spersky Posted November 26, 2009 Share #1 Posted November 26, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) The only time I use flash is for the little sparkle you sometimes get in the eyes for portraits. I always use ambient light with very subtle fill flash. What setting will accomplish that. I tell you that TTL/GNC mode is horrible and even when I dial the EV to -2 on the flash it is way way too powerful. Its like the +-EV does not even work in TTL mode. In automatic mode, is it important to have the exact aperture and ISO set in the flash? Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted November 26, 2009 Posted November 26, 2009 Hi spersky, Take a look here M9 and the SF24D. Need help. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
spersky Posted November 26, 2009 Author Share #2 Posted November 26, 2009 Actually, this SF24D is really bad. You cannot even set the aperture below 2.0 in automatic mode, and cannot dial the EV down in automatic mode unless you have it set to higher output. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted November 26, 2009 Share #3 Posted November 26, 2009 Use a Leicagoodies SFILL soft box and the SF24-D is not too bad. It is not in the same league as the SF58-D but then it is nothing like the same price and it is one third the size. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted November 29, 2009 Share #4 Posted November 29, 2009 Apparently the Leicagoodies website is showing up as infected by Malaware. I have sent Rik an email warning him of this and suggesting that for his own good, he should get this sorted asap. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mc_k Posted November 29, 2009 Share #5 Posted November 29, 2009 Apparently the Leicagoodies website is showing up as infected by Malaware. I have sent Rik an email warning him of this and suggesting that for his own good, he should get this sorted asap. Wilson not sure they are still open for business; didn't return my email... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted November 29, 2009 Share #6 Posted November 29, 2009 not sure they are still open for business; didn't return my email... I sent my email to Rik's personal email address and if I get any news, I will post. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted November 30, 2009 Share #7 Posted November 30, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) I am still hoping for a small M8/9 compatible tilthead Leica or Metz flash. The best I have found up to now is the old MZ3 on A and that is a bit of a brick. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesphoto99 Posted November 30, 2009 Share #8 Posted November 30, 2009 Cut a piece of diffusion material and sandwich it in btwn the wide angle diffuser and flash head. A tissue works in a pinch. Will cut the output power down but that sounds like what you want. Not a bad little flash considering the size. Perfect to carry along but I do hope Leica update it at some point. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted November 30, 2009 Share #9 Posted November 30, 2009 Delighted to advise that www.leicagoodies.com, the makers of the SFILL softbox for the SF24-D, are still in business. There was a problem with their website, which is now sorted. I have had some email correspondence with Rik Plomp, the owner, via his personal address but he will now be able to respond to messages sent via the site. Messages sent over the last few days may have disappeared, so if you need anything, I would resend. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted November 30, 2009 Share #10 Posted November 30, 2009 Actually, this SF24D is really bad. You cannot even set the aperture below 2.0 in automatic mode, and cannot dial the EV down in automatic mode unless you have it set to higher output. Like most tools, if you understand how they work you'll be half way to finding ways to work around the limitations. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted November 30, 2009 Share #11 Posted November 30, 2009 Like most tools, if you understand how they work you'll be half way to finding ways to work around the limitations. Ian, I hear what you say and I agree you have to make the best of the tools you have. However, it is surprising that this flash appears to have somewhat less flexibility than similar Metz flashes, when all are made by Metz. Conversation at Metz "Ok guys we want to make sure that people recognise that our branded flashes are better, even though we make the Leica ones and we know that Leica charges twice what the Metz ones cost." Leica SF58-D £479 (price seems to have reduced recently by about 10% - it was over £500) Metz MZ 58-AF1 £245 Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted November 30, 2009 Share #12 Posted November 30, 2009 Get yourself a Nikon SC 'system' cable and liberate your flash from the hot shoe. I do even use my SF24D for bounce flash in average size rooms, and I do actually find little use for my larger Metz flash. Fill flash does also work fine with this technique, and fast lenses and the improved high-ISO capability of the M9 do also together eliminate most occasions to use flash as the main light source. Also do subscribe to Sean Reid's site (http://www.reidreviews.com) where there is a very enlightening piece on 'Working With Flash'. He and I arrived at much the same