Ron Weissman Posted June 20, 2018 Share #1 Posted June 20, 2018 Advertisement (gone after registration) My new SFC1 successfully paired with the SF60 flash. It fires when I press the test button. The flash itself fires on the SL's hot shoe. But when the SFC1 commander is placed in the hot shoe (same settings that fire the flash in the camera's hot shoe) nothing happens. Pressing the test button on the SFC1 triggers the flash, but the SL does not trigger the SFC1. (Shutter speed is was set at 80, well below sync maximum). The focus light on the SFC1 does come on when the shutter is pressed, so I know that the SL is communicating with the SFC1, but the flash doesn't fire. Pairing works and the two devices do communicate and the SL does "see" the commander. And the flash works fine on camera with exactly the same settings. I'm not sure what to do. Anyone have any suggestions? The manuals offer no clue. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 20, 2018 Posted June 20, 2018 Hi Ron Weissman, Take a look here SFC1 on SL does not trigger SF60 flash but test button does trigger flash. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Mick H Posted June 20, 2018 Share #2 Posted June 20, 2018 Hi Ron: Have you updated your SL to the latest firmware? Mick Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 20, 2018 Share #3 Posted June 20, 2018 Why not contact Leica support? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BernardC Posted June 20, 2018 Share #4 Posted June 20, 2018 Are you using the latest firmware? You need firmware 3.2 to fully support the SF60 flash and SFC1 wireless flash controller. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Weissman Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share #5 Posted June 20, 2018 Is that actually a thing? I've had a lens at Leica support for 3 years. Still no word on whether or not it is going to be fixed. This is a small, undercapitalize company. My experience so far is that it is non-existent. And, since the flash is new, I wondered if anyone else has had this problem. If I cannot figure it out in a day or two, I will return it to my dealer. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
youngjohn Posted June 20, 2018 Share #6 Posted June 20, 2018 I’ve had several repairs/services of Leica lenses and bodies at Wetzlar from the UK in the last few years, all of which have been completed to a high standard and all returned within 3-4 weeks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Weissman Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share #7 Posted June 20, 2018 Advertisement (gone after registration) I've had three repairs. One took six months for a new product (their SF 64 flash); two are still in limbo-including a defective, brand-new TL lens hood (defect is widely reported), the first is has been out for 3 years. Obviously, our mileage differs. I will contemplate contacting Leica but sending the SFC1 controller back to them is a total non-starter. I'll just return it to my dealer if nothing else works. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanD Posted June 20, 2018 Share #8 Posted June 20, 2018 What is the item that has been out for three years!? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Weissman Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share #9 Posted June 20, 2018 A standard wide angle Leica R lens. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
youngjohn Posted June 20, 2018 Share #10 Posted June 20, 2018 One of the items I sent was a v2 28mm e55 R and it was back in 3 weeks. Which R wide angle is it? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Weissman Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share #11 Posted June 20, 2018 R 21-35mm. Nothing exotic. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsw Posted June 22, 2018 Share #12 Posted June 22, 2018 Ron, yes firmware 3.2 contains the necessary drivers for SF 60 and SFC 1; won't work without it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Weissman Posted June 23, 2018 Author Share #13 Posted June 23, 2018 Problem solved. Commander SFC1 was defective; my local dealer confirmed it and swapped it out. I was afraid I had messed up a setting, but that was not the case. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Abrahams Posted August 10, 2018 Share #14 Posted August 10, 2018 Problem solved. Commander SFC1 was defective; my local dealer confirmed it and swapped it out. I was afraid I had messed up a setting, but that was not the case. Looks like my SFC1 is defective too. The commander is communicating zoom modes to SF 60 but the LED test button won't fire it let alone the camera shutter. Flash works okay on the SL but not with the commander set to R. I have the latest updates, batteries in the right way, tethered and tried everything. If its defective , why wouldn't they test it at the factory instead of sending it out? I have to use this on Monday. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Abrahams Posted August 13, 2018 Share #15 Posted August 13, 2018 I have to say that the recently purchased SF 60 did start to work. After repeated (frustrated) presses on the Commander led test button it finally fired. Today I used the new flash along with the SF64 using an optical trigger. To balance the lighting I had to adjust the power output of the 64 down and the SF60 up. Its not an ideal way to balance the lighting in the setup I was using but seeing as the SF 60 and SC1 commander only communicate together when set to TTL and the output of the flash is also regulated by the output of the SF64, that was all I could do. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlashGordonPhotography Posted August 13, 2018 Share #16 Posted August 13, 2018 My commander and SF60 work fine in manual mode. I see that the SF64 would need to be adjusted on the flash but the SF60 should be adjustable from the commander in manual mode. I'd take it to the store for inspection. Gordon 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrp Posted August 20, 2018 Share #17 Posted August 20, 2018 My SFC-1+SF60 seem to work in the sense that they communicate with each other and the SF60 flash is triggered. I'm not particularly impressed by the TTL mode (which, on Nikon, has always been impeccable). On the Leica+Nissan, sometimes the first flash on starting up seems to discharge completely (everything blown out), and it seems to take -2 stop compensation to produce naturally-filled portraits. Is there some setting on the camera that I am missing? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sillbeers15 Posted August 20, 2018 Share #18 Posted August 20, 2018 Try the spot or center-weight metering on the camera to see the difference as the camera metering can be averaging the background if center-weight metering is selected. Besides for off camera flash, usually flash modifiers are used and it is common that robs 2 stops of light. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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