Jamie Roberts Posted December 31, 2010 Share #21 Posted December 31, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) I can't fit an SB900 on my M9 and have it really connect. It works, but there's a problem with the lock, so it's not secure. What I do when I work is put the 900 on top of the new PW trigger--running in manual mode. The hotshoe is pass-through, so if I want to use the 900 in bounce for a key--or for fill, with remote lights--then it's the touch of a button. One of the reasons I use the 900 is that it's so easy to dial in manual modes, and calculate A exposures for many ISOs. The Canon 580ii is also good for this; it's fast, and connects better with the M9 directly. ' Since I'm also shooting Nikon, though, the SB900 is a better choice. As for calculating manual, as a gross rule of thumb, try setting the M9 for ISO 800, and if you're going to use flash as a key, get the ambient around 1.5-2 stops underexposed with your shutter when the aperture is f3.2 to f4.... That's going to be a bit of a trick, but you can do it, probably, if it's dark. Then set your flash to M and dial it to about 1/8 power. Then bounce around the walls / ceiling--wherever you'd like a big softbox to be and where you want the light to come from. If it's hot / overexposed, dial back on the flash. If it's underexposed, up the flash exposure. If you want more ambient but the flash seems right, decrease your shutter (remember the flash will freeze action anyway). If ambient lights (especially tungsten are ruining your shots, then increase the shutter. If you're not getting any ambient at all, except with extremely slow shutters, try upping the ISO and going from there. Again, as a gross rule of thumb, try adjusting your ambient exposure with the shutter range from 1/8 to 1/180 and the flash exposure with aperture (note in the above I'm not changing the aperture much---it's just one less variable to compute once the flash exposure is more or less correct). Of course, all of this will change when you shoot in large rooms etc... but try it and chimp--that's one of the great advantages of digital You can dial this in pretty quickly and get great results from the M9 with almost any manually controllable flash. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 31, 2010 Posted December 31, 2010 Hi Jamie Roberts, Take a look here Using a Nikon Speedlight on an M9. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
RoySmith Posted January 3, 2011 Share #22 Posted January 3, 2011 Tried a 580exII on an M9 last nice and was pleasantly surprised. While a bother to adjust, if I was in a place where the shots would have about the same flash setting it would work quite well. Other than the fact that the flash is bigger than the camera, of course. There is a good article here with instructions on how to set the 580exII to External Automatic Flash Exposure. With this setting the flash's external automatic flash exposure sensor will control the light output to control the exposure for a set ISO and aperture. This is the way the old thryistor flashes worked. There is even a distance range displayed on the flash's LCD screen to indicate what distances those settings will work at. If you want to shoot flash fully manually, and carry an iPhone, iPad, or iTouch there is a flash exposure calculator built into a very useful iApp called Photocalc. It also is a depth of field calculator, and most usefully tells one the sunset and sunrise times - all this for only $2.99. Roy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AGeoJO Posted January 5, 2011 Share #23 Posted January 5, 2011 I am a Canon shooter and just bought a Nikon SB-800 to use it on my M9. As it turned out, with the External Automatic Flash Exposure mode as described in the Canon digital learning center, I could actually get more out of my already available 580EX II than with the SB-800. It works really great! I actually could get fill flash at any ISO setting and at practically any aperture, like ISO 800 and f/1.4. Of course, I am limited to the flash sync speed of the M9 . Somehow with the SB-800 I am limited to only f/2.8 at ISO 100 and to f/5.6 at ISO 800. The only drawback using the Canon flash is the flash ready display on the M9 viewfinder is not lit, which is no big deal. Since more often than not I carry my Canon system together with the Leica then I just have to take a single flash unit. Well, it looks like I will be selling the SB-800 again then . Thanks, Roy! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted January 5, 2011 Share #24 Posted January 5, 2011 Somehow with the SB-800 I am limited to only f/2.8 at ISO 100 and to f/5.6 at ISO 800. Wrong, you can use an SB-800 in A mode and select the aperture you wish to use. As long as you then set the aperture on the lens to what the flash says, you'll be fine. I don't suppose you bothered to read the manual? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AGeoJO Posted January 5, 2011 Share #25 Posted January 5, 2011 Wrong, you can use an SB-800 in A mode and select the aperture you wish to use. As long as you then set the aperture on the lens to what the flash says, you'll be fine. I don't suppose you bothered to read the manual? Well, I was not quite clear when I wrote that. I was referring to the largest aperture that I can use, which was f/2.8 at ISO 100 or smaller at higher ISO settings. Maybe I didn't go over the manual carefully but it is a moot point at this point, for me anyway since I will be selling the flash. