using flash on M6

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Leica Photography : One Thread

does anyone have some advise on using flash with an M6. Best F stops to use, shutter speeds. Have TTL and new flash, also using older 0.72. How do I use minimal flash, are filters any good, or should I under expose, I'm guessing this won't make a difference. Any suggestions.

-- lux (andjesuswept@hotmail.com), April 01, 2001

Answers

I use the SF20 flash unit on M6TTL and M4-P. The ability to set the flash exposure with the EV compensation feature is one of the reasons I bought it... I normally shoot flash at 1/30-1/50 second with the flash exposure pushed down -1 or -2 EV, ambient exposure normal according to the meter. That gives me a good fill ratio, and makes the flash effect softer and more natural.

Godfrey

-- Godfrey DiGiorgi (ramarren@bayarea.net), April 02, 2001.


Hi, I also use SF-20, but found that TTL feature for M6 is not helpful for the manual camera + an "advanced" flash, even I tried to shoot people in the center with -1,-2 EV it still gave me over-exposure most of time. But I think the "manual mode" is pretty good, just use old school approach calculating GN with Aperture together(showing in the LCD), easily program a fraction of the GN with Aperture, ex. you can set the half distance to use for fill.

-- Fred O. (yo5454@yahoo.com), April 02, 2001.

I use the SF20 w/ an exp. comp. setting of -1 2/3 and the diffuser, using the camera's meter for ambient light readings. The shutter speeds vary (depending on the ambient light) from 1/15th to 1/5oth. The tech at Leica USA recommended the exp. comp. setting, advising that this is a "2 to 1" ratio. It works quite well for my purposes and my flash results are much better than w/ the M6 (non-ttl) Classic.

-- KL Prager (www.pragerproperties@att.net), April 04, 2001.

For a non-TTL low-end alternative have a look @ http://www.konermann.net/flash.html ;o)

-- Lutz Konermann (lutz@konermann.net), April 09, 2001.

Lutz, that is really neat! But if you were to put the filter (or a gray scale transparent wheel) over the Autoexposure eye, would that not get you a full range of Auto variable aperture?

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), April 09, 2001.


Mani

Sorry for getting back to this thread so late. (I do not find an e-mail option to follow a link I have contributed an ANSWER to... any idea?). Anyway, although your proposal is quite creative and worthwhile thinking about, here is what I think will be the effect: Every portion of light which you prevent from hitting the automatic exposure eye of a flash unit will make the automatism "think" that it needs to give MORE than the correct amount in relation to the f-stop suggested. You might be able to calibrate my polarizing filter set-up, but only to gradually OVEREXPOSE or work at HIGHER f-stops than the flash automatism is pre- calculated for. Which is the opposite of what I was looking for - low- low-level fill-in flash at wide-open f-stops.

Cheers,

-- Lutz Konermann (lutz@konermann.net), May 31, 2001.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