Flash Recommendations

[Gerard]

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I've been using an SF24d with my M9 (on a Nikon cord), but am looking for something more powerful and with improved performance.

 

I don't care for TTL, and am happy to go manual. Not too bothered about size or weight as it would be cord mounted and hand or stand held.

 

What are your recommendations?

[giordano]

I've been using an SF24d with my M9 (on a Nikon cord), but am looking for something more powerful and with improved performance.

 

I don't care for TTL, and am happy to go manual. Not too bothered about size or weight as it would be cord mounted and hand or stand held.

 

What are your recommendations?

 

I use Mecablitz 45 CL-1 and CL-4 units: they're cheap second hand, reliable, have heads that angle and rotate for bouncing, and put out as much light as current "54" or "58" units (though not in such a tight beam). Both are good on A; the CL-4 has a better range of manual power settings. Neither will do TTL with digital Leicas.

 

Don't confuse the CL-4 and the CL-4 digital. The latter is a current model, much more expensive used, but can talk to digital Leicas.

[Jamie Roberts]

If all you want is manual, see if you can find a Metz 54 non-dedicated used, or get the most recent Metz 58 AF2.

 

It's around $400 new; is powerful, has complete bounce / tilt and in Canon or Nikon should work in M and A mode with the M9.

[wparsonsgisnet]

Another vote for the Metz 54! This guy really puts out! I set the Metz to Auto and then play to find where to set the aperture.

Also, a Quantum 2x2 turbo -- maybe 800 flashes, amazing.

 

All this stuff keeps you from buying a Mercedes, tho.

 

Regards,

[spydrxx]

I've been using a Metz 45CL4 with virtually everything for about 12 years now... I used it on my medium format gear, Leica R &M gear, Nikon and Canon FD, Sigma and almost anything else which has past my eyes. It is powerful, (relatively) cheap, uses readily available 1.5 V AA batteries, and seems to always deliver. YES it is big and heavy, but reliability counts for a lot to me.

[giordano]

In my previous post I said that the Mecablitz 45 series put out as much light as the 54 and 58 series.

 

Having found the detailed guide number tables I can say that this was quite wrong. In fact the 45 series are about 2/3 stop more powerful than the 58 series. The 58 series has a guide number of 58 metres at ISO100, but this is only with the reflector at the 105mm position. The 45 series deliver a guide number of 45 metres at ISO100 while generously covering the 35mm field of view; set a "58" to 35mm and the guide number is only 35.