Thank you for posting this!
While evolutionary, it also represents some improvements long over-due for speed-lights in general.
Lots of misinformation already floating around on other photo-sites regarding this speed-light. Best to go straight to the maker's website for clarification.
Product information: Metz
This is of interest to me because Leica flashes are made by Metz, and this new one may be the next issue for my Leica S2P.
I'm also interested for use on my A99. My Sony HVL-F60M speed-light is larger, heavier, and more bulky than my Leica (Metz) SF58, as well as this new one … and this new speed-light has many improvements lacking on my Sony flash. I need a back-up to replace the older Sony flash that requires an "shaky" adapter to use on the A99.
Of great interest is the LCD touch screen interface that even rotates and is back-lit … promising to enhance making adjustments in dark ambient conditions. This is a major advancement over any of my current flashes, and BIG deal IMO.
The other improvement's include … a metal foot, which neither my Sony 60 nor Leica SF58 have … a standard ISO PC Sync Port … also something lacking on Sony F60M flash, as well as my Leica SF58. The latter is long over-due for off-camera use using studio radio transceivers such as Profoto's AIR, Elinchrom's Skyport, and Pocket Wizard (for example, speed-lights make excellent accent lights to place in areas to small to hide studio strobes).
The extension to evenly illuminate out to 200mm is a nice improvement that I think users of the Sony 135/1.8 and 70-200 lenses will appreciate.
What is not published on the Metz site (that I can find), are full output recycle times when set to "Rapid Mode" (someone on another site said it is 1.8 seconds, but I could not verify that). The other unknown is the thermal shut-off threshold of this new flash compared to the Sony FM60M, which is notorious for quitting under rapid shooting conditions.
Of note, Sony does NOT list Lithium batteries to power their flash … Metz does list Lithium for the SF58 and this new one. While I
do use Lithiums in my Sony units, they get pretty darned hot … which may or may not be a contributing factor to the thermal shut-down issue (?) I've never had my SF58 shut down, I have had it happen a number of times with Sony flash.
- Marc