Re: [Leica] no one can help on this one?

[Carl Socolow <csocolow@microserve.net>]

Try the Vivitar 283 with the supplemental Vari-power module. Harrison
had written at length about it earlier this year. The nice thing is that
you can vary the output to accomodate your aperature. It sounds like the
flash you're already using is a manual flash with a fixed output leaving
your only means of control the distance from flash to subject. With the
Vivitar and vari-power you can adjust down to 1/64 I think (not sure).

I also find using a radio trigger very convenient. It doesn't weigh much
on my M cameras (unlike the flash) so the balance is preserved. Also, It
allows more natural placement of the flash relative to the available
light source.

 And, if you're going to be metering anyway you can adjust output
accordingly. One other thing you might want to watch out for when taking
a flash reading in daylight is that the meter (even though in flash
mode) is still reading the daylight. I have this problem with my Minolta
Flashmeter IV unless I use it in the Analyze mode to see the effect of
daylight vs. flash. I agree with earlier advice on using a reflector. It
also eliminates recycle time. Hope this helps.

Carl S.

Five Senses Productions wrote:
> 
> Again, thanks for a lengthy, thorough explanation.  This is the
> beauty of the LUG.
> 
> I think I need a more controllable flash to begin with.  I guess I will
> look at an SB-26, SB-28, or a Metz 40.
> 
> Now what about the problem of always getting f/8 or f/11 at 1/50?
> Am I forced to use slower film if I want larger apertures like 4 or 5.6?
> 
> At 12:38 PM 5/13/98 -0700, Bryan Willman wrote:
> >hmmm.
> >
> >I *think* what you are asking is:
> >
> >    How do I get flash underexpsure, to get a nice
> >    fill, with ambient light.
> >
> >What you care about is the RATIO between the
> >ambient light and the flash.  You must control this
> >with the flash unit, NOT the camera.
> >
> >Notice that this will only work if the ambient and flash
> >lighting levels are relatively close (2 or 3 stops)  If flash
> >is 9 stops more powerful than ambient, you'll just
> >get flash exposure.
> >
> >To change the power of the flash relative to other light:
> >a. Move the flash off the camera and back it up
> >b. Bounce it off something
> >c. If it has good power controls, use those.  Notice
> >    that on a low-end auto-flash, there are typically only
> 
> >    one or two power ranges.  The "settings" are just
> >    a distance/f-stop lookup for one of the ranges.
> >   A flash like an SB26 lets you actually change the *power*
> >    (as will any studio head.)
> >
> >You will typically end up making multiple measurements
> >of ambient and flash light falling on various parts of the subject,
> >and then computing the exposure so that the highlights and
> >lowlights fall in the recording range of the film.
> >
> >There are books about this, I've yammered long enough here.
> >
> >I hope I've answered what you were trying to ask!
> >
> >bmw
> >