Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/11/02
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Erik van der Meulen wrote: > > On Sat, Nov 01, 2003 at 07:45:35AM -0600, Karen Nakamura wrote: > > > The SF-20 meets all your needs except bounce. It's so small and light > > that it's always in my bag. The huge LCD on the back makes it a cynch > > to dial in -1 or -2 fill in flash and I've had perfect luck with my > > M7. It was expensive but you only cry once. > > Wonderful that this topic pops up today! I have just received my (second > hand) SF20 and am about to try it for the first time on my sons second > birthday party later today ;-) I will be shooting with an M6TTL. > > Thing is, I do not know how to! It did not come with a manual. My > Internet search resulted in: > > http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=002nMh > > but I am not sure if I miss things. > > Also, I am not sure about the difference between 'fill' and 'regular' > flash operation. Is the first where I set the camera to 1/50, ignore the > M6 meter information and let the TTL do its magic, while in the latter I > do my shutter and apature according to the M6 light meter and have the > flash (at -1 or -2) just 'play along'? While writing this it does not > make sense, since in that way I have a chance to fail the sync between > flash pulse and shutter opening. > > Sorry for all this beginners ignorance... I'd try not to tackle these problems on a kid's second birthday but on a non or lessor occasion. It's a common mistake. Learning under pressure. Bad shots on important occasions. I took a walk around my block to test my Metz 32.z2 flash with My M6 and 50 at dusk a few years ago and that series of shots dominates my portfolio or any stack of prints I ever bring anywhere. (8x10's with Delta 100) But it's better to test flash fill on people. Maybe mannequins would do it! Nobody can think under the kind of pressure of a kids birthday. :) It is a famously tricky issue for photographers which require some trial and error. I'll say that most flashes nowadays are set for fill flash and you have to over ride it to make it come out full flash. And then you have to reset it when you turn it back on again. One of my Nikons work that way at least. I kind of specialize in "synchro sun photography" which is what we are posting about but I know no one who shares my enthusiasm for it except when I turn on the TV and I see the news guys who never seem to take their flash off the camera. Even in the hot noon day son with the Mad Englishman. "Synchro sun photography" is what my photography teacher called it and he was an old old timer in the the mid 1970's. And I think I saw it in the Graphex book. They are like Leica Guides only for Speed Graphic's. A must for any Leica shooter. It's always what you don't think! I'd shoot this one with the flash in the bag. Known as "flash in the bag" technique. An effect which can be achieved no other way! Use 1600 film in color or black and white it's amazing how good that stuff is. Or 800. I like NPZ. Hand held photography has come along way because of the improvements in films. Not news. Have all the proofs made in the 16x20" size! I remember in the early 60's when they upgraded the speed of Tri X from 300 something to 400 and everywhere people were saying that these new fangeled flashes (there were two) were going to the trash can. No need for them anymore! Well you can still use a flash with 1600 ISO (a new word I learned in St. Louis; "Izo" Like Izod only without the "D". .. and with a long O. They sure stabilize your color balance. And I'll take an effective shutter speed of 1/20,000 of a second any day. At f16. And be there! Woof! Mark "Blast 'em!" Rabiner Portland, Oregon USA http://www.rabinergroup.com - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html