lct Posted March 18, 2018 Share #41 Posted March 18, 2018 Advertisement (gone after registration) There is always the small "universal" auto/thyristor controlled Metz 20 C-2 with a single hot shoe connection http://www.metz-mecatech.de/en/lighting/flash-units/specialist-flash-units/mecablitz-20-c-2/product-information.html However, I suspect it is now obsolete and you would need to search for unsold stock or buy S/H. There are not even any for sale on Fleabay, so I suspect not a big seller for Metz. [...] Neat little flash indeed but i can't seem to find one on the web. New prices i've found in EU so far are 310€ for SF 24 and 320€ for SF 26. I expected a better price for the SF 24 so unless i find a cheaper alternative, sounds like the unloved SF 26 will be the winner. Thanks for your help Wilson an others Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 18, 2018 Posted March 18, 2018 Hi lct, Take a look here Recommended Flash unit for CL. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jaapv Posted March 18, 2018 Share #42 Posted March 18, 2018 Yes i need a smaller flash unit than the SF 40. As long as Leica doesn't replace it, the only compact flash available seems to be the SF 26 so far, aside from the Bolt VS-210 referred to above but i don't know if it works on the CL. My last question about the SF 26 would be to know if it is made by Metz or Panasonic given it has a Panasonic version if i understand well what Jaap said. Metz i guess, right? If only it were made by Panasonic instead of the post-bankruptcy Metz... I found 99 € for the Panasonic version more than well paid. Yes, the Bolt will work on the CL but without any camera communication. Set the flash, set the camera, and the flash will control the light. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhoutman Posted March 18, 2018 Author Share #43 Posted March 18, 2018 Conclusion: the SF 26's only advantage is its size I am trying to find a photo of a SL 26 flash unit on the Leica CL. Is anybody actually using this ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted March 18, 2018 Share #44 Posted March 18, 2018 Sorry for the grotty shot, I had no light available It is smaller in the bag. On the camera the difference is less pronounced. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/282700-recommended-flash-unit-for-cl/?do=findComment&comment=3483085'>More sharing options...
mhoutman Posted March 18, 2018 Author Share #45 Posted March 18, 2018 @jaapv thanks, I am glad I bought the SF 40 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhoutman Posted March 20, 2018 Author Share #46 Posted March 20, 2018 Testing the SF 60 #Nissini60A Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/282700-recommended-flash-unit-for-cl/?do=findComment&comment=3484395'>More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted March 20, 2018 Share #47 Posted March 20, 2018 Advertisement (gone after registration) Testing the SF 60 #Nissini60A Thanks for posting that image. I am not sure I like the form factor very much. I prefer long body - short head as per SF64 (on its deathbed???) There are two reasons for this. Most importantly it increases the axis distance between the flash and lens, always desirable and secondly it reduces the forward lean force on the camera/flash combination. Wilson 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhoutman Posted March 20, 2018 Author Share #48 Posted March 20, 2018 (edited) Thanks for posting that image. I am not sure I like the form factor very much. I prefer long body - short head as per SF64 (on its deathbed???) There are two reasons for this. Most importantly it increases the axis distance between the flash and lens, always desirable and secondly it reduces the forward lean force on the camera/flash combination. Wilson My eldest got this Nissin i60A for his LUMIX G9. I could no resist to put it on the CL and compare it with my SF 40. Conclusion: very powerful the SF 60 will be but the very large head makes it an awkward combo. Glad I chose the SF 40 in stead and did not wait for the SF 60... That said the SF 40 is for the CL a no brainer Edited March 20, 2018 by mhoutman Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted March 20, 2018 Share #49 Posted March 20, 2018 My eldest got this Nissin i60A for his LUMIX G9. I could no resist to put it on the CL and compare it with my SF 40. Conclusion: very powerful the SF 60 will be but the very large head makes it an awkward combo. Glad I chose the SF 40 in stead and did not wait for the SF 60... That said the SF 40 is for the CL a no brainer I was thinking more of an SF60 for the SL to replace my SF58, which is only semi-compatible with the SL and must have the most awkward user interface ever designed. I agree the SF 40 is just perfect for the CL. My only slight beef is I wish they had gone for rechargeable lithium batteries at the very inflated price point that Leica charge for the SF40 against the i40 Nissin. RCR123A would have been perfect, as you can then opt for rechargeable Lithium ion or regular Lithium-Manganese CR123A batteries. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted March 20, 2018 Share #50 Posted March 20, 2018 Pioneer Eneloop Ni-MH LSD batteries are a good substitute for Lithium cells. