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Using flash anyone? Any recommendation?

AGeoJO

By AGeoJO
in Leica M8 / Leica M8.2

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Jamie Roberts

Jamie Roberts

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Hi Karen--

 

Those look very cool, I must admit, and all my strobes are Elinchromes. I like the quality of them.

 

But having invested in many PWs, they're going to have to do for now :) It's not like they don't work or anything.

 

And here's a couple of vital questions about the Elinchromes...

 

1) Do they still let you pass through the PC synch to the flash (in effect, split the hot shoe synch on the M8)?

 

If they don't then I'd need a separate receiver on my flash for what I want to do. Right now, with the PWs, all I need is a cable--on a bracket or using Sean's method (though I admit a tiny receiver would be nice)

 

2) Are they PW compatible? If they were, I'd just get a couple for the M8

 

3) Do they block the shutter dial? It's kind of hard to see from the pic... one good thing about the PWs is their height in the hot-shoe and the fact that being a little larger my aging eyes can see the controls even in dim light :)

 

Thanks in advance!

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Eikonphoto

Eikonphoto

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Jamie

I do not know if they are pocket wizard compatible. They are cheaper than PW and don't look like you have a telephone box on top of your camera!

I do know you can split the signal.

The reason I love these little things is they do not block viewing the shutter dial, which the quantums do. They are powered by a little 3v lithium battery.

BTW all my lighting is elinchrom too ...... used every day for 10 years, and haven't needed a replacement flash tube yet. In the studio with a 6 foot octabank,, it's an 1/8th of a stop from edge to edge .... very impressive manufacturer.

I am selling all my quantum radio slaves and switching over completely.

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cme4brain

cme4brain

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Doesn't appear to be a cord option for the M8. Am I missing something that will work?

 

I used a hand-held flash with my 1st digi, a Nikon 990 and SB-28 flash. Amazing flexibility for fill and bounce, and no amount of metering or calculating could match the empirical check on that little monitor. Of course that camera and flash had a cord that fit the flash via a small shoe (w/ tripod-type hole that would screw onto a bracket) and then plug into the camera.

 

Haven't been tempted by the arrangement until I tried out my Metz MZ-3 on top of my M8----it's top-heavy and I worry about tweaking the camera frame.

 

Here is an ebay link to a 100% compatible cord on ebay: nikon sc17, Flashes Accessories items on eBay.com

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robertwright

robertwright

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just got the 580exII and it is suh-wheet!

 

The auto mode lets you (the call it E) lets you dial the aperture value down to F1.0! altho the working distance changes, it does have power levels down to 1/128th power, so that is 7 stop variability.

 

The locking shoe works great too. That plus a pc in connection makes this a winner for me, and something I would have in the bag anyway with a mix of canon gear.

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haroldp

haroldp

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I use the Metz 54. It looks silly on an M8, but the combination of bounce on the main head, and some direct on the secondary reflector looks pretty good.

 

Since the latest firmware (1110), in GNC mode, the pre-flash lag is faster, but it does not sync reliably at 1/250. at 1/125 it is OK.

 

My M2 still syncs flash reliably. As does my M6.

 

Thankfully, flash use is a secondary mode for my Leica's, when serious flash use is needed, the Nikon's come out.

 

I hope this is useful.

 

If anyone has any info on the 1110 sync problem, I would appreciate a reply.

 

Regards .... Harold

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Jamie Roberts

Jamie Roberts

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Thankfully, flash use is a secondary mode for my Leica's, when serious flash use is needed, the Nikon's come out.

{snipped}

 

I would seriously try your Nikon speedlites on the M8, if they're newer and have an AUTO mode (like anything beyond the SB28). It's way more predictable and easier to work with than the Metz (and I've got both!).

 

Though the Metz is fine, and it's probably just me and my inability to wrap my brain around how it's supposed to work, I've found only manual mode works very well with the M8 (and unlike most people, I hate that little "twinkle light" thing on the front of it :))

 

It's a great slave though :)

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MartinL

MartinL

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tried out my Metz MZ-3 on top of my M8----it's top-heavy and I worry about tweaking the camera frame.

Sorry about quoting myself, but this is where I was maybe 6 wks ago. Since then I have some additional flash experience with M8.

 

Choices were (because I already owned them)

"Older" Nikon SB 28. Smallest of the 3. Fully manual use only. Best fit with the M8.

 

"Canon EX 580. Strong. Useful. Unfortunately, not the newer version that makes it fully auto compatible with M8.

 

Metz MZ3. I settled on this in spite of the large size. It works auto well-enough with the M8 set on A, and only marginally worse (for me) than TTL SLR / flash. I just about always require multiple flash shots with some adjusting before I'm confident or satisfied I have something acceptable. I use it for fill, but to my eye, I hate looking at a photo that signals "fill shot," and IMO it's a specialized skill to get fill right.

 

The Metz is an overwhelmingly complex machine, but only because it offers so many user controls (that this user doesn't use:) .) Metz is all about being universal and comprehensive. Because there's not that much that the M8 allows, the actual user controls for the camera are pretty simple.

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Olsen

Olsen

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"Canon EX 580. Strong. Useful. Unfortunately, not the newer version that makes it fully auto compatible with M8....

 

This I missed out on. Which of the EX580 can be used on M8 'fully auto compatible'? (And, how is that? Have Canon come to their senses?)

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MartinL

MartinL

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big caveat: I'm repeating what I can recall with my brain adjusted to "soft focus" Real knowledge may differ. I believe that the ex 580 II, does a better job of responding to M8 settings. This is a long thread and I believe that someone here has been more specific. Or was that elsewhere? I had no intention of actually buying another flash, so I was choosing among the best of what I owned. If I were prepared to lay out $400 for a new flash, I'd study what the EX 580 II could do for me, although I doubt that I'd duplicate something so close to my EX (I) for my Canon gear. I've had doubts about the Metz, but this is the 3rd time it has nicely filled the gap between a new camera and deciding on a "permanent" flash solution.

