Jump to content

Leica Q2 with non-Leica Flash AF issue


Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Using Nikon compatible transmitter or flash.

When you half press it focuses but the AF point doesn't stay green - then when you fully press to take the photo it finds focus again before triggering the shutter. This is a big pain if you are focus recomposing when the focus point is no longer on the subject. I was using this for professional work taking group shots so I had to use manual focus.

The Leica Q2 locked up several times too and I had to reinsert the battery.

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, FHPdoc said:

Ouch—disconcerting.  I wonder if the same thing occurs with Leica flashes...

Did you have to resort to your back-up to get the job done??

I was using three cameras, 2 x A9 for event shooting and the Leica Q2 for flash shots in front of an illuminated sign - so that I would be dialed into the same setting each time.

So I just resorted to using manual focus on the Q2 to get the job done, and then just pop out the battery and reinsert every time it crashed.

 

I would like to know if people have this problem with a Leica branded flash, I wouldn't want to have to buy one to find out it's the same

Link to post
Share on other sites

Dan.

I used an SF-40 extensively last weekend at a wedding reception. It mostly worked. No lockups. I felt more confident using it in manual mode although I did use it TTL some too. 

I often use Canon flashes on my Q and now Q2. Purely manual. No lockup’s. I do not have a transmitter other than Canon which I’ve never figured out how to make work on the Q’s. 

Sorry for your troubles. Buy from B&H and return within 14 days if it’s not meeting your requirements. 

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

On 7/4/2019 at 5:33 PM, iQ2 said:

Dan.

I used an SF-40 extensively last weekend at a wedding reception. It mostly worked. No lockups. I felt more confident using it in manual mode although I did use it TTL some too. 

I often use Canon flashes on my Q and now Q2. Purely manual. No lockup’s. I do not have a transmitter other than Canon which I’ve never figured out how to make work on the Q’s. 

Sorry for your troubles. Buy from B&H and return within 14 days if it’s not meeting your requirements. 

Thanks, I'm in the UK so no B&H but might have a look into getting a Leica flash (Again!)

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

If you're only using manual flash rather than TTL it might be worth looking at one of the chinese brand manual flashes.  There's very little for the camera to get upset about as they only have a pin sync connection.

I've used godox AD180 flashes in my studio for years and have only good things to say about them.  They're a bit big for on camera (i used them on light stands with modifiers) but both godox and yongnuo make (or used to make) manual only flashes in a more shoe-friendly size too.  If you want to get into putting the flash on a stand, the godox controller I have is fully manual with a sync pin only; again, very little for the camera to get upset about.

Edited by ralphh
Link to post
Share on other sites

yes but are they manual only ones or are they trying to have a conversation with the camera in Nikon language?  My Q2 behaves completely normally with the AD180 radio trigger on the camera because there is only the sync pin - the camera probably doesn't even know the flash is there.

You might find that putting the flash to full manual stops it trying to talk to the camera and upsetting it.  Worth a go.

Edited by ralphh
spelling
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Just now, ralphh said:

yes but are they manual only ones or are they trying to have a conversation with the camera?  My Q2 behaves completely normally with the AD180 radio trigger on the camera because there is only the sync pin - the camera probably doesn't even know the flash is there.

It's both of these causing an issue.

https://www.essentialphoto.co.uk/product/pixapro-li-ion350ii-speedlite-with-rechargeable-battery-built-in-2-point-4ghz-receiver-and-high-speed-sync/

https://www.essentialphoto.co.uk/product/pixapro-pro-st-iv-2-point-4ghz-flash-transmitter/

Shooting in manual mode, but has more than just the one pin sure.

Link to post
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, dancook said:

This is the trigger I have.  It's not as sexy, but it looks like it's compatible with your flashes and it should fix your problems.

https://www.essentialphoto.co.uk/product/pixapro-2-point-4ghz-pro-ac-wireless-16-channel-radio-flash-trigger-only/

Edit: I can sync up to 1/1000th.  At 1/2000th I just get a black frame, suggesting the trigger speed/timing just isn't good enough for that.  Still, 1/1000 is pretty useful

Edited by ralphh
Link to post
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, ralphh said:

This is the trigger I have.  It's not as sexy, but it looks like it's compatible with your flashes and it should fix your problems.

https://www.essentialphoto.co.uk/product/pixapro-2-point-4ghz-pro-ac-wireless-16-channel-radio-flash-trigger-only/

Edit: I can sync up to 1/1000th.  At 1/2000th I just get a black frame, suggesting the trigger speed/timing just isn't good enough for that.  Still, 1/1000 is pretty useful

i have one of those as well actually, thanks, good to know :)

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

44 minutes ago, dancook said:

i have one of those as well actually, thanks, good to know :)

Dan,

I have a significant number of Canon flashes including the latest which work on optical and wireless communication. It looks like there’s a Canon version of the Pro ST-IV. Do you have any knowledge if it would work on the Q in manual mode with the Canon fladhes? So far I put one Canon flash on the camera in manual and it will trigger the other flashes only in optical mode. It would be nice to not have to dedicate a flash on the camera and use the transmitter. Again, all I care about is msnual mode. 

