Maximus Posted December 7, 2009 Share #1 Posted December 7, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) My M9 arrives this week and whilst I'm not a frequent flash user I would like a decent unit to use when required. I was looking at the Metz range and noticed the mecablitz 44 MZ-2 digital is listed as having flash exposure correction with the M8 and M8.2. Unless I've missed something this unit appears to have all the connectivity and exposure correction of the overpriced SF 58 in a lighter, cheaper package. I wonder if this would be so with the M9? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 7, 2009 Posted December 7, 2009 Hi Maximus, Take a look here Metz mecablitz 44 MZ-2 digital flash for M9?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Maximus Posted December 8, 2009 Author Share #2 Posted December 8, 2009 Does anyone have this flash? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted December 8, 2009 Share #3 Posted December 8, 2009 Does anyone have this flash? I think you will find that they also still state this for the 54MZ-4i on the Metz website. Sadly this is not the case. Yes the GNC works sort of but the exposure is a bit hit and miss. The main problem with the 54 is that you cannot adjust the flash strength in GNC mode like you can on the SF24-D and SF58-D (strangely also built by Metz). You can compensate on the camera with the EV+/- but if you are using the flash for fill in, that will not give the desired effect. I had a lot of correspondence with Metz on this point, as I had bought a new 54 and SCA 3502 on the strength of their website statements. In the end they admitted that the 54 did not really work properly with the M8 and arranged a refund for me. At that time (about 2 1/2 years ago), they said that the only flash in their range which gave fully GNC functionality with the M8 was the enormous hammerhead 76MZ-5 unit. I went to the Metz stand at Photokina last year to ask if they had updated the SCA3502 to work properly in GNC on all their SCA compatible flashes and have the ability to compensate. They said "Oh but it does work". I had my M8 with me, so I said "OK show me this, as I will buy a 54 and 3502 again." They set it all up for me and guess what - it did not work - red faces all round! My recommendation is to go to somewhere that you can try before you buy and then you won't have a fight to get your money back, if it does not work, like I did. I now have a SF58 and I am delighted with it. Wilson Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maximus Posted December 8, 2009 Author Share #4 Posted December 8, 2009 (edited) Thanks for the reply. The reason I posted this is that Metz says the 54 has no flash exposure compensation but the 44 does. Check it out here. If this is true then the 44 would be a good low-cost alternative to the SF58 for those that don't need the power. Edited December 8, 2009 by Maximus Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted December 8, 2009 Share #5 Posted December 8, 2009 (edited) Thanks for the reply. The reason I posted this is that Metz says the 54 has no flash exposure compensation but the 44 does. Check it out here. If this is true then the 44 would be a good low-cost alternative to the SF58 for those that don't need the power. I am pleased to see that Metz have finally corrected their website. My recommendation would still be to go and try. Even ignoring the no compensation issue, the GNC did not work very well on the 54. Exposures were all over the place, if you were trying to use bounce and not too accurate without bounce. The GNC did not work at all well without a UV/IR filter on an M8 and then if you are using the flash indoors as fill in, where there are a lot of bright lights around, you get filter reflections and flare. Metz may have improved this on the 44. I seem to recall there was also a problem with using the secondary flash on GNC. There is certainly a BIG price difference between the 44 and 58. I use an old 40 MZ-2 on film Leicas with a simple PC cord hot/cold foot (SCA 301) and it is a first class flash. Wilson Edited December 8, 2009 by wlaidlaw Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wparsonsgisnet Posted December 8, 2009 Share #6 Posted December 8, 2009 I had no success with GNC and my M8 (haven't tried the M9, yet) and reverted to Auto. I find I get terrific exposures using the 54 in Auto either in the shoe or off-camera using the Metz cord that uses a sensor in the shoe. I don't like the pre-flash anyway, so wouldn't have used GNC even if it had worked. The 58 seems to fill the bill all the way around; maybe I'll get one as a backup flash unit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert ford Posted February 17, 2011 Share #7 Posted February 17, 2011 (edited) Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi I have the 44 mz-2 and the 54mz - 4i Both are great flashes. I use the 44 mz-2 as it allows you to adjust the flash power in GNC mode. You cannot do this with the 54 mz 4i. I'm told by Metz that it is the flash unit that controls this not the sca adapter. Disadvantage with the 44 mz-2 is that it only tilts vertically and does not swivel. (although i also use a nikon hot shoe lead that means I can rotate the flash as I wish. The 54 mz 4i has a small fill in flash and is more powerful Edited February 17, 2011 by robert ford Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Washington Posted February 18, 2011 Share #8 Posted February 18, 2011 I am using a 58 AF-2 ….. I don't know what the differences are …. but it does fine on the M-9. Cheers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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