Best small flash for Leica Q / Q2 for indoors

[Daniel C.1975]

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vor 1 Stunde schrieb SirBlunder:

Daniel -- Thanks for all this great information!!! I had started writing a reply, then got distracted some work, and when I came back, you had made all your posts. 

Your post is going to be VERY helpful to those finding this thread for years to come. 

Looks great on the Q2 and appears to be of decent enough quality, especially for the $. Size looks right. Only question I have: How long does it take to recharge between shots?

I'm basically between this one that you got, some small old/used clip on Fuji (NOT the $400+ one we've discussed), or the smallest Sunpak I can find. 

PS -- I have that same grip which I've stopped using in favor of the thumbs up (which I love), but obviously can't have two accessories in my hotshoe at once. 

Yes, the thumb-rest or the grip, the everlasting question  

 

Just tested the refresh times very roughly with a fresh set of batteries:

Procedure: Releasing the flash, stopping time until status light turns from red back to green. Two times release of the flash.

1/64: immediate

1/32: immediate

1/16: immediate

1//8: 1.5 sec

1/4: 3.5 sec

1/2: 4.5 sec

Full: 7-8 sec

Auto: 3 sec

 

Not 100% accurate but I believe accurate enough.

 

Cheers

Daniel

[bobtodrick]

4 hours ago, SirBlunder said:

Daniel -- Thanks for all this great information!!! I had started writing a reply, then got distracted some work, and when I came back, you had made all your posts. 

Your post is going to be VERY helpful to those finding this thread for years to come. 

Looks great on the Q2 and appears to be of decent enough quality, especially for the $. Size looks right. Only question I have: How long does it take to recharge between shots?

I'm basically between this one that you got, some small old/used clip on Fuji (NOT the $400+ one we've discussed), or the smallest Sunpak I can find. 

PS -- I have that same grip which I've stopped using in favor of the thumbs up (which I love), but obviously can't have two accessories in my hotshoe at once. 

Recently purchased this https://www.godox.com/product-d/V350F.html

for my sons Fuji.  Can be used on my Q on manual.  Small…and about 1/2 the price ($100 CND) of a comparable Fuji.

If you can handle the ‘made in China’, Godox makes a quality product for a very economical price.

[Nimar]

On 1/27/2023 at 5:01 PM, Daniel C.1975 said:

Yes, the thumb-rest or the grip, the everlasting question  

 

Just tested the refresh times very roughly with a fresh set of batteries:

Procedure: Releasing the flash, stopping time until status light turns from red back to green. Two times release of the flash.

1/64: immediate

1/32: immediate

1/16: immediate

1//8: 1.5 sec

1/4: 3.5 sec

1/2: 4.5 sec

Full: 7-8 sec

Auto: 3 sec

 

Not 100% accurate but I believe accurate enough.

 

Cheers

Daniel

Ended up getting one as well, was already on my mind but your review helped push the button. In Canada seems it was a bit cheaper (~€70), though didn’t come with a diffuser. 
 

Will likely only use at 1/64 as fill, though might play around with taping a paper cup to it or some such. 

[SirBlunder]

On 1/28/2023 at 5:54 PM, Nimar said:

Ended up getting one as well, was already on my mind but your review helped push the button. In Canada seems it was a bit cheaper (~€70), though didn’t come with a diffuser. 
 

Will likely only use at 1/64 as fill, though might play around with taping a paper cup to it or some such. 

Let us know how you like it… 

[jcc1138]

What I have been using is a LumeCube Panel Go- anywhere from 45% power to 100% power, forced into f4 to f5.8, A for the shutter speed and allowing the ISO to go up and down as needed. I do have a Fuji EF-X20 and tried it for a while. I found that I was blowing more photos getting the flash right in manual, since I am taking photos for insurance claims and can take up to 100+ for larger claims. The Fuji has the issue of using AAA batteries, which do not have the greatest lifespan. The LumeCube can be powered from a USB C cable into a power bank (use only USB-A to USB-C cables, since the LumeCube does not like USB-C to USB-C cables) for a greater run time. I get about 1.4 hours of usage at 5,500K at 45%. I have the LumeCube cold shoe, which I use. My photos are too big to attach as is. The metadata info is attached.