Thanks,

The other Dan. 😁

I have many Hummingbird photos taken using the technique described above. 

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!

Edited by iQ2
  • Like 5
  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, iQ2 said:

Dan,

I have a significant number of Canon flashes including the latest which work on optical and wireless communication. It looks like there’s a Canon version of the Pro ST-IV. Do you have any knowledge if it would work on the Q in manual mode with the Canon fladhes? So far I put one Canon flash on the camera in manual and it will trigger the other flashes only in optical mode. It would be nice to not have to dedicate a flash on the camera and use the transmitter. Again, all I care about is msnual mode. 

Thanks,

The other Dan. 😁

I have many Hummingbird photos taken using the technique described above. 

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!

Beautiful!  Are you cropping in-camera or post?  Would love to see the original image if you don't mind sharing.

- Scott

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, FHPdoc said:

Beautiful!  Are you cropping in-camera or post?  Would love to see the original image if you don't mind sharing.

- Scott

 

Almost certain I cropped in post. Likely pretty big crop. I’ll dig out the original image when I can get to it and post it. The beauty of the Q2 is I have a lot more pixels to work with cropping. The 28mm lens is very-suboptimal for this type of photography. In years past I used a Canon 5D3 and a 70/200 lens or a 100 mm macro for hummingbirds. Its all fun. I used the Q just to try to do new things with that camera. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, iQ2 said:

Almost certain I cropped in post. Likely pretty big crop. I’ll dig out the original image when I can get to it and post it. The beauty of the Q2 is I have a lot more pixels to work with cropping. The 28mm lens is very-suboptimal for this type of photography. In years past I used a Canon 5D3 and a 70/200 lens or a 100 mm macro for hummingbirds. Its all fun. I used the Q just to try to do new things with that camera. 

Dan,  This is amazing work from the get-go, and doubly so with the Q2!  Thanks so much for posting.

- Scott

Link to post
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, FHPdoc said:

Dan,  This is amazing work from the get-go, and doubly so with the Q2!  Thanks so much for posting.

- Scott

Scott,

I’m not sure which camera I used for that particular image. I think the Q. I’ll check and attempt to show how much I crop. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
On 7/4/2019 at 4:44 AM, dancook said:

Using Nikon compatible transmitter or flash.

When you half press it focuses but the AF point doesn't stay green - then when you fully press to take the photo it finds focus again before triggering the shutter. This is a big pain if you are focus recomposing when the focus point is no longer on the subject. I was using this for professional work taking group shots so I had to use manual focus.

The Leica Q2 locked up several times too and I had to reinsert the battery.

 

Hi Dan,

I am having a similar problem in that when any flash trigger is mounted on the hot-shoe, my newly acquired Q2's AF behaves abnormally and the AF point flashes green for a brief second then fails to stay locked on even if the shutter button is half depressed. At the moment the shutter button is fully pressed down, the Q2 does this weird refocus thing and pictures are out of focus. I could currently only get around this problem by switching to MF, with a flash trigger on all AF modes fails to lock on including Face Detection.

Have you found any new insights or solutions since then? Where can I report this severe bug? It is making the Q2 a handicapped camera for flash use ...

Regards,

Oliver

Link to post
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, prismstorm said:

Hi Dan,

I am having a similar problem in that when any flash trigger is mounted on the hot-shoe, my newly acquired Q2's AF behaves abnormally and the AF point flashes green for a brief second then fails to stay locked on even if the shutter button is half depressed. At the moment the shutter button is fully pressed down, the Q2 does this weird refocus thing and pictures are out of focus. I could currently only get around this problem by switching to MF, with a flash trigger on all AF modes fails to lock on including Face Detection.

Have you found any new insights or solutions since then? Where can I report this severe bug? It is making the Q2 a handicapped camera for flash use ...

Regards,

Oliver

I do not have a solution, you could try Leica support.

  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm using a Profoto Air Remote (which is a non-TTL) version. Works fine up to 1/1000 at full power for a Profoto B10. Bear in mind that while your camera syncs at up to 1/2000 of a second you will want to consult your flash's capability. It's duration. Check the T0.1s chart. It will show the flash duration for each power setting of your flash. For example the B10 can only deliver full power if your shutter is open long enough. At power setting 10 it's 1/400 of a second. So at 1/1000, if the flash syncs, you will have lost power outside of the 1/1000 time frame.

I suspect that testing is really done on AC studio strobes where the flash durations are more powerful at shorter durations. But most people will want to use them with battery systems.

Hope it helps

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!

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

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.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...