The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

Whats a good flash for the m8?

dude163

Active member
Hi all

for fathers day my wide was thinking about buying me a flash unit for my M8, but I wanted one that would also work on my pentax KX.


Does anyone have any recommendations/suggestions?

Thanks
Robert
 

Double Negative

Not Available
The Leica 24D isn't too bad for a small flash to have "just in case." The big downside is that you can't bounce it. With a Leica Goodies "SFILL" however, you can diffuse it. Stoffen makes a diffuser as well, I believe.

Metz has a strong following and can be fitted with different camera adapters. Even some of the small ones can bounce. This might be the best way to go.

As long as it has manual control or a thyristor up front, it should work pretty well on anything. TTL would only work on a camera if it's "dedicated" (e.g. 24D on Leica or Metz with Leica adapter).
 

mathomas

Active member
I used the M8 with a Leica 24D at a party, and while it has the drawback of no bounce, it's small and yet tall enough to avoid most red-eye problems. Bounce would definitely be better, though (are the small Metz bouncers as small as the 24D?).
 
Last edited:

woodyspedden

New member
The Leica 24D isn't too bad for a small flash to have "just in case." The big downside is that you can't bounce it. With a Leica Goodies "SFILL" however, you can diffuse it. Stoffen makes a diffuser as well, I believe.

Metz has a strong following and can be fitted with different camera adapters. Even some of the small ones can bounce. This might be the best way to go.

As long as it has manual control or a thyristor up front, it should work pretty well on anything. TTL would only work on a camera if it's "dedicated" (e.g. 24D on Leica or Metz with Leica adapter).
Of course you can bounce the SF 24D using a Nikon cable (forget the model number). But it is very underpowered for such work.

I have the SF 58 which is the best flash I have ever owned. It is built by Metz and works superbly on both the M series and the new S2 system

JMHO

Woody
 

Double Negative

Not Available
Of course you can bounce the SF 24D using a Nikon cable (forget the model number). But it is very underpowered for such work.

I have the SF 58 which is the best flash I have ever owned. It is built by Metz and works superbly on both the M series and the new S2 system
True, true. A flash bracket and/or an off-camera cable go a long way - but as you said, it's not the most powerful flash out there...

The SF58 is a far better flash (kind of like the 580EX I'm used to) but it's just way too big for the M system, IMO - and I know I wouldn't carry it around. Heck, I hardly use the SF24D as it is. I'm not surprised that Metz makes it... Good to know!
 

gogopix

Subscriber
I've used my Contax 280 and 360 on both M8 and M9. The 360 with Better Beamer I have used for shots up to 100 feet away.
anyway, the Auto works best but TTL is possible on M9 but I am not sure it will work on M8
Good, compact flashes, with bounce and WA correction. Meter well, and pretty cheap now.
regards
Victor

PS I think guide numbers are 28 and 36 resp if the model nos mean anything. That's in meters so 118 feet for 36
 

Paul David

Member
Based on this I bought a Contax TL 280 for my M9. The TTL mode does not work...I get full flash output no matter what. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Paul

I've used my Contax 280 and 360 on both M8 and M9. The 360 with Better Beamer I have used for shots up to 100 feet away.
anyway, the Auto works best but TTL is possible on M9 but I am not sure it will work on M8
Good, compact flashes, with bounce and WA correction. Meter well, and pretty cheap now.
regards
Victor

PS I think guide numbers are 28 and 36 resp if the model nos mean anything. That's in meters so 118 feet for 36
 

dude163

Active member
I bought a Metz mz 40-2 off ebay complete with Leica 3501 adapter

I managed to take one decent shot today out of a dozen attempts, this is handheld , and totally manual ( couldnt figure out the TTL at the time) I had it set to bounce up about 45 degrees , but I was holding the flash in one hand and the camera in another



came out quite nice I think , oh it cost me $30.99!!
 

mathomas

Active member
Hehe, was this the last shot by any chance? Looks like someone is running out of patience.

Nice shot...
 

Lloyd

Active member
Robert:

"For Fathers day my wide...", "my wide"? I am glad she is not reading this. :)
Hmm... Robert is probably glad as well! :D

-------

On the flash front. I've actually used both the SB-800 and SB-600 Nikon flashes on the M8. Manual control, but I've had excellent results. Weird to use a flash that's about twice the size of the camera it's on, but it worked.
 

gogopix

Subscriber
Based on this I bought a Contax TL 280 for my M9. The TTL mode does not work...I get full flash output no matter what. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Paul
make sure the contacts on the bottom are clean. I use TTL all the time on the M9 it was just the M8 that I had to use auto.

could be a nFW change...but try the contacts. I also dont know if there is any special setting for flash compatability on the Leica. The manual says any of the XYZ compliant flashes work and the contax's are.

In any case. My 280 has a corroded battery case (guess who put cheap batteries in once :ROTFL:) and it is a devil to clean with emery boards. If you don't want it or find somethying better, I'll take it off your hands for what you paid

regards
Victor
 

gogopix

Subscriber
Dear Paul

I tried the TC 280 on my M9, and in both Auto and FULL, I am getting correct exposure. However, you need to make sure that the M9 is set to that funny 'flash' position on the timing wheel (about 125) and also make sure that for the ISO you set that it is in the control range of the flash for the aperture set (I set to f2 and close objects did overexpose since the rage is farther out. There's atable on the back that shows you can get quite a good flexibility from as close as a few feet to over 40 feet, but selecting aperture and ISO. I don't think this is any different from other flashes; what you don't get Leica to Contax is an auto read of the aperture. The Contax on Contax reads everything and is fully auto. Now the 360 is more sophistic ated and it will do exposure comp and you set the ISO on the flash and it is pretty auto even on the Leica. I like the balance of the two flashes, the wide angle control and the bounce flash on the contaxes.

In general f8 for interiors with Iso 160 and 125s covers 3to 20 feet quite nicely.

Regards
Victor
 

Peter Klein

New member
I don't use flash much, but occasionally, ya gotta do what you gotta do. For travel and emergencies, I usually carry a little Olympus FL-20 that came with an E-series SLR. It doesn't bounce, but it's very light, and the auto mode works well. It's not compatible with TTL, but frankly, auto mode with the flash's own sensor is usually fine. If it's too bright I just reduce it with a handkerchief or a piece of facial tissue.

For more power and bounce, I have a Vivitar 2500 (bigger but relatively light, medium power), and a SunPak 444D (almost too heavy, but powerful and fast recharge between shots). Both were bargain-bin salvages for $15 and $30, respectively. I've done several weddings for family and friends with them. Again, auto or manual, no TTL, but they've worked fine.

Almost any good auto flash with a bounce head will serve your purposes. On used flashes, just make sure the trigger voltage is 12v or less so you're kind to your camera's circuits. There is a chart online of flash trigger voltages. Or, if you've got a digital voltmeter, you can measure a prospect yourself.
 
Top