SL2 flash guidance, please!

[NRKstudio]

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To the forum gurus: 

For my SL2, I am seeking a good on-camera flash with radio transmitter capability, plus a controller for it.  

I have the SF40, and it’s not making the cut really.  TTL is decent tho, but I just read “The Flash Book” by Scott Kelby and his system is all about setting the flash/camera (move the flash off camera if possible) to Manual mode (1/4 flash power, iso 100, 1/125 sec, f/5.6)and just adjusting the camera from there.

So what have y’all been using for a good hot shoe flash and a radio controller?? 
The SF58 and c1 remote are out of my budget unfortunately! I’m an amateur photographer who shoots just my toddler and wife, and some friends/family events.  
 

thanks in advance for the guidance!

 

 

[andyturk]

I use these for the radio part: https://www.lightpixlabs.com/pages/flashq-t2

For OCF street portraits, I use a Leica SF 24D with the FlashQ receiver attached. That combo is small enough to carry in my pocket until I need it. The transmitter is tiny and just sits on the camera all the time. Obviously, there's no TTL with that setup.

For studio use, I have some Profoto B2s, and use the regular Profoto Air remote (again no TTL). In a pinch, the same tiny FlashQ receiver can trigger the profotos via a short cable.

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[NRKstudio]

1 hour ago, andyturk said:

I use these for the radio part: https://www.lightpixlabs.com/pages/flashq-t2

For OCF street portraits, I use a Leica SF 24D with the FlashQ receiver attached. That combo is small enough to carry in my pocket until I need it. The transmitter is tiny and just sits on the camera all the time. Obviously, there's no TTL with that setup.

For studio use, I have some Profoto B2s, and use the regular Profoto Air remote (again no TTL). In a pinch, the same tiny FlashQ receiver can trigger the profotos via a short cable.

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Thanks for the advice! That small transmitter looks perfect.  Never seen it before. 

which brand Profoto Air Remote do you use? Nikon, Panasonic, Fuji...? I would love to be able to use a Fuji version of a Profoto A1x (on-camera) and with the Air Remote TTL (the simple profoto remote without a screen) If they will fire off the SL2.  I couldn’t get my Sony version of the Profoto A1X/remoteTTL to fire, so I’m wondering if the Fuji (or Nikon or Panasonic) would work. 
 

have you tried the Godox v1 system and their Godox remote? That is another simple solution as well. 

 

Edited January 5, 2020 by NRKstudio

[andyturk]

@NRKstdudio

I use the basic Profoto remote: https://profoto.com/in/products/air-remotes/remotes/air-remote

It only has the center terminal/conductor, so it's fairly universal. I also tried the Nikon specific one in a store last year. It fired the flash just fine, but none of the other TTL features worked with Leica, so there was no point in spending more for it.

Also, for completeness, I don't have an SL2, but I've used these flashes with my M10-P and SL. I've got no experience with Godox, but they seem pretty good too (and much less expensive than Profoto).

[Exodies]

The plain Profoto air remote works on the SL2; that takes care of static shots where you can meter/reshoot. It would open up more scenes to flash if we had TTL capability.

[NRKstudio]

2 hours ago, andyturk said:

@NRKstdudio

I use the basic Profoto remote: https://profoto.com/in/products/air-remotes/remotes/air-remote

It only has the center terminal/conductor, so it's fairly universal. I also tried the Nikon specific one in a store last year. It fired the flash just fine, but none of the other TTL features worked with Leica, so there was no point in spending more for it.

Also, for completeness, I don't have an SL2, but I've used these flashes with my M10-P and SL. I've got no experience with Godox, but they seem pretty good too (and much less expensive than Profoto).

Thanks again for the link and advice.  I am planning to place an order for the small transmitter/receiver you recommend (to use my current sf40 off camera), a Godox V1x for Fuji (to use on a Light stand during events,  the Profoto A1 is a little too pricey for me), and the Godox brand remote.  I believe the Fuji version has the center post contact that will allow Manual shooting of the flash with Leica gear

also of interest is the Nissin i60a, it looks to be the non-Leica version of the Leica SF60, Nissins’s remote looks exactly alike as well.  Would have to pick the Fuji ver of the i60a.  

