Is there a site or does anyone have any examples of SF20 flash?I would like to see rusults of +/- compensation,etc before I buy one.£138 is a lot of cash to be spending without seeing results first.

-- Craig Smith (craigsmith@hotmail.com), January 24, 2002

Answers

I've just finished a role using the SF20 in fill flash mode and my new TTL SC17 cable. TTL and manual fill. I will post images sometime so that you can make a comparison.

FWIW.

-- John (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), January 24, 2002.

all the photos here were taken by me on my m6ttl with the sf-20 and a -2 compensation;

Click Here

-- Tristan (emulsion71@hotmail.com), January 24, 2002.

Tristan.The shots are great,all -2 stops you say? This seams to give a very natural look.Did you just expose for the ambient light and then add a little bit of flash?

-- Craig (craigsmith@hotmail.com), January 24, 2002.

Craig,I've been using the SF20 for about 2 weeks and have only used it with about 10 rolls of film,but I must say the results have been great.I have set it to TTL -1 to -2 stops 99% of the time.Take an ambient reading(I sometimes underexpose this by 1 stop if it is bright)and shoot away,it's that simple.As a fill-in flash this unit is perfect,worth the money.

-- Phill Kneen (philkneen@manx.net), January 24, 2002.

Yikes. Clowns are evil.

-- Richard (rvle@yahoo.com), January 24, 2002.

Phil: Do you preset the f stop when setting -1 or -2? Bob Stevens

-- Bob Stevens (matlaw@hargray.com), January 24, 2002.

I just work with whatever the meter gives me.Do you mean preset the f.stop on the Flash?

-- Phill Kneen (philkneen@manx.net), January 24, 2002.

Would someone tell me if the SF-20 has auto shut-off to conserve the batteries? At these prices, it should have that feature, IMO.

-- Frank Horn (owlhoot45@hotmail.com), January 24, 2002.

I shot about 50 rolls with the SF20. I didn't corrected the power. All pictures were overflashed. Thanks to God there is Photoshop. All the pictures were overflashed, but still printable (at least for a newspaper quality). If you meter the amivalent light, you have to cut down the flash by 1 or 2 stops. Best regards, Michael

-- Michael Wildi (michaelwildi@yahoo.com), January 24, 2002.

Yes Frank it does have auto shut off.

Micheal,I did a test film and found that the SF20 on full power is too much.I don't think I would ever have it set at full now.It's the kind of flash that you would only ever use in daylight(sounds like a contradiction!).

-- Phill Kneen (philkneen@manx.net), January 24, 2002.

But what's the point in having a flash if you can't use it in the dark? Sounds a bit stupid Phil,isn't that the whole point of a flash?

-- Craig (craigsmith@hotmail.com), January 24, 2002.

Craig,you can use it in the dark,as you say,that's the whole point of a flash.I will only use mine for fill-in,if I need lots of power I'll just use an SB-28 or Metz on my Nikons.

I agree that the best flash shots are where you don't know flash has been used,hence knocking the power down 1 or 2 stops.

-- Phill Kneen (philkneen@manx.net), January 24, 2002.

In answer to above: Shots with the Leica indoors in poor light taken with SF20 direct flash (on the shoe)as the primary light source look like they were taken with a point and shoot camera. Harsh shadows, red eye-the works. Getting the flash off camera and using some sort of a diffuser will improve things considerably. I too like using flash mostly outdoors whenever possible.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), January 24, 2002.

Anymore example photos?

-- Craig (craigsmith@hotmail.com), January 24, 2002.

A question about redeye and SF20. What's the advantage of buying the SF20 (and paying the premium price) when it must be used on-camera and doesn't have a swivel head. Besides fill flash for daytime, wouldn't the camera be useless -- especially when you consider the non-Leica brands that can be had for a lot less and have more functionality?

-- Richard (rvle@yahoo.com), January 24, 2002.

You don't have to use it on camera,you can use it off camera too.

-- Phill (philkneen@manx.net), January 24, 2002.

Phil, I did not know that. I didn't think the SF20 could take a synch cord. I guess that would help the redeye thing.

-- Richard (rvle@yahoo.com), January 24, 2002.

"Besides fill flash for daytime, wouldn't the camera be useless"

How?

Most people buy the SF20 flash solely for fill-in anyway,but I don't understand why the camera would be useless without it?If you mean the flash is useless because it is only suitable for fill-in then that is also wrong.........then you get into the whole Leica versus the rest of the camera world thing?

Bizarre.

-- Craig (craigsmith@hotmail.com), January 24, 2002.

Richard,until a week ago neither did I!

See flash links.You use the Nikon sc-17 cord.

-- Phill (philkneen@manx.net), January 24, 2002.

...then you get into the whole Leica versus the rest of the camera world thing? Bizarre.

Strange, I don't remember opening that can of worms? Bizarre? How so? Enlighten me. So far everyone has talked up the SF20's fill flash capability. But what about at night? Several posters mentioned how it creates red-eye or harsh light. I was under the assumption you could only use it on-camera. That combined with no swivel head would limit it's capabilities to that of a much cheaper off-brand flash. Again, my question: is the flash worth the high cost, if it lacks basic features that a much cheaper flash has? Phil has corrected me about synch cords so that would eliminate some of the problems I mentioned.

-- Richard (rvle@yahoo.com), January 24, 2002.

I should add, I do not apply the same logic to the cameras themselves. I certainly am not saying, "Well, why pay $2000 for a M6 when I can get a Nikon/Canon that does the same thing for a lot less". We're not talking optics or f-stops -- just a simple flash.

-- Richard (rvle@yahoo.com), January 24, 2002.

Let's be honest,the SF20 is hugely overpriced for a unit with such a low spec and it's not even made by Leica! I like it because it is so basic and small.

If you are looking for a full feature flash unit then the SC20 is not for you.BUT,if all you are looking for is a fill-in unit that you can slip into your pocket then it's perfect.......and as my Dad always tells me-"if you can afford to fly first class,why bother getting a taxi to the airport.Go in a Limo"

-- Phill (philkneen@manx.net), January 24, 2002.

the sf-20 has virtually no existant red-eye. i haven't been able to get any red-eye even if i try. it's high enough up from the lens such that it's not a problem.

yes, the sf-20 has auto shut off. i can't remember how long it waits until shutting off but when you press the shutter button halfway to activate the meter, it turns back on if memory serves me correctly.

i have used the flash off camera with a nikon sc-17 cord and it works fine. but, since the results on camera are so good, i hardly ever bother to do off camera flash anymore.

nice small light unit. the batteries seem to last forever and i have not missed a swivel head at all. in my opinion, it is worth the money and works well with leica bodies.

-- Tristan (emulsion71@hotmail.com), January 24, 2002.