Flashes

[rick_dykstra]

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Thanks for this intel John. Geez, I'd have thought it would work! Leica must have known that many users would have Metz flashes they'd want to use with an SF58.

[ho_co]

Do Metz flash units work with Nikon's CLS? That is, can you use two SB800s and a Metz unit dedicated for Nikon together, all under the control of one of the flashes?

 

I don't know the answer to that, but I doubt it.

 

That is, Nikon is saying, "You want CLS? We got it."

 

Metz is saying, "You want Metz slave and remote capability? We got it."

 

Leica is saying, "You want Leica slave and remote capability? We got it."

 

IOW, six of one, half a dozen of the other.

 

Sure, it would be nice if Metz units would work directly with the SF-58, but it would also be nice if the SB900 would work with the SF-58.

 

Suum cuique et caveat emptor, to coin a phrase.

 

 

Although I'm sorry to hear that Metz' and Leica's units don't communicate (hope springs eternal), I can’t say I’m surprised.

[wlaidlaw]

Thanks for this intel John. Geez, I'd have thought it would work! Leica must have known that many users would have Metz flashes they'd want to use with an SF58.

 

It's obviously a communication problem. Nobody at Leica is prepared to go out of the front door at Solms and walk the 100 meters to the Metz factory.

 

Wilson

[miklosphoto]

If you made a mistake, so did I. Mine will arrive Friday from B&H, cost is 629.95.

I got mine last night. Can't complain. So far the best thing I discovered is that I can trigger it with my old SF 20. I can dial down the exposure on the SF 20 so that it hardly lights anything (just a slight fill light maybe) but it does trigger the Sf 58 which I can put on a stand with an umbrella. Here you got your simple portrait lighting set-up.

 

As for he size, I think it is not bad at all. If you are used to dSLRs with flashes, it is totally ok. If you have never used on-camera flash with Leica M, it feels big. I still prefer to use my M even with big flash to any dSLR with monster 24-70mm lenses.

[Rick]

I'm glad you like it. If, you haven't already, try a swivel bounce flash on ttl, wide open on a 50mm lens or some lens like this. I find that the ttl metering is pretty good most of the time and it sure is nice to use 1.4 and a reasonably high shutter speed for a change indoors at night.

[peter_n]

Has anyone tried any of those rechargeable powercells with the SF58?

I use a Nikon SB-800 with my Leicas and power it with 4x AA Sanyo eneloop Ni-MH rechargeables. Very high quality batteries, instant recycling, long duration. They are excellent. If you shop at Costco they have great prices on the eneloops.

[miklosphoto]

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I'm glad you like it. If, you haven't already, try a swivel bounce flash on ttl, wide open on a 50mm lens or some lens like this. I find that the ttl metering is pretty good most of the time and it sure is nice to use 1.4 and a reasonably high shutter speed for a change indoors at night.

 

Yes, sounds like a good idea. Will try it tonight.

[tdtaylor]

I use a Nikon SB-800 with my Leicas and power it with 4x AA Sanyo eneloop Ni-MH rechargeables. Very high quality batteries, instant recycling, long duration. They are excellent. If you shop at Costco they have great prices on the eneloops.

 

In general, highly recommend the Eneloops. There are several other brands, like Ultralast, which has tested even better. The best thing is they maintain their charge for months, never dropping below 85%, far better than other rechargables.

 

UL4AAHYB UltraLast AA 2100mAh Hybrio Rechargeable Batteries, Pack of 4

[eritho]

I have a small, very old auto flash, which I bought long time ago, long before having heard the word digital picture

It's marked Sunpack Softlite 2000 A and according to the print on the back the guide number should be 20.

The flash is a little smaller than the SF20 and, in contrary to the SF20, the head can be tilted.

Now, the flash works OK when activating the test button, but I am afraid to put it on the M9 and test it as I have read somewhere that older flashes could have too high trigger voltage and could harm the electronic in a modern digital camera.

Any information or experience:o would be appreciated.

[ho_co]

Erik--

See http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/111103-m8-flash-sync-voltage.html. It relates to M8, but the data would surely hold for M9 as well.

 

 

If you want, use a Wein Safe-Sync (Safe Syncs). It's a good item to have around when you need to use a flash you're not sure of, no matter what the camera.