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LumeCube photo.pdf

[Fotoklaus]

So no Real Auto Mode, no Flash control due to the distance?

Not really useful, in my opinion.

 

Here Are the Sunpak and the SB30 side by side :

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Edited February 4, 2023 by Fotoklaus

[BrettWayne]

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Just got a LightPix Labs FlashQ Q20II. Wonderful. Size of an Altoids tin. Perfect for the Q2 if you’ll spend 10 minutes to learn how to use a flash in manual mode and practice just a bit. The best trick is its removable off camera leaving a trigger in the shoe. Great for avoiding red eye - something old Nikon Sunpak speedlites or a Retro Godox can’t do. 

[SirBlunder]

So I bought a Sunpak 17 SR flash from eBay for $10. Figured you can't really go wrong for $10 and it looks cool enough. 

Just got it and realized... there's no way to set the flash power? Or does it have ONE flash power and that's it? (Ha, sorry, totally new to flash photography.)

It works just fine. But I can't find a manual for it anywhere online (think this one is from the 1980s), and I have no idea what the difference between manual and auto modes is. 

I have it set to manual mode, set my ISO to 100, aperture to 5.6 and it... works? But am I doing something wrong? 

What does auto mode do other than apply to the green line under 20 feet? 

I also bought the Godox Junior discussed in this thread. Also works fine but just feels a bit crappy build quality wise. Although it does re-power basically instantly (at low power modes) whereas the Sunpak takes like a second to refresh. And I like to take several photos in quick succession. 

 

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[Siriusone59]

4 hours ago, SirBlunder said:

It works just fine. But I can't find a manual for it anywhere online (think this one is from the 1980s), and I have no idea what the difference between manual and auto modes is. 

I have it set to manual mode, set my ISO to 100, aperture to 5.6 and it... works? But am I doing something wrong? 

What does auto mode do other than apply to the green line under 20 feet? 

 

 

 

I guess since I'm old and have used these for years in the past,  I'll try and answer you questions.  Yes a manual would be a big help but what you really need is just a bit of guidance and that chart in your picture.

In manual mode the flash uses full power output and the aperture is selected based on ASA(ISO) and distance to subject.  In your test you selected 100iso and f5.6, looking up the column the 5.6 is good for 10ft.  A closer subject would be over exposed as well as a more distant subject would be underexposed.  You can and should change your f-stop to correspond with any difference in distance to subject.  For instance, if the subject was only 5ft away, change to f11 following the chart.

In the auto mode, you still select your f-stop according to ASA(iso) but this time the  photocell on the front of the flash and the thyristor circuitry will limit(shorten) the duration of the flash according to the amount of light it sees reflected from the subject.  In this case if you're still set to iso100, you would select f2.8(from green auto column) and the flash will self regulate for a subject from 5 to 20ft...every distance listed above the green line.  Should you change iso just select a different corresponding f-stop in the green column and you should be good to go for any distance above the green line.

Hope that helps to bring it into perspective...at least it's easier than flashbulbs.🙂

[SirBlunder]

12 hours ago, Siriusone59 said:

I guess since I'm old and have used these for years in the past,  I'll try and answer you questions.  Yes a manual would be a big help but what you really need is just a bit of guidance and that chart in your picture.

In manual mode the flash uses full power output and the aperture is selected based on ASA(ISO) and distance to subject.  In your test you selected 100iso and f5.6, looking up the column the 5.6 is good for 10ft.  A closer subject would be over exposed as well as a more distant subject would be underexposed.  You can and should change your f-stop to correspond with any difference in distance to subject.  For instance, if the subject was only 5ft away, change to f11 following the chart.

