LDHaber Posted May 6, 2010 Share #1 Posted May 6, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) As an owner of an M9, obviously money is no object...but let's pretend. As a very committed available light photographer I've come to realize I need a flash for at least one situation: a fast moving young child. As such I am really not versed in flash technology and I would prefer to just put the thing onto my camera and have it work. And have it deliver well lit interior pictures of people. What is the view of the current Leica flash units and how important is it to get a Leica unit? Any one particularly well suited to the M9? Is the value for my dollar going to be there? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted May 6, 2010 Posted May 6, 2010 Hi LDHaber, Take a look here Which flash? A Leica flash?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Walt Calahan Posted May 6, 2010 Share #2 Posted May 6, 2010 Well I'm not an M9 owner, but if I were I'd use the SD-24 flash that I have for my M6TTL. Not saying it's the best for an M9, but it is what I already own. That said, the SD-24 does not compare to a multi-flash Nikon SB-900 system. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill W Posted May 6, 2010 Share #3 Posted May 6, 2010 You should really consider the SF 58. It is so much more versatile than the SD-24. Yes it is more expensive but if you just paid $7000 for the M9...!!! I find it is sort of idiot proof for my use. It is a large flash but it is not heavy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted May 6, 2010 Share #4 Posted May 6, 2010 Don't underrate the SF24D. I do often use it for bounce, in normal size rooms with useable reflecting surfaces, such as a white ceiling. The power is quite sufficient, especially at ISO500 or thereabouts, and TTL flash works well and relieves you of much uncertainty. Direct off camera flash can also be effective at short ranges. I use the same technique as Sean Reid: You couple the flash to the camera with either a Nikon SC19 'system' cable, or the universal cable SC01 made by Nissin. To the piece that goes on the flash, I add a wriststrap, of the kind that is intended for a tripod bushing (which both cables have) so that I can momentarily let go of the flash in order to change lens settings. Full function is maintained. The SF24D is also good for on camera fill flash, cranked down two f-stops or thereabouts. The old man from the Age of Flashlamps Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted May 6, 2010 Share #5 Posted May 6, 2010 I find the SF 24D (which I have for a small fill-flash unit, at which it excels) a bit harsh when used as a full flash, even bounced, even with diffuser. I prefer the Metz MZ3 on SCA 3502 adapter, set to auto. It is the most "non-flashlight" producing flash I know. Even compared to for instance the Metz M32CT7 which should be similar- but isn't. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsjxyz Posted May 6, 2010 Share #6 Posted May 6, 2010 SCA 3502 can't do flash exposure compensation. Tried it several times. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted May 6, 2010 Share #7 Posted May 6, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) It doesn't have to - the flash is on A, fixed aperture, and you turn the aperture ring to compensate. No flash but the Leica ones and a few dedicated new Metz flashes will do TTL or GNC on the M, which is the only case that you can use exposure compensation on a flash.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsjxyz Posted May 6, 2010 Share #8 Posted May 6, 2010 Jaap but actually I want to fill flash with -1.3 EV. If I turn down the aperture, the surrounding will be step down too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted May 6, 2010 Share #9 Posted May 6, 2010 So you need to adjust the shutterspeed as well. - or choose a smaller aperture value on the flash - it has three. What you have to do is choose an aperture value that makes the flash underexpose by the desired value and then set your base exposure manually. So set the flash to for instance f 5.6, the lens to for instance f 8.0 and then adjust the shutterspeed to the correct general exposure- for sake of the argument 125. That will give you a fill-flash of one stop underexposed. Should you run out of sync speed, you can set the flash to f 11 and the lens to f 16. Or the ISO to pull and adjust everything accordingly. We did do fill flash before TTL existed, you know. Having said that, I use the SF24D for fill-flash and the Metz for "darkness" flash. