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Small manual flash recommendations?


simon_crofts

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<p>Does anyone have suggestions for a flashgun for use on a manual camera (ie. not particularly voltage sensitive trigger) like a Nikon FM2?</p>

<p>What I am looking for is something that has easy manual flash power control - not done through menus and LCD, but where flash power can be reduced by a physical sliding lever or similar, and where there's <strong>no</strong> electronic buttons control, LCD, TTL capability or such-like. Also, it should be pretty lightweight - ie. ideally smaller than an SB600. And it should be pretty low powered, or at least capable of having it's power turned down low. Also, it won't have a sleep mode that might activate while connected to an old camera.</p>

<p>I'm guessing it will probably have to be a flash from a decade or two ago. Any suggestions about one that is nice to use and preferably readily available? Or is something like this still made nowadays by someone reasonably reputable?</p>

<p>Thank in advance for all suggestions!</p>

 

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<p>Check out some of the Rokunar models I think Adorama sells some for less than 40 bucks. Beleive it or not I bought a Rokunar manual flash over 20 years ago during a "bait and switch operation" and it still works great as if brand new. I wanted a Nikon, but the salesman got me to buy a Rokunar. It is totally manual, even the zoom head is manual, is fairly powerful has a sliding power switch and thryistor technology. </p>
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<p>Simon, for use on an FM2, with sliding controls and ability to power down and control fill in tiny increments (5 from full to 1/16th) manually, which is what I think you have in mind, look at the older Sunpak models. I have two or three Sunpaks, one sitting right on my desk as I type this would fit the bill as it has for me, a model auto 36 Dx. But it's not that small, about the size of a Nikon 600. Since many Sunpaks embody the slider controls, there may be a smaller one that has them.</p>

<p>I use smaller flashes, but none have the controls you need.</p>

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<p>Simon, I just bought a Cullmann flash from Adorama. Can't recall the model number (it has still to reach me), but it cost $30 plus tax. It works on two AA cells and is small. It has two auto apertures and a manual setting. Its power output cannot be controlled directly, but if it is set to f/2.8 on auto the duration of the flash should be short. I need it mainly for C-U shots with an 85mm lens on an M Leica. It can also be used as a slave, optically triggered.<br>

I wanted a back-up for a Sunpak 1600A, which is similar in most respects. That is no longer made but usually can be found on eBay.</p>

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<p>Thanks very much for all the suggestions, I've been Googling around them trying to work out the pluses and minuses of each. It's quite tricky as there don't seem to be sites that have systematic information, and often there's just a picture of the front of the flash not the back.</p>

<p>The <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/heritagefutures/sets/72157623985976569/">Metz 30</a>, and similar ones in the Metz range, seem quite close to what I was looking for. I like the low profile shape. The power switch on the back is more or less sort of the kind of thing I had in mind, though I'd much prefer it to be labelled 1/1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8th etc. I need one that can be reduced to something like 1/32nd or 1/64th power (or at least 1/16th). I suppose I could re-label the switch, so that's not fatal.</p>

<p>I couldn't tell whether the Cullmann and Sunpak 1600A have the manual slider power control, the specs I saw said something about 2 stop power reduction, which wouldn't be enough for me. The Sunpak range seems to be huge so there must be something in there.</p>

<p>It also needs to be usable off-camera with triggers, so don't want it to drift off to 'sleep'.</p>

<p>Thanks for the suggestions so far!</p>

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<p>Mmm, I was just looking at the back of the Metz 30 again trying to make sense of the control. If I understood right the slider at the top doesn't actually adjust the power of the flash, it's just a calculator? Power is adjusted by switching the switch on the flash to red, blue or yellow position?</p>

<p>If that's right then I would prefer something where the power is more adjustable. There seems to be something called <a href="http://www.mpex.com/browse.cfm/4,14648.html">LumoPro 160</a> which has the kind of controls I want, but it's bigger and more powerful than I was after.</p>

<p>I just realised my Sunpak ringflash has controls similar to what I'm after. Only, it's a ringflash, and much bigger than I had in mind, and ideally I'd rather be able to reduce power a bit further:-</p>

<p><img src="http://www.croftsphoto.com/photonet/PA54.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="461" /></p>

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<p>Simon--I dare say your ideal flash does not exist. If it was made decades ago, it will not power down manually to 1/64th or 1/128th--in that small a size. Most really small flashes, if they have manual partial power to begin with, don't go down that low. I have the Sunpak 1600A and it only has two auto thyristor apertures and no manual partial power.</p>

<p>My best suggestion is a Metz 40MZ. I have the 40MZ4-i. It is still bigger, but it is lower profile, and while it has an LCD and buttons rather than sliders, it will go down to 1/256th in manual mode, and it's auto thyristor metering is quite good. It also has a bounce head. Most Metz top of the line flashes go down in partial power quite low, and not most other brands.</p>

