mathomas
Active member
I'm not a huge flash fan, but I feel I'll need it tonight at my company's party (yeah, I'm my small company's camera geek). I considered using my Canon 30D and nice bounce flash as in the past, but I hate carrying that load.
So, last night, I thought, "I do have that Leica SF-24D which came with my M8 -- maybe I should use that". I started Googling and found (almost) nothing but horror stories about using the SF-24D with the M8.
I decided I had to try it for myself. I skimmed the flash and M8 manuals. Then I put some batteries the flash, mounted it up, put it on the topmost automation setting on the slide switch (Leica's labeling on the flash is horrible, but I believe I'm in TTL mode though there is no button position that says so). I set the shutter to 'A' and the aperture to that shown on the flash, and fired a shot. The flash fired, but the shot was overexposed. I simply lowered the output (which oddly showed a higher max range as I did so), and fired again. Success.
I spent the next half-hour firing off shots at different subjects containing different tones, experimented with adjusting output and/or aperture on the camera and/or flash, and inserted some tissue into the wide-angle diffuser. I ended up with f/4 as a nice semi-isolating aperture that will allow me to pre-focus for medium-distance, close-enough focus candids on my Zeiss 25mm Biogon. The flash is adjusted -2ev if I remember correctly. By jove, I think this thing will work really well with very little fuss. If only it would tilt!
The proof is in the pudding, so wish me luck tonight!
So, last night, I thought, "I do have that Leica SF-24D which came with my M8 -- maybe I should use that". I started Googling and found (almost) nothing but horror stories about using the SF-24D with the M8.
I decided I had to try it for myself. I skimmed the flash and M8 manuals. Then I put some batteries the flash, mounted it up, put it on the topmost automation setting on the slide switch (Leica's labeling on the flash is horrible, but I believe I'm in TTL mode though there is no button position that says so). I set the shutter to 'A' and the aperture to that shown on the flash, and fired a shot. The flash fired, but the shot was overexposed. I simply lowered the output (which oddly showed a higher max range as I did so), and fired again. Success.
I spent the next half-hour firing off shots at different subjects containing different tones, experimented with adjusting output and/or aperture on the camera and/or flash, and inserted some tissue into the wide-angle diffuser. I ended up with f/4 as a nice semi-isolating aperture that will allow me to pre-focus for medium-distance, close-enough focus candids on my Zeiss 25mm Biogon. The flash is adjusted -2ev if I remember correctly. By jove, I think this thing will work really well with very little fuss. If only it would tilt!
The proof is in the pudding, so wish me luck tonight!