Hasselblad Flash Recommendations

[william_varney]

I am interested in extending my medium format work to include flash.

I have a Hasselblad 503CW and use 80mm and 150mm lenses. I

understand the Hasselblad D-flash 40 is not very good. Any

recommendations for a good auto flash and flash bracket combination,

for hand-held event photography. I also have a winder mounted on my

503CW.

 

Thanks, Bill

[william_varney]

I should add that I also us a PME45 Prism on the 503CW.

 

Bill

[vartan_grigorian1]

I think the Metz 45 and 60 CL/CT series are pretty much the industry standards for this kind of work.

[mark_messerly1]

A very reasonably priced combination would be a Newton 7100 bracket and the Metz 28C-2 flash. The flash is directly above the lens and thus suitable for waist level finders. The bracket has a number of lateral, height and other adjustments. It has a grip and cable release. It is well made. The Metz 28C-2 is quite powerful and I have had very good results. I am unsure physically how the winder may work with this combination.

[ted_ylauan]

Bill,

 

I also use a 503cw with PME45. I use a Quantum Q-Flash T2 and their QF-19 TTL adapter for the 503cw. The Q-flash has a parabolic reflector like the D-40 flash and works great with the square image. I remove the reflector for bare-bulb flash. With this setup I bracket the flash output with the TTL flash control dial on the side of the 503cw.

 

My other choice would be a Metz handle type flash unit.

[richard_freedman1]

Hey Bill,

I too use the 503CW and find it perfect for weddings/Barmitzvahs (ie-hand-held event photography), and in fact do use the D-flash 40, which I love. I guess I kind of know why you've been told that it's not very good; it is, in fact, an excellent peice of equipment, but it can be a bit bulky and somewhat fragile. It's made for Hasselblad by Sunpak, and is based on Sunpak's 120J TTL flash. It can only work in TTL mode, sorry, no manual or basic automatic features. The Sunpak 120J, which is available as both basic and TTL models, does in fact have manual (full-power) and three auto settings. So, what's the difference between the Hassy D-40 and the Sunpak 120J otherwise? The most important feature is that the Hassy version takes six AA-batteries (like a Metz), whereas the Sunpak takes only four (like a Vivitar). Of course both flashes plug into a battery pack (the same one, in fact), but if you're like me, you don't want to be restricted on a wedding with one more thing dangling around your neck/bolted to your belt. I've never had a problem shooting an entire event with the six-battery model, but with the other one, you'll need the power pack for sure. Also, the Hassy D-40 is a more robustly-built flash, with a metal shoe-mount. Also, the Sunpak 120J-TTL still requires a TTL module, whereas it's built right into the Hassy D-40. Just for the record, I own one of each, so that the Sunpak serves as my back-up to the Hassy flash (as well as sharing the same battery pack, they also share the same reflector mount and flash tube, and on a recent wedding, I dropped my D-40, smashing the flash tube; I simply swiched tubes and continued shooting with the D-40). Whether you choose to own one, the other, or both (as I do), pick up a Lumidyne snoot for storing the flah(es) in your camera bag, since the reflectors make the units pretty bulky. Also, have you tried the Winder CW with your camera? Makes hand-held event photography a dream.

[kevin_kolosky]

Bill

 

I have used just about every type of flash unit that has ever come out, from the old graphlex models, to most of the metz models, sunpack, vivitar, etc. for my money you just cannot beat the quantum x-2 with their qpac. lots of power, accurate, tough. yes, heavy and expensive too.

 

Kevin

[porshah1]

I have the 503CW that I use for event photography. I have used the Metz 60 CT-4(in TTL mode), the Lumedyne(non-TTL), and the Quantum X2(in TTL mode). I still have all three, but now I use the Quantum X2 exclusively with Lumedyne power pack. The X2 without a doubt produces the most consistant and pleasing results time after time. Just like the flash, I have also tried several different brackets(Stroboframe, Lindahl, and Custom Brackets). I would highly recommend the Custom Brackets version QS (www.custombrackets.com). It is very comfortable and sturdy. You can pretty much configure it to your exact needs. I also love the way it stands upright when you put it down. It costs more than the others, but it is worth the money. Hope this helps.

[kevin_lackey]

Hi Bill, I use the Hasselblad 501CM with a Metz 45CL-4 flash on the Stroboframe QR-66 bracket. The bracket was designed specifically for use with Hasselblads by Denis Reggie, who uses the 503/winder CW combo. The bracket has an integrated anti twist plate molded into it around the Hassy Quick-connect plates.

 

I have found it to be light, comfortable, and reasonably well balanced, but the best point for me, was that it has a flat bottom, so that it could sit it upright on a table without it falling over as other brackets can do.

[dick roadnight cotswolds]

I have two Metz 70MX-5s and Hassel adaptor.

 

These are TTL flash metering compatible with the 503CW (and my 555ELD)

and you can use one wired to the camera and one as a wireless slave.

 

Two flashes and diffusers gives you studio quality pics with an outfit with which you can walk about.

[scott_youmans]

I'm using a 503CW with the Metz 54MZ-3 flash on the Stroboframe QR-66 bracket. This flash is one of the most flexible flashes I have ever used, with plenty of power (GN of 160) and a zoom head which can be set for any of your other prime lens to get the most out of the flash. Works great in TTL for most (1) strobe situations, and (2) manual mode when used as a fill with an off camera primary strobe. In these fill lighting situations in manual, you simply dial in the distance from your subject, the aperture selected and fire off the picture. Perfect exposure every time. I don't recommend mixing TTL, or Automatic modes on the flash when using off camera lighting too. I like this setup a bit more than the larger Metz flashes. Note: I use Radio Slave 4i system to trigger off camera strobes.

[steve_stracquodaine]

I was reading this thread and found that the Sunpak 120J uses 4AA batteries whereas the D-Flash 40 uses 6AA. That would make the Sunpak a 6V unit compared to a 9V unit for the Hasselblad. So my question is how can both units share the same external battery pack when the voltage is different?

 

Thanks,

Steve

[gabriel_suarez1]

<p>I understand that the D-flash 40 works perfectly with the H1 and H1D. Is that right ?</p>

[q.g._de_bakker]

<p>Not as far as i know.<br />The D40 connects to the camera's TTL-control circuit through a plug. There is no socket for that on H-System cameras.<br />And the D40 is perhaps not compatible with the SCA-3002 system the H-thingies use.</p>

[arthur_gottschalk]

<p>The D-40 works well with the 503CW at ranges not exceeding 12 feet. The rest is up to the photographer.</p>