In the auto mode, you still select your f-stop according to ASA(iso) but this time the  photocell on the front of the flash and the thyristor circuitry will limit(shorten) the duration of the flash according to the amount of light it sees reflected from the subject.  In this case if you're still set to iso100, you would select f2.8(from green auto column) and the flash will self regulate for a subject from 5 to 20ft...every distance listed above the green line.  Should you change iso just select a different corresponding f-stop in the green column and you should be good to go for any distance above the green line.

Hope that helps to bring it into perspective...at least it's easier than flashbulbs.🙂

Very helpful! Makes total sense. Thank you very much. 

Now my issue is that I took out the sync cord (out of curiosity) and then put it back and now... it won't work. 

[bobtodrick]

On 2/1/2023 at 9:56 AM, jcc1138 said:

What I have been using is a LumeCube Panel Go- anywhere from 45% power to 100% power, forced into f4 to f5.8, A for the shutter speed and allowing the ISO to go up and down as needed. I do have a Fuji EF-X20 and tried it for a while. I found that I was blowing more photos getting the flash right in manual, since I am taking photos for insurance claims and can take up to 100+ for larger claims. The Fuji has the issue of using AAA batteries, which do not have the greatest lifespan. The LumeCube can be powered from a USB C cable into a power bank (use only USB-A to USB-C cables, since the LumeCube does not like USB-C to USB-C cables) for a greater run time. I get about 1.4 hours of usage at 5,500K at 45%. I have the LumeCube cold shoe, which I use. My photos are too big to attach as is. The metadata info is attached.

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LumeCube photo.pdf 678.48 kB · 7 downloads

I too went the LED route…the Litra Torch (basically the same as above).

I’ve always disliked the harsh light from on camera flashes…with the Litra (a 1.5” cube) with its diffusing dome attached it gives a ‘softbox’ effect…a lot more pleasant.

And all you do is meter as you normally would.

I’ve always liked continuous light sources.  The other thing I dislike about flash is taking the photo, hoping for the best and then getting the results back and seeing that hugely distracting shadow (admittedly less of a problem with digital where you can view the result right away).

With continuous what you see is what you get.

Edited February 12, 2023 by bobtodrick

[SirBlunder]

Apologies in advance for hijacking this thread.

I bought and tried three different flashes: 

1) A Sunpak Auto 17R: This was well-used and I think produced in the early 80s. It worked briefly when I got it and actually got me some very cool shots (including the below photo of my baby) but, sadly, pretty quickly stopped working. I paid $15 including shipping so I wasn't too worried. I wish there were a newer version of this. I liked the size, look, and simplicity of this unit. Very retro.

2) The LightPix Labs FlashQ Q20II, which I know many people (including on this thread) have come to love for its size, price, and versatility. Super cool unit. Has flash, video stay-on light, comes with a transmitter for remote (up to 10 meters) use, has a tripod mount, can be charged with mini-USB, etc. Incredible versatility. Build quality feels good. That said, and maybe it was the unit I got, but I found it to be... unreliable and a bit too quirky. The buttons are kind of laggy (changing flash power sometimes you have to push the button 5x) and the "model mode" (where both the flash and the video light were supposed to stay on at once) didn't work. Most importantly.. the flash would only go off like half of the time. I wanted something SMALL, SIMPLE, and RELIABLE and this one, while great in theory, didn't quite check enough boxes. Sending it back to Amazon this week. I'd try this again if they came out with another version that was sort of snappier and more reliable (and hopefully smaller). 

