Leica SL & SF 64 Flash - compatible wireless transmitters?

[hirohhhh]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Hi,

 

I just bought SF 64 Flash, and to shoot off the camera I need a compatible wireless transmitter (or the cable, which I also don't have). Does anyone have this equipment and can suggest what's the best transmitter?

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[FlashGordonPhotography]

No wireless TTL transmitters exist for Leica flashes. Simple triggers work for manual. Or you can use a Nikon type cable because the pins are the same and it's just a pass through. That does NOT mean you can use Nikon flashes or transmitters in TTL. That won't work.

 

Gordon

[hirohhhh]

Thanks Flash Gordon. So, if there are no TTL wireless transmitters, would you have any regular wireless transmitter to suggest for this particular camera and flash?

[sillbeers15]

The following was the official reply from Leica when I wrote in to enquire about the availability of wireless TTL & HSS capability on Leica M & SL cameras just a couple of days ago:

 

"

thank you for your request.

We work on the issue with missing wireless trigger flash system in the background. There will come a solution. But I believe we need until 2018 before we will have a product.

I am sorry, that I cannot give you more information at the moment.

 

Mit freundlichen Gruessen / kind regards

Thomas Schmidt

Leica Camera AG

Customer Care - Support

Am Leitz Park 5 / D-35 578 Wetzlar / Germany

www.leica-camera.com / Thomas.Schmidt@leica-camera.com

Telephone +49(0)6441-2080-111 / Fax +49(0)6441-2080-339

"

[hirohhhh]

Great news!

[david perry]

I have had great results using the Photix Ares wirleless system to trigger the SF64 in one octabox and a Yongnuo 560iv in another: all manual of course, measured with a sekonic L308s flashmeter.

[zakzavada]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I've been using my lights manually off camera via pocket wizard IV's, but I thought that I had read an anecdote that Cactus transmitters will pass Leica TTL....Can anyone verify?

[LocalHero1953]

The following was the official reply from Leica when I wrote in to enquire about the availability of wireless TTL & HSS capability on Leica M & SL cameras just a couple of days ago:

 

"

thank you for your request.

We work on the issue with missing wireless trigger flash system in the background. There will come a solution. But I believe we need until 2018 before we will have a product.

I am sorry, that I cannot give you more information at the moment.

 

Mit freundlichen Gruessen / kind regards

Thomas Schmidt

Leica Camera AG

Customer Care - Support

Am Leitz Park 5 / D-35 578 Wetzlar / Germany

www.leica-camera.com / Thomas.Schmidt@leica-camera.com

Telephone +49(0)6441-2080-111 / Fax +49(0)6441-2080-339

"

Well, that was unexpected. I'm not sure I'll be first in line for Leica's first homegrown wireless flash system, but I shall certainly watch with interest. Maybe it will be built in to the SL2.

Edited September 14, 2017 by LocalHero1953

[sillbeers15]

Well, that was unexpected. I'm not sure I'll be first in line for Leica's first homegrown wireless flash system, but I shall certainly watch with interest. Maybe it will be built in to the SL2.

Technically Yes. I doubt it Leica will be doing that plus coming up with a built in receiver in another new flash cause it would not be financially viable to charge much more for SL2. It can be likely that a hot shoe mounted transmitter be made available with either a new flash that has a built in receiver or just a pair of transmitter/receiver be sold separately to wireless trigger TTL/HSS.

[aliwton]

The following was the official reply from Leica when I wrote in to enquire about the availability of wireless TTL & HSS capability on Leica M & SL cameras just a couple of days ago:

 

"

thank you for your request.

We work on the issue with missing wireless trigger flash system in the background. There will come a solution. But I believe we need until 2018 before we will have a product.

I am sorry, that I cannot give you more information at the moment.

 

Mit freundlichen Gruessen / kind regards

Thomas Schmidt

Leica Camera AG

Customer Care - Support

Am Leitz Park 5 / D-35 578 Wetzlar / Germany

www.leica-camera.com / Thomas.Schmidt@leica-camera.com

Telephone +49(0)6441-2080-111 / Fax +49(0)6441-2080-339

"

 

 

sillbeers15, that's great news indeed. but did you ask specifically about the Leica M? did they share anything else?

