I hope some one can help me. I just got a M7; I’m very pleased. I have my 3 lens from my M2, 35/3.5. 50/2 DR, and 90/4. I am very satisfied with the auto exposure, and would like to eventually get the SF20 for the TTL flash capacity, but since the price tag was a little on the steep side for the M7. I will curb my spending for a little while. I was looking through my boxes of old equipment and found an old Vivitar Zoom Thyristor 3500. These are the ones that had different modules that allow TTL coupling with flashes and camera. Well I tried the flash with 2 Modules for Minolta TTL, and Nikon. I was surprised that the finder recognized the flash and automatically set the shutter speed to 1/50. I do not know if it will function in TTL, but I'll certainly test a roll or two. Does any one have any information in regards to this? thank. Snapping away in Central Maine

-- T Bosman (smallcamera@hotmail.com), May 11, 2002

Answers

Hi Maine

Congrats on your M7 purchase! :-) The only caution I would offer on your electronic flash experiments is the voltage. Older flashes often have higher voltages which can damage the electronics on newer cameras. I don't know about the Vivitar 3500 but older model (non TTL) Vivitar 283 and 285 Flashes have high voltages which can short out the electronics on newer model cameras.

-- Doug from tumwater (dbaker9128@aol.com), May 12, 2002.

I've had some confusion on this as well (I dod not have an M7, but myR5 TTL issues are similar. Best I know, the setting of the flash -- on theleft posterior contact, is fairly common -- voltage rises, camreas knows falsh rady. That is not necessairly the voltgae on the other pins that makes TTL work. Minolta has gone through severl variations (at least 2), and the sync on my R5 is set (until I disabled it), but the TTL is not right. Incidentally, you will have to test at severl distances -- I actually was fooled by having measuring Perchance correct exposure, but it stayed the same at 1/2 and double the distance. I did have a guy who claimed to be a Leica exec in New Jersey (E-bay converstation), tell me that the nikon signals would work, but that is oppsed to everything I've read -- their is a physical contact spacing match only, not electrical guarantee (I htink he was swayed becasue it worked for his R4, which set the sync, but is not TTL). I would be careful.

One other area I do not see clear help on, and maybe others can help me -- waht about backwards compatibility -- are the current M6TTL/M7/R8 backwarsd compatible to R6, R&, R5? I know all the features wil not work, according to camera, but will basic TTL work? I am specifically asking in terms of the Metz 300 to 3000 series. I think there is no problem, but the MEtz web-site just doesn;t allow that match --- they want the optimum module for the correct camera.

-- Lacey Smith (lacsm@bellsouth.net), May 12, 2002.

The only TTL dedicated flash units that will work TTL with the M7 is one that has a SCA 3501 system. The Leica SF20 has the SCA 3501 system built into it and any Metz or other brand flash that will take an SCA 3501 module will work with the M6, M7 and R8.

-- Dave Saalsaa (SaalsD@cni-usa.com), May 12, 2002.