GXR FAQs - By Product

[Question] Details on flash shooting operations with the GF-1 flash unit.

This article explains about operations of GXR and GF-1.

[Compatible camera models]
The digital cameras that have the Ricoh flash interface (hereafter Type R cameras).

• • •GXR
  • •GR DIGITAL III (Required the firmware update ver. 2.00 or greater)

Product information - Options > External flash

• *Filmcameras are not supported.
• *The external flash will not fire in some shooting modes or conditions; such as Internal shooting, Speed Cont (Hi), M-Cont Plus (Hi), even if it is attached. Use the internal flash for these cases.

With GR DIGITAL II, GR DIGITAL, GX200, Caplio GX100, this flash unit can be used in Ambient light auto, or Manual flash modes.

TTL flash - Pre-flash

• * Flash will not fire depending on the shooting mode. In the case, the [Flash Off] icon will be displayed in the upper left corner on the screen.

1.	Turn on the camera.
2.	Pressing the ON/OFF button on the flash unit will start up the TTL mode automatically. If the flash unit is set in other configurations, change the setting as follows. •Press the Mode select button to switch to the [NORMAL]. •Press Flash power level select button to switch to [TTL-A].
3.	When the PILOT lamp turns green, the flash is ready for shooting.
4.	Press the shutter release button halfway to focus lock on the subject.
5.	Press the shutter release button fully to take a picture with flash.
6.	When using a zoom lens, if the focal length changes, the illumination coverage changes accordingly and the flash unit is automatically adjusted for the optimal illumination angle.

Mode	Shutter speed	Aperture
	Automatic	Automatic
P	Automatic	Automatic
A	Automatic	Selected aperture
S	Selected shutter speed	Automatic
M	Selected shutter speed	Selected aperture

• *When the flash mode on the camera is set to Flash Synchro, the shutter speed is automatically adjusted to match ambient light conditions.

[About the illumination coverage]

• * All illumination coverage values given are 35 mm filmcameras equivalent.

[About shooting distance from the subject]

If the captured image appears too dark even if using flash, get closer to the subject or select a higher ISO setting on the camera.

Ambient light auto flash

1.	Turn on the camera and the flash unit.
2.	•Press Mode select button to set [NORMAL]. •Set the flash power level between F2.8 ~ 5.6 with the Flash power level select button. If the subject is relatively far, or if you want a short time between flashes, set to F2.8 in power level. To get a deeper depth of field, set to F5.6 in power level.
3.	Manually select the aperture on the camrea to match the aperture value selected on the flash unit. If the camera does not offer the exact same value, select the closest value. When using a zoom lens, check the aperture value again after adjusting the zoom and correct the aperture value if necessary.
4.	Set a shutter speed slower than 1/250 second.

[For GXR users]

Turn the mode dial to [M] (manual exposure), or to [A] (aperture priority). Adjust exposure to the value that was selected with the GF-1 (in the step 2 above) with the Up-down dial.

• • •Flash will not fire depending on the shooting mode. In the case, the [Flash Off] icon will be displayed in the upper left corner on the screen.
  • •See the below for the details on the [M] mode or [A] mode operations.
    

• • •The correct exposure cannot be achieved in , P (Program shift), or S(Shutter priority) modes.
  • •When the ISO setting is set to AUTO, the flash unit will be automatically adjusted to match the selected setting.

[For cameras other than GXR (other than Type R)]

The ISO setting on the camera is not linked with the flash unit. Manually select the aperture value on the camera to match the ISO setting, using the following table as reference.

• *See the Camera User Guide for the details.
• *The captured image may not come out as you expected, depending on the shooting conditions (subject, surroundings, color and reflectiveness of the background, etc.) In such case, try changing the aperture value on the camera or the shooting distance.

Manual flash

When you cannot get the exposure you intended, using the TTL auto or Ambient light auto mode, you can use manual flash to set the desired flash output level.

