Flashguns to use with M6 Classic

[srichmond]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Hi all,

 

I've recnetly purchased my first Leica M. The M6 Classic. While, I'm not a massive fan of flash photography, I'd like to have the option available to me if I need it.

 

I've got the SF-20 flash gun, but I don't particulary want to have to keep buying the batteries for it.

 

I'd prefer to use my Nikon SB-800 gun. Has any one tried this, or know of any reason why it's a bad idea?

 

Thanks,

Steve

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[lmr]

Steven:

 

Welcome to the world of Leica...

 

The SF20 that you have is a great flashgun. But Leica users usually do not use flash, and if they do, they like a small flash just to fill in the light and/or one that they can bounce. Having said that, Metz make great small flash that you can bounce the light. The Nikon SB-800 flash may just be a tad big for the M6. You may want to look for something that can fit in your pocket.

[srichmond]

Thanks for the advice! Yea, the SB-800 looks pretty out of place on the M6, but as a flashgun is pretty high spec. I was at a wedding last year, and I noticed the photographer (who was using a Leica M) had a headband with a small torch on it, illuminating his subjects. I quite like that idea, but I'm not sure how good that would look!

 

Agree - generally, in low light, I'd try to avoid flash anyway.

[photophile]

I have an m6 non-ttl and a nikon system. usually throw the 6 into my bag. on rare occasions when i need the flsh / m6 combo, i do use the 800. prefer it on a strobo bracket for weight and balance but the flah itself works well. experiment with bounce thogh before you do a real shoot! good luck. great camera and i abuse mine. keeps on ticking. best. CH

[gberger]

I used a Vivitar 283?? with a head that can be rotated on the vertical (0 to 90%). It uses four AA alkaline batteries and the on-flash exposure control is very good.

[normar1]

To use the M6 with nikon equipment, what spcific equipment are you referring to--- like cables for off the camera flash

[giordano]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I feel that extreme solutions are best when using flash with a film M. The slow sync speed means that for fill-in flash you need something really powerful (to go with the small apertures that go with 1/50 sec). I used to have a Metz 60 and still prefer a hammerhead with cable connection to a sensor in the hot shoe.

 

Or if the idea is just to have a bit of light when otherwise there wouldn't be any, something really tiny that can lie forgotten in the camera bag until needed. This is a little Ricoh unit that I've had for at least 20 years, there doesn't seem to be anything quite as small on the market now:

 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[srichmond]

Thanks for the advice everyone!

[Jay66]

I routinely use a Vivitar 283 with my M2, M5 and M6, as well as the Canon 299T. The 299T is a real unsung flash hero. Though designed for the Canon T series cameras, it can be used on any camera. Its great advantage is that you can select a full range of f-stops from f/2 through f/22, not just two, three or four stops as on most guns, particularly the Vivitar 283.

 

This works out great for daylight fill-in flash. I set the shutter on the sync speed, meter accordingly and then set the 299T to two stops wider (to reduce the flash output). You can do that because of the full selection of stops available. You cannot do that with the 283 or similar guns that restrict you to a couple of stops.

 

To get almost studio-quality light indoors, I use one of Gary Fong's Lightspheres. That being said, I try as much as possible not to use flash, but when shooting a child's birthday or similar event, like a Christmas party, no one cares if you use flash; in fact, everyone expects it.

[LeonardT]

Hi all,

 

I've recnetly purchased my first Leica M. The M6 Classic. While, I'm not a massive fan of flash photography, I'd like to have the option available to me if I need it.

 

I've got the SF-20 flash gun, but I don't particulary want to have to keep buying the batteries for it.

 

I'd prefer to use my Nikon SB-800 gun. Has any one tried this, or know of any reason why it's a bad idea?

 

Thanks,

Steve

 

Hi Steve,

 

I'm a little surprised you mentioned frequent battery changes. The batteries in both my SF20 and SF24d seem to last forever. (Casual shooting. I'm not a wedding photographer). I think it's a great size for the M cameras but for the price it should have a tilt head. The Nikon SB-400 which is a very small flash tilts.

 

The SB-800 works just fine with the M6. It's large size just over powers the M camera. The same is true with the Metz 54MZ-4. They better fit a reflex like the D2X or R8.

 

Len

[kentair23]

Hi There,

 

i just got myself a SF20 flash attached with my M6 classic, but somehow i found that the flash will fires regardless of what shutter speed higher than the sync speed, such as 1/125s above, can someone clear my doubt? really appreciate it

[giordano]

i just got myself a SF20 flash attached with my M6 classic, but somehow i found that the flash will fires regardless of what shutter speed higher than the sync speed, such as 1/125s above, can someone clear my doubt? really appreciate it

That's normal. But if you use the flash at speeds higher than 1/50, only part of the frame will be properly exposed.

 

 

 

Sent from another device..

[leica5]

i use vivitar2800 attached in hot shoe on M6. i have seen one professional photographer using it in cuba on national geographic assignment. but it was yerasago.

[Dikaiosune01]

Hi Steven,

 

I have two solutions.

1) Fuji EFX20. It is small and powerful and fits in the pocket. It can be easily used as a manual flash. As long as you know your guide numbers and your distances, it gets pretty easy to set the flash quickly and eaisly. THe flash has a round black dial on the top that makes it easy (and easy to knock out of place) to set. But on a M6, I would still bracket whenever possible.

 

2) If you know your distances, you can also use a LED light panel. This is what I use on my M3 (because it doesn't have a reliable flash socket) There are a lot of LED flash pannels on the market now. I use the one made my manfrotto.

 

Hi all,

 

I've recnetly purchased my first Leica M. The M6 Classic. While, I'm not a massive fan of flash photography, I'd like to have the option available to me if I need it.

 

I've got the SF-20 flash gun, but I don't particulary want to have to keep buying the batteries for it.

 

I'd prefer to use my Nikon SB-800 gun. Has any one tried this, or know of any reason why it's a bad idea?

 

Thanks,

Steve

[pico]

I've got the SF-20 flash gun, but I don't particulary want to have to keep buying the batteries for it.

 

Is that really the reason? The batteries will last a long time. It would be more cost effective to buy the batteries rather than paying for another unit - plus its batteries over its lifetime.

.

[philipus]

I found an old Panasonic flash for a song at a camera store that was selling off old stuff. Works really well and is compact enough for me (it is somewhat smaller than it looks on the image due to the perspective).

 

[payasam]

While I prefer to do flash work with my digital kit, for my film M cameras I have a CTOOM bracket and a selection of small flash-guns, some with sensors and some manual. I am with giordano and philipus.