3) Lastly... the Godox Lux Junior. This was actually the one I bought first. I wasn't in love... Feels kind of cheap. Looks kind of quirky. But, compared to the two others I tried... it ALWAYS fires, at 1/64' or 1/32' power it refreshes basically instantly (I like to shoot 3-5 shots in quick succession a lot of the time so this is helpful), it's extremely simple to use, and it was actually the smallest of the three. This is the one I'll be keeping and using (for now). Only took about a half hour for me to get comfortable with the power settings (set my aperture to f2.0 - f.28, ISO to 200, flash power to 1/32' or 1/64' depending on distance to my subject). I'm not THRILLED with this unit, but for $70, it gets the job done if you're going to be in dimly lit places wanting to get well lit photos (bar, restaurant, etc.). Please note that it does eat through batteries. Guessing I got about 1,000 flashes from two AAA batteries. 

BOTTOM LINE: After spending many hours looking for the best solution to my use case... nothing perfect or close to perfect FOR MY USE CASE seems to exist. I originally wanted the now-infamous Fuji EF-X20 but, after not being able to find a unit priced under $500 USD (literally), I had to find another solution. To me, one of the MAJOR selling points of a Q2, especially for somebody like me coming from full-frame Sonys, is the size and carry-ability of it. Leica's flashes are all HUGE (and expensive), so they weren't really an option for me given my hobbyist/casual use case. I loved the tiny pop-up flash on my Ricoh GRII (built in) -- adds a bunch of versatility to an already super versatile camera. I wanted something tiny like that, basically in the form factor of the EF-X20, that I could essentially keep in my jacket pocket when going out at night in case I wanted some subtle flash in some photos. Outside of the Fuji unit... I'm convinced that the closest you're going to get for under $300 USD is going to be the Godox unit. 

Maybe one day I'll just buy the Fuji... 

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[SirBlunder]

Update for anyone interested: Returned the Godox Lux Junior. Cool unit for what it is and good value for sure, but it's just too cheaply built and quirky looking. Feels like it's... fragile. 

Ended up buying a used Nissin i40 from eBay for about $85 shipped in 90% condition. (NOTE: Be sure to buy a FUJI one and not a Sony one; the Sony ones won't fit a Leica)

Although it's bigger than what I wanted, it's SUCH better quality lighting and production than the Godox for essentially the same price. Far more versatility as well. And considering that you can get basically 95% of the SF 40 (essentially a Leica branded Nissin) for ~20% of the price, you can't really go wrong as long as you're OK shooting manual vs. TTL. 

Overall highly recommend the Nissin i40 if you're looking for a high quality compact(ish) flash. 

[Pelu2010]

Godox v350 with a the trigger xpro II L 

mit works very good. 

and if you need this smaller : 

godox mf-12 

cheers 

[Shane Oneill]

sorry

just checking, so i can definitely use my Fuji EF-X20on teh Leica Q3

i just wnat to pop it omn set to auto and go

nothing more

thanks

shane

[pcgarner]

If anyone is actually using the EF-X20 on a Q2, I'd love to hear about recommended settings. I have an X20 that I use on my Fuji X100V (a wonderful flash on the Fuji system) but it sure doesn't play well with the Q2M. I've now spent 30 minutes fiddling with different settings on the Leica and it's pretty unsatisfying. Any help would be appreciated. 

[jwr50]

Are you sure you really need a flash for the Q3?  Check out the ISO range of the sensor on the Q3.

If you decide you still want one, I find that the Leica SF-40 works really well with the Q3.

[lofercan]

Hello, I wanted to ask you. Are you sure that these flashes don't damage the circuits of the Leica Q?

[SrMi]

A Leica Q3 + flash report (SF-60 flash off-camera with the CF-1 remote).

In the Field with the Leica Q3

Edited August 1, 2023 by SrMi

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica Q

[LocalHero1953]

3 hours ago, lofercan said:

Hello, I wanted to ask you. Are you sure that these flashes don't damage the circuits of the Leica Q?

Only old (very old - more than a couple of decades) flash units are likely to do that, as they have a higher trigger current. I would have been cautious with the Sunpak mentioned above, but I've used old Nikon SB-28 flashes on Leicas (and modern Godox units) without problems.

Edited August 1, 2023 by LocalHero1953