Leica r8 with flash?

I own a Leica R8 and a Mecablitz 36 C-2 flash by Metz. In the Leica manual it keeps mentioning a SCA 3501 adapter. I really can not understand the reason for the adapter. Is this adapter necessary to take flash pictures with this camera? Do I have to go out and buy one or what? Any info will be appreciated. Thanks in advance. Gus.

I own a Leica R8 and a Mecablitz 36 C-2 flash by Metz. In the Leica manual it keeps mentioning a SCA 3501 adapter. I really can not understand the reason for the adapter. Is this adapter necessary to take flash pictures with this camera? Do I have to go out and buy one or what? ...

These older Metz flashes predate Leica branded flash units (which, BTW, are also made by Metz). The 3501 adapter had the correct contacts for the Leica hot shoe for TTL flash.

 

The standard single contact adapter will still work on your R8, but you won't get the full benefit from the flash unit.

Is this adapter necessary to take flash pictures with this camera?

No. But it could turn your (or at least a more recent) Metz into fully TTL compatible. - Without it you can set your shutter speed by hand and select auto thyristor f-stops or meter your manual flash etc. as with every dumb camera

The 36 C-2 is a simple flash that isn't compatible with the SCA adapters and will only work in manual mode or a very basic 'auto' mode (using the flash unit's own sensor, not the camera's TTL flash meter). This is what the R8 manual refers to as 'Flash photography with the X-contact' and 'Flash photography with the flash connection socket'.

 

For the specific 36 M-1 / 36 C-2 instructions (in a rather awkward multilingual format!), see:

 

mecablitz: Metz

 

Some of the more advanced Metz flashes are compatible with the SCA 3501, and this combination would let you take full advantage of all the R8's flash features, including TTL mode:

 

Metz SCA Module Feature Chart for Leica Camera

SCA allows TTL operation and a flash ready light in the VF of the R8. It's good to have, but as others say, your flash is not compatible, so you would need to get a more modern flash which is SCA compatible to get these valuable features. Any auto flash will work on the R8 but you will have transfer your ISO and aperture readings to the flash manually etc.