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted May 6, 2010 Share #10 Posted May 6, 2010 I find the SF 24D (which I have for a small fill-flash unit, at which it excels) a bit harsh when used as a full flash, even bounced, even with diffuser. I prefer the Metz MZ3 on SCA 3502 adapter, set to auto. It is the most "non-flashlight" producing flash I know. Even compared to for instance the Metz M32CT7 which should be similar- but isn't. Jaap, when you bounce the flash, the reflecting surface becomes the light source. I like a certain directionality to the light, hence I try to avoid the ceiling. If you want the flash to light up a larger area of the reflecting surface, thus softening the light even more, use the wide angle diffuser. I prefer to deploy it as is. I can agree that diffusing gizmos used on the flash head for direct flash, are pretty useless. I don't use them. The old man from the Age of God's Own Flashlight Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolu Posted May 6, 2010 Share #11 Posted May 6, 2010 From what I can read here, is there not a real advantage of TTL flashes over auto ? I rarely used flashes - my 15 or 20 year old CT45 maybe 3 or 4 times. But I could be interested to use a fill-flash for portraits, because not only me, but also my friends don't get younger. A good friend of mine is a professional a he is advising me strongly to go for a TTL, because of skin tone-, shirt colour-reflections ... whatever. Not enough experience from my side. His technique is also interesting. He slightly underexposes by camera settings and uses a TTL "fill" flash around 2-3 stops overexposed. Very pleasing results - 10 years younger and a vivid face! Well, I would not be sad, if this would work with an Auto also. I like the compactness of the M so much that I would prefer the smallest flash possible, so smaller as an sf24d. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shade Posted May 7, 2010 Share #12 Posted May 7, 2010 I opted for the SF58 - I needed the bounce feature. I hate direct flash... I wish the SF24 could bounce, as it is much smaller and powerful enough for my needs. The SF58 doesn't look very good either being perched ontop of my M9... looks fugly. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdtaylor Posted May 7, 2010 Share #13 Posted May 7, 2010 Hopefully Leica will come through with a bounce SF24 version....As I play with my SF58 for a shoot tomorrow tonight, and it keeps flipping upside down...... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ccmsosse Posted May 7, 2010 Share #14 Posted May 7, 2010 I opted for the SF58 - I needed the bounce feature. I hate direct flash... I wish the SF24 could bounce, as it is much smaller and powerful enough for my needs. The SF58 doesn't look very good either being perched ontop of my M9... looks fugly. I must admit that I don't use flash at all - although I have the SF58 I much prefer to use the Noctilux 1.0 or Summilux. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted May 7, 2010 Share #15 Posted May 7, 2010 From what I can read here, is there not a real advantage of TTL flashes over auto ? I rarely used flashes - my 15 or 20 year old CT45 maybe 3 or 4 times. But I could be interested to use a fill-flash for portraits, because not only me, but also my friends don't get younger. A good friend of mine is a professional a he is advising me strongly to go for a TTL, because of skin tone-, shirt colour-reflections ... whatever. Not enough experience from my side. The advantage of TTL flash is nothing that subtle. It is that you do not have to transfer camera settings (ISO, aperture) to the flash, botching it; also, exposure is metered by the camera no matter where the flash itself is positioned -- at the end of a meter-long system cable, or aimed in some exotic direction for bounce flash. This is why I can use the SF24D for bounce -- if I would try that with the flash on A, the meter cell of the flash unit would 'see' the reflecting surface -- maybe the ceiling -- and not the subject. So TTL is safer, more convenient and more versatile than external auto. The old man from the Age of Flashpowder Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted May 7, 2010 Share #16 Posted May 7, 2010 Hopefully Leica will come through with a bounce SF24 version....As I play with my SF58 for a shoot tomorrow tonight, and it keeps flipping upside down...... Get the Nikon or Nissin system cable. And do read Sean Reid's piece on 'Working With Flash'. The old man from the Age of Flashpowder Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted May 7, 2010 Share #17 Posted May 7, 2010 So TTL is safer, more convenient and more versatile than external auto. The old man from the Age of Flashpowder All true, but given a bit of skill and less conveniently the same result can be obtained with a manual flash. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolu Posted May 7, 2010 Share #18 Posted May 7, 2010 All true, but given a bit of skill and less conveniently the same result can be obtained with a manual flash. Auto, you mean? (always assuming the flash is set on top of the camera) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted May 7, 2010 Share #19 Posted May 7, 2010 Auto is the in-between step, which won't be reliable when using the flash off-camera. Manual is using the old noggin to calculate distance and guidenumber etc. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted May 7, 2010 Share #20 Posted May 7, 2010 The OP's priority was to put it on the camera and it just work, so a Leica TTL flash would seem to be a must. But TTL isn't essential in the wider view, and using a non Leica flash opens up other possibilities for value and function. An Olympus FL36 has both a swivel and tilt head and is a compact size for the M9, so on Auto its good for bounce flash. I wouldn't dream nowadays of having a non-TTL flash for a DSLR and zoom lens, but flashguns that loose their TTL function on the M9 are easy enough to use given the simplicity of the camera. Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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