Can I use the tiny SF26 on my film MP?

[Jodad]

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The MP film doesn’t have TTL so for flash I use manual or auto mode. Is there a way to use the SF 26 with the film Leica MP or is it purely only a TTL flash?

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[Crem]

I use the SF20 with my MP in auto mode and it works well for me. TTL mode will not work with a MP. The same should be true for the SF26.

[Anbaric]

3 hours ago, Jodad said:

The MP film doesn’t have TTL so for flash I use manual or auto mode. Is there a way to use the SF 26 with the film Leica MP or is it purely only a TTL flash?

The SF-20 and the SF-26 are very different. I don't think the SF-26 has a proper manual mode, just digital TTL modes, a continuous LED mode, and a slave mode that you can maybe bodge to use on a film camera (see the instruction manual and discussion below). I would look for a different flash with a proper manual mode and an old-school auto mode that uses a light sensor in the flash itself.

http://www.summilux.net/documents/Notice_Flash_Leica_SF26.pdf

Edited November 15, 2023 by Anbaric

[Fotoklaus]

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[Jodad]

9 hours ago, Anbaric said:

The SF-20 and the SF-26 are very different. I don't think the SF-26 has a proper manual mode, just digital TTL modes, a continuous LED mode, and a slave mode that you can maybe bodge to use on a film camera (see the instruction manual and discussion below). I would look for a different flash with a proper manual mode and an old-school auto mode that uses a light sensor in the flash itself.

http://www.summilux.net/documents/Notice_Flash_Leica_SF26.pdf

Yep, the thread that you attached @Anbaric is pretty conclusive, no A mode and no Manual mode. So, on a non TTL analog camera, this won’t work. Thanks for clarifying. It’s a pity because I would have liked a smaller (and easier to power with AAA batteries) flash but I guess I have no other options than the sf20/24d that I already own. I guess, if nothing else, saved me some money. 
 

Unless you guys can think of another flash that’s smaller than the sf20/24d, can bounce flash and works in auto mode?

[Anbaric]

Leica's flash units used to be made by Metz, who are now out of the flash business. They had a couple of traditional units in their range until quite recently, the 36 C-2 (which I have used and had good results with, though it may be larger than you would like) and the smaller (but less powerful and less versatile) 20 C-2. It's possible you may still be able to find one of these as new old stock somewhere. Nikon's older small flash units, like the SB-30 [Edit: I think that one doesn't do bounce, it only tilts forward], also had manual and built-in auto modes (as well as Nikon-specific TTL). These are just ones I happen to know about - in the pre-TTL era, there was a huge variety of third party flash units with auto and manual modes. I suspect (but don't know for sure) that the MP doesn't care about trigger voltages, but it might be preferable to get a lower voltage flash in case you want to use it with something that might be damaged by some old high voltage unit.

Edited November 15, 2023 by Anbaric