Leica M + Flash SF 40

[Gregm61]

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The SF40 is the one piece of equipment in this system where I feel like a fool for having shelled out that much money. Cheap, flimsy and not all that good. It's (barely) a $100 flash in Leica clothes. I now use my Olympus FL600R with my M262 in non-TTL auto and get accurate exposures consistently so long as I have the same ISO and aperture set on both camera and flash, over a much, much larger range of distances.

Edited August 18, 2016 by Gregm61

[fweens]

Thanks Gregm61 for your feedback. I'm really disappointed by the "no feedback behaviour" from Leica about this matter...

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[freitz]

Wondering if this is still an issue. I was considering picking up a SF40 for my M240.

[fweens]

From my point of view yes! But it only occurs in specific low light conditions... and it works fine in others :-)

 

Best,

Franck

 

Wondering if this is still an issue. I was considering picking up a SF40 for my M240.

[Aliturk]

From my point of view yes! But it only occurs in specific low light conditions... and it works fine in others :-)

 

Best,

Franck

Although I thought I'd sorted with issue with latest firmware, I'm afraid I have the similar issue as you from time to time.  The problem seems to be the flash firing before the shutter has opened, but only under certain lighting conditions - normally very dark.  It works fine as a fill flash in daylight.  I am sure this could be sorted with firmware update.

[fweens]

Indeed in very dark conditions it doesn't work.

 

Software update? Where did you find it ?

 

I'm worried that Leica doesn't answer my help request.

 

Best,

Franck

 

Although I thought I'd sorted with issue with latest firmware, I'm afraid I have the similar issue as you from time to time.  The problem seems to be the flash firing before the shutter has opened, but only under certain lighting conditions - normally very dark.  It works fine as a fill flash in daylight.  I am sure this could be sorted with firmware update.

[Aliturk]

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Indeed in very dark conditions it doesn't work.

 

Software update? Where did you find it ?

 

I'm worried that Leica doesn't answer my help request.

 

Best,

Franck

I updated the firmware on the camera.  I thought that worked but it didn't.  So I think you get the same as me, if you have the flash pointing straight forward in very dark conditions, the flash appears to fire before the shutter opens.  Tilt it up 45 degrees in the same conditions and it does fire

[terrycym]

Do other Nissin i40 variants exhibit the same issue?

[Gregm61]

I think a lot of it is, the Leica TTL system is just not that good.

 

I'm not sure exactly how the non-TTL auto set up is supposed to work all that well. If your lens is 6-bit coded or if you manually set it, the camera knows the lens in use, but the aperture values on most all of the files I capture are off when I view the EXIF data because it's just a "guess" on the part of the camera, so how's the meter cell in the flash supposed to provide anything close to an accurate reading when you cannot manually dial it in, on the flash unit itself? Not having data passed electronically between camera, lens and flash is somewhat critical to good flash exposures unless you are using manual mode and make those determinations yourself with a flash meter or from experience with the unit.

 

If you go to a site that sells the flash in all its variants like B&H, reviews of the unit for the most part are positive.

 

If you need to make extensive use of on-camera flash, you need to have an alternate system available, and probably a better quality/higher spec unit.

Edited August 23, 2016 by Gregm61

[Luke_Miller]

I'm not sure exactly how the non-TTL auto set up is supposed to work all that well. 

 I believe that the only modes for the SF-40 are Manual and TTL.  The Auto Mode is just TTL with flash exposure compensation disabled.  There is no Auto Mode in the normal sense where the flash controls flash exposure.  

[terrycym]

So, what flash would you recommend Greg that is a similar size to the SF40?

Edited August 23, 2016 by terrycym

[Peter Kilmister]

I tried using a compact camera to take some indoor shots today. They were rubbish. Then I used my M240-P with SF40 and all but two shots were perfect.

The two shots that failed were at f/16 on a 50 Cron.

I had a previous problem after f/11 with the same lens. Up to f/8 no problem.

I can live with that. The only reason for wanting f/11 or f/16 was close up with a big depth of field. f/8 did the job so that's that.

 

The SF40 does what it says on the tin. It's not cheap but it works 90% of the time.

With the correct batteries it is ready within one second for the next shot.

[fweens]

Good for you Peter... In my case it was not at f/16 when it failed...

 

Best,

Franck

 

I tried using a compact camera to take some indoor shots today. They were rubbish. Then I used my M240-P with SF40 and all but two shots were perfect.
The two shots that failed were at f/16 on a 50 Cron.
I had a previous problem after f/11 with the same lens. Up to f/8 no problem.
I can live with that. The only reason for wanting f/11 or f/16 was close up with a big depth of field. f/8 did the job so that's that.

