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Bronica GS-1 flash


michael_radika

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Only the Bronica G-1 flash will give you TTL exposure control, but practically any hotshoe speedlight will fire and allow manual flash control.

 

I don't think this camera was popular enough to have an SCA 300 module made for it, which would be another route to TTL exposure.

 

Personally, I'd forget about TTL (grossly overrated IMO) and go for a flash with simple Auto Aperture mode.

 

Auto Aperture control uses a sensor on the flash itself to quench the exposure when sufficient light is detected, and works with any camera. It's very reliable IME.

 

Nikon's SB 24, 25 and 28 speedlights offer AA mode, as do many 3rd party flashes like Sunpak's AZ3600, 4500 and 55. Cullman/Osram also made some useful hotshoe-mounted SCA compatible flashes with somewhat limited AA control - a choice of only 2 apertures.

 

Then there's the Vivitar 283/285 bricks that have an unfathomable cult following.

 

My own preference is for the Nikon SB-25. It's well-built, powerful, fast to recycle, flexible in operation and offers a comprehensive selection of manual power settings. Plus AA mode of course. I have 4 of them and they've never let me down.

Edited by rodeo_joe|1
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Agree with Joe that almost any flash will work with a hot shoe. Another idea is to use a Sunpak 622 in auto mode with a PC cable. Set the exposure on the camera, set the film ISO and desired f/stop on the flash head and you're good to go.

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Agree with Joe that almost any flash will work with a hot shoe. Another idea is to use a Sunpak 622 in auto mode with a PC cable. Set the exposure on the camera, set the film ISO and desired f/stop on the flash head and you're good to go.

 

Hey thanks a lot for your reply I looked at that sunpak that thing looks huge that's not something that goes on the hot show on the camera that's something that's like like a big flash unit but it looks interesting to use.

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Only the Bronica G-1 flash will give you TTL exposure control, but practically any hotshoe speedlight will fire and allow manual flash control.

 

I don't think this camera was popular enough to have an SCA 300 module made for it, which would be another route to TTL exposure.

 

Personally, I'd forget about TTL (grossly overrated IMO) and go for a flash with simple Auto Aperture mode.

 

Auto Aperture control uses a sensor on the flash itself to quench the exposure when sufficient light is detected, and works with any camera. It's very reliable IME.

 

Nikon's SB 24, 25 and 28 speedlights offer AA mode, as do many 3rd party flashes like Sunpak's AZ3600, 4500 and 55. Cullman/Osram also made some useful hotshoe-mounted SCA compatible flashes with somewhat limited AA control - a choice of only 2 apertures.

 

Then there's the Vivitar 283/285 bricks that have an unfathomable cult following.

 

My own preference is for the Nikon SB-25. It's well-built, powerful, fast to recycle, flexible in operation and offers a comprehensive selection of manual power settings. Plus AA mode of course. I have 4 of them and they've never let me down.

 

 

Thanks for your reply now I got some options and I've got some direction to go for the Flash so there's a lot of options not sure which way I'll go but you got you both you guys gave me some good ideas thanks I appreciate it.

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Michael, correct, the Sunpak 622 would be used with its own bracket, not the hot shoe on the GS-1. I use a 622 on a bracket with an RB67 Pro SD and it works well.

 

Okay so it mounts to the camera just not through the hot shoe interesting I'll have to see if there's somewhere I can go take a look at it local camera stores if somebody sells it I'd like to see it before I buy it.

 

Yeah because my camera has a speed grip and the hot shoe is on top of the speedgrip. But to do any hanhold shooting he pretty much need to speed grip on this camera whether you use a hot shower or not you just need it to hold the camera off of a tripod.

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OK. So we've kind of narrowed it down to a hotshoe-mounted speedlight.

 

There's not a lot available brand new that's worth the money, and that supports Auto Aperture mode, IMHO.

 

On the used market, I strongly recommend you look at ones made by the 'big camera brands' - Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Olympus etc. These generally have the best build quality and highest light output. The only other make I'd suggest looking at is Metz. Sunpak's non-hammerhead flashes are generally a bit 'weedy'. But I agree that the 622 is a nice powerful flash - just not the style you want unfortunately.

 

Honestly though, I stick by my recommendation of a Nikon SB-25. You won't beat it for power and versatility in a compact size.

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That sunpak flash seems so huge I wish I could see it mounted to a camera to see how it actually looks I might like it but I just can't picture it attach to my camera.

 

If I can find a photo of it attached to a camera I need to get a better idea of actually how big it is other than that I'll probably go with the Nikon flash that you recommended and just put it on my hot shoe.

