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Focusing and taking pics with a strobe light

polycarp

By polycarp
in Leica SL System

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PhotoCruiser

PhotoCruiser

Posted
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Difficult to say with barely non informations.
What Leica SL model?
What strobe/flash model?

If pitch dark then you need a focus light to illuminate the scenery
Chris

 

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Luke_Miller

Luke_Miller

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Posted (edited)

What LocalHero1953 is pointing out is that having Exposure Preview active when using flash will produce a very dark image in the EVF or LCD due to the camera exposure settings.

Edited by Luke_Miller
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Tirpitz666

Tirpitz666

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As already corrected pointed out, is most likely the Exposure Preview setting, which by default is set to PASM and has to be switched to PAS for strobe shooting, especially if you are not doing that in the open during the day.

I basically have the same flash (AD100Pro)/trigger combo and with my SL2s there are no issues whatsoever.

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fngl51

fngl51

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On an SL2 in the studio, I usually use multiple Godox AD200Pros with an XPro II trigger. I also have multiple Leica SF60 flashes and the SF C1 trigger. I usually shoot in manual mode. My Live View settings in exposure mode are PASM and  Exposure Live View Off. In Flash setting I use the Auto mode, with flash sync set to end of end of exposure unless doing multiple flashes with with AD200Pro flashes (depending on desired effect. I do not experience the dark image you mention with these settings. 

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Photoworks

Photoworks

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On 8/1/2025 at 6:24 PM, fngl51 said:

On an SL2 in the studio, I usually use multiple Godox AD200Pros with an XPro II trigger. I also have multiple Leica SF60 flashes and the SF C1 trigger. I usually shoot in manual mode. My Live View settings in exposure mode are PASM and  Exposure Live View Off. In Flash setting I use the Auto mode, with flash sync set to end of end of exposure unless doing multiple flashes with with AD200Pro flashes (depending on desired effect. I do not experience the dark image you mention with these settings. 

That is because you are using Leica compatible equipment, the camera reads the current on the hotshoe and switches the preview on the camera to PAS, Once you turn off the flash or leica trigger, the exposure preview goes back to PASM.

If you use a non-LEICA flash, the camera can't talk to the flash, and the Exposure preview stays in PASM, and has to be manually switched to PAS. I would suggest making a profile for studio light photography.

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fngl51

fngl51

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1 hour ago, Photoworks said:

That is because you are using Leica compatible equipment, the camera reads the current on the hotshoe and switches the preview on the camera to PAS, Once you turn off the flash or leica trigger, the exposure preview goes back to PASM.

If you use a non-LEICA flash, the camera can't talk to the flash, and the Exposure preview stays in PASM, and has to be manually switched to PAS. I would suggest making a profile for studio light photography.

I double checked this with both the Godox and Leica triggers. Both my SL2 and SL3 remain in PASM whether the trigger is turned off or on, with or without flashes connected to the trigger. Also, both cameras remain in PASM mode regardless of the lens mounted on the camera (L-mount), the flash settings (auto or on) or the enhanced EVF setting. It would seem that there is another setting/combination of settings that trigger this behavior.

BTW, I do have profiles for both studio and non-studio settings.

Both the SL2 and SL3 have most recent firmware updates applied.

 

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Photoworks

Photoworks

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1 hour ago, fngl51 said:

I double checked this with both the Godox and Leica triggers. Both my SL2 and SL3 remain in PASM whether the trigger is turned off or on, with or without flashes connected to the trigger. Also, both cameras remain in PASM mode regardless of the lens mounted on the camera (L-mount), the flash settings (auto or on) or the enhanced EVF setting. It would seem that there is another setting/combination of settings that trigger this behavior.

Just switch the Godox to legacy mode. 
Set your exposure to M mode, ISO 100, 1/125, and f8, a normal exposure in a studio setup.
You probably have a very dark screen because you have M preview on. The Godox in Legacy won't change that; it will still be hard to see.
Now switch the Godox to Lehacy off, and you will see the normal exposure without changing any settings.

If you are using trigger not dedicated for Leica you have to set the exposure preview to PAS

Enhanced EVF should be off all the time untell you need it, like stars photography.

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fngl51

fngl51

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1 hour ago, Photoworks said:

Just switch the Godox to legacy mode. 
Set your exposure to M mode, ISO 100, 1/125, and f8, a normal exposure in a studio setup.
You probably have a very dark screen because you have M preview on. The Godox in Legacy won't change that; it will still be hard to see.
Now switch the Godox to Lehacy off, and you will see the normal exposure without changing any settings.