<p>Only older Sunpaks have the slider, and an old Sunpak 383 would have it, but only down to 1/16th. The Vivitar 283 with the variable dial for power (I think, down to 1/64th) would be another alternative, but these flashes are not that small. Why not an old, auto thyristor Nikon SB? I thought those went down to 1/64th?</p>

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<p>The ability to take it below 1/16th isn't really critical, especially if it's a small/weak flash to begin with, it was just a 'nice to have'. The main thing is smallish size and simple controls that can take it down to at least 1/16th.</p>

<p>Metz 40 looks a bit like a more modern version of the Metz 30? I will have to see if I can find physical copies somewhere I can look at, it's hard to evaluate size and handling from pictures. Looking againt at the controls of the Metz 30, it looks like the difference between each of the red, yellow and blue settings is 2 stops - which makes the yellow setting 1/16th of the red. Which would be OK, but 2 stops doesn't allow for fine adjustment! I guess the Metz 40 allows for finer adjustment? Maybe if so I might forsake manual control if the manual button control was accessible enough.</p>

<p>Thanks for your thoughts.</p>

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<p>I would look at the Sunpak smaller PZ series. No slider, but they go down to 1/64th. You can just ignore the i-TTL metering. I can't think of a modern flash that has physical sliders or knobs.</p>

<p>The Metz 40 does not have color coded settings. You can take it down in partial power in 1/3 stop increments, down to 1/256th. You will not like the size and weight, as it is similar to a 'regular' higher powered flash. The only thing is--it is low profile.</p>

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<p>The Metz 40 looks really good except for size. The smaller Sunpak PZ also looks a good possibility. I think I need to research some of the older Sunpaks too. I don't immediately see any Sunpaks that are obviously suitable on Ebay, but need to do more research, there seem to be an awful lot of models over the years.</p>

 

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<p>How much power do you want? I mean, what guide number equivalent? One unit's 1/64th is another's 1/32nd, for example. Unless your point is super short duration, you can reduce the effective power of any unit with a wide angle attachment or a diffuser. I have taped a piece of white paper over a flash head to cut its output, and in a pinch even draped a white cloth over one. Multiple layers will cut flash output way back.</p>
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<p>Hi Jeff, I was basing it on the rough rule of thumb that my Quantum flash at 1/64th power was often coming out a stop or two too powerful in practise, so a much smaller weaker flash would ideally be reduced by a similar amount and be about right. It would have the odd light modifier attached, but a diffuser or wide angle attachment would throw light in different direction which I didn't want - I want a hard focussed light. So I'd probably have to use a neutral density filter on the flash or similar instead, but if I could avoid it by being able to turn the flash right down it would be better.</p>

 

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<p>I think you need to nail down exactly what kind of lower power you need. Because you won't find a small, lower powered flash with incremental partial power control going down really low. I can tell you that Metz flashes are the only ones that have partial power going down to 1/256th, and these controls are put in their top of the line flashes, meaning they are typically full size shoe mount flashes.</p>

<p>For instance, my 40MZ has a guide number of 40 meters at the 50mm zoom setting. If I set it to 1/256th power at ISO 1600, I could use f2.8 at a subject distance of 7.8 feet if I widen the zoom head to 24mm. If you had a lesser powered flash going down to 1/16th, you still wouldn't match the 40's ability to go down low--that's 4 stops difference, plus most lesser powered flashes don't have that wide a zoom setting.</p>

<p>If partial power is the priority, I'd forget about the size of the unit.</p>

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<blockquote>

<p>If partial power is the priority, I'd forget about the size of the unit.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Provided I can regulate the power easily and quickly say to 1/16th, then size is the priority, because I can always stick a neutral density filter on to take power lower if necessary. Having the ability to take power lower than that is just a 'nice to have' saving me occasionally fiddling with bits of grey plastic, but not essential. Size and weight is more important.</p>

<p>The Metz 40 looks really good, and I'm tempted by it in any case, but I think size will be the killer in this case. Having said that, I want to see if I can see any in secondhand shops - I might get one anyway for a slightly different kind of use.</p>

 

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<p>Sorry--I left off a letter in the Sunpak name--it is Sunpak 30DX, and on the U.S. ebay, there are a lot of them. Here is one.</p>

<p><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Sunpak-Nikon-Auto-30DX-TTL-Film-Flash-/190461994130?pt=Digital_Camera_Flashes&hash=item2c586b6492">http://cgi.ebay.com/Sunpak-Nikon-Auto-30DX-TTL-Film-Flash-/190461994130?pt=Digital_Camera_Flashes&hash=item2c586b6492</a></p>

<p>Don't know if it had a different name in the U.K.</p>

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<p>Simon, if you are fine with the Sunpak, there are plenty of models to look at. I use several auto 26dx, which I found quite a few on Ebay UK. <br /><br />They are not overly large, have fully tilt/swivel and the adjustable manual output to 1/16th. I have purchased all of mine for under US $20.<br /><br />Another consideration may be the lower numbered Yongnuo flashes ie YN-460. Most are selectable down to 1/64th or lower,<br />and feature simple slider/dial/or button adjustments.<br /><br /></p>
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