 

Thank you everybody for all of your advice.

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My go-to generic "auto" flash is my Metz 36CT3. Although it's been on a lot of cameras, I did use it a lot on the speedgrip on my Bronica SQ-A.

 

The Metz has a similar power output and is similar in size to the venerable Vivitar 283(which I also like and have a bunch of) but the head can bounce, swivel, and zoom with an integral diffuser panel. The 283 only offers bounce(although the 285 adds zoom) and you need a separate diffuser. The Metz also offers a wide range of apertures as opposed to just the four offered on the 283(which change depending on the film speed). You directly set the aperture on the Metz, although when uncoupled you have to directly set that on the lens. That's as opposed to the 283/285, where you have to reference the calculator dial and it gives you a color to set on the Auto Thyristor module.

 

The Metz has interchangeable hot-shoes, and with one appropriate for the camera you can also get at least coupled auto flash where supported(set the aperture on the flash and it gets set on the camera) or even TTL where supported. Unfortunately, the shoes are not overly common-I suggest just the plain uncoupled shoe.

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Michael, have you provided information on what style of photography you want to do with the GS-1 and a flash? Handheld or tripod? Studio or location? Portraits, nature or events/reportage? The simplest thing for you is to use a speedlight on the hot shoe. It may not produce the best possible results. When making suggestions, it helps to know the goal you are seeking. My policy with on camera (including grip/potato masher type) flash is to go as powerful as possible, with adjustable manual and semi-automatic operation.

 

Sunpak 622 and 522 with Mamiya RB67:

https://farm9.static.flickr.com/8037/8028708267_6612dcac58_b.jpg

https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2838/9897476773_6447e93de0_b.jpg

 

Metz with GS-1:

https://i.ebayimg.com/thumbs/images/g/ozcAAOSwfpBacJ08/s-l225.jpg

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Thanks for the reply.

 

I like shooting outdoor Portraits studio portraits and I like to mess around with a little bit of landscape which I don't really need a flash for landscape but I enjoy Studio work and outdoor work to mostly portraits.

 

Thank you for the link to the photos now I have an idea of what it looks like.

 

I guess inside the studio I could just use strobes nice thing about the bronica is it's got Leaf shutter so I can sync all the way up to a 500 of a second..

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I guess inside the studio I could just use strobes nice thing about the bronica is it's got Leaf shutter so I can sync all the way up to a 500 of a second..

 

As someone who is relatively new to using studio lighting, all I can say is that if it's at all possible I'm using it. Once you get use to both the flexibility and power, it's hard to go back.

 

BTW, for a lot of indoor work with studio strobes, your shutter speed(within reason) is actually irrelevant. The flash is so much brighter than ambient as long as you don't get into overly long shutter speeds you won't pick up ambient light. The aperture is important, and in a typical set up I'm often in the f/11 to f/22 range even at ASA/ISO 100.

 

In fact, 1/500 is getting into dangerous territory as some studio strobes have a flash duration longer than that. 1/250 is usually safe. I measure and keep note of flash durations with various settings using a Nikon D1-these can sync at any speed up to the maximum, and it's easy to see when exposure starts to change.

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A "gated" flash meter like a Sekonic L 718 (and many others) will actually tell you the accurate f/stop to set if your camera shutter speed with a leaf shutter is faster than the flash duration. With my White Lightning 3200's, I would lose about 1/3-1/2 a stop at 1/500. Ben is right that 1/250 should be safe with almost any studio strobe.
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I have some of the flashes mentioned here, but I don't own a GS-1. I have an ETRSi, but I have a Metz SCA300 module that I use with a Metz 45-CT4 for TTL stuff. Not strictly necessary, however. The CT-4 has a thyristor circuit though, so it can meter exposure without the TTL mode being used.

 

I also own a Nikon SB-24, which also has simple auto mode for non-TTL work, and a Canon 540EZ, ditto. And a Vivitar 283 and 285. Ditto to both of them as well. And a Sunpak 422D, which is also a nice little flash. Like the Nikon and Canon, it has swivel as well as bounce and zoom. I find all these flashes work well just using their onboard thyristor circuits.

 

And I also own a Sunpak 622 handle-mount flash. This thing is HUGE. It puts out great bucket-loads of light. And of course, its thyristor circuit gets the job done too. Given that you're using a Bronica grip, it seems to me that you could still mount the Sunpack's bracket to the bottom of the grip. It might be a bit ungainly looking once all's said and done, but I don't see why it wouldn't work.

