Polling Question, What is your prefered flash unit for the M6 TTL?

-- Brooks (bvonarx@home.com), June 19, 2001

Answers

Leica SF-20. Small and light. Works great.

-- David Cunningham (dcunningham@attglobal.net), June 19, 2001.

I agree. I usually carry a SF-20 on my travels. When I need a FLASH though, I use a Sunpac 120J. Unfortunately Sunpac does not make a TTL module that works with the M6TTL or R8. For very occasional use there are dozens of inexpensive pocket sized flashes on the market. A Vivitar 2600 is a good option.

Cheers,

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), June 19, 2001.

Ditto.

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), June 19, 2001.

If you want some power and flexibility (bounce, auxiliary fill light, etc.), check out the Metz 54MZ-3. Yes, it's big, but it actually handles pretty well on an M6TTL. Lots of light. Lots of control.

If you can do without TTL, a Vivitar 2600 is a great fit.

The lack of a bounce head makes the SF20 unattractive to me.

I wish Metz, Leica, somebody would come out with an M6TTL-compatible tilt-swivel head flash the size of the Nikon SB-28. The SB-28 is a great fit on an M6.

Rob Schneider

-- Robert Schneider (rolopix@yahoo.com), June 19, 2001.

Thanks for the responses. What about the Metz 40-3i TTL, any pos/neg experience with this unit or with the Metz brand?

-- Brooks (bvonarx@home.comn), June 19, 2001.

Consider the 32-Z2. This is basically a 32MZ-3 minus the motorized zoom (which is superfluous with the M6 anyway). Bounce, swivel and more powerful than the SF20, takes AA's as well as AA lithium and regular lithiums.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), June 19, 2001.

I used to use the 32-Z2 which is an excellent flash but a little underpowered and with only 3 auto f-stops. Also balances badly on small cameras. Nonetheless an excellent performer. I'm now looking at the 54 - which is really a 42 or so. I was enthusiastic about the little 34's or whatever they're called, but the lack of bounce is a real pain in the ass. They have the built in slave function though which is handy for off camera use with another flah on the camera.

I've always found Metz automodes to be very accurate.

If money and size were no object, I'd go for a Quantum.

-- rob (rob@robertappleby.com), June 19, 2001.

i agree that the leica sf-20 is pretty darn good. i fought it for a while and was using the vivitar 2800 but my results weren't pleasing to me.

i bit the bullet and got the sf-20 and i really like the ttl functionality. more importantly, my results have been great.

i don't use flash very often, so it's nice that the sf-20 is light and small.

it's a bit expensive though but i don't regret it..

-- Tristan (tristan@tristantom.com), June 19, 2001.

I use the Leica SF20 flash most of the time because it is small and light and easily fits into a small camera bag or a jacket pocket. With the diffuser on, it provides a reasonably soft light for direct flash pictures. For bounce flash, large rooms, and big events, I use the Metz 54MZ3.

-- Muhammad Chishty (applemac97@aol.com), June 21, 2001.

Brooks,

In my opinion, the Metz 54MZ3 is a vast improvement over the Metz 40MZ family.

The 54MZ-3 offer:

- Better balance on the camera and on a flash bracket. (on the 40MZ all the weight is on the front, which may be not so good for the M6TTL Rangefinder alignment)

- More space between the flash and the lens (reduces the red eye effect)

- The Cobra-Design make also the flash much more easy to store in a bag than the 40MZ (almost half the space).

- Accept the Quantum Turbo and Turbo Z (the 40MZ didn't). No need of AA batteries anymore.

- Accept the Lumiquest reflector (the design of the 40MZ don't make it easy to attach the Lumiquest)

- The 54MZ-3 is fully compatible with the R8 and M6TTL, but also with the new advanced features of Nikon and Canon.

With the M2/M3/M4 you will need the SCA 301 and cable (both are included with the flash, I think)

M6TTL (and R8) = SCA3502

The new SCA3002 adapters (SCA3402, SCA3502 etc) are also compatible with the 40MZ-1/2/3/3i flash. But the SCA3001 adapters (SCA3401, SCA3501 etc) are not compatible with the new 54MZ-3 and 70MZ-4/5.

By the way, the Nikon SC17 extension cable (TTL) is fully compatible with the M6TTL (and R8).

Lucien

-- Lucien (lucien_vd@yahoo.fr), June 22, 2001.