SF-64 flash.

[adamdewilde]

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One thing that REALLY bothers me about the SF-64. The only thing that I really hate about the actual flash. Actually I've just thought of another.. But I'll get to that.

 

The one thing is the AF assist beam. It's not like Canon (600ex-rt) or Nikon (SB-910), a barely visible grid that the camera picks up on and focuses (works amazing w/Canon and Nikon cameras). What the SF-64 does is just blankets your subject with this blinding red square of light that causes stupid looking faces. This is stressful as the lens is slow and chokes up with focusing in low light at the tele end (due to f/4) so what Canon has would be a big plus to the SF-64.

 

The second thing, and I just thought of it. You can see settings on the LCD touch screen of the flash, but you can't actually touch screen the settings until you've highlighted them. Then you can touch. And I'm constantly flicking the menu with my finger trying to scroll like on my iPhone. But no you have to use the little arrows (how frustrating, why not just make an ENTER button and do away with the potentially battery draining touch screen then?)

 

 

Other then those issues. I quite like the color and quality of light from this METZ flash. If my below question was answered favourably I'd consider trying the 64 AF-1 series flashes on different camera systems.

Does anyone use one on Canon or Nikon systems? I'm curious now if the AF assist beam is the same as on the SF-64 or if it's different depending on the Camera it attaches to. One would assume the hardware is all the same, but thought I'd ask?

[FlashGordonPhotography]

The AF assist beam on the SL (and SF64 flash) is this way because the camera uses an on sensor CDAF focusing system. On a PDAF system the beam is mostly in the IR spectrum because the PDAF system is separate to the sensor and can focus on IR, somewhat. It's just as bright but in a spectrum you can't see. 

 

In a CDAF system focus system the focus is done off the sensor which is filtered for IR so a IR focus assist won't wok. So instead you get a bright light illuminator ( a torch light) to assist focusing. The light from this is entirely in the visible spectrum, so it appears brighter. Yes it's a pain. At least it's coloured. Some manufacturers think it's OK to just shine a bright white light in your subjects faces.

 

It should be less bright on a Canikon version. But you'd be best to check in store first.

 

Gordon

Edited May 27, 2016 by FlashGordonPhotography

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[adamdewilde]

The AF assist beam on the SL (and SF64 flash) is this way because the camera uses an on sensor CDAF focusing system. On a PDAF system the beam is mostly in the IR spectrum because the PDAF system is separate to the sensor and can focus on IR, somewhat. It's just as bright but in a spectrum you can't see. 

 

In a CDAF system focus system the focus is done off the sensor which is filtered for IR so a IR focus assist won't wok. So instead you get a bright light illuminator ( a torch light) to assist focusing. The light from this is entirely in the visible spectrum, so it appears brighter. Yes it's a pain. At least it's coloured. Some manufacturers think it's OK to just shine a bright white light in your subjects faces.

 

It should be less bright on a Canikon version. But you'd be best to check in store first.

 

Gordon

 

 

Hi Gordon,

 

I figured this was the case. I guess I'll have to go test a M64 AF-1 using either my Canon or Nikon camera. To see if there are hardware differences between the same flash of different mounts. 

 

Best,

Adam