M6 "Classic" Flash (and filter) help

[marco_maria_colombo]

Hi dear all, finally I've bought a wonderful M6 "Wetzlar" Leica with a nice Summicron 50 mm. Now I just want to buy a matching flash unit (I was thinking about the "Alan Harvey's Vivitar 2800"). Could you suggest some *appropriate* stuff? I don't need it dedicated TTL, I'd prefer light, easy to handle, with mobile head for bounce technique and fills. <br>

Thanks very much for your replies! -- Marco.<p>

P.S.: Which brand makes 39 mm filters for b&w shooting with Leica (yellow, orange, red, green, blue)?

[rolfe_tessem]

You could, of course, get a Leica SF-20 flash and use it in auto mode.

It is a nice, small unit but it has some serious limitations. The head

does not swivel and therefore there is no possibility to use it in

bounce mode. It is relatively low-powered and uses lithium rather than

standard AA batteries.

 

<p>

 

You could also get a venerable Vivitar 283, also used in auto mode,

for less than half the price. You would have a much more versatile

unit which can be used with light modifiers, with head swivelled for

bounce, etc. It is also considerably higher powered and uses standard

AA batteries.

 

<p>

 

There are also Metz units available but I am not personally familiar

with them.

[mark_johnson3]

I am using a Sunpak 383 flash with my M6 and M3. It has bounce

capabilities with auto and manual provisions.

 

<p>

 

Mark J.

[andy_piper2]

Actually, I use the Vivitar 2800 myself - didn't know it was DAH's

choice. It is more compact than the 283, but has bounce head, which

the SF20 doesn't have. It bounces only up and down though, not side-

to-side. Mine has worked perfectly for 13 years on Nikon, Contax,

Leica, Konica, you name it.

 

<p>

 

Heliopan makes filters in all the weird Leica-M sizes, including 39mm.

The are the only ones I can find in my part of the US.

[brian_david_stevens]

I use a metz 20BC 6 (well thats what it says on the back!) small and

fits the M6 like a glove. quite cheap if I remember rightly good for

fill in like this..

<img src="http://images.ofoto.com/photos159/2/81/92/34/72/0/

72349281203_0_ALB.jpg">

[lutz]

Marco,<BR><BR>

Go for the SF20. While it may be somehow limited in terms of guide no.

or tiltability it's THE match for an M6, be

it classic or TTL, and it has super controls that make manual and auto

flashing a breeze to master. Anything close to a Vivitar 283 (I have

one) makes

you wonder why you ever invested in a stealth and compact rangefinder

camera. Blasts of flash (be it bounced or direct) just don't seem

appropiate to an M6, IMHO. If you want a softer fill (I guess that is

what would make you want to have a tiltable head) wait til my SFILL

diffuser for the SF20 is

out for USD 5.00 (due soon). Here's a preview of a prototype, mounted

on an SF20 (with optional bracket for an off-center fill):<BR><BR>

<center><IMG SRC="http://www.konermann.net/sfill.first.jpeg"></center>

<BR><BR>

Another choice might be the compact Olympus 32T, great auto performer,

tiltable, compact. <BR><BR>

 

As for the filters, B&W does (no pun intended) and, err, I thought

Leica, too...? ;o) You might consider step-down rings to make 49ers or

52ers fit on both, 39 and 46 respectively...?<BR><BR>Cheers.

[jay_.]

If you don't have an M6TTL or R8 you'd be wasting your money paying

the exhorbitant price for an SF20. I second the endorsement of the

Sunpak 383 Super as an all-round flash shoe-mount unit. IF you plan

to take the unit off-camera, though, the Vivitar 283 is the way to

go. That unit has an off-camera cord which permits removing the auto-

sensor from the flash and attaching it to the end of the cord that

stays in the hot shoe. If all you want is a pocket-sized auto flash

for the hot-shoe, with no bounce (like the SF20), get an Olympus S20,

which is a clone of the Leica CF, except it only costs $50.

[matthew_pulzer1]

Sadly, Leica now only do UV filters, which is a shame for purists,

but probably makes little difference when looking at actual pictures!

(Second hand Leica E39 filters are not too hard to find, but do check

for scratches etc. I have some silver ones, which complement my

silver lenses nicely - trivial I know, but I'm harming no one!)

 

<p>

 

Heliopan, Hoya and B+W all make filters in E39 format and some of the

other less usual sizes. I use B+W and like them very much - nice

Leica quality feel about their construction. As a Leica purchaser,

you will aleready be programmed to accept without a blink B+W

prices. - £$£$£

 

<p>

 

Although it's not E39, it's worth pointing out that you need an extra

thin profile filter if you are using the tri-elmar, otherwise you may

vignette at f4 on the 28mm setting. (Not sure if this applies to both

versions.)

 

<p>

 

Cheers

 

<p>

 

Matt

[kaiblanke]

I currently use a set of B&W slip on color filters which work really

nice. No complaints about quality so long. As for the flash I use my

good old Metz 30 BCT 4, a quite compact one with an up-down bounce

head. Running on 4 AA batteries it services me for 15 years no w/o any

problems on all of my cameras so long. Quite compact and affordable it

offers a nice GN and handling. It also features a sync contact for

off-camera-use, these contacts are sometimes quite handy.

 

<p>

 

Kai

[godfrey]

I use the Leica SF-20 flash unit as it is small, light, has good

features for both the M6TTL and M4-P, and I find that the amount

I use flash makes the lithium batteries a very good option (they

last a very long time on the shelf...). I ordered a Nikon SC17 flash

extension cord to allow off-camera bounce and swivel

capabilities, which makes the whole kit very flexible when used

with diffusers and other paraphenalia.

 

<p>

 

With regard to filters, I use mostly B+W and Heliopan filters

when I use any at all. They are available in the sizes for all Leica

lenses and are very well made, with superior quality

antireflection coatings and optical glass.