1.	Turn on the camera and the flash unit.
2.	•Press Mode select button to set [NORMAL]. •Set the flash power level to FULL or 1/4 with the Flash power level select button.
3.	For manual flash, use the following formula to select the aperture value. Aperture value = Guide No. ÷ Shooting distance Example) IF the guide No. is 30 and the shooting distance is 5 meters, the appropriate aperture value will become F4. 20 (G.N.) ÷ 5 (shooting distance) = 4 (aperture) The guide number of the GF-1 (flash amount output) will vary depending on the zoom position. Refer to "Guide Number Table (ISO100)" here.
4.	Set a shutter speed slower than 1/250 second with using ADJ. lever of the camera.

[For GXR users]

• • •Press Mode select button to set [NORMAL].
  • •With the Flash power level select button, set the flash power level to Manual flash output adjustment (the two rightmost flash power level indication lamps on).

• • •For manual flash amount control, attach the GF-1 flash unit to the camera in advance.
  • •Flash will not fire depending on the shooting mode. In the case, the [Flash Off] icon will be displayed in the upper left corner on the screen.

• *For cameras other than the GXR, consult to the Camera User Guide.

Slave flash

• • •When you do not want to illuminate the subject from the front with the main flash light source.
  • •When you want the GF-1 flash unit to fire without having it attached to the hot shoe.
  • •When the distance to the subject is too far and the flash light cannot reach the subject.
  • •When you want to add several flashes to an array.

• • •If the flash does not fire, check the position and the angle of the flash.
  • •In the Slave flash mode, if the GF-1 accidentally detects a flash light from the other camera, it may fire before shooting. Confirm charging with the PILOT lamp if the GF-1 is ready for a next flash.

[SLAVE1 and SLAVE2]

• *1) Type R cameras like GXR, GR DIGITAL III (that has the pre-flash feature)

[How to use the pre-flash from the camera as a trigger]

• *If you are going to use the built-in flash of the camera as a trigger, do not attach the GF-1 to the hot shoe of that camera. The built-in flash may not able to open.

1.	Turn on the camera, and make it ready to use flash. *The Red-eye flash function of the camera is not available.
2.	Turn on the GF-1. •Press Mode select button to set [SLAVE1]. •Set the flash power level to Ambient light auto (F2.5 to 5.6), or Manual flash (1/4 or FULL) with the Flash power level select button.
3.	Set the aperture in the camera. The examples below explain about the exposure with Ambient light auto, or with Manual flash. [When using Ambient light auto] 1.Manually select the aperture on the camera with the Up-down dial to match the aperture value selected on the flash unit. If the camera does not offer the exact same value, select the closest value. When using a camera unit with zoom (RICOH LENS S10 24-72mm F2.4-4.4 VC, or RICOH LENS P10 28-300mm F3.5-5.6 VC), check the aperture value again after adjusting the zoom and correct the aperture value if necessary. 2.Use the supplied flash stand or other device to place the flash unit at the desired location and adjust its angle as desired. 3.Press the shutter release button of the camera once to check if the flash fires under the conditions selected. If the flash will not fire, verify the position of the slave sensor and the operating distance. After checking the result of a test shot if the image is too dark, choose a smaller aperture value in the camera. If it is too bright, choose a larger aperture value instead. [When using Manual flash] 1.Use the following formula to select the aperture value. Aperture value = Guide No. ÷ Shooting distance Example) If the guide No. is 20 and the shooting distance is 5 meters, the appropriate aperture value will become F4. 20 (G.N.) ÷ 5 (shooting distance) = 4 (aperture) Refer to "Guide Number Table (ISO100)" here. 2.If the camera does not offer the exact same value, select the closest value.

Using the Mode select button, set the flash mode to SLAVE1 or SLAVE2, according to the flash method of the camera. In this case, the Red-eye function of the camera is not available.

Bounce flash

• • •The angle of the flash head is adjustable upward to 45 ° > 60 ° > 75 ° > 90 °.

• •When the ceiling or walls are too far, the reflected light of the flash may not be enough and the bounce flash may not be effective.
• •If the ceiling or walls are not white, the reflected light may be affected, taking their color.
• •If the reflected light is attenuated too much and the bounce flash is not effective enough, try taking another picture with selecting a higher ISO setting on the camera.

• •When you pull the wide panel, the catch-light panel will be pulled out at the same time. Push the wide panel back inside.

• •When using the catch-light panel, set the flash head upward at a 90 ° and use bounce flash.

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