What is the best flash system for my M8?

[footnoteblog]

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The only thing that should be mounted on the hotshoe of any camera for flash photography is a Pocket Wizard to fire FLASH OFF CAMERA!!!

 

[lars_bergquist]

The only thing that should be mounted on the hotshoe of any camera for flash photography is a Pocket Wizard to fire FLASH OFF CAMERA!!!

 

What about a finder for a wide angle lens? What frame lines does the Pocket Wizard come with? And pray, what information beyond FIRE! does it convey between camera and flash?

 

The old man from the Age of Nature's Own Flashlight

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[footnoteblog]

PWs don't do much else than yell "fire"! to the other end, but it requires brains and taste in lighting to actually use this system...

 

 

 

*ducks*

[MikeMyers]

Every so often, I'm at an event where I have to go around and shoot 50 or 60 people competing at an event. This is usually in daylight, and with my Nikon I've found that using the SB800 flash for fill-in works great.

 

Should I wish to take these photos with the M8, would the SB800 work equally well? I've read about lots of people using the SB800 with the Leica, but since the camera doesn't have the electronics that work so well with the SB800, how good a combination is this likely to be?

[lars_bergquist]

PWs don't do much else than yell "fire"! to the other end, but it requires brains and taste in lighting to actually use this system...

 

 

 

*ducks*

It does damn well take brains and taste to use any lighting system successfully -- including God's own lighting. But however much brains and taste you have, a PW does not solve the basic conundrum caused by the M's total (and unnecessary) lack of any flash connection beside the shoe, which we sometimes need for a different purpose. And that was what I was pointing out, and I'm not permitting anybody to derail me. --And that connection should not be one antiquated p/c (Prontor/Compur) nipple from the 1950's. It should be a multi-pole one, with the functions of the hot shoe.

 

Big companies do often become closed worlds, where reality is very far away. It is strange to think that such a fate can strike a small company that is basically housed in one single ex-furniture store in a small town in Germany. The outer wall is so close. But a grand and glorious past can be a liability. Wake up, ye gnomes of Solms!

 

The old man from the Age of Screw-Thread Flashbulbs

[footnoteblog]

Well, they are releasing the S2, and continuing the M line for old stogies.

[lars_bergquist]

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I see. M users are 'old stogies'.

 

I could never afford a S2, and I doubt that I would want to lug it. But you think maybe that a Canon or Nikon would be just right for people who are not old stogies? There will be a lot of them around on 9-9, and all in a feeding frenzy. Maybe they will be disappointed -- but they will be there. Count'em.

 

I have always used the most modern technology I could afford. This does not mean that I have automatically assumed that last year's model is junk. I presume neophiliacs are good for the GDP, but their snottiness does annoy me.

 

The old man from the Age of the M8

[Steve Ash]

I just bought the SF58 yesterday. My first impression is that the controls are thought through very well.

 

Regards

Steve

[rbaron]

I have used an SF58 for two weeks now and am happy with it. It does what it says it will do without much fuss or complication.

[zimboom]

Possibly on Sept 9/9 @ 9.09 am Leica will announce a new flash to go along with the new M9, like a more appropriate flash for the size of M8 or M9? I haven’t bought yet. I’m waiting if I’ll need to sale my M8, M6, Scron 50mm and keep my 28mm Scron, just to get the new M9.

Bernard

[Steve Ash]

Zimboom, that is not possible at all. The SF 58 is the one to go for if you need the power.

May be there is a firmware update for the SF58. May be the M9 is incorporated already.

Regards

Steve

[Steve Ash]

I just looked and it is the SC 28. Yes, I would say that's the one to buy. I'm using the combination of M8.2 + SF 58 + SC 28 and it all works well.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

 

Sean,

 

Does the SF 58 works with TTL with the SC28?

 

Regards

Steve

[Shootist]

Sean,

 

Does the SF 58 works with TTL with the SC28?

 

Regards

Steve

 

Yes it does. All the connections, hot shoe and flash (SF 58, SF 24D, Nikon cameras and flashes), are the same on the cord so it is used as a simple extension cord.

[Steve Ash]

Thanks Shootist for the quick reply. The cable is almost mine then.

 

Regards

Steve

[sean_reid]

Sean,

 

Does the SF 58 works with TTL with the SC28?

 

Regards

Steve

 

As Ed said, yes it does.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[Carl E]

I use an SF24D, and find it works very well. I also use it on my Nikon F3 too in 'A' mode with very good results. It's best attribute as far as I am concerned is that it is small and light. Ideal to just pop into a pocket until needed.

 

Has anyone tried a Nikon flash on the M8? I have a Nikon SB400 which is a very compact unit that would fit the M8 nicely, but I have never dared try.

 

Has anyone elsed tested this?

 

Carl E

[adli]

Has anyone tried a Nikon flash on the M8? I have a Nikon SB400 which is a very compact unit that would fit the M8 nicely, but I have never dared try.

 

Has anyone elsed tested this?

 

Carl E

 

I've used my SB800. It works in A-mode and manual. It is also mentioned in this thread:

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/67825-m8-sb800.html#post702200

 

The flash I use the most on my M8 (not that I use flash a lot) is my Vivitar EF 10. Small, lightweight and no complex menues

[Racefan]

Has anyone tried a Nikon flash on the M8? I have a Nikon SB400 which is a very compact unit that would fit the M8 nicely, but I have never dared try.

 

Has anyone elsed tested this?

 

Carl E

 

I have an SB400 and think it would be perfect for the M8 (small but bounce-able, and even better with a nice accessory like the "Flip-It! 400), but I don't see any way to put it into A mode and set an aperture and I'd be stunned if it worked in TTL from the Leica codes.

[Shootist]

Has anyone tried a Nikon flash on the M8? I have a Nikon SB400 which is a very compact unit that would fit the M8 nicely, but I have never dared try.

 

Has anyone elsed tested this?

 

Carl E

 

If i'm not mistaken the SB400 is specifically made to only work with certain Nikon cameras in there i-TTL (I think that is what Nikon uses) mode. So there is no manual or A (Auto) mode on this flash.

So it won't work on any Leica camera.

Edited September 9, 2009 by Shootist

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[emdubya]

Ha ha. I was going to post pretty much the same thing. Glad I scrolled to page 4! To expand on that thought, a pocket wizard (or cheaper but very capable radio popper) and a vivitar or two bounced off a ceiling or shot through umbrellas is the way to go. Set 'em up for cross lighting, and adjust your aperture to taste or according to the distance your subject is from the flashes (if you're firing them through a light modifier). You can get very nice light out of flash - it's like putting the sun where you want it to be... and adding a rim light.

 

The only thing that should be mounted on the hotshoe of any camera for flash photography is a Pocket Wizard to fire FLASH OFF CAMERA!!!