USER GUIDE On-Camera Flash for Canon, Nikon, or Sony NS-DCF200C/NS-DCF200N/NS-DCF200S Note: Camera flashes are designed for specific camera makes. For example, you cannot use the Canon flash (NS-DCF200C) with a Nikon or Sony camera. Before using your new product, please read these instructions to prevent any damage.
Insignia On-Camera Flash Contents Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Important Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Package contents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Flash body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Introduction Congratulations on your purchase of a high-quality Insignia product. Your NS-DCF200C (for Canon cameras), NS-DCF200N (for Nikon cameras), or NS-DCF200S (for Sony cameras) represents the state of the art in advanced on-camera flash technology and is manufactured for reliable and trouble-free performance. Important Safety Instructions To prevent damage to your flash or injury to you or to others, read the following safety precautions in their entirety before using your flash.
9 Overheating occurs if you use your flash continuously without letting it cool down. We advise that you let your flash cool for about 10 minutes after 30 continuous full-power flashes.
Flash body Catchlight panel Wide panel Flash head Battery compartment Optical control sensor Focus assist beam Mounting foot LCD panel Battery compartment Lock ring 5
Control panel ZOOM select button MODE select button High-speed SYNC button MODE test button/ flash ready indicator ZOOM SYNC SLAVE SLAVE triggering button SET Power button Select dial C.
Manual flash Manual flash mode Manual flash output Stroboscopic flash Stroboscopic mode Number of flashes Flash frequency 7
Installing batteries Note: Using premium batteries, such as non-rechargable lithium or high-output rechargable batteries, will noticably reduce flash recycle time and improve battery life. 1 While pressing in on the battery compartment cover, slide the cover down, then lift the cover to open the compartment. 2 Insert two AA batteries (not included) into the battery compartment. Make sure that the + and – symbols on the batteries match the symbols in the battery compartment.
Cautions: • Batteries should not be exposed to excessive heat, such as sunshine, heat registers, or fire. • Battery chemicals can cause a rash. If the batteries leak, clean the battery compartment with a cloth. If chemicals touch your skin, wash immediately. • Make sure that batteries are disposed of correctly. Do not burn or incinerate. Notes: • Do not mix batteries of different types. • Do not mix old and new batteries. • Remove batteries when the charge is depleted.
Attaching your flash to a camera 1 If the camera has a plastic protective cover on the hotshoe, remove it. 2 Rotate the lock ring on your flash’s mounting foot counter-clockwise as far as it will go to make sure that the lock ring is completely loosened. 3 Slip your flash's mounting foot into the camera's hotshoe. Make sure that the foot is all the way into the hotshoe. 4 Rotate the lock ring on the flash’s mounting foot clockwise until it locks in place.
Attaching your flash to the stand 1 Rotate the lock ring on your flash’s mounting foot counter-clockwise as far as it will go to make sure that the lock ring is completely loosened. 2 Slide your flash’s mounting foot into the slot on the stand. 3 Rotate the lock ring on your flash’s mounting foot clockwise until it locks in place. 4 Set the stand on a flat, stable surface. OR Screw the bottom of the stand into a standard camera tripod.
Power management When you set up your flash as the master flash, your flash turns off after about 90 seconds of inactivity. To wake your flash, press the camera shutter button halfway or press any flash button. You can turn off the auto power off function. 1 Press the ZOOM/C.Fn button for two seconds until the C.Fn menu is displayed. For the location of the ZOOM/C.Fn button, see Control panel on page 6. 2 Turn the select dial to select ST, then press the SET button. The setting blinks.
To select a flash mode: • Press the MODE button one or more times. The flash mode displayed on the LCD changes each time you press the button. You can select TTL (auto-flash mode), M (Manual mode), or Multi (Stroboscopic mode). MODE ZOOM SYNC SLAV SET Using the TTL auto-flash mode In TTL mode, the camera and your flash work together to calculate the coect exposure for the subject and the background.
Taking a picture 1 On the camera, press the shutter button halfway to focus. 2 On the camera, fully press the shutter button. Your flash fires a pre-flash that the camera uses to calculate exposure and flash output the instant before the photo is taken. Then the camera takes the picture. If the flash output value is set to the maximum, Hi appears on the LCD for three seconds. Adjust the camera’s aperture, shutter, and ISO parameters if underexposure appears.
Using high-speed sync High-speed sync lets your flash automatically synchronize with the camera shutter speed. This function is convenient when you want to use aperture priority for fill-flash portraits. 1 Press the SYNC button to turn on high-speed sync. The icon appears on the LCD. 2 On the camera, set the shutter speed to high-speed sync. For instructions, see the documentation that came with the camera. Notes: • With high-speed sync, the faster the shutter speed, the shorter the effective flash range.
Using the Manual flash mode In Manual mode, you can manually adjust the flash output from 1/1 full power to 1/128th power in one-third step increments. Use a hand-held flash meter to determine the flash output you need. 1 Press the MODE button one or more times to MODE ZOOM SYNC SLAV select M (Manual mode). SET 2 Turn the select dial to choose the flash output amount you want.
Using the Optical S1 secondary flash setting The S1 secondary flash with optical sensor mode makes your flash fire synchronously when the main flash fires. This produces the same effect as using a radio trigger to create multiple lighting effects. • To turn on the S1 mode, press the SLAVE button one or more times until S1 is displayed on the LCD. Note: S1 optical triggering is only available in Manual flash mode.
Using the Stroboscopic mode In the Stroboscopic (Multi) mode, the camera takes a rapid series of flashes to capture multiple images of a moving subject in a single photograph. You can set the firing frequency (number of flashes per second expressed as Hz), the number of flashes, and the flash output. 1 Press the MODE button one or more times to MODE ZOOM SYNC SLAV select Multi (Stroboscopic mode). SET 2 Turn the select dial to choose the flash output amount you want.
