Metz Mastering Flashgun Usage: Essential Indicators and Power Supply for the 60 CT Models

2. Preparing the flashgun for use

2.1 Attaching the flashgun to a camera

The flashgun can only be operated with synch cable on the camera.

☞Be sure to switch off the mecablitz by its main switch prior to mounting or removing the standard foot or SCA adapter. Before mounting or removing the flash unit, switch off both the camera and the flash unit!

Mounting the flashgun:

•Fasten the camera bracket with the bracket screw to the camera’s tripod bush. For medium- and large-format cameras we recommend the use of the 70-35 bracket (optional accessory).

• Insert the camera bracket into the quick-release device (fig. 1) of the bracket holder (fig. 1) until it is audibly engaged (fig. 1).

•Secure the camera bracket with the locking screw.

•Connect the synch or SCA cable to the flashgun and camera or adapter.

2.2 Power supply

The flash unit can only be operated with the 60-38 battery.

☞Spent batteries must not be thrown into the domestic waste! Help keep the environment clean and discard spent batteries at corresponding collecting points!

Before using the mecablitz for the first time, open the battery compartment cover (fig. 5) and remove the inserted cardboard insulating strip between the battery and contacts.

2.2.1 Charging the battery

The 60-38 rechargeable battery must only be charged with the battery char- ger (Table 2, Page 513). The operating voltage must be set on the battery charger prior to the charging operation.

☞Note ! During charging the flash unit must be turned off ! Recharging an exhausted battery to 80% of its capacity takes approx. 7

hours. During this time, the red monitoring light remains illuminated. As soon as the battery has been recharged up to 80% of its capacity the red

monitoring light starts flashing. The green monitoring light (fig. 5) remains illuminated during the whole recharging procedure. After a further six hours the accumulator is then fully charged

The battery is exhausted when recycling after a full-power flash takes more than 30 seconds. An exhausted battery must be immediately recharged.

2.3 Switching the flash unit ON and OFF
The flash unit is turned on with the main switch		(fig. 5). The in-use
indicator	(fig. 5) of the generator will then light up. Push the main
switch into position "0" to turn off the flash unit.
The mecablitz is ready for operation as soon as the flash-ready indi-
cator	(fig. 3) lights up.

☞ If the flash ready indicator			((fig. 3) is illuminated while the power
pack is switched off, then this indicates that the amount of light is no
longer sufficient for a correct exposure.
2.4 Flash ready indication				￿
The mecablitz is ready for operation as soon as the flash-ready indi-
cator	(fig. 3) lights up. Only then can a flash be fired.
2.5 Correct exposure indication
The exposure o.k. indicator		(fig. 3) only lights up if the shot will

be/has been correctly exposed in automatic or TTL flash mode.

This gives you the opportunity to manually fire a test flash in the auto flash mode in order to determine the correct aperture for a given sub- ject - a procedure that can be otherwise daunting with bounce flash when the reflection conditions are difficult to judge in advance.

The test flash is triggered with the manual firing button.

If the exposure o.k. indicator (fig. 3) remains dark after firing a test flash, then the next lower f- number must be set to widen the aperture, or the distance to the reflection surface or subject has to be

29