Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/04/07
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Pascal, I don't know if it's going to harm the screen in the long run, but completely folded up it is almost exactly the size of the R8 body. And being large when unfolded further diffuses the light from the flash which is the point in the first place. I'm very happy with mine. Gilbert On Sunday, April 7, 2002, at 12:34 PM, Pascal wrote: > Unbelievable. > > I have been using the Metz Mecablitz 32-MZ3 and 40 MZ-3i in the past, > together with their respective reflection screens. These were very handy > plastic add-ons with a white reflective layer, that you could snap very > easily onto the flash head. Small, convenient, excellent result. And the > main advantage was that you could take them anywhere with you since > they are > so small. > > Last Summer I made the mistake to switch from the 40 MZ-3i to the new 54 > MZ-3. In fact, the flash itself is excellent and, although not really > different from its predecessor feature-wise, it had the advantage of the > more convenient cobra form factor (the 40 MZ-3i is more of a boxy thing > which is less convenient to store in a backpack or combi bag). No > complaints > here. > The special reflection screen was not yet available at the time. I have > now > acquired it, and it is a disgrace IMHO. It is made by "LumiQuest for > Metz". > First, it is twice the price of the one for the 40 MZ-3i (41 euro). > Second, > its size is unbelievable. It no longer fits in either my LowePro > backpack or > combi bag (for my R equipment). So, I can no longer take it with me on > an > outdoors trip. Third, it is very inconvenient to use as it requires > that you > stick three adhesive clips on the flash itself (which are then quasi > permanently attached to it), plus you have to bend the soft material > reflection screen itself to attach it to the velcro clips on the flash. > > It is three to four times as large as the plastic reflection screen for > the > 40 MZ-3i. While it may offer good functionality in use, it is simply > unusable to me because of its sheer size. I am not even putting the > unconvenient attachment into the equation. > > So, it will probably be back to the dealer tomorrow unless someone can > convince me otherwise. > > Adding to this I must say I am disappointed at how Metz has in effect > reduced the practicality of the reflection screen, as the 54 is the > successor to the 40. I am, of course, not comparing to the reflection > screens of the "pro" torch flashes by Metz. > > As a result, the usefullness of the 54 MZ-3 comes into question now > since > the use of a reflection screen is required to obtain good results with > bounce flash. > Meanwhile, my "old" 40 MZ-3i and its reflection screen have regrettably > been > sold :-( > > Other potential users of the 54 MZ-3 should take a serious look at the > reflection screen before deciding whether they buy this flash. > > Pascal > NO ARCHIVE > > -- > --------- > Visit my Leica photo pages at http://www.leicapages.com > --------- > <<< PGP public key available upon request >>> > > ******************** > > "The reasonable man adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable man > persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all > progress depends on the unreasonable man." - George Bernard Shaw > > -- > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html > - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html