Need Advice! ~ What Cheap Flash Rig Will Work On The M8?

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LeicaTom

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Well, I tried to find a Leica SF-20 Flash Rig at a decent affordable price.....but sadly I have`nt found any good deals, so now really if anyone out there has any experience with a Flash Rig that is compatable with the M8 and is well really rock bottom dirt cheap affordable (under $50/45) that will work 100% with the M8 ~ just in the use that I want it for......really cheap trashy, 1950`s/60's styled Black & White flash work with my PiNuPs in some artsy "Motel" styles, really just anything that might work?

Does, anyone have a good suggestion.....I don`t need a Flash on a daily basis, so it really doesn`t have to be anything speical, just manual set it up and fire, using it only for the "trashy" Black & White styles.

Is their a Braun Flash or something similar in that price range, that someone out there knows already that works???? Honestly I don`t have the $$$ for the modern Leica stuff, and well I think that a cheap rig will help me "get" the real artistic look that I want :)

Tom
 
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There's an adapter thingy that brings down the high trigger voltage of any old flash-gun to a level acceptable to digital cameras.
 
Any old Metz SCA compatible flash , preferably from the M or MZ series, with the 3502 SCA adapter M4 or M5. I've seen M3 flashes go under 10$ on the Bay, and they are superior on the M8.
 
I've got a Metz 20 C-2, which is cheap and cheerful and has a half-tilting bounce thing going on, too. Works great with the M8 and is probably the smallest flash with a bounce head.
 
Nikons

Nikons

I use a cheap ol' SB26 on the M8, which allowed me to adjust the on-flash ISO, distance, focal length and aperture.

I have used it direct, with an omnibounce, bounced on the ceiling.

So far, the 28 cron asph, Canon 50 f1.4 LTM worked well. The CV 15mm Super Heliar M-mount obviously has vignetting with the flash.
 
Thanks for the suggestions......yes while I need that "cheap" trashy looking 1950's underground men's magazine feel :)

Tom
 
I use the Sunpack R12 (and a Profoto) but I have a friend with a potato masher Metz Kit with a ringlight head for sale ... new battery I know. PM me if you are interested & I'll hook you guys up.

Also try a "light bar" ... like the one your grandfather used with the 8mm movie camera. Sweet look! and they go for $5 at Goodwill, get a dimmer from Harbor Freight
for $10 and you are underground & grungy.

I'd also leave the M8 home and shoot the M6 & Plus X, over exposed a stop & pushed a bit. Digital M8's just aren't sexy in the same way.
 
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jaapv said:
Any old Metz SCA compatible flash , preferably from the M or MZ series, with the 3502 SCA adapter M4 or M5. I've seen M3 flashes go under 10$ on the Bay, and they are superior on the M8.
Click to expand...

Yes Metz is the way to go, I got a 54 mz3 flash for 60 euro and a sca adapter for 40.
This gives you al you need (and the possibility to change sca adapters and use the flash on other systems) but an older Metz flash used in manual does the job to with some calculation on your part and you can check the result directly on an M8.
 
Hey Tom,
I was digging through my gear box, and found an Olympus FL-40(and yes, I still have the Oly E20 in there too)
I tried it on the M8 and it seems to work better than my SF-24D, plus I can tilt and bounce. I am using it on AUTO, set the ISO and F/stop and fire away. I don't use flash often, but I am glad I have it when needed.
 
Still looking for more advice on this, what reasonable costing (non Leica rig ~ under $100) can I use without damaging my M8?

Tom
 
There are very few flashes one cannot use. The triggering circuit of the camera is very high-voltage resistant. As long as you stay under 150 V you are well within the safety range. Just hold the terminals and test-fire it. If it does not kick you severely, you are most probably fine.
 
Two members already mentioned the Metz mecablitz 20 C-2. Powered with only 2 AAs, small, cheap (≤ 50 €), has a bouncer and works with two auto-modi and full manual. Go to a store and buy it, you won´t be disapointed for what you are looking for.
 
I use a cheap "Achiever" brand flash (for film so never on cam), with cheap chinese wireless triggers... so basically it's strobist style :) cost of the whole rig is about $40...
 
Metz 40MZ-2 with a 'standard foot' (no ttl, the foot costs about $15) on auto is a good accurate flash. I have a 54mz-3 but the little control wheel is an irritant, it's dirty or something. Both of these are safe. The 32MZ-3 is similar to the 40MZ, and might be a more comfortable size on a leica. Any of these with the standard foot will work well, just stay close to your subject to avoid redeye if you're not using a bracket. You might find this helpful...

http://www.botzilla.com/photo/strobeVolts.html
 
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The SCA3502M5 foot will control the flash sync speed and signal in the VF. The motorzoom of the flash will be driven by the camera.
 
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