D300s flash firing, but too fast?

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Patrick McGinley

New member
Hi, my uncle has been a pro cameraman for 40 years now and recently semi retired and bought himself a D300s. He bought it as a grade A from a second hand / exchange shop (cex) a few months ago so it is still in warranty.

It has developed a problem with the in-built flash in which it isn't properly synchronised. On normal setting the photo is very dark, and when the setting is changed to slow there is more light but not quite right.

I've come to the conclusion that the flash fires just slightly before the camera takes the picture. Just wondering if anyone had the same problem? Would be nice to help fix it for him without having to start messing about with a warranty or anything!
 
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hrstrat57

Senior Member
I just fixed the same problem in my D300.

Probably need to reset the mode for flash....this is done by pressing the flash button and turning the main control wheel on the back...I used the LCD menu feature to watch the change While holding down the flash button you see a square on the right of the display. Turn the control wheel while holding down the flash button on the side of the prism until the square display box is clear. Make sure flash is set for TTL and sync speeds are 250th and 60th respectively and you should be good to go....the mode is probably set to rear at the moment as mine was...

I also decrease the flash power by .07 this is done by the same flash button, refer to owners manual....it is a bit too powerful for my liking....

It now works awesome! I was sweating it big time until I figured it out....I know how your uncle feels.

Another top tip if he is missing either the owners manual or the quick start manual (mandatory!) he can go to KEH and purchase lightly used copies..

Also the other post I made in this forum regarding the video tutorials he should check that out, got me up and running quick. It is a real pro camera not a prosumer so it has a lot of capability in the menus.....which is where all the fun comes in, learning all sorts of tricks I will probably use twice! He is going to love it what a piece of kit! I plan on adding the D700 real soon, same camera with a full frame sensor.

:)
 
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Bill16

Senior Member
Hey you stole my plan! Lol Getting a D700 to go with my D300! I guess you'll beat me to doing it though! Lol :D

hrstrat57 said:
I just fixed the same problem in my D300.

Probably need to reset the mode for flash....this is done by pressing the flash button and turning the main control wheel on the back...I used the LCD menu feature to watch the change While holding down the flash button you see a square on the right of the display. Turn the control wheel while holding down the flash button on the side of the prism until the square display box is clear. Make sure flash is set for TTL and sync speeds are 250th and 60th respectively and you should be good to go....the mode is probably set to rear at the moment as mine was...

I also decrease the flash power by .07 this is done by the same flash button, refer to owners manual....it is a bit too powerful for my liking....

It now works awesome! I was sweating it big time until I figured it out....I know how your uncle feels.

Another top tip if he is missing either the owners manual or the quick start manual (mandatory!) he can go to KEH and purchase lightly used copies..

Also the other post I made in this forum regarding the video tutorials he should check that out, got me up and running quick. It is a real pro camera not a prosumer so it has a lot of capability in the menus.....which is where all the fun comes in, learning all sorts of tricks I will probably use twice! He is going to love it what a piece of kit! I plan on adding the D700 real soon, same camera with a full frame sensor.

:)
Click to expand...
 
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DraganDL

Senior Member
First of all - do the factory reset (factory default settings). Then, use the shutter speed priority (with flash unit popped up), and set the value of a shutter speed to 1/60, 1/125, 1/200, respectively (shoot with each setting). That would be enough for the start.
 
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WayneF

Senior Member
Patrick McGinley said:
It has developed a problem with the in-built flash in which it isn't properly synchronised. On normal setting the photo is very dark, and when the setting is changed to slow there is more light but not quite right.
Click to expand...


The D300S manual is downloaded here:
https://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/16525/kw/D300S/r_id/116678

What is the flash mode? TTL, Manual, Commander ?

What is the camera exposure mode? A, S, P, M ?

Nothing affects making the internal flash fire too early.. That is not a possibility. "Dark" sounds as if it is in Manual flash mode without specifying a proper flash power level. Try TTL mode.

When you say setting is changed to Slow, all I can imagine is Slow Sync (manual page 175)
In camera A or P mode, normal sync, there is a MINUMUM Shutter Speed With Flash, menu E2 (default 1/60 second if using flash).
Slow Sync just means this E2 Minimum is ignored in camera A or P mode, meaning no minimum shutter speed. Then it allows the normal slow shutter speed, probably quite slow in dim light, like maybe 1/2 second.... This does not affect the flash or flash exposure in any way, but a slow shutter speed will of course let in much more ambient light.

What are these settings that it uses? Shutter speed, aperture, ISO ? A normal indoor picture?

Tell us details, what is happening? Exif shows this in a problem image.

Normal is front curtain sync, the empty symbol with no word in the box. Then the 1/60 second Minimum shutter speed will apply (in A or P modes).
 
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A

APJ

New member
Hi every one !!
Replying to a very old discussion, but I am undergoing a similar situation here.
I bought a used D300 few weeks before and trying to learn it.
I am using 50 mm F/1.8D lens.
Locked aperture to 22, camera set to Program/ auto focus
Everything reset to default using the two green button reset.
Built-in flash set to default - box icon
Battery fully charged
I try taking picture in the dark, it focuses, flash fires but the picture is almost dark.. no effect of flash.
Don't know if it is firing before or after.
Any help is much appreciated.
Many thanks in advance.
AJ
 
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fotojack

Senior Member
APJ said:
Hi every one !!
Replying to a very old discussion, but I am undergoing a similar situation here.
I bought a used D300 few weeks before and trying to learn it.
I am using 50 mm F/1.8D lens.
Locked aperture to 22, camera set to Program/ auto focus
Everything reset to default using the two green button reset.
Built-in flash set to default - box icon
Battery fully charged
I try taking picture in the dark, it focuses, flash fires but the picture is almost dark.. no effect of flash.
Don't know if it is firing before or after.
Any help is much appreciated.
Many thanks in advance.
AJ
Click to expand...

If you're trying to take a pic in the dark, what exactly are you focusing on? In order to focus on something, the camera needs to see what it's focusing on. What some people do is bungee a small flash light, like a pen light, to the barrel of their lens, to shine on the subject....focus....and shoot.
 
Marcel

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
APJ said:
Hi every one !!
Replying to a very old discussion, but I am undergoing a similar situation here.
I bought a used D300 few weeks before and trying to learn it.
I am using 50 mm F/1.8D lens.
Locked aperture to 22, camera set to Program/ auto focus
Everything reset to default using the two green button reset.
Built-in flash set to default - box icon
Battery fully charged
I try taking picture in the dark, it focuses, flash fires but the picture is almost dark.. no effect of flash.
Don't know if it is firing before or after.
Any help is much appreciated.
Many thanks in advance.
AJ
Click to expand...
In the P mode you can still make the aperture larger (smaller number). I suggest you play with the settings to get an aperture of about 5.6 and see what you get. the further the objects you are trying to photograph, the more light you will need with flash. Increasing your ISO also could be an option to get a bit more light to your shots.
 
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