External flash operator with M7

[nir_dvorai]

<p>I'm looking for a small flash or device to shot with M7 and operate external big flashes. At my collage studio I have flashes that works with any flash, eve n build in camera like they have in SLR. Can I use the Nikon sb-30 for t h at? Do I need a sync cable? Is the shooting speed still be 1/50? Can you advise for my other options? Thank you, Nir.</p>

[christer_almqvist2]

<p>The smallest flash that you can get will work; all it has to do is to give off enough light to set off your big flashes. On camera, or off camera with a sync cable, does not matter. Minox have very small flashlights, but they do not fit the M7 unless you cut off one of the corners, which I have done. Used small flashes are about 10 Euros.</p>

<p>I use a computerized flash, just in case I want to use it on its own, but that has never happened. To set off other strobes I use a white card in front of the flash on the camera turned 45 degrees upwards to avoid it affecting the picture directly. I then use the manual flash setting and set this to the lowest possible output.</p>

<p>Shooting speed should be 1/50 or longer, 1/50 being the shortest speed that the whole film window is open at the same time. Use of shorter speeds will give you negatives that are only partly exposed by the flash.</p>

[wgpinc]

<p>There are a couple of little flash units that are handy. I use a little Vivitar 202 flash that you can use straight ahead, or I bounce it in small rooms off the shoe at 2.0/2.8 to add enough light to get the picture. There are several of them on the bay right now for $5 to $15. The little Olympus T-20 is another unit that works nicely with Leica rangefinders. You can nearly always find them on the bay. Both of these are old fashioned thyristor units that you can use in auto or manual mode. Good luck. </p>

[chuck_albertson1]

<p>I occasionally use the SB-30 for that purpose, to trigger the optical slave on an Elinchrom monobloc. Dial the power of the SB-30 way down, and pull up that little shade on the front of the flash, so that it doesn't add anything to the picture. Sync speed remains the same - 1/50. More often, though, I use PocketWizards as they're much more reliable.</p>