technique independently, and this way I won't have to tell you everything in this restricted format. The old man from the Age of Flash Powder Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke_Miller Posted November 30, 2009 Share #13 Posted November 30, 2009 Also do subscribe to Sean Reid's site (www.reidreviews.com) where there is a very enlightening piece on 'Working With Flash'. He and I arrived at much the same technique independently, and this way I won't have to tell you everything in this restricted format. I used Sean's technique with my M8.2 and SF-24D. It works well, but I am still trying to get proficient with shooting the body one-handed. I don't have a wrist strap for the flash, so I would stick it in a pocket while focusing. Before I got the SF-24D I read all the posts about how it did not work well in TTL mode, or accept flash EV compensation in TTL. Almost put me off from getting the flash, but found a good price on a used one so I took a chance. Mine works fine in all modes. TTL allows me to bounce it off camera and that is my preferred usage. I can balance flash with ambient in TTL using - EV compensation on the body and +EV on the flash. Since I am new to the M8.2 I am still getting used to pausing at the half press to allow for metering. My only glitches with the SF-24D occurred when I did not pause and just did a full press. When I do that in TTL it appears that the flash does not perform a pre-flash, but instead just fires at full power. If I do my part the SF-24D seems to be a very competent flash. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted November 30, 2009 Share #14 Posted November 30, 2009 Yes Luke, it is very competent -- even more competent, in fact. The camera and the flash work together to balance flash and ambient light when on Auto. The balance may not be to your taste, but it is there. There is in any case no need to use compensation on both the camera and the flash. I modify the flash output only. The old man from the Age of Flash Powder Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mc_k Posted November 30, 2009 Share #15 Posted November 30, 2009 thanks for checking on the Leicagoodies store Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_tribble Posted November 30, 2009 Share #16 Posted November 30, 2009 Get yourself a Nikon SC 'system' cable and liberate your flash from the hot shoe. I do even use my SF24D for bounce flash in average size rooms, and I do actually find little use for my larger Metz flash. Fill flash does also work fine with this technique, and fast lenses and the improved high-ISO capability of the M9 do also Lars - any chance of your posting something that shows what your set up looks like + the exact spec of the cable - there seem to be a few Nikon SCs out there. I hate on-camera flash but have the SF24 D and would be very happy to learn from my elders and betters ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spersky Posted November 30, 2009 Author Share #17 Posted November 30, 2009 Yes Luke, it is very competent -- even more competent, in fact. The camera and the flash work together to balance flash and ambient light when on Auto. The balance may not be to your taste, but it is there. There is in any case no need to use compensation on both the camera and the flash. I modify the flash output only. The old man from the Age of Flash Powder If shooting at 2.0 you can only modify the EV to -1 in automatic mode. That also assumes you are at ISO 160. I like very very low output flash for fill, Bascially just a small hint. I am working with it and will end up placing a diffuser over the flash to supress out even more flash. BTW, even -1 EV at 2.0 is too much. Heaven forbid I shot at 1.8. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
diogenis Posted December 1, 2009 Share #18 Posted December 1, 2009 I wonder how come none made yet a full LED flash. One would do great things with this kind of technology when it becomes available... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted December 1, 2009 Share #19 Posted December 1, 2009 I wonder how come none made yet a full LED flash. One would do great things with this kind of technology when it becomes available... My guess is because the rise and extinguish time of high intensity LED's is still too slow. Also the cost of the HID tubes used by traditional flashes has become so low and the performance so satisfactory, that there is no pressure to replace these. I was given as my christmas present in 1959, a Metz 102 flash. As my father had forgotten to take off the price tag, I knew it cost £26/10/-. Corrected for inflation, that is about £470, which coincidentally is pretty much exactly the price of an SF58-D. Its internal rechargeable battery lasted about 25 feeble flashes and died after some 2 years. Some things have improved enormously. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
diogenis Posted December 7, 2009 Share #20 Posted December 7, 2009 I would have thought that LEDs response times are far better than HIDs and also a lot more controllable. Also would have been far better and responsive in machine gun shooting. And most than anything it would make more compact units, Leica should introduce a really compact flash made of LEDs for the M9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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