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Jamie Roberts

Jamie Roberts

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This I missed out on. Which of the EX580 can be used on M8 'fully auto compatible'? (And, how is that? Have Canon come to their senses?)

 

 

The 580 EX v2 has an auto-thyristor external sensor in it, just like the Metz and the Nikon flashes do.

 

The idea is that it's now compatible with film EOS cameras that don't have TTL.

 

The M8 also works with this. It's called "Manual E" mode on the 580.2, and is set in the custom functions.

 

Once set, you simply dial in the ISO and the aperture your M8 is set to and shoot away. Need an extra stop of flash? Tell it you're shooting at a lower ISO, or lie to it about the aperture value.

 

This flash works really well with the M8. If you don't have autopower off on the flash (I do), and you put the flash right on the M8 hotshoe, a touch of the M8 shutter will even wake the flash up automatically.

 

Maybe Canon *have* come to their senses. I'm not sure if they'd "mind" the extra sales or not ;)

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wlaidlaw

wlaidlaw

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I use the Metz 54. It looks silly on an M8, but the combination of bounce on the main head, and some direct on the secondary reflector looks pretty good.

 

Since the latest firmware (1110), in GNC mode, the pre-flash lag is faster, but it does not sync reliably at 1/250. at 1/125 it is OK.

 

My M2 still syncs flash reliably. As does my M6.

 

Thankfully, flash use is a secondary mode for my Leica's, when serious flash use is needed, the Nikon's come out.

 

I hope this is useful.

 

If anyone has any info on the 1110 sync problem, I would appreciate a reply.

 

Regards .... Harold

 

 

Harold,

 

I appreciate that the pre-flash delay may be shorter on the 54 like it is on the little SF24-D but is the exposure any more accurate on GNC mode with an M8/54 than it was. I found it was hopeless and in the absence of any power control on GNC mode on the 54 made the flash an Auto mode only user, which is not what I bought and paid for. Hence my demanding and receiving a full refund from Metz for the new 54MZ4i and SCA 3502M5 I bought. All the current flash options are bodges or poor. Leica is really letting us down by not collaborating with their usual partners Metz, to produce a relatively compact bounce and swivel fully GNC controlled flash, preferably with a small secondary fill in non bounce head. It is not exactly rocket science. All they have to do is couple the electronic controls of the SF24-D, with a 54 body to make a dedicated MZ54-L and there you have it.

 

Wilson

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skimmel

skimmel

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So that's the best flash I've seen on the M8 to date. But for the money, the SB28 rocks too. One change of a custom function and it's fully auto ETTL with the Canons.

 

I will electrical tape the safe-synch for now to use the 580 on the M8 and the DMR.

 

I have been reading this thread (trying to keep up but an not nearly as experienced as you guys). One question: what exactly are you taping? Is this on the M8 itself? I'd like to be able to use my 580 on my M8 (and also my Canon) so would like to do whatever is needed on my M8 to protect it without having to untape the 580 when I move it to my Canon.

 

What should I do?

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Maggie_O

Maggie_O

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Or the BEST solution in my opinion is to just pick up a non dedicated thyristor flash like a Sunpak 383. There are no dedicated pins on this flash, it has a low voltage triggering circuit, it is under $100 and works wonderfully with the M8. I use one myself.

 

I'll second this advice- I'm using my ancient and venerable Vivitar 272 auto-thyristor flash from the 1970's with my M8 and it works aces.

 

For my first shot or two I follow the scale suggestions on the side of the flash, looking at my results as they come up and then adjusting the aperture to get the exposure I'm looking for. After a while, you get a feel for what's going to work and you can get the shots you want just as quickly as a TTL flash, maybe even quicker.

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Jamie Roberts

Jamie Roberts

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I have been reading this thread (trying to keep up but an not nearly as experienced as you guys). One question: what exactly are you taping? Is this on the M8 itself? I'd like to be able to use my 580 on my M8 (and also my Canon) so would like to do whatever is needed on my M8 to protect it without having to untape the 580 when I move it to my Canon.

 

What should I do?

 

Stephen--

 

Ah the problems of the Internet!

 

The stupid safe-synch I was taping was a defective one (hence the need for tape; it shorted out anything with a metal shoe). You don't need to tape anything the Safe-Synch isn't defective.

 

Your 580 will go right on the M8 itself, and the camera even wakes the flash out of power-save mode :)

 

But if you want to be extra sure, get the safe-synch, but try it in the store with your M8 and flash or don't buy it.

 

I don't use the safe synch anymore; I simply attach the 580V2 or 580 V1 directly to my M8 (or I use a cold shoe bracket and a wireless pocket wizard, but that's for triggering both a local flash and a remotes as well).

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Jamie Roberts

Jamie Roberts

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Can anybody tell me, probably Jamie, if the Canon 580EX Ver 1 has the same functionality on the M8 as Ver 2?

 

Hey Gareth--sent you an email, but no--the 580 V1 does not have the same external auto-thyristor as the 580 v2. Alas!

 

But the 580 V1, in M mode, is still a fantastic flash with the M8. It was the performance of the V1 with the M8 that made me get the V2, and it's even better.

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GarethC

GarethC

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Jamie

 

Got your reply thanks. Just bought a 430EX so we'll see how that works out. I'm not a big user of flash so the 430 may do the trick, if not, up tot he 580 EX V2 I go. Knowing the buying habits of all of us here I have so little doubt that I'll end up buying what I should have bought in the first place :)

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