fotografz
Thank you very much for taking the time to pass on your experience.
I finally found a dealer in Brisbane (CameraPro) who was interested in getting down to the finer deatail re portable flash set ups.
My Phase One dealer in Sydney has suggested I wait re the SCA unit for getting TTL functionality from the Metz units on the basis that a new unit is being developed for Phase One cameras to improve the TTL functioning of the Metz units.
The lower than might be expected power output from the Metz units is not of large concern, because I really want that as a fill light but not my main light - which I expect to be able to trigger via Pocket Wizard or such from the camera.
The real problem, short of full TTL that really works via wireless like the TT5s do for Canon and Nikon - is to be able to adjust the power of portable units from the camera on at least two channels.
I assume the Asymmetric Quadra units allow the output power to be adjusted from the camera, but the balance between the two heads remains at 2 to 1 or some such ratio?
Thank you again.
mal
I'm confused as to what you are looking to accomplish. Your original post seemed to be asking about location work, which I assumed to be a portable battery driven application. And you seemed to be searching for a solution that allowed control of the Key light from the camera. The key light control, and shoe mount speed-light TTL for fill, are two different issues.
I do understand that you were asking about Metz TTL function on your Phase One camera ... which I took to mean as used in the camera's hot shoe. If that currently doesn't work well, and there is a new SCA module coming from Metz that will work better with Phase One, then I cannot comment on that because I use a Hasselblad H4D/60. The Metz/Hasselblad SCA module works great on that system. I use a Metz MZ54 shoe-mount and Metz 75 handle type speed-lights all the time with the H cameras, which assumes full camera control of the TTL flash in-camera, and I do not have to fiddle around with the little buttons on the speed-light itself to adjust TTL compensation.
The portable main or key light is a different matter altogether. The issues here are 1) Size/Handling/Portability 2) Degree of control from the camera position ... multi-channel AND adjustment of output from the sender (which are two different controls).
To my knowledge there is no major strobe system that provides TTL control ... however, ALL major radio sending solutions offer multi-channel control, while only
some offer control of levels from the camera position.
While Pocket Wizards allow selection of different channels, they do not allow adjustments of output levels from the camera position ... which means you have to adjust levels at the pack location ... or adjust the settings on the head itself if you are using a monolights with a separate battery to power it.
Profoto has the multi-channel AIR system which also allows control of levels with select generators, and the D1 monolights with a separate battery to provide power. None of these options are small, and their small B600 AIR battery generator does
NOT allow adjustment of output levels from the camera position.
Elinchrom offers a few portable battery solutions: The larger, 1100 w/s Ranger RX and the much smaller 400 w/s Ranger Quadra. Both are triggered by the multi-channel Skyport radio sender which also allows control of the output levels at the camera position. The two outlet RX speed unit is available asymmetrical via A or B socket, or symmetrical. The Quadra is a two outlet fixed classic 2:1 asymmetrical distribution ... However, because they are so small, many like me have two Quadra batteries to allow full asymmetrical control using channels to adjust each light location ...providing up to 800 w/s of light.
IMO, and that of others, the very best balance of size/portability, power, and control is the Hensel Porty 1200 Lithium battery system. This small very fast 1200 w/s unit has three different radio receivers built in ... the Hensel Strobe Wizard, the Profoto AIR, and the special application Freemask system ... and of course one can use a Pocket Wizard by just pluging a receiver into the sync port. The Hensel Strobe Wizard and Profoto AIR radio senders are both multi-channel and and allow control of the levels. Asymmetrical or symmetrical distribution is available via selection of A or B socket.
Both Profoto and Bron offer other battery kits, but they are not small. Profoto B generators take the more expensive Pro or Pro B heads, and are VERY expensive.
Sorry for the long post, but these selections are not simple.
-Marc