 

The way I see it, any of the above flashes can work for you, depending on what sort of output and or bounce/zoom requirements you may have.

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Have another question dies if I don't want to put the flash on my camera on the speed rap and I want to put it on a light stand let's say I'm shooting a portrait in a park and I want to put it on a light stand with an umbrella. Can I control the flash with a pocket wizard can I put a pocket wizard in my hot shoe on my speed grip and control the flash or do I have to use a PC cable to connect them?
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You can fire a remote flash with a PW, but not control its power.

 

If you already have PWs, fine. If not they're overpriced, oversized and will do nothing that cheaper alternatives like YongNuo RF-603s can't do.

 

MWMcBroom said: "... a Canon 540EZ, ditto."

 

I'm curious. I have a Canon 540 EZ and can't enable Auto Aperture mode on it. I understand it needs to be fitted to a compatible Canon camera to get that feature. So no use on the Bronny?

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Michael, you can trigger the flash with 2 pocket wizards: 1 connected to the flash and 1 connected to the camera/speed grip.

 

In this setup, power can be controlled 2 ways, if your flash supports it: auto mode and manual mode. Generally speaking for auto mode, you set the film speed and desired f/stop on the flash. The flash controls its own power using an on board sensor. This is common. In manual mode, you set the power level, which has a procedure that varies for different flashes. It helps greatly to have a flash meter to measure the light the subject is receiving. Please refer to your flash manual for this type of operation. None of what has been described in this post is TTL or coupled with the camera.

 

The camera-based PocketWizard can be mounted on the hot shoe of the speed grip, it is super simple. The flash-based PocketWizard needs a cable (PW's website is very good for this, the cables are reasonably priced) to the flash. The flash can be mounted on a light stand. The PocketWizard can be hung on the light stand with its lanyard or taped/velcro'd, etc.

 

I did a recent portrait shoot as described above (Sunpak 622 on a light stand with PocketWizard) using automatic mode, and metered with a Sekonic L-758DR. The PocketWizard on the camera was connected by a PC cable because there is no option (RB67) for a hot shoe. I have driven an off-camera flash setup from a 1959 Minolta SR-1 using this PocketWizard configuration. It works and is easy.

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Again thanks for all the great information from everybody.

 

I have to decide now what flash to get I mean there's been numerous flashes listed in this thread I have to decide which one I want.

 

Going to do some research on all of them listed and try to make a decision.

 

It's nice to know if I have two pocket Wizards that I can control the flash from the Pocket Wizard but I'm guessing that's at least $200 for a couple of pocket Wizards.

 

To start out with I'll probably get the Flash and get up a 12 foot PC cable and probably go that route to start out with.

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A PC cable is how I started and will work very well. PocketWizard Plus-X and Plus II units can be found for less than $50 each, so a set can be found for less than $100. I use Plus IIs and they are great.

 

Be sure the unit is a "transceiver". Avoid the camera dedicated units (Canon. etc.).

 

One example: PocketWizard LOT of 3

 

It may take some patience and hunting on the auction site and various craigslists, but they can be found.

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Thanks again for your replies.

 

I did find a Metz SCA 331 hot shoe that will go on my camera I read an article on on the internet it says you can use this on the bronica gs-1 I guess it's an adapter so you can adapt to Minolta.

 

I'm still a little confused this I found this on eBay on a German site a German eBay site it's relatively cheap it's brand new I've been trying to research it does this do anything for me that will this help me get TTL on some type of Flash?

 

Or am I just wasting my time and I should just pick up a flash and Go manual mode and be done with it.

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Michael have you seen references to the "Speedlight G1"? This seems to be the right unit for your camera. There is one for sale on ebay as part of a 37 piece kit. Other than this, there does not seem to be any for sale in the US.

 

Since none of the people posting on this thread, myself included, are GS-1 users, you need to do some searching and decision making. There have been a number of recommendations given and it's best if you choose one. Almost any speedlight will work on your grip. It will not give TTL function. You need to decide if this is important.

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Only 30 bucks for a pair of brand-new RF-603 triggers from B&H.

 

Exactly the same functionality as an expensive pair of PWs, and no special cable needed, since the speedlight slides right into the transceiver hotshoe. And no stupid aerial sticking in your face on top of the camera either.

 

I've been using RF-603s for some time, and found them totally reliable and robust. Just the other day, one of them survived a 6ft fall from a lighting stand, together with a Yong Nuo flash. The battery lid of the flash popped open and spilled its AA cells, but there was no permanent damage, or even any cracks or scratches.

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