[Leica] good small flash for M9

[photo.forrest at earthlink.net (Philip Forrest)]

Why did Leica screw up the shoe and put in those 4 TTL contacts then?
Surely that would have reduced the price of the camera by 2 or 3 Euro.
Come to think of it, a cold shoe would be such an anomaly that the
price may have actually gone UP.

Sometimes flash is necessary. 
Sometimes it's not necessary but adds so much more to the final image
that not using flash would make the image just boring or not able to be
seen at all.

This whole idea of not using a flash with a Leica is just hogwash
anyways. When the system was still in the Barnack stage and during the
M days prior to the Nikon F taking over, every photojournalist out there
who needed to get a shot to feed themselves used a flash when it was
necessary. Flashbulbs at that. Know your guide number, find your
distance, set your aperture, expose perfectly.

We've lost a bit of capability in these late years by not embracing
flash. In the days of the CEYOO and FP bulbs, the camera could be
synched for accurate flash exposures at 1/1000 second. No camera does
that now. With slow enough film and the right aperture, one can turn
day into night and have a perfectly lit subject in the foreground. 

A lot of creative process has been forgotten or set aside for the sake
of the snapshot. I'm as guilty as anyone since I rarely use flash, but
I know it well and if I need it, it's there.

Apologies for the lengthy rant.
Phil Forrest


On Wed, 7 Apr 2010 07:17:58 +0200
Nathan Wajsman <photo at frozenlight.eu> wrote:

> The M9 is not meant to be used with flash. The thing at the top that
> looks like a hot shoe is meant for accessories such as external
> viewfinders for wide angle lenses.
> 
> Nathan
> 
> Nathan Wajsman
> Alicante, Spain
> http://www.frozenlight.eu
> http://www.greatpix.eu
> http://www.nathanfoto.com
> 
> Books: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/search?search=wajsman&x=0&y=0
> PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws
> Blog: http://www.fotocycle.dk/blog
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Apr 6, 2010, at 2:28 AM, Geoff Hopkinson wrote:
> 
> > Leland if you are happy to use your flash the older fashioned way
> > (not using the GNC) then any modern unit should be fine with camera
> > set to the flash sync speed and exposure control by flash. Modern
> > to ensure that you don't risk high triggering voltages. I'd pick
> > something that you can select variable power settings for more
> > versatility (1/16 power, 1/8 etc for a blink of fill in). Just pick
> > which features you'd like, tilting head for example? The Metz stuff
> > is very good. Also the old Nikon and Contax off camera leads do
> > work if you are looking for more options with a bracket or
> > bouncing, say.
> > 
> > Cheers
> > Geoff
> > http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman
> > 
> > 
> > On 6 April 2010 01:28, Leland Deane <lmdmd at att.net> wrote:
> > 
> >> Can anyone recommend a good small flash for the M9. I don't like
> >> by old SF flash and can't see going for the bulk and expense of
> >> the larger Leica flash. I have minimal requirements so it can be a
> >> small manual flash and doesn't need to be TTL.
> >> Thanks,
> >> Leland
> >> 
> >> 
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Leica Users Group.
> >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more
> >> information
> >> 
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
> > Leica Users Group.
> > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> > 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
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