If you are using trigger not dedicated for Leica you have to set the exposure preview to PAS

Enhanced EVF should be off all the time untell you need it, like stars photography.

My studio setting is ISO 100, 1/200, f/8, manual mode.  The screen is not dark but quite usable. Intensity of LCD or EVF remains the same, even if I change shutter speed, aperture or ISO setting. On the other hand switching the Legacy mode to ON on the Godox trigger results in a darkened screen and EVF automatically switching to to PAS. Switching EVF to PASM restores screen brightness. 

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Photoworks

Photoworks

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1 hour ago, fngl51 said:

On the other hand switching the Legacy mode to ON on the Godox trigger results in a darkened screen and EVF automatically switching to to PAS. Switching EVF to PASM restores screen brightness. 

yours must be the only one that has it that way,  the other cameras have the opposite 

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fngl51

fngl51

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Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, Photoworks said:

yours must be the only one that has it that way,  the other cameras have the opposite 

Odd that my SL2 and SL3 behave the same. The profiles on the SL3 are essentially identical to those on the SL2.  It seems to be the Godox trigger (in my case the XLPro II L) that controls the EVF setting from PASM to PAS.  The trigger is running under Ver 1.4 of the firmware. 

 

 

Edited by fngl51
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Photoworks

Photoworks

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31 minutes ago, fngl51 said:

It seems to be the Godox trigger (in my case the XLPro II L) that controls the EVF setting from PASM to PAS.

 

1 hour ago, Photoworks said:

Legacy mode to ON on the Godox trigger results in a darkened screen and EVF automatically switching to to PAS

You don't think these two sentences contradict themselves?

In legacy mode, the camera does not know that you have a flash. If the camera were in PASM, it would stay in PASM unless you change it.
PAS means that in Manual shooting mode, the exposure is not shown or linked to the actual exposure preview, and if the ambient light is darker, the screen shows normal, so that you can still see the subject and compose.

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fngl51

fngl51

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3 hours ago, Photoworks said:

 

You don't think these two sentences contradict themselves?

In legacy mode, the camera does not know that you have a flash. If the camera were in PASM, it would stay in PASM unless you change it.
PAS means that in Manual shooting mode, the exposure is not shown or linked to the actual exposure preview, and if the ambient light is darker, the screen shows normal, so that you can still see the subject and compose.

You don't think these two sentences contradict themselves?

No, because both cameras are normally in PASM mode. When the Godox trigger is mounted on either camera, turned on and and Legacy mode is off, switching between PASM and PAS om the camera has no effect on the image in the viewfinder or the LCD screen. When Legacy mode is turned on, the camera automatically switches from to PAS to PASM. There is no immediate effect on the displayed image, including when the shutter is partially depressed AND THE CAMERA IS TETHERED TO CAPTURE ONE PRO. Turning PASM back on doesn't result in a change.

If the camera is not tethered, the LCD/EVF both darken in PAS and are restored to brightness by switching to PASM.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Photoworks

Photoworks

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9 hours ago, fngl51 said:

You don't think these two sentences contradict themselves?

No, because both cameras are normally in PASM mode. When the Godox trigger is mounted on either camera, turned on and and Legacy mode is off, switching between PASM and PAS om the camera has no effect on the image in the viewfinder or the LCD screen. When Legacy mode is turned on, the camera automatically switches from to PAS to PASM. There is no immediate effect on the displayed image, including when the shutter is partially depressed AND THE CAMERA IS TETHERED TO CAPTURE ONE PRO. Turning PASM back on doesn't result in a change.

If the camera is not tethered, the LCD/EVF both darken in PAS and are restored to brightness by switching to PASM.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

that is incorect, but if you are getten that you must be doing something else aswell.

 

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fngl51

fngl51

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7 hours ago, Photoworks said:

that is incorect, but if you are getten that you must be doing something else aswell.

 

I'm not certain as to what is incorrect .I have simply described the effect I observe with a series of settings on the image I see in the EVF and on the LCD screen and the Live View settings in the camera software. On the other hand, I would agree that you and I seem to differ in our observations and that it is likely that there are differences in other settings in the camera/flash/other software and hardware that are a possible explanation.  Without a dump of all of the settings and other parameters, it seems unlikely that we can determine what might be the cause for the differencea. As we both seem to have workable solutions that meet our needs, it doesn't seem to be a good use of time to pursue this any further.

Edited by fngl51
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