[Leica] flash on the M6 - questions

[Five Senses Productions <fls@5senses.com>]

I have an M6, a 35/2 ASPH, a 50/2, and a 90/2.8.
I use the meter in the M6 only when I am forced, and 
the rest of the time I use a Minolta IVF meter which does
normal incident metering as well as flash metering.

I have been using the flash meter for the first time this week
and have a few questions.  I use a $45 lightweight Nissin
pocket flash on the M6 since it is very simple and the M6 does
not do anything with more advanced flashes anyway, so why
put a $400 flash on the M6.....

When I use the flash meter in front of a model, I set the meter
to the appropriate film speed and I set the shutter speed on the
meter to 1/45, since there is no 1/50.  I then pop the flash, and
let's say the meter recommends f/8.  From my understanding, 
this means that I need to set the M6 to 1/50 (approx) and f/8
to get a prefect exposure of the subject at the measured distance.
Is this right?  Am I on track here?  

OK, now if I want to get fancy and simulate a minus 1-2/3 for standard
fill flash, how would I work that in?  I tried placing a mini-softbox on the
flash head, and remetering the flash, and I fould the softbox cuts the 
light by 1 to 1.5 stops.  Is this a good method?  It sounds good to me
because not only would I be getting as close to the desired level of fill
as possible, but I would also be diffusing the light with the softbox.

Is stopping down the lens a stop going to do the same thing as cutting
the flash by a stop (with softbox)?

For outdoor situations, with ASA 100 film (like Astia, my favorite), on a
sunny
day, when I need that light touch of flash to fill in shadows under
eyebrows and
on shaded sides of faces, is my M6/Minolta/Nissin combo going to work well?
If a model is in partial shade, where do I place the flash meter to get the
correct reading?  I have found that with 100 film, and at 1/50, the meter
says a very small aperture, like f/11.  Am I getting into "poor lens
performance"
territory by going down to f/11 and f/16?

I know some of you will say "use your R8 for fill flash" but I really
prefer using the
M6 for my outdoor portrait/glamour work now.  The only own side is the 1/50
shutter speed, since I have to use a tripod now for almost every shot, and the
models have to stay fairly still.

Thanks for whatever tips and advice anyone can offer........

Francesco




Francesco Sanfilippo,
Five Senses Productions
webmaster@5senses.com


http://www.5senses.com/