Mtrav Posted November 9, 2020 Share #1 Posted November 9, 2020 Advertisement (gone after registration) I am shooting with the Leica Q2 and bought the Fujifilm EF-X20 Flash but I can't get it working in manual. I have set the camera to on in the settings, set it to manual on the flash, the mode is set to X on the flash, it's on snug, it lights up and will pop a test flash, but not when taking a photo. What am I missing? I am shooting some important wedding shots tomorrow, please help asap! Thank you so much! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted November 9, 2020 Posted November 9, 2020 Hi Mtrav, Take a look here Need help with Q2 shooting manual flash. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jaapv Posted November 9, 2020 Share #2 Posted November 9, 2020 Actually you missing that one only gets full functionality with Leica flashes. Older flashes will work in auto-thyristor mode or manual, but with newer firmware-driven ones it is hit-or-miss and full manual only, if it works at all. Your flash will work with the Fuji protocol, but not with the Leica one. Buy a Leica SF 40 or pull out a vintage Metz. Or even better, don't use flash. You have a camera with good high-ISO performance and a Summilux lens... 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mtrav Posted November 9, 2020 Author Share #3 Posted November 9, 2020 (edited) I know it only works in manual mode. I have the 40 and the 60, I bought this because it's low profile. I have seen people using the EF-X20 on the Q2 with the new firmware, just don't know how it's done. It's not about iso, it's about the look that I need a flash. Also, it has been confirmed by a Leica employee that this flash will work, but they personally didn't have one to figure it out. Thanks for your input though. Edited November 9, 2020 by Mtrav Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siriusone59 Posted November 9, 2020 Share #4 Posted November 9, 2020 This may sound like a silly question but have you checked that everything on the camera is set manually? Shutter, aperture and ISO? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leica Guy Posted November 9, 2020 Share #5 Posted November 9, 2020 I regularly use a top end Canon flash on my Q2, but only in manual mode. All it requires is the center pin connection. It works extremely well. I also have an SF-40 and it works with full functionality. Auto and manual. Leica has a unique interface. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicci78 Posted November 9, 2020 Share #6 Posted November 9, 2020 EF-X20 is crap. Recycle time is crazy slow. Hard to predict results. Very frustrating to use. I found that good old SF-24D is the best for Q2. Low profile. Cheap. Works in TTL but it also displays the distance covered. So you are able to know if the flash will be powerful enough or not. SF-26 is the worst flash ever made on earth. Unreliable. Underpowered. Tiny tiny light source. Broken TTL algorithms. SF-40 is kinda too big for Q2. Nice but no way to know before taking photograph the distance covered. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mtrav Posted November 9, 2020 Author Share #7 Posted November 9, 2020 Advertisement (gone after registration) 3 hours ago, Siriusone59 said: This may sound like a silly question but have you checked that everything on the camera is set manually? Shutter, aperture and ISO? Thank you, and yes. It is an applicable solution. The other answers I have received have been suggestions and opinions. I am looking for results on how to make this work, not what else to use, nor why it isn't a good choice. I appreciate your help. Thank you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siriusone59 Posted November 10, 2020 Share #8 Posted November 10, 2020 19 hours ago, Mtrav said: Thank you, and yes. It is an applicable solution. The other answers I have received have been suggestions and opinions. I am looking for results on how to make this work, not what else to use, nor why it isn't a good choice. I appreciate your help. Thank you. Been there, done that and even banged my head against the wall a few times.🤕 I don't have the ef-x20 but really like the look of it on camera and have considered getting one. Hope the wedding photos turned out well, glad I could help. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leica28 Posted November 10, 2020 Share #9 Posted November 10, 2020 (edited) As Leica guy said, the SF-40 works on auto and manual - on camera. If you want to use flash off camera (which to me is the preferred method), get an SF-60 with the remote Edited November 10, 2020 by Leica28 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eriepa Posted November 10, 2020 Share #10 Posted November 10, 2020 I have been using the Fujifilm EF-X20 with my Q successfully for several years. Full manual; flash mode = ON; Flash sync = start of exposure; and mechanical shutter only. Only the center contact is used, and you must be VERY sure that proper contact is being made. The EF-X20 is not a "crap" flash. It has excellent build quality, better than several of the other "Leica" flashes mentioned here including the one I returned. Its scope of use is, however, limited. For a wedding, particularly indoors in a larger space, you will probably be disappointed as it does not have enough "reach" or battery life. I do agree with the other posters