Anybody tried the Nikon SB-21 Speedlight?

[Jeff M]

Hello,

I recently picked up an SB-21 Ringlight Flash for mere pennies (well, not really pennies…). I’ve got an F4e as well as the S-2, so it seems a good investment. I’ve been using it for portraits (yeah, that’s not a typo). It illuminates faces and eliminates shadows.

Has anyone else tried this on the S-2 (using the SB-21 that is…)? I am experiencing seemingly erratic behavior with the TTL feature and can't get it to function on the S-2 now. It did work at least once, but I can't reproduce the function at the moment. As computers and computer driven items don’t act irrationally, I assume I’m doing something different now than I was the day in the camera shop when I got it to TTL for me. I’ve got the Nikon instructions, but they’re about worthless.

If someone has used the 21, either on something else or on the S-2 and has some guidance for me, it would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

[traumlandschaft]

Hello Jeff,

I am not sure, but does the 21 support TTL??? I heard that the 29 was the first ringflash by Nikon to support this feature (but I am not sure).

Regards

Peter

[Jeff M]

Hi Peter,

No the SB-21 definately does TTL flash. It is compatible on the F4 (designed for it), the F5 and n80. I spent 45 minutes on the phone with Nikon confirming that - and that it's OK to use it with modern AF lenses (the manaul - which is first generation AF) says not to use it with AF, or to turn off the AF feature. Nikon said it's fine on the sturdier, newer lenses.

They wouldn't talk to me about using it on an S2 - imagine that. While testing it at the camera shop I did get it to work in TTL mode. I just haven't messed with it enough since coming home to re-figure it out.

Thanks,
Jeff M

[bugs007]

Hi

Yes the SB-21 does TTL very nicely on the S2. You need to be on spot metering and have the camera in manual exposure mode. And switch SB21 to TTL.

Cheers.