[Leica] HSS with M7 and Metz 54MZ3. First testing.

[Lucien <director@ubi.edu>]

This w-e, I've used for the first time the M7 HSS mode.

For the moment, the Metz 54MZ-3 (+ SCA3502) is the only flash unit
available for HSS with the M7.

The result are very good, but more natural when underexposed (as usual).

It's also more natural when the camera is used horizontally or with a
Stroboframe bracket to avoid unwanted additional shadows.

The operations are not really automated.

You have to play with the five following variables:

- - on the M7:

    - 3 speeds :1/250 1/500 1/1000 set manually,
    - all the apertures
    - ISO (DX)

- - on the Metz (once you have set the wanted aperture manually on the
flash unit, and choose the Manual-HSS setting):

    - 25 power ratios : 1/1, 1/2+2/3, 1/2+1/3, 1/2, 1/4+2/3, 1/4+1/3,
1/4, etc. ...till  1/256
    - the zoom head position from 24 mm to 105 mm

Fortunately, the Metz display clearly the resulting distance on the
screen, because of course, each the five variables (ISO, shutter speed,
aperture,
power ratio and zooming) will modify that resulting distance.

Only the ISO and the 3 shutter speeds are automatically transferred from
the camera to the flash unit.

As an example, with ISO 400, 1/250, f2, zoom head on 35 mm setting and
ratio 1/1, the distance displayed on the flash screen will be 6,90
meter.

Obviously, the easiest way to change the displayed resulting distance,
is to play with the flash power ratio.

The only way to underexpose is to do it manually, like dial f2 on the
Metz and set f2,8 on the lens. The Metz EV compensation settings is not
available in Manual mode.

The Nikon TTL cord SC-17 is still 100% compatible with the M7, which is
even more important with that Metz, because of its weight which is
better supported by a bracket.

As far as I can see, the Contax TLA100 cord is also fully compatible.

IMO, it's very nice to have the HSS available, but it's only useable if
you don't have to move the focusing ring, like for posed portrait or
landscape.

There is nothing about the HSS mode in the SCA-3502 instructions
booklet, because that mode was not available with the M6TTL or R8.
I had to use the Nikon SCA-3402 instructions.

Lucien



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