Calculating the shutter speed When you use Stroboscopic mode, the shutter remains open until the firing stops. Use the following formula to calculate the shutter speed and set the speed on the camera. Number of Flashes / Flash Frequency = Shutter Speed For example, if the number of flashes is 10 and the firing frequency is 5Hz, the shutter speed should be at least two seconds. Notes: • The Stroboscopic flash mode is most effective with a highly reflective subject against a dark background.
If the number of flashes is displayed as “––” the firing continues until the shutter closes or the battery is exhausted.
Using other functions Using the auto-focus assist beam In poorly-lit or low-contrast shooting environments, the built-in auto-focus assist beam automatically lights to make auto-focusing easier. The beam lights only when auto-focusing is difficult and turns off as soon as auto-focusing becomes correct. If you want to turn off the auto-focus assist beam, set the AF (auto-focus) function to OFF on the C.Fn menu. For more information, see Customizing function settings (C.Fn) on page 25.
Using bounce flash By pointing the flash head toward a wall or ceiling, your flash bounces off the surface before illuminating the subject. Bounce flash can soften shadows behind the subject for a more natural-looking shot. To set the bounce direction, hold the flash head and turn it toward the surface you want to use to bounce the flash. -7° to 90° 270° Notes: • If the wall or ceiling is too far away, the bounced flash might be too weak and result in underexposure.
Creating a catchlight With the catchlight panel, you can create a catchlight in the subject’s eyes to add life to the facial expression. 1 Point the flash head upward by 90°, then pull out the wide panel. The catchlight panel comes out at the same time. For the location of both panels, see Flash body on page 5. 2 Push the wide panel back in. 3 Position the flash head as described in Using bounce flash on page 22. Important: • Point the flash head straight ahead, then upward by 90°.
• In manual zoom mode, press the ZOOM/C.Fn button, then turn the select dial to change the flash coverage. If AU is displayed, the flash coverage will be set automatically. ZOOM SYNC SLAVE SET Important: • If you set the flash coverage manually, make sure that it covers the lens focal length. Otherwise, the picture will not have a dark periphery. • When the (low battery) indicator is displayed, the zoom focal length is always 24mm.
Customizing function settings (C.Fn) You can adjust the following settings: Custom function menu option Function ST Auto power off (standby mode) AF AF-assist beam BL Backlight control Setting Settings & description ON ON OF OFF ON ON OF OFF 10 sec Off in 10 seconds OF Always off ON Always on 1 Press the ZOOM/C.Fn button for two seconds or longer until the C.Fn menu is displayed. For the location of the ZOOM/C.Fn button, see Control panel on page 6.
Understanding protection functions Over-temperature protection • To avoid overheating and damage to the flash head, do not fire more than 30 continuous flashes in fast succession at 1/1 full power. After 30 continuous flashes, let your flash cool for at least 10 minutes. • If you fire more than 30 continuous flashes, then fire more flashes in short intervals, the internal over-temperature protection function may be activated and make the recycling time over 10 seconds.
The number of flashes that will activate over-temperature protection in high-speed sync triggering mode are: Power output Number of flashes 1/1 15 1/2 (+0.3,+0.7) 20 1/4 (+0.3,+0.7) 30 1/8 (+0.3,+0.7) 1/16 (+0.3,+0.7) 40 Protection error messages Your flash provides additional real-time protection to secure your flash and your safety. Error messages and descriptions are: Displayed on the LCD Meaning E1 A failure has occurred on the recycling system so that your flash cannot fire.
Troubleshooting My flash will not charge. • Make sure that the batteries are installed correctly. See Installing batteries on page 8. • Make sure that the batteries are not dead. Replace the batteries. See Installing batteries on page 8. • If the icon blinks on the LCD panel, the battery power is low. Replace the batteries. See Installing batteries on page 8. My flash does not fire. • Your flash is not attached securely to the camera. Attach your flash securely to the camera.
Photos have dark corners or only parts of the target subject are illuminated. • The focal length of the lens exceeds the flash coverage. Check the flash coverage you set. Your flash has a flash coverage between 24mm and 105mm, which fits medium-format cameras. Pull the wide panel out to extend the flash coverage. See Setting flash coverage in manual zoom mode on page 23 and Using the wide panel to extend the flash coverage on page 24. Specifications Specifications are subject to change without notice.
Auto-focus assist beam Effective range (approx.) Center: 2.0 ~ 13.1 ft. (0.6 ~ 4 m) Periphery: 2.0 ~ 8.2 ft. (0.6 ~ 2.5 m) Power supply AA batteries (2) Recycle time Full power flashes Power saving Sync triggering mode Premium batteries, such as non-rechargable lithium or high-output rechargable batteries, will noticably decrease flash recycle time and improve battery life. Alkaline batteries can also be used. Approx. 0.1 ~ 2.
Legal notices FCC Part 15 This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation of this product is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. This equipment has been tested and found to comply within the limits for a class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
One-year limited warranty Insignia Definitions: The Distributor* of Insignia branded products warrants to you, the original purchaser of this new Insignia-branded product (“Product”), that the Product shall be free of defects in the original manufacturer of the material or workmanship for a period of one (1) year from the date of your purchase of the Product (“Warranty Period”).
What does the warranty not cover? This warranty does not cover: • Customer instruction/education • Installation • Set up adjustments • Cosmetic damage • Damage due to weather, lightning, and other acts of God, such as power surges • Accidental damage • Misuse • Abuse • Negligence • Commercial purposes/use, including but not limited to use in a place of business or in communal areas of a multiple dwelling condominium or apartment complex, or otherwise used in a place of other than a private home.
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