In article <33ACF092.21@ra.msstate.edu>, sgr1@ra.msstate.edu says...

> I am a beginning photographer and need some information about
>using fill flash with my F3HP. I have a sunpack 444D Dedicated
>flash. Whenever I attach the flash to the camera, the shutter speed
>automatically becomes 1/80 sec. My question is, what if 1/80 of a
>second allows too much light to expose the film. Maybe the proper
>shutter speed for the given light and apeture should be 1/250. Since
>1/80 doesn't seem to be a "metered" shutter speed, I can't tell by
>using the camera's meter what apeture would be correct for that
>speed. Do I have to have a separate light meter to determine the proper
>apeture for 1/80 second? Thanks for any help. -Steve Roberts

The top useable speed on the F3 when using flash is 1/80th second.
If this is too slow for proper exposure at useable lens apertures,
try a slower film. Ambient light metering can be done with the
flash turned off. Meter at 1/60th second (or slower) shutter speed.
If you want the ambient light meter to stay on with the flash on,
cover the middle of the three contacts on the camera flash shoe
with a bit of tape - BUT, be aware that speeds higher than the
top flash sync speed can be selected (giving partially exposed
frames), and that the camera flash ready light will not work. If
you want to set up the F3 TTL system for fill exposures, use either
the AS-7 shoe or the SC-14 TTL flash remote cord. Both have an
ASA ring for the flash which may be set to a higher speed than
the camera to provide TTL flash underexposure for fill (since
400 ASA is the highest useable speed, the film speed would need
to be at least as much slower as the fill ratio set [if you use
1 1/3 stop fill ratio, for instance, the ambient meter can be set
no higher than 160 ASA when using flash {set at 400 ASA}]).
Hope This Helps, or, David Ruether - http://www.fcinet.com/ruether