HSS and TTL - SF-40 and SF-64 flash

[busse]

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Hi

1. Why does TTL not work with Leica SF-40 and SF-64 flash in reverse light?

Camera: Leica M-E and Leica MD-262.

The flash fires, but gives way too little light! (Nikon and everyone else work in this situation.)

Why does Leica not do?

Leica user and Leica must know this problem!

Why does Leica not do anything about it?

2. Why does HSS not work on manual flash.

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Manuel works on all other brands.

Is there anyone who has the solution to these 2 issues, I will be very happy.

Us photographer have to trust our equipment. 

Mvh Busse.

[jaapv]

Try setting the camera to spot metering when using fill flash in this situation. BTW, if you lift the shadows a bit and pull down the highlights this shot should be fine.

In general, Leica cameras require more user input than all-singing,all-dancing DSLRs.

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[busse]

Hi.

Sorry, you can't do that on Leica MD-262.

[Luke_Miller]

The center-weighted metering tends to be too responsive to a bright background or a light source in the frame.  With the SF-64 you can set the flash to Auto (auto-thyrister) mode and the flash will give proper exposure in those situations.  The SF-40 lacks that mode.

[busse]

Maybe you are right, but in this mode I can't use HSS om Leica M-E and MD-262. 

[Luke_Miller]

If the SF-64 is like my SF-58 (both Metz flashes) HSS is only available in TTL or Manual.  I see a several possibilities.  Learn to recognize when TTL will underexpose the shot and add flash exposure compensation to correct for it.  Use Auto and a neutral density filter to eliminate the need for HSS.  Lastly - shoot in Manual and correct flash exposure with the histogram or use a flash meter.  I do a lot of manual flash and it is not difficult to get good exposures with a bit of practice.

[busse]

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You can only on Leica SF-64 use HSS in TTL mode!

I have a Leica M-E and Leica MD-262. 

I bought the leica MD-262 for two reasons. The way to take pictures as well as HSS.

I thought that TTL and HSS worked like my wife's Nikon D800.

I feel a bit cheated with regard to flash.

Normal when I make fashion or wedding, I use my NiceFoto N6-TTL on manual and a gray filter to get a big aperture. (2.8 - 4.0).

Currently, I use most my PhaseOne 645DF / Leaf Aptus. It can sync up to 1/1600 sec on X. Without losing power.

For my travels and private photos, I would like HSS and TTL to work as Leica says they can.

As it is now, Leica can't.

Hope Leica will in the future produce products that keep what they promise.

Sorry for this. I have photographed with Leica since 1968. I have always liked the feeling of quality, as well as the unmatched quality of the images.

Jørgen 

[Luke_Miller]

I share your frustration.  I've used Nikon flash for many years and it is easy to get spoiled.  Nikon uses a sophisticated metering matrix and scene recognition in both regular and flash metering and it is rare to fool it.  The M262 uses very basic metering which can easily be fooled.in both regular and flash exposure.  M240, M246, and the M10 bodies also offer an advanced metering mode that uses the sensor in live view to calculate exposure and offers a spot metering mode. In my limited use advanced metering seems a bit better but is not a total solution.

 

Many (including possibly Leica) seem to view the M as an available light camera and flash as an unimportant accessory.  I use flash regularly with my Ms as I much prefer the image quality I get close to base ISO and flash is needed in many situations.to shoot at those ISOs.  So manual and Auto work for me.  I still use TTL occasionally, but have gotten pretty good at limiting it to scenes where it works well.  To be fair to Leica - adding a Nikon-like flash exposure capability would require a lot of additional circuitry plus the ability to measure the camera-subject distance. That would make the digital M a very different camera.

 

I've been around long enough to experience the transition from film to digital.  Film TTL was a mature technology that worked very well, but was incompatible with digital. So a new approach was required.  Early Nikon bodies were very poor performers in digital TTL flash and I would regularly fall back to Auto mode.  It took several design iterations before it got to the point it is today.  Leica seems to still be in those early days.