The SF40 does what it says on the tin. It's not cheap but it works 90% of the time.
With the correct batteries it is ready within one second for the next shot.

[FMB]

 I've just taken several pics with my M (240) into my bathroom, without  any doors or windows open, light = 0, total darkness and 200 or 800 ISO with SF 40  "A" mode, Elmarit M 28 mm. F: 2,8 and 5,6 and 8, and f:22.

 Not any fail unless some sub-exposure due to I haven't used any EC to avoid the very white walls incidence...So, something wrong happens with your camera or flash.

 

Francisco

[FMB]

I also have remembered that at the begining I've had some fails because I not just entered the flash in the camera shoe due to the tiny contacts used by the EVF. Now every time i put the flash on the camera I push it until I'm positive that the small piece under it ("Unlock") is blocking it perfectly. Afterwards... no more unexpected fails.

 

Francisco
 

[fweens]

Thanks Francisco ; when it was not completely locked, did you have fails but sometimes success ?

 

I'll try that but some other people here have the same problem and when I went to the Leica Store, the guy took a new Leica M + new SF40 and could experiment the same problem...

 

Franck

 

I also have remembered that at the begining I've had some fails because I not just entered the flash in the camera shoe due to the tiny contacts used by the EVF. Now every time i put the flash on the camera I push it until I'm positive that the small piece under it ("Unlock") is blocking it perfectly. Afterwards... no more unexpected fails.

 

Francisco
 

[jip]

@Peter: thanks! Yes I'm going back to the dealer's tonight. I'm using eneloop batteries.

 

 

NEVER use rechargeable batteries in flash guns... they might seem like a good solution but their lover voltage 1.2 vs 1.5 at full charge is already low, and once they run out of juice their voltage drops even further. 

 

This might actually have been the cause of your problems. I've learned never to use rechargeable batteries in any flash gun, it has given me lots of weird problems (like yours) it might seem more economically interesting, but really just buy AA batteries of any brand (preferable the better ones and even more preferable Lithium (EXPENSIVE!) ones over Alkaline) 

[FMB]

Thanks Francisco ; when it was not completely locked, did you have fails but sometimes success ?

 

I'll try that but some other people here have the same problem and when I went to the Leica Store, the guy took a new Leica M + new SF40 and could experiment the same problem...

 

Franck

 

Yes,of course, and it would depend on the position in every moment of the contacts that according the weight of the flash would force

to touch one with another or not. Unless the flash fell.

 

I full agree with Peter about using batteries....

 

Francisco.

[fweens]

However in the user manual, it is said that you can use:

Usable batteries - Alkaline batteries, Lithium batteries or NiMH batteries.

 

Best,

Franck

NEVER use rechargeable batteries in flash guns... they might seem like a good solution but their lover voltage 1.2 vs 1.5 at full charge is already low, and once they run out of juice their voltage drops even further. 

 

This might actually have been the cause of your problems. I've learned never to use rechargeable batteries in any flash gun, it has given me lots of weird problems (like yours) it might seem more economically interesting, but really just buy AA batteries of any brand (preferable the better ones and even more preferable Lithium (EXPENSIVE!) ones over Alkaline) 

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Hallo,

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[jto555]

NEVER use rechargeable batteries in flash guns... they might seem like a good solution but their lover voltage 1.2 vs 1.5 at full charge is already low, and once they run out of juice their voltage drops even further. 

 

This might actually have been the cause of your problems. I've learned never to use rechargeable batteries in any flash gun, it has given me lots of weird problems (like yours) it might seem more economically interesting, but really just buy AA batteries of any brand (preferable the better ones and even more preferable Lithium (EXPENSIVE!) ones over Alkaline) 

As the saying goes "Never say Never". You can use rechargeable batteries as most flashguns are made with the lower voltage in mind. However, if you want a rechargeable battery with a higher voltage, have a look at this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ni-Zn-1-6V-Performance-Rechargeable-batteries/dp/B00D4MZDF8

 

It is a Nickel Zinc rechargeable battery operating at 1.6v. While it does need a special charger I find the flashgun recharges in a much shorter time due to the higher voltage. They are in my SF 58 and i40. As for miss flashes and underexpose, Leica's implementation of TTL is appalling. I tend to use manual flash most of the time as the TTL cannot be relied upon.