Morgan said:
I tried out the A2 with a simple studio set-up, and I'm still working
things out. There are more trade-offs here. You can forget about
really shallow DOF with a 7-50mm zoom and a tiny sensor. The A2 is best
at ISO 64 or 100, and f4 or 5.6 I can only dial my power pack down to
100WS. So I need to physically cut the light output or use a ND filter
on the A2. I did notice by setting the shutter to 1/2000, I can exclude
some of the output on the flash tubes, maybe 1/2 stop. I'm not sure why
this happens.
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ISO: Don't know about the A2 but dpreview's review of the A1 noted that
the sensitivity at ISO 100 was actually ISO 160. Doesn't matter until
you try to use external flash and meter. The Schnozz and I both own
A1's and have determined that the 160 at 100 sensitivity thing is real.
It also extends to the other ISO settings on the camera. ISO 200,
for example, is actually ISO 320. Whenever using an external meter it
is always set for 2/3 stop higher ISO than the camera.
Flash power: You need some Alien Bees. They are infinitely variable
through a range of 5 stops. I have the B800's which are 320 watt
seconds so they can be dialed down as low as 10 watt seconds or anywhere
in between. Great feature! Incidentally, by my measurement, a T-32 is
100 watt seconds at full power. Dialing it down to its 1/4 power
setting should give you 25 watt seconds. I use two of them mounted on a
bracket when shooting outdoors so I can get 25, 50, 100 and 200 watt
seconds. If I need a lot of power I can also use the B800's outdoors by
attaching them to my battery/inverter rig.
Shutter speed: Because the Minolta A1/A2 combine an electronic and
mechanical shutter the camera is theoretically able to sync at any
shutter speed. In the section on radio and remote flashes, the user's
manual warns, however, to make sure the shutter speed is never faster
than the flash duration. Flash duration time may be in your owner's
manual. Just a guess, but at 1/2000 second you may be approaching the
flash duration and/or pushing the window on sync time with your studio
flash. The camera is probably not seeing the entire flash.
Chuck Norcutt
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