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reds Posted January 6, 2011 Author Share #26 Posted January 6, 2011 I wonder how many times this issue has been raised by those paranaoid that a flash is going to wipe out their camera? For me, this came from having read numerous marketing snippets claiming triggers and flashes as 'safe' for modern cameras. I suppose it put a seed of doubt in my mind that other things might 'not' be safe, and not to take it for granted that everything would be ;-) I am now more informed ! Cheers The SB-800 worked very well - it's a good size for the M9. Not too big, although the shutter dial is a little hard to read in low light, as it is obscured somewhat by the flash. [Edit: Used only in fully manual mode by getting a ballpark exposure and tweaking from there]. I use a simple Honl bounce card as a flag to reduce any direct light gong forward - very simple to quickly orient how you want it, and slap on to the velcro speed strap thingy, [without any rubber bands etc. being necessary]. Relatively inexpensive and very effective imo. Extra dof and lower noise from flash photography will be a welcome addition to have in the M toolbox. Here's a couple of snaps I took over Christmas with bounce flash as described. Very pleased with the results :-), so thanks for all the advice above. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/139923-using-a-nikon-speedlight-on-an-m9/?do=findComment&comment=1549880'>More sharing options...
Timmyjoe Posted April 17, 2011 Share #27 Posted April 17, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) I use an SB28 occasionally, with mine if I lock it down with the thumb screw the flash won't fire. It only works without tightening the screw. Maybe the tightening is moving the pins out of alignment? Hi Nick, I use the M8.2, not sure what camera you were using, but with the SB-28, when you tighten the thumb screw, along with the screw collar coming down into contact with the top of the hot shoe, a locking pin protrudes out the bottom of the SB-28. On my M8.2 there is a hole in perfect alignment for that pin to enter (just like on the Nikon cameras the flash was designed for). If you don't have the flash slid into the hot shoe all the way, or if you are using a Leica camera that doesn't have that hole for the locking pin, when you tighten the thumb screw, that pin coming out the bottom of the flash is probably what is lifting the flash contacts off their counterparts in the hot shoe. If you look at the hot shoe on your camera, there should be a little hole directly in front of the center contact, and directly behind the little metal stud (with the flathead screw head). I was amazed that Leica and Nikon were using the same pin configuration and the same locking pin. Maybe it's some kind of industry standard. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke_Miller Posted April 21, 2011 Share #28 Posted April 21, 2011 I was amazed that Leica and Nikon were using the same pin configuration and the same locking pin. Maybe it's some kind of industry standard. I believe the configurations are very close, but not identical. I have two Nikon SB-800s, but only one will lock into the hotshoe of my M8.2. The other will mount and function properly, but will not lock. Both fit and lock on my Nikon bodies. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
arvin Posted January 14, 2014 Share #29 Posted January 14, 2014 Does SB800 works for the new M type 240? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
arvin Posted January 15, 2014 Share #30 Posted January 15, 2014 for some reason, I cannot edit my previous post. I'd just test my SB-800 with M and it's working using M or A mode. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyField Posted January 27, 2014 Share #31 Posted January 27, 2014 Another Nikon flash that works well in "A" mode with the M9 is the SB80. The only minor annoyance is that the "A" mode does not let you select an aperture wider than F2.8 at ISO 160, F4 at ISO 320 ... etc. As a result it is marginal for "fill flash". A similar problem happens with my Vivitar 285 HV. I should try a Canon flash .... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FTI Posted February 10, 2014 Share #32 Posted February 10, 2014 I just bought an inexpensive Yongnuo flash 560III (under 100EUR) - which is fully manual, for my M9. Great flash gun. I also bought the RF602 (nikon) radio trigger which can transmit to the 560III. Works like a charm. With a mini softbox I've spent less than 150EUR. Couldn't be happier; cheap way to experiment going strobist. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcg Posted February 10, 2014 Share #33 Posted February 10, 2014 Anyway to use an SB400 on an M9? This really would be my ideal. Small. Light. Swivel head. AA batteries. Cheap. It brings up the flash sign in my viewfinder and the camera thinks that it is taking with a flash - but it won't trigger the flash. I'd be happy to modify it if necessary. Surely someone must have found a way to do this???? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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