Metz 45 CL-4 quench pin

[photom]

<p>I am attempting to revive an old post because of some flashes I am working on.</p>

<p><a href="../photography-lighting-equipment-techniques-forum/00Uhgd">http://www.photo.net/photography-lighting-equipment-techniques-forum/00Uhgd</a></p>

<p>I recently purchased a Radiopopper PC transmitter and a couple of studio receivers. I am attempting to get all of my flashes that work with Nikon ttl to have remote power control so I can adjust them remotely inside a softbox. After testing, all of my various older Nikon flashes work great under this system using the 3 prong ttl cord to stereo mini-plug. Now I am working on my Metz 60 CT4 and Hasselblad/45 CL4 flashes.</p>

<p>The Metz flashes work fine as expected with the SCA300A ttl cord and SCA343 Nikon module. However, I would like to use a simpler cord as I am able to do with my Nikon flashes. This saves the need to buy a SCA343 module for each flash and is less cumbersome.</p>

<p>It turns out the 60-CT4 does have a simple quench pin in a similar fashion to the Nikon flashes so it is working as well as I can expect. Unfortunately my Hasselblad 4504 (which I assume is the same as the Metz 45 CL-4 because all of the specs are exactly the same) does not work with the same wire. So I tried the other mystery wires and so far none work the same as the 60 CT-4. It only fires at full power with no quench command.</p>

<p>So my question is has anyone else gone down this path with any success? As anyone across the broad reaches of the internet figured out the quench pin/ quench system for the Metz 45 CL-4?</p>

<p>Thanks,</p>

<p>= tommy</p>

<p> </p>

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>Tommy. Not familiar with the 'blad 4504, but if it takes an SCA adapter the pin connections should be the same as any other SCA300 compatible flash. The SCA modules all slot into a common shoe, so if you buzz out the connections from the shoe back to the plug that fits into the flash, you should be able to find the pin you're looking for.</p>

<p>Not sure why you want to circumvent the SCA 3XX module so desperately though, since they're mainly redundant these days and being sold off used at giveaway prices.</p>

[photom]

<p>Thanks for the response Joe.</p>

<p>Well, with my 60 CT4s one of the 8 wires is a quench circuit just like with my Nikon flashes (ex SB900, SB700). This allows me to cut-off the module end and splice a stereo plug onto the SCA 300A adapter cord which then goes directly into my radio receiver giving remote power control of the 60CT-4. This is much easier to setup and use than the Nikon SCA module 343 and the required Nikon hot shoe connection AS E900 (or similar) before finally plugging the stereo plug into the Radiopopper JrX receiver. Also, SCA 300A is even easier to find and cheaper.</p>

<p>For some reason the same wire does NOT work in the same manner (nor other wires) with the Hasselblad 4504 flash. Maybe I should have gotten a real Metz 45 CL-4. I thought they would be wired the same. It still fires fine when set to TTL with the Radiopopper splice setup, but always on full with no apparent quench. It is a challenge to track which wire does what because there is no continuity through the SCA 343 Nikon module unless actually attached to a live camera. I am not an electrician but rather a trial and error hack.</p>

<p>Probably what I will do is sell everything except my 60-CT4s to use when I need power and hypersync frame coverage at very high shutter speeds (full sun), and of course keep my Nikon flashes when I need speed and less weight. The 45 CL-4 is a nice flash but only about .3 stop brighter than my Nikons at 35mm and no zoom, and the same price as a good used SB 80DX. And, now I may have found out I cannot get the radio remote power control I was hoping for.<br>

<br /> One of the nice things about the 60 CT-4s is that the SLA/AGM batteries keep getting better and less expensive. I recently ordered a couple of 5.5 Ah batteries that have very low internal resistance and are almost the same size as the original with a little less weight. They cost about $12 each and will probably last 3 or 4 years. When one battery is drained too much, you can quickly pop in another, unlike Quantum battery options with other flashes which requires an entire second backup unit if depleted. I can live with 3 seconds more of recharge time when on full power as these are not used as my walk around flashes.</p>

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>Don't try and buzz out the wires with the SCA343 in place. Take the 343 adapter out of the SCA shoe and buzz it through from there. You should be able to find the corresponding quench from comparison with the 60CT-4 connections, if there is one on the 4504!</p>

<p>I agree that the metered output of a Metz 45CX-X only measures about 1/3rd of a stop more than a decent modern hotshoe strobe. However most little hotshoe units will overheat and shut down after a dozen or so full-power pops. The Metz hammerheads will just go on forever. Also the Metz guns will fill an umbrella or softbox with a true GN of around 28, whereas a hotshoe strobe needs to be racked out to a wideangle setting with a correspondingly lower GN. The nett result is that when you put a hammerhead into a modifier the useable power is usually greater than that of a hotshoe unit.</p>