ckchen72 Posted May 1, 2008 Share #1 Posted May 1, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hello! I don't have any lighting experience at all as I have always shot with available light. I am looking into taking a lighting workshop, using more strobes and flashes. I know the M8 is not the ideal camera for this use, but does anyone know if I can hook my camera up to the small strobes. Do I need a hot shoe adaptor with a pc input cord? Thanks! Calvin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted May 1, 2008 Posted May 1, 2008 Hi ckchen72, Take a look here Strobes and hot shoe adaptors . I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Albert4321 Posted May 1, 2008 Share #2 Posted May 1, 2008 yes, you need a hot shoe adaptor with a pc input cord. ideally one with safe sync to protect the voltage. I would personally use a wireless remote trigger and receiver. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grober Posted May 1, 2008 Share #3 Posted May 1, 2008 Here's my experience with strobe units and the M8: 1. I ALWAYS use a Wein Safe-Sync Hot Shoe to Hot Shoe High Voltage Sync Regulator (model SSHSHS). I won't risk a $70 stobe frying the electronic guts of my $5000+ camera! One additional benefit of the Wein unit: it adds a vital PC connection that the M8 unfortunately lacks. I detest direct flash and always mount any small flash unit (for bounce or diffused lighting) on a Stroboframe bracket, using a sturdy, custom-length synch cord from Paramount Cords between the Wein unit and the flash itself. (Carrying a spare synch cord is always a good idea.) 2. For wireless triggering of remote strobes, either ac-powered studio strobe or battery-powered small flash unit, I add the Morris Wireless Radio Trigger on top of the Wein Safe-Synch. Distances are good to about 80 feet. Other more expensive wireless triggers like the Pocket Wizard are good for greater distances but the latter never appealed to me due to its higher cost and much larger size. I have two remote Morris receivers that work with the Morris trigger on my M8 as mentioned above. (Again, I have never used any hotshoe accessory without the Wein unit being on the camera first. An exception would be any Leica-branded flash but because these units don't yet have tilting flash heads -- Leica, please change this! -- I don't own any.) Hope this helps. -g Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Roberts Posted May 1, 2008 Share #4 Posted May 1, 2008 Agreed on Leica's non-bouncing flashes... that's just ridiculous in this day and age... Anyway--I use a Canon 580exV2 on the M8 all the time--without a Wein thing (YMMV of course). I did have a safe-synch but it was defective So off it went. The handiest thing I use on the M8 and strobes is a Pocket Wizard transceiver, and it's the 2-way ness of the thing that's great alongside its radio ability and multiple outputs. At an event when I'm using another camera, the strobe on my M8 (attached to a pocket wizard) becomes a secondary light, and when I'm using the M8, the other camera's strobe can fire as well. Because the transceivers do both, you can quickly switch to what you need and overall it's very versatile. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckcars Posted May 1, 2008 Share #5 Posted May 1, 2008 Third the Pocket Wizard. Get the latest version POCKETWIZARD It will fire around corners and further away from the camera than you will ever need (maybe). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grober Posted May 1, 2008 Share #6 Posted May 1, 2008 Third the Pocket Wizard. No question the Pocket Wizard is superior electronics vs. my humble Morris wireless trigger BUT it is also physically huge when compared next to the Morris trigger. I'd be afraid that I'd spear someone with the Pocket Wizzard on the top of my M8 as I thrash around on the shoot. As always, smaller is better, IMHO. -g Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoff Posted May 2, 2008 Share #7 Posted May 2, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) No question the Pocket Wizard is superior electronics vs. my humble Morris wireless trigger BUT it is also physically huge when compared next to the Morris trigger. I'd be afraid that I'd spear someone with the Pocket Wizzard on the top of my M8 as I thrash around on the shoot. As always, smaller is better, IMHO. -g MicroSync Digital offers the smallest transceiver I know of. Batteries last forever and I've never had an issue with the 2 pairs I use extensively. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blakley Posted May 2, 2008 Share #8 Posted May 2, 2008 I use an Elinchrom skyport radio trigger with a Nikon SB-800 flash handheld or on a stand, away from the camera in either case. I use it mostly to make sure the flash doesn't fry the camera, but also because I don't like the look of on-camera flash. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckcars Posted May 2, 2008 Share #9 Posted May 2, 2008 Calvin, I did not mean to imply the Pocket Wizard is superior, Wein is tried true and solid, also. I believe the M8 synch voltage is 6v maximum. Here is an excellent article on the subject. A and N Photography: Flash sync voltage on the hotshoe x-sync connector Also, please search on this forum. I found 19 threads with good information. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckchen72 Posted May 2, 2008 Author Share #10 Posted May 2, 2008 Thanks for all the info! I have to do a little more research. I am thinking of taking Joe Mcnally's class on lighting on location. He seems to prefer the Nikon sb 800 and 600 series. Do any of you have any experience with these? Do you use an adaptor with them? Thanks again! Calvin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckcars Posted May 2, 2008 Share #11 Posted May 2, 2008 Joe McNally is the best. He has a great blog, also The Strobist. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnalex141r Posted May 2, 2008 Share #12 Posted May 2, 2008 .... I believe the M8 synch voltage is 6v maximum. Here is an excellent article on the subject. ... Where, oh where does this number come from for the M8?????? There's a honkin' great transistor in the M8 for the flash; I can see the mass produced pocket cameras wimping out and not including much of anything robust, but, the M8????? Check out Mark Norton's dissection for a picture of it. I don't think that there was a transistor number visible on the picture; maybe Mark knows what kind of transistor it is. I've gone through the on-line Leica info, and the manual a number of times, and Leica does not seem to care much what you put on top of the camera - leading me to believe that Leica have done their homework and have produced a good camera. It would be nice to know what the max flash trigger voltage is for the M8 - IIRC I read that some cross-manufacturer spec says 12v. I use my Vivitar 285HV flashes (3 of them) on my M8 without worry. JohnS. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
