Flash and R-D1

[paachi]

Hi,

I am thinking of using the Sunpak 1600A flash on my R-D1. Anyone has an experience with this setup?? Will the trigger voltage of my flash fry the R-D1??

Kind Regards,
Prashant Kumar.

 

[LCT]

...Will the trigger voltage of my flash fry the R-D1?...

Yes it could according to http://www.botzilla.com/photo/strobeVolts.html

 

[paachi]

Oh Shucks..which flashes do the R-D1 owners use safely on their camera??

Any pointers to cheap portable ones??

Regards,
Prashant.

 

[sirius]

I have an R-D1 and it's a questions I've been trying to solve too. I bought the Leica flash. It's really difficult to use well and I have not succeeded yet.

In frustration I bought a used Metz flash. Although I have not used it for a job yet so I have not taken the photos all the way through the work flow...I have taken a lot of samples I'm happy with. It has a nice bar that allows you to mount the flash on the side of the camera.

Metz 34 AF-3 TTL Flash

Of course, this one won't bounce but it is a really nice size which is portable...Good luck on your search! Rich Cutler's R-D1 site has some more info on flash...

 

[usayit]

Not quite as compact but I like my sunpak 422D. Bounce and swivel. Auto modes work well and manual between 1/1 to 1/16th of power.

You can always get a Wein safe sync and use any flash you like...

 

[DwF]

Check into the Leica SF-20. It is a nice easy to use little flash and can be had for not too much 🙂 I am pretty certain that it is safe for the R D1 but you'll want to confirm that. I also used to use the Sunpak 1600A and miss that one!

A fellow RFF'r had an SF-20 on Photo.net this past week. His price seemed fair and he's a good seller.

David

 

[paachi]

Thanks for the quick reply guys..I did a little bit of digging and went through Rich Cutler's website on the R-D1..he recommends the Nikon SB series (10/20/30)..The 30 looks like a good flash, compact and with a swivel function..however it takes non standard batteries..

any of you folks have an experience with the Nikon SB's?? any pics to share??

Kind Regards,
Prashant Kumar.

 

[sbramin]

a tiny bit tangential but i used a canon 580exii on an m6 with one of these http://www.gadgetinfinity.com/home.php?cat=274

~$30 for a trigger and remote, works 99% of the time and is a lot of fun.

because of leicas funny hotshoe, you need to mount the remote backwards but it works. no need to worry about special leica flashes, pick up an old vivitar or whatever. in the end off camera flash is preferable to a mounted flash.

 

[sirius]

If any one can tell me how to use the SF-20 to get good results I would be very grateful. Mine works but it's about as subtle as an arc welder...

 

[davidriver]

I am thinking about using the Hexar RF flash or Contax G1/G2 flash, or an Canon 580EX with it. Any body with experience of any one of these?

Dave

 

[DwF]

If any one can tell me how to use the SF-20 to get good results I would be very grateful. Mine works but it's about as subtle as an arc welder...

Sirius,

.....love that simile 🙂 Not sure what camera you have but try M mode. Then hit P and over to the left of the LCD there is the - button. Lean on it until you get 1/8th. This powers the flash down to where flesh tones can be dialed in between lens choice and distance. If you still are not satisfied, it's time to buy the 135mm Tele-Elmar you've been dreaming about and back off!!! 🙂

david

 

[24mgdriver]

test mecablitz 28 CS-2 digital ???

test mecablitz 28 CS-2 digital ???

Hi all,

did anyone still test the mecablitz 28 CS-2 digital for our RD1 ?
I think it woud be nice, but i dont now if it function 😱

Waht did you mean ?

Cheers
michael

 

[Lotari]

I like to carry a small Ricoh SL 121 A flash with my R-D1. It's guide number is only 12, but usually it's enough for me. Got it with a Ricoh FF-1 which has an 35mm lens, so when used with 15mm Heliar, I get some nice natural vigneting..

Some photos from a space-themed party:

blueman

bluenose

 

[xoDox]

I am thinking about using the Hexar RF flash or Contax G1/G2 flash, or an Canon 580EX with it. Any body with experience of any one of these?

Dave

I used my R-D1 a few times with a Konica Hexar Silver flash. It works fine. I don't remember its exact product number, but Google can show it. I suppose the Hexar RF flash should be the same. It's a nice little flash.

Vassily

 

[24mgdriver]

its called konica hx-14 flash

I used my R-D1 a few times with a Konica Hexar Silver flash. It works fine. I don't remember its exact product number, but Google can show it. I suppose the Hexar RF flash should be the same. It's a nice little flash.

Vassily

 

[Tuolumne]

Nikon SB-27 works great in Auto and Manual mode. Terrific little flash with lots of capabilities. The attached was taken with it on an R-D1 with the flash in bounce mode. Photos and pricing info here.

/T

 

[dan denmark]

after some searching here on the forum and much advice, i went with the SB-27 because of its low profile. it is great, i use it only in manual mode, though, as i have not had any success with it communicating with the RD in Auto. i would be interested in the config for Auto, Tuolumne, although the manual workup i have is very reliable and easy to switch on the fly with varying distances and flash powers.

-dd

 

[Tuolumne]

after some searching here on the forum and much advice, i went with the SB-27 because of its low profile. it is great, i use it only in manual mode, though, as i have not had any success with it communicating with the RD in Auto. i would be interested in the config for Auto, Tuolumne, although the manual workup i have is very reliable and easy to switch on the fly with varying distances and flash powers.

-dd

Dan,
I set the SB-27 in auto mode, usually at f5.6, set the R-D1 at its sync speed of 1/125, and set the f-stop of the lens at f5.6, more or less depending on the effect I want, and shoot away. Does that not work for you?

/T

 

[dan denmark]

T/ yes, of course, i guess i just see auto as the way many new nikon flashes talk directly to the camera with a fully auto determination of flash need based on the auto settings of the camera. so, in a sense for the RD/27 combo, auto is manual except for the tweaking that goes on internally.

at the beginning of any shoot, it is all manual, i guess. i ran a few tests of simulated lighting conditions for the nightclub shoots that i do, when i first got the 27. i had three kinds of shots i had to take... in-your-face people who walk up and say, "take my picture," as in the couple and three women. a quick twist to f11 or f16 from the "average" f8 that i shoot at (@125 and 1:1 with a soft diffuser on the flash head) and i had the exposure (tested this way more times than i should have on my sleeping boxer in the living room).

then i had an average f8 setting for general shots within a comfy mainly candid distance and then an f4 f5.6 for that bit of reach i might need for broader dancefloor shots. however i chose to shoot all this at between iso 100 and 200 because i do not like noise and prefer to eliminate it in the shoot not in post processing. and with the RD i prefer to shoot with the 15 or 21 CV lenses using DOF barrel focusing. this limits the f4 shooting but pretty much covers the f8/f11/f16 range. if i get an OOF shot of the dancefloor i just tell the client it is an "action" shot of blurred colour...!

anyway, i guess auto/manual...we choose our tools for the jobs we do and the RD is a good low profile and inconspicuous "that couldn't be a professional aiming at me with that funny little camera" kind of tool. i just thought you mght have found a button on the RD i hadn't seen yet that turns the camera into total auto. at 3AM that would come in handy...

...now, if i just knew how to take only jpegs and not raw/jpeg with the RD for this client.....

cheers,

-dd

 

[Tuolumne]

Dan,
There is a menu setting for shooting just jpg on the R-D1. I don't have mine near-by, but it's not hard to find. Glad you like the SB-27. It should work just as well on any rangefinder.

/T