On Fri, 08 Nov 2002 04:02:58 GMT, Agent99 wrote:

>After 30 years in photography, I have to ask what I fee is a stupid
>question. I have purchased a Nikon 8008/801 due to poor eyesight. My
>question is this. I have a Metx 45Ct4 flash that provides TTL flash.
>I have used this flash for the past 5-6 years on with my Nikon FA set
>on manual and have had great TTL results. The 8008 seems to want to
>force me into fill in flash mode. The instructions tell me to use it
>in Program/Aperture Preferred/Shutter Preferred but not manual for use
>with flash. I don't care if the background goes dark, in fact that's
>what I want.--Basic flash not fill (indoors). Has anyone any
>experience with this camera on manual?

Just go ahead and use it that way - if you cannot defeat
the auto-fill ratio (you can, and I do, on most Nikon
flashes...), don't worry. What it does is drop the flash
output anywhere from 2/3rds stop (with full ambient-light
exposure) to 0 stop (with underexposure for ambient light,
what it appears you will be doing...).
I prefer specifying the fill-ratio (generally greater
than 2/3rds stop) and defeating the "unknown variable"
ratio, but the difference in effect will generally
be minor... BTW, if your eyesight problem is entirely
age-related inability to focus, there is a solution for
this ("4-Distance Glasses", that also aids general
non-camera seeing ability) on my web page, at
www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/articles.html