5 – 8 seconds
0.5 – 7 seconds
Color Temperature 5,600k
Weight (w/o batteries) 240 grams
Dimension (mm) 70.0 (L) x 175.0 (H) x 45 (W)
Compatibility
All digital cameras with built in flash
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