Help w/ Flash And Leica M7

[wjlapier]

I would appreciate a little help with a Nikon flash on my M7. Using a SB-28 and 200-400 ISO film. I want to take some Christmas pictures, primarily opening presents, using the SB28 on the M7 or off using a cord. Should I have the shutter speed dial 1/60th? I haven't used a flash on a manual camera in a long time. If you'd like share some flashed pics that would be great too.

Thanks!

 

[madNbad]

There is the lightning bolt on the shutter speed dial for 1/50th of a second. If you had the appropriate flash or module, high speed sync is available with the M7. For off camera a Nikon SC-28 is your best choice. I don't know if the Nikon flash will work in TTL mode but if the lightning bolt in the finder flashes rapidly after the exposure that indicates a proper amount of flash has reached the subject. You have a little time for some experimentation.

 

[kanzlr]

the Nikon flash will - of course - not work in TTL mode.
But it will in A mode. Just set the flash to the ISO and F-Stop of the film/set on the lens, set the camera speed dial to the flash symbol and off you go. Works fine.

even better: get a cheap used Metz flash with the SCA shoe appropriate for Leica and you have TTL.

The Nikon remote cords work with Leicas, they even route all the signals needed for TTL with Leica and compatible Metz flashes.

 

[DavidKKHansen]

As mentioned, the Nikon flash won't work with TTL flash metering. Only Leica and certain Metz flashes will do so.

Also set the shutter speed to the flash ligtning bolt, which is 1/50 of a second. Or you could also set it slower than that, but faster shutter speeds are a no-go (unless you have the right Metz flash module and know exactly what you're doing).

If you one day get a flash that works in TTL with the M7, then you can use a Nikon SC-17 (or similar) off camera cable to get your flash away from your camera. Do note, that there are some cases where the cable doesn't work due to tolerance variations, so some of the contacts in the cable do not touch the contacts in the hot shoe.

 

[wjlapier]

Thanks for the suggestions. I just checked the M7 and SB28 and it's a bit cumbersome. I'll be using a CV 28/3.5 lens.

Is there a smaller flash that is customizable as the SB28?

I've played with the SB28 and my Fuji XE1 shooting similar to how I would use the M7. Nice combo.

 

[madNbad]

For size and power the SB28 is a very good choice. It should serve you well in auto mode and every flash on a Leica M is cumbersome. The smaller flashes like the SF-20 or 24 which will work with the in camera TTL don't offer the flexibility of a rotating and tilting flash head or have the power of the Nikon flash. I have a Metz 54 MZ-4 that I will occasionally use on my M6 TTL. It's about the same size as the camera itself and is certainly a handfull. An off camera flash bracket and sync cord would balance things out.

 

[Huss]

If you'd like share some flashed pics that would be great too.

Thanks!

Leica M-E shutter speed set to flash symbol, flash on AUTO, aperture on F8

 

[DavidKKHansen]

This summer I showed a friend how I use flash within street photography, here are some of what came out of it. Nothing special, mostly my friend who wanted to see and learn.

Leica M7 and SF 24D flash. 28mm lens with yellow filter, Tri-X at 400 ISO.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/b6vuqfx4zim5280/AABcJyK2_WdpCRt8MOJPi-j9a?dl=0

 

[wjlapier]

Thanks again, everyone.

For years all I had was a Nikon FM and 50mm lens. Some sort of Sunpak flash. Surprisingly, I got lots of great photos and never fretted about settings.

 

[presspass]

You can also use smaller flashes like the Vivitar 2800 on auto mode. Those flashes don't do TTL, which is fine. The Leica TTL system seems to send out a preliminary flash to determine the exposure. That makes it difficult to catch a subject unaware. The little Vivitars, sadly no longer made, are also small and light; they use 4 AAs, which keeps the recycling time short. I have also used the bigger Vivitars - 283 and 285 - but they overwhelm the camera.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Basic rule of flash photography: the closer the subject, the smaller the opening... unless the TTL electronics tell you the opposite. 🙂 Happens a lot with my M6TTL bodies and my SF 20 flash.

BTW, at some point in life, I used an SB-28 with my Leicas and the results were satisfying in that I didn't get an overwhelming white foreground and a dark background in my photos. Of course, this was all done at shutterspeeds slower than 1/50th.