FlorianM Posted July 25, 2011 Share #1 Posted July 25, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi guys, new Leica user here (M8) I tried a flash on my M8 and it has a weird problem: When I mount the flash it will trigger once, and not on any subsequent shots. If I remove and re-mount the flash it will again trigger the first shot only. It's a Canon 177A if it makes any difference. Any tips? Much appreciated! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 25, 2011 Posted July 25, 2011 Hi FlorianM, Take a look here M8 will only trigger ONE flash !. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
FlorianM Posted July 25, 2011 Author Share #2 Posted July 25, 2011 Hi guys, new Leica user here (M8) I tried a flash on my M8 and it has a weird problem: When I mount the flash it will trigger once, and not on any subsequent shots. If I remove and re-mount the flash it will again trigger the first shot only. It's a Canon 177A if it makes any difference. Any tips? Much appreciated! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted July 27, 2011 Share #3 Posted July 27, 2011 Can't advise about the Canon unit but I use cheap completely manual Yongnuo YN460ii strobes on my M8 and they work fine... No problem with repeat flashes, I imagine the flash you are using is incompatible. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted July 27, 2011 Share #4 Posted July 27, 2011 It may be that the flash foot does not slide into the hotshoe far enough. On many third-party flashes you need to file off the lefthand far corner to seat the flash all the way. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlorianM Posted August 1, 2011 Author Share #5 Posted August 1, 2011 It's definitely not a mechanical problem. If I turn the flash off and back on while it is mounted it will again fire ONE shot. I can take one picture, then cycle it off then on and it will fire again without re-mounting it so I tend to lean toward an electrical incompatibility. As I take so few pictures with flash it hardly seems worth the trouble to buy a new flash just for the M8, so we'll see. Thank you kindly for the suggestions! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgk Posted August 1, 2011 Share #6 Posted August 1, 2011 Given that several contacts on the Canon flash align with those on the Leica hotshoe and that both systems operate using data transfer I'd say that you are electronically confusing the flash when its used on the M8 - solution is to use insulating tape to mask out all except the two primary contacts - centre and outside - on the hotshoe - this should allow the flash to operate ok. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlorianM Posted August 1, 2011 Author Share #7 Posted August 1, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) True, there are 2 contacts toward the rear that do line up. I'm not sure if the flash goes in deep enough to make contact with those 2, but regardless I tried your suggestion, no joy. Problem persists. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgk Posted August 1, 2011 Share #8 Posted August 1, 2011 Am I right in thinking that the 177A is an older flash unit? If so its trigger voltage may just be too high for the M8 and so the camera may just switch off its flash circuit (to protect itself) if the voltage rises too high. I'm using SB24 Nikon Speedlights with no problem after having removed the 'surplus' flash contacts in the flash hotshoe base. If you have no joy then it sounds to me like it is probably best to try out a newer unit to avoid problems. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted August 1, 2011 Share #9 Posted August 1, 2011 Not really - The official spec for the M8 flash voltage is 600 Volts. I don't think the flash will reach that high. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wda Posted August 1, 2011 Share #10 Posted August 1, 2011 Florian, welcome to the forum! I wonder why you risk using unmatched accessories on your Leica camera, unless someone with knowledge has tested the combination and pronounced them safe to use. A small used Leica flash can be bought quite inexpensively. I use the SF20 occasionally using a recommended off-camera lead to good effect. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgk Posted August 1, 2011 Share #11 Posted August 1, 2011 Problem persists. Does the flash work OK on Canon's? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlorianM Posted August 5, 2011 Author Share #12 Posted August 5, 2011 Yes, the flash works ok on my 2 EOS cameras and on the X100. wda, thanks for the welcome! you are of course correct, the SF flashes are probably a good idea, it's just that with the minimal amount of flash photography that I do it's hardly worth the trouble. It's probably easier and better to just bring the X100 along, lol. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgk Posted August 5, 2011 Share #13 Posted August 5, 2011 I use 5D2 cameras in underwater housings with SB105 Nikonos flash units. I cannot fire these using a hotshoe connection even if I use only the two basic contacts. Instead I have to fire them using the camera's PC flash socket. I am led to believe that this is because the camera cannot tell electronically that these flashes are connected to it and so the electronics which trigger a flash are not utilised when taking a photo (I have no other explanation). I wonder if the M8 is having the same 'problem' in that it needs to 'sense' a flash electronically in order to fire it, and simply isn't sensing the unit you are using? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlorianM Posted August 5, 2011 Author Share #14 Posted August 5, 2011 I guess it's possible Paul, stranger things have happened in the world of electronics. If that were the case though, why would the camera sense the flash well enough to fire the first flash but not the second? I'm thinking of getting another flash to see if it has the same problem. At any rate I lost hope for the M8/177A combination. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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