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhoutman Posted March 20, 2018 Author Share #51 Posted March 20, 2018 Pioneer Eneloop Ni-MH LSD batteries are a good substitute for Lithium cells. the 2500 Ah eneloop Pro ones are indeed Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jared Posted March 20, 2018 Share #52 Posted March 20, 2018 The SF26 is a very mediocre flash for the money. If you absolutely need that size, go for it. It does work. But it's weak, has no manual modes to speak of, runs on AAA size batteries (I think--double check), has a low recycle time, and is basically only good for fill flash in my opinion. The SF40 is vastly more capable if a little bigger and heavier. - Jared 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boojay Posted March 20, 2018 Share #53 Posted March 20, 2018 The SF26 is a very mediocre flash for the money. If you absolutely need that size, go for it. It does work. But it's weak, has no manual modes to speak of, runs on AAA size batteries (I think--double check), has a low recycle time, and is basically only good for fill flash in my opinion. The SF40 is vastly more capable if a little bigger and heavier. - Jared Totally agree and you are right about the batteries. The recycle time is really slow. I got mine used at a reasonable price, no way would I have kept it had I paid list price but I so very rarely use flash, and would only really be for fill. Size is just fine for both CL and M which is the only good point for me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted March 20, 2018 Share #54 Posted March 20, 2018 For AAA I wonder, the flash has an USB connection. Would it be possible to hack into a "donor" SF26 and rip the firmware onto a cheap Metz unit? For non-commercial private use, of course. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
meerec Posted March 21, 2018 Share #55 Posted March 21, 2018 (edited) Testing the SF 60 #Nissini60A Looks pure ugly if you ask me ... I’m a happy SF40 owner, and Profoto A1 owner Edited March 21, 2018 by meerec Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
meerec Posted March 21, 2018 Share #56 Posted March 21, 2018 I was thinking more of an SF60 for the SL to replace my SF58, which is only semi-compatible with the SL and must have the most awkward user interface ever designed. I agree the SF 40 is just perfect for the CL. My only slight beef is I wish they had gone for rechargeable lithium batteries at the very inflated price point that Leica charge for the SF40 against the i40 Nissin. RCR123A would have been perfect, as you can then opt for rechargeable Lithium ion or regular Lithium-Manganese CR123A batteries. I use lithium batteries in my SF40 and they seem to last for a very long time Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted March 21, 2018 Share #57 Posted March 21, 2018 I am not keen on buying batteries from Panasonic who market the Eneloop Pro. About four years ago, I threw away all my mismatched NiCad and NiMH AA batteries of varying ages (some still hangovers from my 1999 Leica Digilux.Zoom). I bought 20 Panasonic Evoia, the forerunners of the Eneloop Pro, batteries which were supposed not to self discharge and have a very high cycle life. They virtually all started leaking within just two years or so and all had stains under their plastic cover. Their performance degraded badly. Panasonic refused to honour their warranty and claimed I must have charged them wrongly. I have used for years, a selectable current smart charger which shows the milliamp charge rate for each cell and I have always opted for the lowest rate of 200 milliamps, so the "wrongly charged" was a nonsense. Panasonic UK have completely alienated me as a potential customer for the sake of pennies, which is what the cost of these rechargeable batteries would have been to them. Wilson Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted March 21, 2018 Share #58 Posted March 21, 2018 These batteries are Sanyos, marketed as Panasonic. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhoutman Posted March 21, 2018 Author Share #59 Posted March 21, 2018 I am not keen on buying batteries from Panasonic who market the Eneloop Pro. About four years ago, I threw away all my mismatched NiCad and NiMH AA batteries of varying ages (some still hangovers from my 1999 Leica Digilux.Zoom). I bought 20 Panasonic Evoia, the forerunners of the Eneloop Pro, batteries which were supposed not to self discharge and have a very high cycle life. They virtually all started leaking within just two years or so and all had stains under their plastic cover. Their performance degraded badly. Panasonic refused to honour their warranty and claimed I must have charged them wrongly. I have used for years, a selectable current smart charger which shows the milliamp charge rate for each cell and I have always opted for the lowest rate of 200 milliamps, so the "wrongly charged" was a nonsense. Panasonic UK have completely alienated me as a potential customer for the sake of pennies, which is what the cost of these rechargeable batteries would have been to them. Wilson Jaap is correct as Panasonic bought Sanyo and its eneloop brand...but if you have no confidence in Panasonic you might have a look at the IKEA Ladda’s; check YouTube for that Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted March 21, 2018 Share #60 Posted March 21, 2018 Jaap is correct as Panasonic bought Sanyo and its eneloop brand...but if you have no confidence in Panasonic you might have a look at the IKEA Ladda’s; check YouTube for that Many thanks for the suggestion. I have to go down to Ikea in Toulon as soon as I get to France to buy some more IVAR shelving. My collection of classic Leicas must have been breeding in the middle of the night, when I was not watching, as there seems to be more of them than ever and I have run out of shelf space in France I will buy some of their Ladda batteries. Wilson Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.