Re: flash for the Leica

["Charles E. Love, Jr." <cel14@cornell.edu>]

At 08:56 AM 12/18/96 +0545, you wrote:
>
>>Well, the M cameras have a PC connector and, in later ones, a hot shoe.
>>There's no TTL, warnings in the viewfinder, etc.  So I would say you could
>>use any flash or flashes you wish, depending upon the project.  What project
>>did you have in mind?--Charlie
>>
>>Charles E. Love, Jr.
>>CEL14@CORNELL.EDU
>
>Hello Charles,
>
>        You asked about my project.  I am photographing Nepali (Newari)
>metal craftsmen who work with the lost wax process for metalwork.  Most of
>the locations are very poorly lit with some very bright areas where the sun
>is shining in.  I never usually use a flash but this lighting is rather
>extreme and I would like to light up the shadows a little.
>
>Ian Stanley
>Kathmandu, Nepal
>
>ian@mos.com.np
>

Ian,

This sounds like a wonderful, exciting project.  If you are using black and
white or color print film, the lighting is less critical (because of
exposure latitude) than with slides, so there's a bit less of a challenge.
The M always makes me want to use a small, shoe-mounted flash so as not to
overbalance the camera (thereby compromising its "M-ness").  Even a standard
unit like a Vivitar 283 can seem too big.  You could probably get away with
a smaller unit than that with an electric eye for the times when you feel
comfortable using auto.  This would follow the style of, say, Bill Allard,
who uses a little flash with an M to great effect (as did Bruce Davidson in
his NY subway project).

However, there are good arguments for using a Stroboframe-type bracket with
a larger flash--you get the flash away from the lens axis and get the
shadows down behind your subjects so they look more natural.  But that does
make the little camera big and awkward.  Your description of the project,
assuming that some of these buildings are open, makes me think of using fill
flash, which would permit more exposure in the background, thus eliminating
the unnatural look of brightly lit people against a black background.  But
the M is bad at fill flash, lacking not only TTL but a high shutter synch speed.

So in the end I guess I vote for a small shoe mounted flash--but it's a
tough decision.  Good luck!--Charlie
Charles E. Love, Jr.
CEL14@CORNELL.EDU