Fill Flash for H2

[hubell]

Any recommendations as to the preferred solution for a portable flash to mount on the hot shoe of an H2 with a digital back to use for fill flash?
Thanks.

[rolleiflexpages]

Any recommendations as to the preferred solution for a portable flash to mount on the hot shoe of an H2 with a digital back to use for fill flash?
Thanks.

Am using the Metz Mecablitz 54 MZ-4 with the Hasselblad SCA adapter 3902, works very well.
http://www.metz.de/en/photo-electronics/me...nformation.html

[rhsu]

Any recommendations as to the preferred solution for a portable flash to mount on the hot shoe of an H2 with a digital back to use for fill flash?
Thanks.

If you do NOT have a Metz, I used my SB800 or any portable flash and:

1) set both flash and camera at same and on aperature mode and dial the appropriate -3 to +3 EV on the flash;
2) Set the flash and camera at same aperature mode BUT set your flash aperature to the desire stop down ie H2 @ f11 = flash @ f8 or f5.6; or
3) set the flash to manual and dial the power output.

But the Metz with a compatible SCA adapter do work well indeed.  I used to shoot with my Metz54-MZ with the said adapter and adjust my EV value with my then H3D AND with my 503cw via Imacon 16mp!

good luck

[hubell]

If you do NOT have a Metz, I used my SB800 or any portable flash and:

1) set both flash and camera at same and on aperature mode and dial the appropriate -3 to +3 EV on the flash;
2) Set the flash and camera at same aperature mode BUT set your flash aperature to the desire stop down ie H2 @ f11 = flash @ f8 or f5.6; or
3) set the flash to manual and dial the power output.

But the Metz with a compatible SCA adapter do work well indeed.  I used to shoot with my Metz54-MZ with the said adapter and adjust my EV value with my then H3D AND with my 503cw via Imacon 16mp!

good luck

Thank you. How does the size of the Metz with the SCA adapter compare with the Nikon Speedlites and comparable Canon flashes?

[rolleiflexpages]

Thank you. How does the size of the Metz with the SCA adapter compare with the Nikon Speedlites and comparable Canon flashes?

roughly identical. The SCA takes no extra place as it is set just above the flash shoe. The advantage is you can exchange it and use the flash gun with different camera makes. I am switching SCA adapters for Leica, Rolleiflex, and Hasselblad depending on need. This is a great and very reliable system and I would recommend it over any camera-specific solution. By the way, the latest Leica flash gun is also made by Metz. All Metz flash guns are produced in Germany.

[Dick Roadnight]

roughly identical. The SCA takes no extra place as it is set just above the flash shoe. The advantage is you can exchange it and use the flash gun with different camera makes. I am switching SCA adapters for Leica, Rolleiflex, and Hasselblad depending on need. This is a great and very reliable system and I would recommend it over any camera-specific solution. By the way, the latest Leica flash gun is also made by Metz. All Metz flash guns are produced in Germany.

...and you can use new or old Metzs together, using one wired to the camera as fill, and I use my other three as main and background off camera. 'cept for that I cannot get mine to work at the moment.

[rhsu]

roughly identical. The SCA takes no extra place as it is set just above the flash shoe. The advantage is you can exchange it and use the flash gun with different camera makes. I am switching SCA adapters for Leica, Rolleiflex, and Hasselblad depending on need. This is a great and very reliable system and I would recommend it over any camera-specific solution. By the way, the latest Leica flash gun is also made by Metz. All Metz flash guns are produced in Germany.

I support full what this member stated and correctly pointed out the MANY advantages of Metz flash.  You only have to buy SCA adapters to suit whatever cameras you have.  They are not bigger than the Nikon SB flashes or the pro series Canon flashes.

I find the size of Metz "more" powerful per GN.

Sometimes, I would use my Metz on my Nikon instead of my SB for photo-journalism, esp when I need to bounce off high ceilings or side walls (as fill).

Each time there is a new camera/model on the market, Metz will produce a new SCA adapter for it to cover "new" technological features.

Pro level Metz is a good long term investment.  

good luck!

[rolleiflexpages]

I should also add that I am sometimes using the Metz Mecablitz 54 MZ-4 attached to the camera with proper SCA adapter as a main flash gun, and with another Metz flash 54 MZ-4 as a secondary flash gun in a master-slave mode. The second flash gun then receives the slave adapter SCA 3083 and stands on a little foot (delivered with the slave adapter). Many SCA capable Metz flashes can be used in slave mode through this SCA slave adapter, or you could opt for a (smaller) specific slave flash. Lastly, the SCA adapters are firmware-upgradable, meaning that, as technology evolves, they are kept current by simple flashing thus protecting your investment.

http://www.metz.de/en/photo-electronics/me...data-sheet.html

[bigalbest]

Yesterday I tried a little experiment and hooked up my Canon 580exII to the hot shoe on my H3DII. Using custom function 5-3 you can manually set the ISO and f stop, and it worked great!

[attachment=20886:canon_fill_1.jpg]
f11

[attachment=20887:canon_fill_2.jpg]
f2.8

I also tried using it off camera with Pocket Wizards, but the flash had no way of checking distance without the hot shoe mount and had to be set fully manual.