30 minutes ago, Exodies said:

The plain Profoto air remote works on the SL2; that takes care of static shots where you can meter/reshoot. It would open up more scenes to flash if we had TTL capability.

I agree, Kelby’s method does seem limited.  I can imagine an event where you must move back and forth through many different rooms/areas that differ significantly in ambient brightness; thus test shots would not be practical or efficient due to the large variance between multiple light conditions.  Scott Kelby’s book recommends, in the case where you can not shoot, adjust, and quickly reshoot (he calls it “run and gun” or “meet and greets” in the case of event photography): to take a test shot in the area you will be photographing, and then adjust the flash down to somewhat average underexposure, test the flash, and then use these settings static through the different areas.  maybe I’d get the hang eventually of judging light conditions well enough to dial in flash EV compensation in such cases, but TTL would be helpful regardless.  
 

the only TTL option off camera is the sf58 and c1 combo.  But has anyone tried the Leica c1 remote with non-Leica flash units?  would the c1 remote/SL2-rig measure TTL flash power and then send those synchronize those settings/measurements to the nissin i60a, or better yet a Godox v1x or a profoto A1X (that has wireless capabilities)? 

[jacksbenjamin]

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Hi all, thanks for the considerate thoughts and for starting this thread NRK Studio!

I recently upgraded to the SL2 and am looking to invest in a ProFoto Air Remote and OCF and considering the ProFoto Air Remote and B10 Plus, has anyone used the B10 plus or A1x with their Leica's? I come from the motion world and always use continues light for stills but I think I need a flash system now and want to get something reliable and somewhat compact. It's a real shame ProFoto is not more globally compatible with Leica.

 

Thanks for any thoughts!!

Ben Jacks

Director & Photographer | www.ben-jacks.com  

[chicagophoto]

2 hours ago, jacksbenjamin said:

Hi all, thanks for the considerate thoughts and for starting this thread NRK Studio!

I recently upgraded to the SL2 and am looking to invest in a ProFoto Air Remote and OCF and considering the ProFoto Air Remote and B10 Plus, has anyone used the B10 plus or A1x with their Leica's? I come from the motion world and always use continues light for stills but I think I need a flash system now and want to get something reliable and somewhat compact. It's a real shame ProFoto is not more globally compatible with Leica.

 

Thanks for any thoughts!!

Ben Jacks

Director & Photographer | www.ben-jacks.com  

I use the standard profoto remote all the time on an SL and SL2 along with a couple A1's and any of the Profoto Lights, D1, B1, B2 and  B10 and never had a problem. No TTL or HSS.

[FlashGordonPhotography]

For off camera TTL the options are limited. You use the SF-C1 transmitter with the SF60 flash unit (not the SF58). These are rebadged Nissin units. You can also use the Nissin MG 10 with the Leica commander as the firmware update required can be user implemented. To use i60's from Nissin with the Leica commander those flashes will need to be returned to the importer for a firmware update, at cost after which they will also work with the Leica commander. The SF60 and any updated Nissin units will give you TTL and manual controls with multiple groups. HSS is limited though. Go through the various threads here and you'll get the gist of it. Silbeers is probably the go to guy on the forums about the Nissin/Leica flash compatibility. His posts are particularly useful.

For manual flash any number of off camera options are available. Profoto, Godox and Elinchrom (plus others) all work. None offer Leica TTL. But for full manual they're fine.

Gordon

[jacksbenjamin]

On 1/5/2020 at 1:06 PM, chicagophoto said:

I use the standard profoto remote all the time on an SL and SL2 along with a couple A1's and any of the Profoto Lights, D1, B1, B2 and  B10 and never had a problem. No TTL or HSS.

Copy that and thanks so much for your reply! Looking forward to using some ProFoto b1x and b10’s for a editorial this weekend in Joshua tree for Stetson on the SL2!