Sunpak auto 2000 DZ and Nikon D3200

[Bob Blaylock]

A few days ago, I happened to spot a Sunpak auto 2000 DZ at a thrift store, and figured I ought to be able to use it with my D3200.

Alas, I found it rather cryptic, and so did I find the manual I was able to download for it; though the one most enigmatic feature seemed to be well explained — this switch to the lower right:



From this, I get, that to be compatible with a Nikon camera, this switch needs to be in the position.

My previous experience with using cameras and electronic flashes is with entirely manual cameras—mostly my old Nikon F2—with no expectation of any kind of communication between the flash and the camera. I'm pretty sure that with a properly-compatible flash, I should expect much more of it in terms of communicating with my D3200, but I'm really not sure what to expect.

In the PSAM modes, it appears to work about as I would expect it to on my F2. It fires when I shoot, and if the aperture and ISO are set on my camera consistent with the setting that the flash indicates, I get a properly-exposed picture. I do not see anything that indicates that any communication is taking place between the flash and the camera (other than the signal to fire the flash); but I'm not sure what I should be looking for to indicate this.

In the scene modes, the built-in flash tries to pop up if the camera thinks flash is needed (but fails to do so fully, because the Sunpak is in the way). In every scene mode except Sport and Auto(No Flash) the Sunpak fires when I take the picture, but the exposures don't seem to be coming out quite right.


Is there anything useful that anyone can tell me here? Should I be able to make fuller use of this flash than is so far apparent, or do I really need a much more modern one than this to have it fully work with my camera?

It's not a huge deal to me; I only paid $4 for this flash, and as it is, I am in some circumstances able to make some positive use of it.

 

[Bob Blaylock]

Perhaps there's really nothing.



What does that leave? The other part of the manual that I quoted indicates “Automatic ‘X’ speed setting and ready indicator in viewfinder.” I don't seem to get these two features. I know that with the built-in flash ready to go, the D3200 limits its speed to 1/200, but with the Sunpak, I was able to use all shutter speeds, with the expected obvious result that at higher speeds than 1/200, the flash only exposed part of the frame.

 

[WayneF]

I think it only means it is not a TTL flash. It just says TTL Metering is not available. Which is good in a way, because if it were, it would only be for old film cameras, and no way it could work for digital cameras.

I think it is just an old "auto" flash, which has a forward looking sensor, and it sees its own flash and can limit the flash power accordingly. Which was what we had back in the 1970s, and it can still work. A few modern flashes still include that feature as one option, but I doubt anyone uses it now.

However, you have to set the camera ISO and aperture into the flash. It has to know the exposure goal. Some flashes could access that information directly from the hot shoe, but that one cannot access todays CLS digital cameras. However, if you can manually set ISO and fstop into the flash, then it could work, on its own Just set ISO and fstop, put it on hot shoe, and it should work, within the stated distance range. (assuming it works).

If the flash and camera could communicate (again, you need a newer flash for todays CLS cameras), then it would limit the camera to 1/200 second max sync speed. Exceeding that limit gives the dark bands in the picture.

I'm sorry to say it, but frankly, you are just wasting your time with it. Maybe it is an interesting gadget experiment, but for photography, you are wasting your time. Times change (and this one is about two times back).

Film and digital flash are drastically different, and incompatible. Digital cameras are relatively recent, and an "old" flash is simply not appropriate any more (except of course Manual flash mode, which this one does not have).

You need a modern flash for your modern camera. There are inexpensive ones (like under $100) and expensive ones (for a lot more).

Maybe see Beginners Guide to Select a Hot Shoe Flash - and Compare Power Rating of Flashes with Guide Numbers