haroldp Posted May 2, 2008 Share #13 Posted May 2, 2008 I am using the Metz 54 successfully on my M8 in 'GNC' (ttl) mode. You must be at firmware 1201 or there will be random sync problems. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckcars Posted May 2, 2008 Share #14 Posted May 2, 2008 John, I have searched and cannot find where I picked this up. I was researching Wein and Pocket Wizard at the time. Leica and others seem to not publish the trigger voltage. It would be nice to know exactly. Lots of V285 users around. I love my M8. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckchen72 Posted May 2, 2008 Author Share #15 Posted May 2, 2008 I guess my specific quesiton now is...will the sb 800 not work with the nikon creative lighting system...do you need ttl for that system to work? Thanks! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnalex141r Posted May 2, 2008 Share #16 Posted May 2, 2008 Charles; no problem; I, too, would love to see a maximum voltage, and current draw. Right now, I have only put 1 of my 285hv's on my M8, the others with remote triggers, but I'd like to just wire everything together for those times, as those Hama flash triggers don't trigger half of the time. I'd tend to think that the 24v of the ISO spec Rich mentions could would be well on the conservative end of things for the M8 if Nikon can handle 250v. (ref that interesting link you posted) - IIRC, the transistor for the flash in the M8 is quite large (ref MarkNorton's work) CU; JohnS. John, I have searched and cannot find where I picked this up. I was researching Wein and Pocket Wizard at the time. Leica and others seem to not publish the trigger voltage. It would be nice to know exactly. Lots of V285 users around. I love my M8. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert4321 Posted May 2, 2008 Share #17 Posted May 2, 2008 He seems to prefer the Nikon sb 800 and 600 series. Do any of you have any experience with these? Do you use an adaptor with them? I am not a Nikon shooter (getting a D3 real soon). But use the Canon 580EX II auto mode on the M8. Thanks for the suggestion from Jamie. So I would assume you can use the SB800/600 without adaptor provided they have auto mode (I think they do.) One thing I just find out that the SB800 can not rotate the head more than 90 degree. Why, after I attended Bruce Dorn (canon lighting master) lighting workshop, I learned that you get better result boucing the flash to the back right shouder. you get three D effect without using any diffuser, and the e_ttl (in canon) takes care of the flash exposure. white balance is not an issue regarding the wall ceiling color 90% of the time. I often gel my flash with a full CTO, (Bruce did that with additional two remote flash guns, image how great the result and how easy the setup is.) Like most people, I used to bounce the head up (often with a lightsphere difusser). But as discussed in many forums, no one would use studio light staight down from the ceiling, neighter should we do this with our flash gun, beside you get the dark eye shockets, you may tilt the head straight up at an angle, but the forehead may be overexposed. I will post some sample if I have time, but try it youself and be amazed. If you really want to be creative, use video light: iDC Photo Store - Specialty gear for the photographer Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckchen72 Posted May 3, 2008 Author Share #18 Posted May 3, 2008 Thanks Albert, I am assuming you mean over the photographer's right shoulder. And the ttl only works if you're using a canon camera correct? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert4321 Posted May 3, 2008 Share #19 Posted May 3, 2008 Thanks Albert, I am assuming you mean over the photographer's right shoulder. And the ttl only works if you're using a canon camera correct? yes & yes. with the M8, you can try auto mode which works pretty, you may play with the setting a little as every situation is different. Thank god there is a LCD review. full manaul mode also work if you are up to calculate the GN. I usually shy away from flash when I come to M8. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted May 3, 2008 Share #20 Posted May 3, 2008 I use 2 flashes with my M8. One is a Metz 40MZ-3i which is pretty useful even though it does not have the M8 TTL facility (I bought it originally for a M6TTL). This flash unit I use mostly on-camera. The other one is a Metz 34CS-2 digital which I got for my M4-P, because it has only a central contact, and also used on a Rollei 35. I use it on the M8 mainly for fill flash, which is of course dead easy with the fast shutter giving a fastest synch speed of 1/250. I also use it for directed flash with a Nikon SC-17 'system' cord. Nikon has flash contacts in the same place as Leica, I would hesitate very much to use a Nikon flash but the cord is OK and is also OK with Leica system flash (I have the appropriate SCA adapter for the big Metz of course). I use the small Metz on the cord even for bounce when I have to work light. I know what apertures different ceiling heights demand, and I do check exposure of the first frame on the histogram. It is really easy. And I have had no problems whatever. The old man from the Age of Flashpowder Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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