Leica M and using Flash

[sirius]

Hello,

Could you give me some advice on what would be a good flash to use with a Leica M6 (not TTL) and an Epson R-D1? I would like to have something small which can be angled for bounce flash.

Is there any special advice you have about using a flash with a Leica and the cameras I described above? I wonder how you work them, is there a flash sync that needs to be used?

Please don't berate me for wanting to use Flash with a Leica. I like the camera and the lenses. I've seen beautiful flash work done by Winogrand and David Alan Harvey. Flash can be a great creative tool and an effective fill light. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aES5WD22FBA

Thanks in advance for your advice everyone. I really appreciate this community.

cheers

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Look for a recent Vivitar 285. It has to be a recent one or a recent version of it.

Now, I also have read that the Nikon SB-30 (which is a small, pocketable thingy) works well with Leicas. I have one, but never tried it with my cameras (which are, BTW, M6TTL).

I will not berate anyone for using a flash; it's a wonderful invention that allows you carry light in your pocket and use it when you need it. In fact, the Leica shutterspeed helps avoiding the "deer-in-the-headlights" look that most flashes cause (foreground overexposed and background so underexposed it's dark).

Let's see who else chimes in with more suggestions... but in truth, as long as you rely on a Vivitar or relatively recent coinage, you'll do fine.

 

[sirius]

Do you just plug it in then? I notice there is the little plug in the back of the camera. Is there a cord that is supposed to go in there? Sorry, my M6 didn't come with instructions and I don't know anything about the subject. thanks

 

[Shac]

The M6 has a hot shoe - so no need for the cord unless you wish to shoot with the flash off camera. I use one of the Nikon SB flashes set on auto and also found it works well with one of their SC flash cords for off-camera flash.

 

[BillP]

I'd get a secondhand SF20. They are tiny, and if you ever get an M6TTL or M7 you are all ready to go.

If you get yourself a Nikon SC-17 cord you can use the flash off camera. The connections are the same.

Regards,

Bill

 

[Tuna]

If I may just add a note of warning - only Martin Parr is allowed to actually use a flash on a Leica.

Tuna

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Hi, Sirius!

As Shac said above, the M6 has a hot shoe and you don't worry about plugging nothin'!

Bill's advice is good too: the Leica dedicated flash (known as SF-20) is a very competent little thing. I just didn't recommend it because you said you were interested in something with a tilt-able head. All in all, I've been careful with my SF-20, and so far I've never gotten anybody with red eye in my photos. You can operate it as TTL (for the M6TTL and R9), in Auto and in Manual mode. I've seen them for sale for about $125 (on average), so they're worth a look.

Nikons are usable, but only throught the SC-17 cord. I've never done it, but have read that some people use them off-camera or on a bracket.

Have fun shopping! 🙂

 

[telenous]

I use a Nikon SB-20 and a Leica SF24D on an MP in whatever Auto (non-TTL) modes they have. My preference is for the SF24D for its compactness but the SB-20 is very, very decent and it will bounce flash whereas the SF24D will not.

I am pretty sure I 've read somewhere the SF24/20 flash does TTL on an M6TTL with the SC-17 cord. I am not sure for the SB-20 though.

 

[BillP]

I am pretty sure I 've read somewhere the SF24/20 flash does TTL on an M6TTL with the SC-17 cord. I am not sure for the SB-20 though.

The SF24 or 20 will operate in TTL mode on an M6 TTL or M7. The SC-17 cord simply has the connectors in the same places. Nikon speedlites are NOT wired the same. They may be triggered, but further compatibility is not guaranteed.

Regards,

Bill

 

[SolaresLarrave]

I am pretty sure I 've read somewhere the SF24/20 flash does TTL on an M6TTL with the SC-17 cord. I am not sure for the SB-20 though.

True, Alkis. I've used my SF-20 on a bracket, connected to my M6TTL with the SC-17 cable in TTL mode, and it works.

 

[peterm1]

I use a tiny little Nikon SB-9 for my M4-P which has a hot shoe. The flash is small, is automatic and the exposure is generally spot on. I also have an equally small and very old flash - fully manual that I can use on my M3 (it has a short cord to connect to the PC sync plug.) This works OK and was dirt cheap but not as good as the Nikon due to its limitations.

 

[tbm]

I have the Metz 54 MZ-3 nad 44 MZ-2 flashes and use both with my M6 and Bessa R3A. I simply set both flashes to automatic rather than TTL mode, set the flash's aperture to that which is set on my lenses, and away I go, whether it is frontal flash or bounced flash.

 

[Tuolumne]

I have the Metz 54 MZ-3 nad 44 MZ-2 flashes and use both with my M6 and Bessa R3A. I simply set both flashes to automatic rather than TTL mode, set the flash's aperture to that which is set on my lenses, and away I go, whether it is frontal flash or bounced flash.

Is that full frontal fla****y? 😉

/T

 

[MCTuomey]

I'd get a secondhand SF20. They are tiny, and if you ever get an M6TTL or M7 you are all ready to go.

If you get yourself a Nikon SC-17 cord you can use the flash off camera. The connections are the same.

Regards,

Bill

What Bill said. That's the route I took. Imho, most important is getting the flash off the camera, whatever unit you decide to buy.

SWEET rig there, memphis!!

 

[Blank288]

When I use flash light with old cameras I always use a Metz 30 BCT-4. (It fires on my M2, but until now I haven't taken actual pictures with this combination.)
It has a cable contact and a hotshoe, it is quite compact, it can be used in auto-mode with three aperture settings and it has a flexible flash head for bounce use. Mine came (at a flea market for almost nothing) with its 28mm stray light adapter which serves for general use a good diffusor. For my limited flash photography I don't need anything else.

One warning: this Metz flash still has high-voltage output which could roast modern camera electronic circuits (which I only heard off AFTER using it one night on my Pentax K10D ...). Since it kept flashing all evening I think I've been quite lucky!

 

[jimi-the-jive]

One warning: this Metz flash still has high-voltage output which could roast modern camera electronic circuits (which I only heard off AFTER using it one night on my Pentax K10D ...). Since it kept flashing all evening I think I've been quite lucky!

thats only some metz, the ct-1 is a low voltage but i'd say a hammerhead is a bit more obtrusive than you're looking for. but the flexibiity it gives you for subtle lighting is brilliant.

 

[cmogi10]

Flash+Leica
=
Cool

 

[swoop]

I've put a Vivitar 285HV on my Leica and it looks ridiculous. It's bigger than the freakin camera.

This is pretty much the greatest flash I have ever used on the Leica. It's small enough to fit in my camera bag easy. It's light and compact and balances well on the camera. It recycles in about 5 seconds with a single NIMH AA battery. And no worries about voltage issues. I did my research before I bought it and it's safe. And I've been using it for a year now without issue.

It's a manual flash, but there's an exposure chart on the back for 100, 200 and 400 ISO film that's very accurate. I think it has a GN of about 12. But you really don't need any more than that. It'll light up a room if you're exposed properly. I had some people complain that it's blindingly bright. Also, it is dirt cheap too on ebay, no more than $20.

The only faults I can find with it is that if you're not careful, the battery cover will fall off. It's only happened once. You just need to not squeeze the thing in your hand. Also, it has this high pitched whine that others may notice in a quiet room.

I like on camera direct flash. It has a classic look. A lot of the Nikon/Canon Popular photography and strobist readers will preach off camera this, and bounce swivel that. And that's all well and good and pretty. But sometimes you just need the shot. And that's what the Leica is about. And sometimes to get that shot, you just need a bit of extra light.