 

 

(You say the 2000 A has a guide number of 20. Is that meters or feet? The SF20 is meters, of course.)

[eritho]

Erik--

See http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/111103-m8-flash-sync-voltage.html. It relates to M8, but the data would surely hold for M9 as well.

 

 

If you want, use a Wein Safe-Sync (Safe Syncs). It's a good item to have around when you need to use a flash you're not sure of, no matter what the camera.

 

 

(You say the 2000 A has a guide number of 20. Is that meters or feet? The SF20 is meters, of course.)

 

This old thread mentions 230 volts allowed. I shall have the flash measured, but I can't think it could be that high. I'm still a little afraid to try it on the new M9!

 

The Safe Sync could be OK, but will make the flash higher, which is exactly what I want to avoid. A high, heavy flash is very awkward on the M9 (my opinion ).

 

Guide number 20 is meters corresponding to 66 feet according to the print on the flash.

[ho_co]

Erik, I agree on both counts--probably okay, but why fry a camera? And the Safe Sync would likely be just added paraphernalia.

 

As for the question re: feet/meters. Mea culpa. I wasn't aware that Sunpak was available in Europe, had seen it only in the States. I should have known, if you're on a Leica forum, you'll have the feet/meters issue covered!

 

Good luck!

[eritho]

This is the official answer from Solms:

 

Dear Mr. Thomsen,

 

The M9 is capable of triggering flash devices using high voltage.

It is possible to use flash devices with a voltage up to 600 Volts.

 

But it is important that the positive terminal is on the middle contact of the hot shoe and the ground terminal is on the mounting bar.

 

Mit freundlichen Gruessen / kind regards

 

Stefan Staudt

 

Leica Camera AG

Informationsservice Software Support

Gewerbepark 8 / D-35606 Solms / Germany

 

Now, of course the next question: How can one be sure "the positive terminal is on the middle contact"?

 

[giordano]

Now, of course the next question: How can one be sure "the positive terminal is on the middle contact"?

 

The message from Leica is unclear. Is it important that the centre contact be positive in order to avoid damage to the camera, or because the flash won't fire if the polarity is reversed?

 

It's probably the latter. If the M9 could be damaged by attaching a low-trigger-voltage flash with the wrong polarity, I think Leica would have mentioned it in the instruction manual. The worst thing that will happen is that the flash just doesn't fire.

 

But having read the words from Leica, if I ever want to use a high-trigger-voltage flash unit I'll check the polarity as well as the voltage, just in case.

 

The best way to be sure is to buy or borrow a digital multimeter (DMM) and measure the voltage between the middle contact on the "sole" of the flash's foot and the contact in the groove at the side of the foot. This gives you both the voltage and the polarity. You can even use a cheap old non-digital multimeter: don't assume its voltage reading is accurate but it will tell you the polarity. DIY and electronics stores sell suitable DMMs for €20 or less.

[eritho]

Now, this should be clear:

Dear Mr. Staudt,

Is it important that the center contact be positive in order to avoid

damage to the camera, or because the flash won't fire if the polarity is

reversed?

Best regards

Erik Thomsen

 

Dear Mr. Thomsen,

The flash won’t fire if the polarity is reversed.

Mit freundlichen Gruessen / kind regards

Konstantin Eisner

Leica Camera AG

[wlaidlaw]

Now, of course the next question: How can one be sure "the positive terminal is on the middle contact"?[/color][/font]

 

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Wet your finger and stick it on the middle terminal. If your hair stands straight up, it is the positive. If your hair stands out to the side, it is the negative ;-]]

 

Wilson

[Nicoleica]

Wet your finger and stick it on the middle terminal. If your hair stands straight up, it is the positive. If your hair stands out to the side, it is the negative ;-]]

 

Wilson

 

And I suppose that if your hair curls and starts to smoke, that the voltage is too high.

[eritho]

Look at my Avatar!

I want to spare the little hair left

[exile]

Further question:

 

Does anyone know whether we can activate Nikon or Canon slave-capable flashes off-camera using the SF24D on-camera?

 

That would be veeeeery nice.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[wlaidlaw]

Further question:

 

Does anyone know whether we can activate Nikon or Canon slave-capable flashes off-camera using the SF24D on-camera?

 

That would be veeeeery nice.

 

As long as they are optically triggered, any flash should set them off.

 

Wilson