M with a Flash

2WK

2WK

Rangefinder User
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Joined
Feb 23, 2011
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Blasphemy, I know....but I recently shot a birthday party in a very dark bar with my M6 ttl. I don't like using a flash, but I didn't really have a choice in this situation. I used a old olympus flash off my OM2S. I got quite a bit of over exposure, but whatever...here are the results:

http://togetherwekill90291.blogspot.com/2011/09/happy-birthday-sam-fox.html

Film was Legacy Pro 400. I developed in Xtol.
 
Direct flash is good with b/w film because you get a "paparazzi" look. With colour film it's not often successful.

Leicas and flash are fine, really, as long as you don't want fill-flash. If you do, you'll need slooooow film and a flash that allows a good range of auto-apertures or power levels. For instance, in full sun with ISO 100 the camera is going to want f/22 at 1/50 for the ambient light. Really you'd want ISO 25 and even then the flash will need a massive guide number unless you're very close (or can get the flash very close).
 
I think you could improve the original prints with a slightly better scan or print to get the detail back in the white areas. The negs are unlikely to be washed out.

My favourite camera for this sort of stuff is the Ricoh FF-9 (a 1980s 35mm compact). Not only does it get flash exposures right (it sets the aperture based on its distance measurement), it can focus in total darkness using its active IR rangefinder!
 
Nice! I shoot an occasional frame with my small Nikon SB30 flash, which I bought specifically for use on the M because of its size..


Bounce by bhop, on Flickr
 
2WK said:
I got quite a bit of over exposure, but whatever...here are the results:
Click to expand...

Cool! I like M + flash. And now you know that you maybe have to stop down a bit when in close range. Or use an auto flash and tune your apperture to that.
 
filmfan said:
Nice shots and great looking women. What camera settings did you use for the flash?
Click to expand...

Thanks! I Think I just set my flash for 400iso and f11 or f16 @ 5-10 feet.

Rogerzilla, I definitely can improve on my scans, but right now I am using a bottom of the barrel epson v100 photo scanner. I am soon upgrading to a v500...I hope that is a bit better. Not to mention I can scan twice as many frames at once! :D

That Ricoh FF-9 sounds cool! I just checked ebay with no luck.

Nice shot bhop73.

Thanks Gho. I am thinking about using my Canon 580 exii next time. I read that it has some kind of mode in the custom functions that reads the light off of the subject or something. That monster flash does look quite strange on the m6 though!
 
2WK said:
That monster flash does look quite strange on the m6 though!
Click to expand...

:) Yes. Using it off camera with a cable is also a well known option. It gives a bit more freedom in terms controling the direction of the flash, but is a bit fiddly though.
 
rulnacco said:
Here's some shots I did a while back with an M3, goggled 35/2.8 Summaron and flash.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.467341847440.249701.720107440&type=1

I used an Olympus T-20 flash (nice, compact, powerful--extremely cheap--unit with an auto setting) off camera. I simply held the flash in my left hand.
Click to expand...

Hey, that is exactly the same flash I use! I like it too.
Sorry I don't have facebook to see your shots...
What kind of cable do u use?

I am curious to try my canon 53o exii next time.
 
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