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flash for M240 {merged}


cirke

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I, too, was very skeptical and couldn't find any info about the flash. Off to my Leica dealer who had a demo one for both of us to play with. We attached it to a M240 and worked like a charm.

 

Leica support will tell you that the flash works with the M240 and supports TTL-- it also will function as a slave....and finally it has a video light.

 

It's small and compact and swivels. Yes, it's expensive...whatever Leica makes will cost more than a competitive product.

 

I'm very happy with it and it has earned a place in my M240 Ona travel bag.

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When used TTL with the M, is it necessary for the SF26 to pre-flash?

 

I believe the pre-flash is required by the body in order to calculate flash exposure. This seems to be the norm for all digital cameras with TTL flash metering. To avoid the pre-flash (and subject blinkies) I set my SF-24D or SF-58 in AUTO mode. In that mode the flash controls the flash part of the exposure and no pre-flash is used. I don't think the SF-26 has AUTO mode.

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I believe the pre-flash is required by the body in order to calculate flash exposure. This seems to be the norm for all digital cameras with TTL flash metering. To avoid the pre-flash (and subject blinkies) I set my SF-24D or SF-58 in AUTO mode. In that mode the flash controls the flash part of the exposure and no pre-flash is used. I don't think the SF-26 has AUTO mode.

 

 

 

Correct: SF 26 doesn't have an AUTO mode.

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Correct: SF 26 doesn't have an AUTO mode.

 

I have been very interested the SF26.

 

My dealer doesn't have any SF26 for me to try. However he keeps telling me that it is compatible with the MP (not M-P Typ 240) and the M6 (non TTL), in addition to being compatible with the M240. Despite their repeated re-assurance, experience has taught me not to take Hong Kong Schdmict dealers on the basis of their word.

 

The images on the leica website do not show the back of the the flash.

 

If the SF26 doesn't have an 'AUTO' mode, how can it be compatible with non-TTL film bodies? Is there any button layout on the back? How Is the SF26 compatible with 'all' current leica cameras, like the MP or MA?

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I have been very interested the SF26.

 

My dealer doesn't have any SF26 for me to try. However he keeps telling me that it is compatible with the MP (not M-P Typ 240) and the M6 (non TTL), in addition to being compatible with the M240. Despite their repeated re-assurance, experience has taught me not to take Hong Kong Schdmict dealers on the basis of their word.

 

The images on the leica website do not show the back of the the flash.

 

If the SF26 doesn't have an 'AUTO' mode, how can it be compatible with non-TTL film bodies? Is there any button layout on the back? How Is the SF26 compatible with 'all' current leica cameras, like the MP or MA?

 

It clearly has a sensor for automatic operation on the front.

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The text says "compatable with T and M cameras." my verbal information from Leica suggests the same.

Then I'll go for the SF26 and I shall sell my SF24

 

but I find it unclear if it is 100% like the SF24 or not

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The view of the back of the unit shows 3 buttons "TTL" "SLAVE" and "LED". There seems not to be any button for "AUTO", nor buttons for aperture or ISO setting nor +/- buttons as are found on the SF24D. There also does not appear to be an LCD display. Perhaps what appears to be an auto sensor in front is in fact a slave trigger? (Although there seem to be 2 sensors in front. And another button in back on the foot part with what looks like a clock symbol on it. It will be interesting to see the full specs. Also what type batteries it takes.

 

I paid less than the price of the SF26 for two SF24D's so it would have to be quite a remarkable flash for me to buy one :)

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The view of the back of the unit shows 3 buttons "TTL" "SLAVE" and "LED". There seems not to be any button for "AUTO", nor buttons for aperture or ISO setting nor +/- buttons as are found on the SF24D. There also does not appear to be an LCD display. Perhaps what appears to be an auto sensor in front is in fact a slave trigger? (Although there seem to be 2 sensors in front. And another button in back on the foot part with what looks like a clock symbol on it. [...]

 

I have the same reservations and offer the following as tentative.

 

No AUTO and no ISO except reading it from the Leica means it doesn't operate in the auto-thyristor mode which would make it useless on almost any other brand camera. So far, all the information ties the flash to Leica's proprietary firmware. If this is true then it is useless on almost any other camera. A person could take this to be a Machiavellian merchandising strategy. Or a self-inflicted wound.

 

It will be interesting to see the full specs.

 

It certainly will.

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Both the smaller Olympus FL36 and larger FL50 work well in Auto mode on the M240, and both have tilt and swivel heads. Although primarily designed for the 4/3 m43 system the flash menu does allow them to be altered to full frame '35mm' format. The FL36 in particular balances nicely on the camera and with the flash head facing forwards is no taller than the old SF20 'snapshot' flash. Neither will work in TTL mode though.

 

Steve

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How are you going to use your EVF?

 

It's always been a PITA using flash with an M if you wanted to use an accessory finder. The PC ports being right underneath the shoe, the cord connector stuck in your eye or hit your zygomatic process. The M240 is the first digital M that even offers a way to use a flash if there's a finder in the shoe. Albeit IMO it's a clumsy and expensive one. I wonder if it would've been possible to put a non-TTL PC port in the base of the EVF. Maybe it fell outside the economics of scale according to their supplier. I think it might have convinced a lot of people to buy it vs the much-cheaper Olympus version.

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  • 2 weeks later...

At the Photo-fair in Stockholm I have tested the new Leica SF 26 on my M and it seems to work very well - small, fast and you can tilt it for smother light, just what I wanted. Just annoys me somewhat that the corresponding Metz unit costs one third. So I went over to the Metz stand at the fair to check it out, the unit the had was marked "for Olym" - for Olympus cameras. But this Metz-device did NOT work on my M!! No flash sign in the view-finder and exposure was totally wrong, the unit fired though. I tried another Metz unit, looked like the 58, and that one worked well.

I thought Mezt units were compatible with Leica - not true??

Thanks,

/Anders

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