Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/04/01

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Subject: Re: [Leica] reduce flash
From: Rolfe Tessem <rolfe@ldp.com>
Date: Mon, 01 Apr 2002 10:57:59 -0500
References: <B8CE45E7.CE61%cyberdog@attglobal.net>

- --On Monday, April 1, 2002 5:14 PM +0200 Pascal <cyberdog@attglobal.net> 
wrote:

>
> my experience with the SF20 pertains to the R8 only since I do not have
> the M6TTL model (only M6). However, the principles involved are identical.
>
> In most typical cases, putting everything in automatic will produce good
> results (flash on TTL, R8 in P etc). But don't forget that the R8's flash
> metering is not zone/matrix (unlike Nikon's 3D system) but of an older
> generation (centerweighted).
> Thus, if your subject contains very bright or very dark parts, the meter
> will be fooled easily, resulting in under- or overexposure.
> Case in point: I took lots of indoor images of white marble statues in a
> church, in full automatic mode. They were all underexposed because the
> meter had taken overweighted the reflected light off the white statues.
> The solution would have been to adjust the flash with +1 EV.
> The same goes for a dark background, but then you have to adjust - EV.
>
> When I use the SF20 outdoors, typically for daylight fill-in flash, I put
> the R8 in Program mode and the flash in TTL. This will produce very good
> results. Never had problems with this.
> If the M6TTL behaves differently outdoors, I don't know !

Pascal,

The R8 in Program mode *does* behave differently than the M6TTL if we're 
talking about daylight fill flash.

On the R8 in P mode (with a suitable SCA3501/02 flash such as the SF20), a 
speed of 1/250 sec. is selected, the aperture is selected for a correct 
exposure with the available light, and the flash is regulated to a minus 1 
2/3 EV for "correct" fill ratio at the selected aperture.

Since the M6 does not have a P mode (thank God!), you have to select the 
aperture for correct exposure at 1/50 sec., then dial in minus 1 or 1 1/2 
EV on the back of the flash.

In manual or shutter priority modes, the R8 behaves similarly to the M6TTL. 
Aperture priority mode is basically not very useful with the R8 and a TTL 
flash since the aperture priority is turned off and the shutter speed is 
locked at 1/250 sec.

- --
Rolfe Tessem
rolfe@ldp.com
Lucky Duck Productions, Inc.
- --
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