[sillbeers15]

sillbeers15, that's great news indeed. but did you ask specifically about the Leica M? did they share anything else?

My question to Leica was specific to SL.

 

But there is a good chance the availability of a wireless transmitter should be on a common protocol. However, the new M10 has 5 point contact hotshoe compared to SL & M240’s 4 point contact. Not certain if that can be a deal breaker?

[aliwton]

My question to Leica was specific to SL.

 

But there is a good chance the availability of a wireless transmitter should be on a common protocol. However, the new M10 has 5 point contact hotshoe compared to SL & M240’s 4 point contact. Not certain if that can be a deal breaker?

 

 

In the mean time I have emailed Mr. Schmidt. He replied saying that they have nothing to add at the moment, stating that they are working on it and when a solution is available they are going to inform us at their website. 

 

So, we can only wait and hope for the best. I have no plans (and available cash) to trade my M-P for an M10. I was hoping to do that in the future, after the arrival of an hypothetically improved M10-P.

 

Anyway, one thing I'll assume is that the solution won't come cheap. From Leica, it never does. It's worth noting that the combo Multifunctional Handgrip + SCA adapter for Leica M retails for over $1100! 

 

...

 

There's another thing I was wondering about. Have you seen that in some places on the internet the Leica SF40 flash is listed as having a "Wireless TTL mode"? Is that really correct? Has anyone ever used it in that mode? Would it be possible to use more than one unit in Wireless TTL at the same time? In that case, I'd trade my SF64 for a pair of SF40s in no time.

 

Here's a place where it's listed as a "Wireless TTL flash for Leica M":

http://www.focuscamera.com/leica-14624-wireless-ttl-sf-40-flash-unit-for-m-type-20-vario-digital-cameras.html

[FlashGordonPhotography]

In the mean time I have emailed Mr. Schmidt. He replied saying that they have nothing to add at the moment, stating that they are working on it and when a solution is available they are going to inform us at their website. 

 

So, we can only wait and hope for the best. I have no plans (and available cash) to trade my M-P for an M10. I was hoping to do that in the future, after the arrival of an hypothetically improved M10-P.

 

Anyway, one thing I'll assume is that the solution won't come cheap. From Leica, it never does. It's worth noting that the combo Multifunctional Handgrip + SCA adapter for Leica M retails for over $1100! 

 

...

 

There's another thing I was wondering about. Have you seen that in some places on the internet the Leica SF40 flash is listed as having a "Wireless TTL mode"? Is that really correct? Has anyone ever used it in that mode? Would it be possible to use more than one unit in Wireless TTL at the same time? In that case, I'd trade my SF64 for a pair of SF40s in no time.

 

Here's a place where it's listed as a "Wireless TTL flash for Leica M":

http://www.focuscamera.com/leica-14624-wireless-ttl-sf-40-flash-unit-for-m-type-20-vario-digital-cameras.html

 

That information is incorrect.....

 

The SF40 is based on the Nissin i40. The i40 is capable of supporting wireless TTL but not for all brands. Canon and Nikon yes. Fuji and Leica No. Someone has just copied and pasted the information across from the Nikon version or the Nissin website.

 

I was hoping that leica would release a version of the i60. Then we;d have more power in a small flash and wireless protocols built in as the i60 is wireless and cross platform.

 

Gordon

[sillbeers15]

It is very easy for Leica to milk us on wireless TTL & HSS by commissioning either Nissin or Metz to produce a wireless transmitter to pair with their existing flash that can sync with wireless transmitter.

I do not understand what is taking Leica so damn long except perhaps the previous contract Leica signed with the flash OEM maker has yet to expire.

[sillbeers15]

For the moment, my best alternative is to carry along a Nikon compatible cord with me to do simple Off Camera Fill in Fash application. I find that easier and faster to set up than using my Pocketwizards with manual flashes especially when I’m traveling.