How to use Leica R6.2 with modern studio strobes?

<p>Just purchased my first leica, a R6.2 <br />I'd like to be able to use it to sync modern strobes. Would this require a hot shoe adapter? Any recommendations on what I would need? Thanks in advance. </p>

<p>I believe this will have a PC terminal, but if you're using it a lot with studio strobes I would strongly recommend a radio triggering system like Pocket Wizard or Paul C. Buff Cyber Sync, which will work with a hot shoe.</p>

<p>Really not sure about the PC terminal, I' fairly new to lighting equipment. I was looking at the Interfit EX300 to start me off. </p>

Go with a PocketWizard Plus X or III transceiver system. You will need one on the camera and another on the strobe.

 

I understand your concern , regarding trigger voltage but most modern studio strobes have a fairly low trigger voltage

and if you want a hardware sync you should still be fine. The PC connection is on the left side of the R6.2 pentaprism.

<p>I tried looking the R6.2 up and can't spot a PC Terminal on it. there are inexpensive adapters hotshoe to PC socket & coldshoe floating around. The rest depends.... Personally I love the ease of using the slave sensors in studio flash units. I usually get a half modern used hotshoe flash that offers a Winder or MD setting for drastic output reduction, wire one generator to the extremely sensitve Metz slave trigger and rely on this one to set of the other generators' blinder built in slave sensors.<br>

Attaching a long PC cord to my handheld camera is no good idea. - PC connectors are known to be unreliable and I have more than enough other concerns besides worrying about not tripping on my sync cable while I am shooting.<br>

The generators and heads I am using are not really "modern" I had to get ND filters for my digital cameras. with 35mm film I could do without these using slowest available material - PanF in Perceptol APX 25 etc.<br>

The weak hotshoe flash as trigger works fine for me at my controlled place out in the field with others taking pictures too I'd surely need something else...<br>

We tried a friend's IR optical trigger for my flashes but I believve if you are setting up your stuff a visible trigger adds some convenience during the trouble shooting process.<br>

I never used radio triggers yet. The idea sounds neat, especially if you are using your flashes during events or such but at home I'd get scared by the hard to check high tech. <br>

If you want to use cable sync I firmly suggest getting a ready made hotshoe cable for your strobes. also grab a little table to place your camera on when you rush to rearrange your subjects.</p>

<p>Would one of these work perhaps?<br />http://www.paulcbuff.com/hsa.php <br /><br />http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/765453-REG/Vello_HSA_PCU_Universal_Hot_Shoe_Adapter.html</p>

<p>Page 36 of the owner's manual describes the flash arrangements as well as warnings. If you don't have a manual you can view or get one online thru www.butkus.org.</p>

<p>You can order cords with various connectors, including hot shoe adapters and threaded PC collars, from Paramount. They are expensive, but much more robust than ordinary cables from a camera shop (or the internet). I order straight cords just long enough for a bracket mounted flash, rather than deal with tangled coil cords.</p>

<p>Most shoe mounted flash units, like a Nikon SBxxx, will work using the center contact only. However you will not have most of the automation features. Nikon flashes do have a built-in flash sensor, so you can dial the f/stop and ISO into the flash and have automatic exposure. This actually works very well, often better than TTL flash units, without expensive adapters.</p>

<p>Long cords put too much stress on the camera and flash, and tripping on a cable can be a disaster. If I'm using light stands, I put a radio transmitter in the hot shoe and receivers on one or more flash units. This avoids a problem with older flash units, which may put too much current through the delicate (and expensive to repair) contacts inside the camera. It also avoids ground loops and polarity issues.</p>

<p>I still have a soft spot in my heart for long PC cords because of this:</p>

<p>In the early 1980's there was a short-lived, prime-time American soap opera about modeling and the fashion industry called "Paper Dolls." Some episodes (maybe all of them) featured a dynamic studio session with gorgeous models, music, and freeze frames punctuated by SLR sound effects. (At least that's how I remember them.) Each session started with the debonair photographer rakishly tossing the long PC cord over his shoulder. Think Zorro's cape.</p>

<p>It seemed oh-so cool.</p>

<p>Never saw the show, but most of my memories of long PC cords revolve around tripping over them... </p>

<p>Eddie, the B&H adapter you linked to will "work" as they all do; i.e. for a while, pretty likely with a bracket mounted flash gun, less reliably with a ton of other flashes wired to it & especially not when you think "oh it worked the last 1.5 dozen times I rigged my studio up, so lets go straight for the shot!". - If you get it use your keychain to shortcircuit the contacts for a test in advance (If your flashes are really "modern" with safe sync voltage!) - I don't know what your R6.2 stands - Leica recommend 15 - 28V for the digitals. - Good luck & pardon my sarcasm about PC connector reliability, but its based on bad experience.</p>

<p>PC terminals are not designed for hard use. Cable tips get bent or loose, and they are easily pulled loose. If you depend on PC connections, use tips with screw collars if possible, so they stay put. Get a forming tool (e.g., Paramount) to straighten the tips and tighten the sleeve (that fits around the post in the camera's PC). Eventually the inner sleeve on the camera will become loose, and a good cable won't make a reliable connection. Should that occur, try bending the pin in the cable connector a little off center.</p>

<p>Most studio flash units use a 3.5 mm or 1/4" PC plug for sync. Some have an optional PocketWizard (or proprietary) radio receiver built in. In a studio environment, you can sync one flash with a cable or radio and the others via photocells. Don't try that in public. Every party popper with a camera will trigger your flash units, and your stomach will turn to knots. Don't count on a cheap radio that works on garage door opener frequencies if you work in a large city. Every police car and taxicab radio will interfere with that band. PocketWizards may be expensive, but they use a much higher frequency plus a digital code. They've never failed me working downtown Chicago, in the pervue of a million watts broadcast from the Sears (Willis) Tower and a sea of 40W mobile units. (Sometimes my car remote won't work there, standing next to the car.)</p>

<p>Well I haven't had much luck figuring out what the voltage is for the Leica r6.2 <br>

I'm really unfamiliar with using strobes which is why I decided to take it to the forum for advice. I'm not really sure where to go from here, I was just considering the PC cord because it sounds like the least complicated method. But the sync voltage for the the lights are 4.3VDC and claims to be safe for any camera and the operating voltage is 120VAC. If anyone could provide a little simplified explanation on what I should be looking for it would be well appreciated..</p>

<p>The sync circuit on any modern studio strobe is isolated from the main power supply of 120 V AC, and 4.3 volts should be safe with any camera that I am aware of, so you should be OK with a PC cord with the Leica R6.2. The radio options would definitely be safe, since any camera module I've seen is powered by batteries that would have voltage well within a safe range for your camera. I have used at least 8 digital SLRs with Buff X series studio strobes with no damage to any cameras or flash units.</p>

<p>Thank you very much. It's always better to to be safe than sorry and since I'm a beginner I felt way over my head.</p>