METZ 54MZ-3 FLASH F/NIKON AF

[curt_kalkstein1]

<p>I'm getting conflicting information on whether this is compatible with my Nikon D700. Can I get a definitive word here? Also, if this is not compatible, can you tell me what non-dedicated flashes are that offer fill flash and a lot of power?</p>

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>The <a href="http://www.metz.de/index.php?eID=tx_nawsecuredl&u=0&file=fileadmin/fm-dam/Download/Homepage_Englisch/Photo_Electronic/Bedienungsanleitung_GB/mecablitz_GB/mecablitz_48_bis_76/mecablitz_54_MZ_3_GB_I_E.pdf&t=1370633923&hash=418d3726880e1fb6dab571a34cf46d2736bcbcb2">full manual for the 54MZ-3 is available online here</a>. The flash uses an SCA3000 series adapter, and you also need to read<a href="http://www.metz.de/index.php?eID=tx_nawsecuredl&u=0&file=fileadmin/fm-dam/Download/Homepage_Englisch/Photo_Electronic/Bedienungsanleitung_GB/SCA_Adapter_GB/SCA_3402_M10_Nikon_GB.pdf&t=1370634287&hash=09425c8290d00eae7170585103bf4f2bb9f955c8"> the manual for the appropriate Nikon adapter type 3402</a>.<br>

According to the adpater manual the SCA 3402 gives full i-TTL functionality with the D700 and most of Nikon's other DSLRs. However it does <strong>not</strong> appear to give any CLS capability - Metz have their own optical slaving system available I believe, but the encoding is totally different from Nikon's.</p>

<p>WRT to non-dedicated flashes that can be used for fill flash and have a lot of power: Your choice is incredibly wide and varied. Many of Nikon's own older speedlights can be fitted to the D700 with great success. My own favourites are SB-25s. These have just as much power as the latest SB-910 and basically only lack i-TTL and CLS. They can be used in Aperture-Auto mode for on-camera fill flash or can be used purely manually offering settings down to 1/64th power in 1/3rd stop decrements.</p>

<p>A word of warning: All flash manufacturers just plain lie about the GN of their products. Old Metz 45CT-x series hammerheads have an actual and measured GN of no more than 28 (metres/100ISO), as do Nikon's SB-800, 900 and 910, together with any of Canon's top-line speedlites. To get much more power you need to go to something like Metz's CT60 series or a Quantum unit, which will get you near to a true GN of around 45.<br>

How much power do you actually need? Nissin's Di866 is recognised to be the most powerful hotshoe mounted flash you can currently buy, with a <em>true</em> GN of around 32 (metres/100ISO) at its 50mm zoom setting.</p>

[curt_kalkstein1]

<p>Thanks for the detailed answer, Joe. <br /><br /><br>

I might have been unclear about what I meant about fill flash. It seems that when bouncing the 54MZ-3, there's a second light that will fill in. I'm sure you've tried bounce flash for the soft look, only to get a slight shadowing of the eyes. So, that's the feature I'm referring to on this Metz.</p>

[rodeo_joe1]

<blockquote>

<p>".........there's a second light that will fill in. I'm sure you've tried bounce flash for the soft look, only to get a slight shadowing of the eyes. So, that's the feature I'm referring to on this Metz."</p>

</blockquote>

<p>- In that case you might want to look at Nissin's Di866 that has that very feature. It's less expensive than the Metz and you don't have to mess around buying a separate SCA adapter. Also many other hotshoe flashes have an extending white "visiting card" over the top of the Fresnel. That too is supposed to put a catchlight back in the eyes.</p>