Tiny flash unit for Leica M

[Ronald_H]

Never saw this idea before. It will probably won't go down too well with the purists...

My Leica M2 is much more compact than a SLR. It is just about acceptable as a social snapshot camera. Yes, I really use it that way. But I miss a tiny flash (like my tiny P&S cams have, analog or digital). It would be great for those occasions where it really is too dark. Concerts, clubs and pubs.

I am not interested in ultra fast lenses and films. I know these exist and their limitations (size, depth of field, grain). I know that flash is usually ugly (doh!) but this is about situations where it is either flash or nothing.

BUT, my Olympus Mju-II has problems focusing close in the dark, and the same goes for correct flash exposure. My digital P&S is desperately slow and focus is hit and miss (usually miss).

So I am not after bounce heads, mega power, mega fast recycling times etc. Just something tiny that allows you to set ISO and aperture, and can determine correct exposure form there (built in sensor). I know flashes exist that can do this, but I'm after something tiny, let's say VC meter II size.

Of course usefulness would be limited, but hey, I would love to have one!

 

[kully]

The problem would be the battery and the reflector behind the bulb. Two AA (even AAA) batteries are already bigger than a VC meter before adding anything else 🙂

 

[Fred Burton]

Back in the 70's Vivitar made a model 50 that was tiny, using a "J" cell battery. Completely manual, though. I can't think of any current flash units that are smaller than a fat deck of cards, though.

 

[FPjohn]

Metz makes/made a ultra compact flash, 34CS-2, with slave function. I've found it useful in standard mode. 'Also use a very compact and ancient Quantaray which is smaller than a credit card.

The 28CS-2 appears to be the current version.
http://www.metz.de/en/photo-electro...litz-28-cs-2-digital/product-information.html

yours
FPJ

 

[dave lackey]

Metz makes/made a ultra compact flash with slave function. I've found it useful. 'Also use a very compact and ancient Quantaray which is smaller than a credit card.

yours
FPJ

Would that flash be this one:

Metz 32 MZ-3

 

[v3cron]

Nikon SB-30. Super small, ultra wide coverage, accurate auto mode, manual ratios...almost perfect except for the power and full power recycle.

 

[BillBingham2]

RH,

Look for a Vivitar 25X (1,2 or 3). Small, the 251 and 252 take AA batteries and the 253 takes a 9 volt (I think). There was a 151 that was a manual version that took AA batteries. IMHO they give the best bang for the buck.

Sunpak made some small units but I think they were somewhat less powerful.

If you want big power look to the Olympus T32, very small for a 4 AA user, lots of power and flips up and down.

B2 (;->

 

[FrankS]

Whatever flash unit you get, it must have a pc cord plug, because the M2 doesn't have a "hot" accessory shoe. There is an adaptor for this, but then you add more size.

 

[FPjohn]

mini flash

mini flash

Would that flash be this one:

Metz 32 MZ-3

Good alternate. Mine is the 34CS-2. The next gen 28CS2 looks ideal for the OP. IMHO.

yours
FPJ

 

[drewbarb]

Another vote for the Nikon SB30. It also has two auto aperture settings and three manual power settings, along with a Nikon TTL that I never use. It also features a +/- 1/2 stop exposure compensation setting, which seems to work in auto, and can be used to reduce power further in manual. I find it quite useful. I can set the minimum power (1/32nd) and shoot wide open at a slow sync and get nice fill flash in low light at four to six feet, with instant recycle- very handy. It takes a CR123A lithium battery, and while these are not as ubiquitous as AA's, they last a very long time. Just keep a spare in your bag.

 

[kevin m]

Sunpak 1600a. Small, cheap and, most important, tilting head! You can get some really impressive results with this flash on an M body.

 

[dave lackey]

Another vote for the Nikon SB30. It also has two auto aperture settings and three manual power settings, along with a Nikon TTL that I never use. It also features a +/- 1/2 stop exposure compensation setting, which seems to work in auto, and can be used to reduce power further in manual. I find it quite useful. I can set the minimum power (1/32nd) and shoot wide open at a slow sync and get nice fill flash in low light at four to six feet, with instant recycle- very handy. It takes a CR123A lithium battery, and while these are not as ubiquitous as AA's, they last a very long time. Just keep a spare in your bag.

Yes, The SB30 works quite well on the Nikon S3 2000 rangefinder as well as other cameras. KEH has some for $45.


http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/NikonF5/Flash/SB30/index.htm

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

I wonder if you could repurpose the little Contax TLA 200 for this.

 

[Ronald_H]

Wow, I never realised these small flash units existed. Ok, not as small as I'd like, but perfectly usable for my manual cameras.

The Nikon SB30 looks excellent for what I want to do with it.

Thanks!

 

[payasam]

Kevin, I have to use my Sunpak 1600A with an adapter on my M2 because it has no sync cord. No big hassle.

 

[mcgrattan]

I have a tiny Sunpak flash that has a built in sync cable so works fine on cameras without a hot shoe.

http://mattdentonphoto.com/cameras/sunpak_auto101.html

Mine is a slightly different model, but almost identical to that.

Someone on flickr has an image of the flash I have attached to an LC-A.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/140/355674300_5d5a81e6f2.jpg?v=1168687996

It is surprisingly good, the auto flash exposure works very well.

 

[kevin m]

Kevin, I have to use my Sunpak 1600A with an adapter on my M2 because it has no sync cord. No big hassle.

I understand. When I had an M2 I almost had a hotshoe fitted. 😀

Here's what makes the Sunpak unique, AFAIK:

A bounce head is just mandatory for a flash, IMO. I have some nice prints here that illustrate the Sunpak/m6 combo nicely, but I can't find the negatives. 😱

This pic distorts the relative sizes of the Sunpak and M6 bodies. The flash is actually much smaller than the Leica.

 

[ferider]

Good alternate. Mine is the 34CS-2. The next gen 28CS2 looks ideal for the OP. IMHO.

yours
FPJ

I have the 34CS-2, too. Great little flash. What I like a lot are the fresnel attachments for Tele and Wide (down to 28). The tele will give you higher guide number, which might be useful for portraits and such.

Other small automatic flashes that are really good IMO are the classic Olympus flashes, T-20 and T-32.

Roland.

 

[mackigator]

I'm reading this with interest. I also want a tiny, underpowered flash to go on a rangefinder hotshoe - a CLE in my case (mostly).

I've had good results with the XA + A11 flash + off camera optically triggered flashes, which I often hold in my hand. For this purpose I like the Vivitar DF120 and the Metz CS-2 - both very small and, especially the Metz, capable. But I have no way to trigger them with my M-mount bodies and I dont want to throw anything the size of a tradional hot shoe flash - Vivitar 285 et al - on those bodies.

Samples of the tiny tiny light kit at work:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/clarkmackey/3058165660/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/clarkmackey/2635011727/

Anyone encountered this Sunpak PF20 before?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/471834-REG/Sunpak_PF20XD_PF20XD_Auto_Manual_Digital_Slave.html

I see that it fits a hotshoe, but it is described as a slave flash.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

After a bit of google searching, it looks like you should indeed be able to use the TLA200 on other cameras....you might check it out, it's very small, and sounds more like what you were describing in your original post.