To test if your camera synchs
properly with a flash is no problem as long as you can open the camera
back. Looking at the frame opening of
the camera while firing the flash at a bright surface, will quickly reveal if
the entire frame is exposed correctly. But what to do with cameras that don’t have an
opening back like all of the Leica screw mount cameras?
There is a very simple, non-invasive
way to do so. All one needs is a piece
of so-called glow-in-the-dark-tape. This
should be noticeably larger than the frame opening of the camera. Inserting it into the camera in place of the
film is all that’s necessary. With the
lens removed, if possible, connect the flash to the camera, set the required
synch speed and set off the flash, preferably firing right into the camera and
then remove the tape. In a not too
bright area, the tape will glow with the outline of the exposed area. This will quickly reveal if the entire frame
is illuminated or if the shutter is covering part of the negative area while
the flash is firing.
This test will work with all types of
flash equipment. Especially with cameras
like the Leica IIIf, which have a built-in flash synch adjustment, this test
can quickly determine the proper synch settings without the need to hunt down
an instruction book.
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