on this point. The EF-X20 excels as a fill flash, particularly for outdoor portraits in harsh lighting conditions, where just a touch of flash at a very low power setting can soften hard shadows. Battery problems vanish. The Q will sync up to 1/2000 sec with this flash, so you will have good flexibility in choosing settings. A fancy TTL flash is not what I want here. After all, who is taking the photo? Sure, per jaapv, always make the most of available light. That is why you bought a Leica, but sometimes you do need a little help. Bigheadtaco has a very good review of the EF-X20 with the Q at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zjkwhv-xc5k. 6 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eriepa Posted November 10, 2020 Share #11 Posted November 10, 2020 Mtrav - forgot to mention settings on the EF-X20 flash unit itself: X mode; use the manual settings on the top dial to adjust output, not the TTL auto settings. Hope there are no differences between the Q and Q2 and that you can get your flash working. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mtrav Posted November 12, 2020 Author Share #12 Posted November 12, 2020 On 11/10/2020 at 3:15 PM, eriepa said: I have been using the Fujifilm EF-X20 with my Q successfully for several years. Full manual; flash mode = ON; Flash sync = start of exposure; and mechanical shutter only. Only the center contact is used, and you must be VERY sure that proper contact is being made. The EF-X20 is not a "crap" flash. It has excellent build quality, better than several of the other "Leica" flashes mentioned here including the one I returned. Its scope of use is, however, limited. For a wedding, particularly indoors in a larger space, you will probably be disappointed as it does not have enough "reach" or battery life. I do agree with the other posters on this point. The EF-X20 excels as a fill flash, particularly for outdoor portraits in harsh lighting conditions, where just a touch of flash at a very low power setting can soften hard shadows. Battery problems vanish. The Q will sync up to 1/2000 sec with this flash, so you will have good flexibility in choosing settings. A fancy TTL flash is not what I want here. After all, who is taking the photo? Sure, per jaapv, always make the most of available light. That is why you bought a Leica, but sometimes you do need a little help. Bigheadtaco has a very good review of the EF-X20 with the Q at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zjkwhv-xc5k. Yes, thanks I spoke with Bigheadtaco and he told me this very thing. I thank you for posting this, the only problem I was having was the mechanical shutter. Thank you for your concise layout, explanation was beautifully done. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DFConn Posted May 19, 2021 Share #13 Posted May 19, 2021 Here's an interesting idea: 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
omega1848 Posted May 22, 2021 Share #14 Posted May 22, 2021 Love this one, I use it regulary on the Q2 and M Series, it works great on my end, full manual control and the seperation of flash and remote control is brilliant! Thumbs up for this one! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PTRA Posted January 5, 2023 Share #15 Posted January 5, 2023 If I use a manual non-TTL-flash with my Leica Q2 in manual mode (ISO200-f4-1/60sec) it works well indeed, but does anyone know a way to avoid a far too dark viewfinder? A way to turn off the exposure-preview-mode or something? If using flash I like to have a low ISO but with a dark viewfinder I hardly can find my subject. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genoweffa Posted January 5, 2023 Share #16 Posted January 5, 2023 1 hour ago, PTRA said: If I use a manual non-TTL-flash with my Leica Q2 in manual mode (ISO200-f4-1/60sec) it works well indeed, but does anyone know a way to avoid a far too dark viewfinder? A way to turn off the exposure-preview-mode or something? If using flash I like to have a low ISO but with a dark viewfinder I hardly can find my subject. You have to set it to P-A-S only@ Exposure Preview 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pelu2010 Posted January 6, 2023 Share #17 Posted January 6, 2023 Hey, you can buy a godox flash! any godox flash they are supported now. if you shan’t to make sure for the wedding rent a flash ! no need to buy ! there is one setting in the flash setting. flash mode need to be on “on” I use “slow sync” often this you need to turn from auto to on or on (slow sync or on) for weddings I would us a remote (godox x pro for Leica ) and the ad 200 mit ad 100 but if the wedding is today and you haven’t tested it at all, I would skip and use no flash. you need to test the settings of the flash and which time is best for which illumination. this takes some practice I used private parties for such tests. kind regards 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrell Gallery Posted January 6, 2023 Share #18 Posted January 6, 2023 Godox is a good option....however, do not use rechargeable batterie like Eneloop in triggers, You need 1.5v, those are 1.2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PTRA Posted January 6, 2023 Share #19 Posted January 6, 2023 Thanks Genoweffa, that's indeed the solution! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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