An M6 Classic flash work ? Approved (report) !

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alexz

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A week ago my family event took place in some restaurant, obviously my M6 coupled with 'cron 50mm/2 was aimed. However, as with most events of such kind - dim interiors did not allow even f/1.4 at reasonable speeds, so flash was ought to get used.
My first time putting a flash on my M6 (though have an extensive flash-related experience with my former SLRs).
The flash I own is a cheap and simple Sunpack 383 Super unit - capable of either Auto-Aperture (or Auto-Thyristor) and Manual modes. So, sadly expecting for inferior flashy exposures (getting used to the precision and cosistency of nowadays falsh metering super-technological development in contemporary SLRs), I put the camera to 1/50 (sync) and f/5.6, set the flash to f/5.6 as well and an apropriate ISO and went ahead shotoing. Mind you, the film that was used (happen to be loaded from my previous outdoors shooting) - transparancy: Fuji Sensia 100, that I pushed to 200 (I do it routinely - that film copes with pushing up to 320 very well).
Got the roll processed yesterday - WOW, just amazing ! The flash exposures went excellent, in fact the hit rate was no less then I used to with super-duper ETTL of my former Canon. Most exposures were just spot on, very few turne out to be a bit over or under exposed (no more then by half - 2/3 stop).
I'm thrilled - so great performance of simple, plain and cheap auto-aperture flash unit on M6 😀...
So, who needs that M6TTL ....😉 (except of proably more conenient shutter dial...)


So, fellows, no fear if caught with your M6 or similar non-flash-metered camera in need to use flash - just buy a cheap and simple unit, such as Sunpack 383 Super or similar and be set.

If anyone is interested to see the proofs - I have several scans available.

Disclaimer: all that related to flash being used indoors - as a main lighting. Have yet made an endeavor for fill-in....will be looking forward to do and report
 
Do you have to compensate at all for subject/flash distance? Or does the Thyristor circuitry do that for you?

Glad you had good results. I don't use really use strobes except when I have a flash meter and a studio to work with.
 
No, the need of manual compensation si what I was affraid of becuase hasn't yet learnt the particular flash metering habits to develop the necessary compensation skills for one...
But luckily, no compensation was necessary - the unit has a sensor on its lower front - it senses the amount of reflected light and ceases the output when "thinks" it is enough.
I used to be skeptical about such kind of "flash automation" beign used to the robustness and sophistication of ETTL (and similar of Nikon), but in reality it works very well.
The unit can also work in full manual - then the distance claculations must be acounted for... (thanks to rangefinder shooting - you got it easily on the lens DOF scale once focused)...have yet tried manual mode though.
 
My Vivitar 285 works the same.

Careful on auto-thyrisor for very light or dark subjects. Just like a reflected meter, you will overexpose darks and under expose lights.

If you want to see some really nice work, add a Sto-Fen diffuser and bounce off a low white ceiling at about 45 deg.
 
I also have a Vivitar 285 Thyristor gun.. it works fine with my (non TTL) M6. Once I confused the red and purple settings on the thyristor with the resulting picture being 2-3 stops overexposed! Even this picture was salvagable by scanning anf digitally pulling with Photoshop (see link below)...

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=58981&ppuser=1882

Best wishes.

--
Monz
 
Alex- I'm glad you were happy with your results! I will second Ronald's suggestion of using a Sto-Fen Omni bounce or some other similar diffuser. It gives the light a nice soft quality, and the thyristor in your flash will automatically compensate for it.

One other suggestion- just because 1/50 is the fastest flash sync speed on your Leica doesn't mean you have to use this speed for flash shots. I routinely drag the shutter to get more background detail- so try some shots at slower speeds! 1/30th is really nice- it opens up the backgound nicely in average interiors (this is with 400 speed film, working at f4 or f5.6). I often shoot at 1/15th, 1/8th, and 1/4 second speeds to, knowing I will get blur in moving subjects- but the flash will freeze the action, and the extra light really improves the overall exposure, and used carefully, the blur can add to your pictures.

I love available light shooting, and use fast lenses and fast films a lot; but flash is a great tool, and can really enhance your images if it's used well. Keep going with it!
 
I'm a Vivitar man at heart, 283 with an external sensor was for years my flash of choice. I just unplugged the sensor from the 283, plugged it into the remote sensor cord, plugged the other end into the 283 and mounted the hotshoe (with remote sensor on it) on top of either of my Ms.

I use off camera flash about 99% of the time, I grew up that way and find the look (better modeling of the shadows) worth the effort (which after years now is zero). I am moving back to the 192/292 family as it has a remote sensor for the 292, the same power, smaller size, but lacks the tilting head (as I shoot off camer, not an issue for me).

I frosted the front of my flashes to get a less harsh look to the light. I bounce where ever I can, even with the 192 (a manual flash), it's not hard to do. Just takes a little thinking and math and it comes out fine.

I love using flash with RF because you can see the faces of the people you shot and know if you got a good expression or not. Kind of like a poor mans LCD on a digital camera. IMHO, flash is just another area where RF beats SLRs hands down. Problem is, most people do not realize it.

B2 (;->
 
I'm wondering, if any of you know...

Are there any flashes that don't look so 'ghetto' ?

I got laughed at for using an old Miranda flash atop my M2. It worked perfectly, with 45degree movement from dead-on to ceiling bounce, and it was powerful.

It's as large as the camera though. Are there any 'small' flashes out there?
 
Ash said:
Are there any 'small' flashes out there?
Click to expand...

I really like my little Nikon SB-30 on the Leica. It has auto apertures, and even better, 3 manual settings from full power down to 1/32. It's great for shooting wide open, adding just a kiss of light. I use it on camera some times, but mostly on the end of a coiled cord in my left hand. Very nice.
 
A flash on an M6 Classic?!!?! BLASPHEMY!!!!!!!!



Admin, please close this thread down immediately



😀



I'm just kidding. I've been thinking of sticking my ghettosauce Nikon SB-20 on my M6c just to play around.

Also, don't be afraid of doing indoor/low-light photography without a flash. IMO, this is what the Leica really excels at. Next time just stick in a roll of trix400 and push it to 3200, if not higher. There was a revived thread not so long ago where one member pushed trix400 to 12800iso and got really good results when developed in rodinal.

I guess at the time, this wasn't possible for you since you've already had the 200iso film loaded.
 
Stan,

Give it a try guy! Come to the BRIGHT SIDE, I see it in your heart. You know the M6c is the ultimate camera, flash is but another area the most fear to tread. Give in to the BRIGHT SIDE my son, feel the power, see the eyes light up with sparkle.

B2 (;->
 
Thank you all for your encouragement. Yes, I'm quite familiar with flash technique - I used to shoot social events, did 2 weddings as an official photog in my SLR days. I used to utllize several kinds of falsh diffusers (Sto-Fen among these) and soft boxes on my former Canon 550EX, bouncing of course whenever possible.
Hadn't yet acquired a diffuser for my Sunpack, will do soon...

What I indeed forgot - is the ability to shoot at lower then x-sync speeds and the benefit of such...I'm aware of this and often used the trick to open up the background in the past (yet again with my SLR), thanks alot for reminding me..
 
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