flash suggestion for use with the M-A?

[jmr237]

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Can anyone suggest a flash that would work with both an M6 and an M-A? I would prefer to buy new rather than used.

 

 

Is there a good primer I could read on how to determine exposure settings when using the flash? I use a Lumu meter for incident metering.

[madNbad]

There are a lot of threads dealing with flash and techniques on the forum. First, determine what situations would you want a flash for (fill for outdoor exposure or illuminating a large room) what features can you would like to have (tilting head) and how big of a flash your would be comfortable with. With either the M6 or the M-A there is no TTL so any flash will be used in either manual or auto mode. At this time there are a ton of flashes out there which will fill your need. Recently I found a nice little Vivitar 2500 to use with my M2 and it was five dollars. Pick up a cheap one, experiment then see if you really need something more.

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[madNbad]

I just checked and unfortunately your Lumu will not function as a flash meter.

[jmr237]

First, determine what situations would you want a flash for (fill for outdoor exposure or illuminating a large room) what features can you would like to have (tilting head) and how big of a flash your would be comfortable with.

 

Thanks for the initial thoughts. I should have provided more information in my original post. This is what I am looking for:

 

• tilting head to bounce from ceiling
  
• reasonably small and compact
  
• typical use would be to fill in a face outdoors, or to illuminate an indoor room
  
• I shoot Tri-X 400
  

[madNbad]

Look at a Yongnuo. They're cheap, work well and at the price you can get a couple for lighting interiors. They have the same features found on much more expensive flashes and with the money you save on a flash, get a Sekonic 308 and use it to meter.

[FrozenInTime]

It just seems wrong to have sought out the finest mechanical camera - then to add an electronic flash and require a flash meter.

 

If it's for fill lighting - would a Lastolite reflector work.

[CalArts 99]

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Some might think it's blasphemous to use a flash with a Leica M, but I use the Metz 36-C2 with my M4 and M6 (classic, non-TTL.) Metz mecablitz 36-C2 Auto Flash MZ 53622 B&H Photo Video It allows me to be creative with lighting for certain subject matter I work with and for specific projects, etc..

 

I call it 'reasonable size' although it's not 'compact.' But for me personally, the small 'compact' ones just don't have enough capabilities to make them really worth it. The 36-C2 has a high enough guide number at 100 ISO and so there are three very usable auto apertures to choose from. It also tilts fully with a 90 degree vertical and can be used with lenses from 28mm to 90mm; the zoom reflector means no vignetting with 28mm lenses and without having to attach any sort of additional plastic lens to the reflector. It also has a pc sync terminal for off camera use. I use it off camera most of the time using one hand with the flash and the other for the camera (after focusing, etc..) I carry a tiny Joby Gorillapod too, and so I can attach the flash to it and wrap the Joby around something nearby Joby Gorillapod Flexible Mini-Tripod/Grip for Point JB00100 B&H You'll need one of these for the flash foot to attach to the Joby: Vello Cold Shoe Mount with 1/4" Thread CS-20 B&H Photo (I also have a piece of velcro on the head and carry a white piece of stiff cardboard with velcro to use as a bounce card.)

 

You don't have to have a light meter that reads flash. The auto thyristor is very accurate for basic use and daylight fill. But the real drawback for daylight fill is the Leica's slow flash sync speed. That's the biggest issue with using flash on a Leica, imho. And if you are just looking for something to help fill, then consider carrying around reflective material like some aluminum foil. Or buy one of the small folding/collapsible Photoflex disc reflectors (I use them a lot, too.) They can reflect quite a bit of light and can be held with one hand. imho, they work great for daylight fill and you can stick them in your bag or jacket pocket. https://www.photoflex.com/products/litedisc-12-inch-gold-silver

[madNbad]

The Metz 36 is another good choice. My feeling is there is no need to spend a lot of money on a flash for a mechanical M. The circuits in the flashes are good enough in auto mode. Add a small reflector and you're set. A sync cord for off camera use is a must.

[jmr237]

It just seems wrong to have sought out the finest mechanical camera - then to add an electronic flash and require a flash meter.

 

Point taken! For me it would simply be something to experiment with.

[A miller]

the SF-24D works fine (although it isn't a magnum opus by any means), but only at max 1/50.

could come in handy in those very low-light indoor situations, or for playing around with trying to capture interesting candid motion shots in the street.

 

see, e.g., http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/street-photography/356201-flash-film-1-mm-street.html

Edited December 9, 2014 by A miller

[philipus]

I tried the SF-26 at a recent Leica gathering and was very pleased with it on my TTL. It is small, tilts up and down (though doesn't swivel) and has TTL. It also has a video LED light. The drawback is that it is expensive, around 300€ here. It's a Metz flash and the Metz version costs about 1/3 and is made for various camera makes, but I don't know if any of them fit the M system.

 

In this post there's an image shot with the SF-26:

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/forum-member-meetings/351524-leica-meeting-stockholm-18-november.html#post2824476

 

Br

Philip

 

Edit: I should add that I have no idea if the SF-26 works with the M-A.

[sblitz]

i use s 24d no problem .... set it to auto, then put in correct iso of film and distance to find correct f/stop. now, i read on internet and it works -- set s24d to 20ft f2.8 from there i set f-stop of camera to 5.6 for 8 to 10ft, 11 for 5 and 2.8 for longer and it works great -- assuming you can to blacken out the background. you can always play with a digital camera and the sf24d to see the results. don't worry about the sync speed, the shot will be exposed by the flash and the f/stop.

[too old to care]

I seldom use a flash, but for off camera stuff I use an old Sunpak 544, in I need a quick on camera flash, I use my Metz 36C-2. Just set either one to auto, usually around f4.

[semi-ambivalent]

get a Sekonic 308 and use it to meter.

 

+1

One of the nicest bits of cheap, plastic electronica I've ever owned.

 

s-a

[sblitz]

Agree

[imsilly]

Fill flash with a Leica M is almost impossible with a regular flash due to the 1/50 sync speed. Unless you have a subject that can stand incredibly still it's going to look weird and have ghosting in most situations. I have heard of Leica M7 users being able to get 1/1000 sync speeds with certain flashes like the Metz MZ54, but I have never tested that personally. It's one reason swapped over from Leica M cameras to Mamiya & cameras, better image quality and leaf shutters for universal flash sync.

 

As there is no real reason to buy an expensive flash for a M6 or M-A because they don't have any actual communication with the flash itself, other then to trigger it. Buy the flash with the power, size and movements you need. I bought several Yongnuo 560 II flashes on eBay second hand for £20. Can't go wrong with those. They have features like permanently on (I hate flashes with automatic sleep modes) and multi modes that I use a lot. I find they vignette slightly on their widest setting, but then most flashes do.

 

If you can find one cheap the Contax/fuji flashes are small and light.