Which one is better for M240, SF58 or SF40?

[DaveNC]

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I am very happy with my $100 24 on my M-D in A mode.

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[FlashGordonPhotography]

Well, I am amazed, because just above TTL on my dial it has "A" for auto.

 

My SF40 was bought from a Leica shop (OMG, they call these shops a store now, very American!) in Manchester so it is a definite article. 

 

If anyone has bought one from a non-Leica dealer then they probably have a fake. 

 

Please don't doubt me. The SF40 I have has "A" for Automatic and I can provide photographic evidence if somebody challenges me.

 

In fact go to the Leica website and have a look at SF40. There should be enough photographic evidence there without me cluttering these pages.

 

Yep. Mine too. But it's not an *auto* mode as most flashes have (SF58/64, Nikon etc). Normally A mode means the flash has a sensor on it that can measure light output and control it, independently of the camera.

 

On the SF40 *A* means *auto TTL* not auto where you can set an aperture and have the flash meter it. This is completely different to how the SF58 and SF64 implement *A* mode.

 

*A* mode on the SF 40 is still TTL. A quick read of the manual will confirm this.

 

Gordon

[Peter Kilmister]

It works for me, and very well. 'A' means Auto. I don't care how it is auto because the camera sorts it out.

Am I bothered? No, I just use it very infrequently and the results are fine. 

[LocalHero1953]

Just as long as anyone reading this thread realises that A mode on the SF40 and A mode on most other flashes for the last few decades mean two totally different mechanisms.

[charlie9089]

SF40 without a doubt having used both flashes extensively with my M240. Bought the SF-40 two years ago for my M240 and sold it due to the issues described in this thread. Very inconsistent and flash often did not fire at all. Recent Leica firmware upgrade appears to have fixed these problems, bought an SF-40 for a second time recently and works fine. Previously had a SF-58 which is way too big for an M and still did not have reliable TTL. The Nissin i40 (SF-40 is a Leica rebrand of the the i40 with Leica TTL software) by all accounts always worked fine with other cameras so Leica have finally caught up.