METZ flash

Asha

Asha

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Asha
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I've acquired a Metz Mecabltz 34 BCT 2 flash gun with S30 sensor.

I very rarely use flash, if I do then the Nikon SB800 and more often the SB30 get used so I dunno if this Metz is worthwhile keeping or not but either way does anyone have any idea how to use one?

There are two dials / sliders on the rear....One is obvious for the film speed which in turn shows the possible distances at a given aperture.

The right slider I'm not sure .......Does this change the power output dependent upon what distance I set the slider to?

Then there is the sensor which, like the flash gun, has a fitting for attaching to a hotshoe................the flashgun itself also appears to have a sensor built into the front of it...................so what goes where?
 
abdoujaparov said:
Can't help you with how to use it, but http://dpanswers.com/roztr/volt_finder.php says it has a trigger voltage of 211v, so I wouldn't go attaching it to anything modern.
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I was thinking of having a play with it on the RZ67 now that it's prismed and gripped:naughty:............................what a beast it will look with a 180mm portrait lens and a Metz flash unit:)........The fact that i won't be able to lift it may just prove to be a slight issue:confused::wideyed::D
 
It's very simple to use @Asha , you first set the film speed with the left hand slider and then move the right hand slider to one of the "A" (automatic) positions, set the aperture indicated next to it. Thus the flash will correctly expose up to the distance that the sliders line is over (if you have the lens set to the indicated aperture), using the sensor on the front to control the flash power during the expose. If you set it to the M mode then you can use the distance and aperture sliders to work out what aperture to use for a given distance manually (the sensor is therefore not used). Same principle as practically every pre-TTL automatic flash.
 
s162216 said:
It's very simple to use @Asha , you first set the film speed with the left hand slider and then move the right hand slider to one of the "A" (automatic) positions, set the aperture indicated next to it. Thus the flash will correctly expose up to the distance that the sliders line is over (if you have the lens set to the indicated aperture), using the sensor on the front to control the flash power during the expose. If you set it to the M mode then you can use the distance and aperture sliders to work out what aperture to use for a given distance manually (the sensor is therefore not used). Same principle as practically every pre-TTL automatic flash.
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Brilliant...Thank you Samuel(y)

The additional S30 sensor which is attached by a cord into the rear of the main flash unit .......does that overide the sensor that is already built into the main flash unit?
 
Asha said:
Brilliant...Thank you Samuel(y)

The additional S30 sensor which is attached by a cord into the rear of the main flash unit .......does that overide the sensor that is already built into the main flash unit?
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I would assume so, having a remote sensor is useful as it allows you to do clever lighting techniques like only exposing for one side of an object etc. The manual will probably tell you if you've brought it.
 
s162216 said:
I would assume so, having a remote sensor is useful as it allows you to do clever lighting techniques like only exposing for one side of an object etc. The manual will probably tell you if you've brought it.
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OK cheers for your time and help.

Unfortuanetly I haven't got the manual and info on the internet appears to be somewhat thin, hence my asking for help on here.....Why waste time googling when TP has all the answers:)

Avoiding modern gear as Keith mentions and setting the controls as you have explained, all is set to flash away :naughty::police: :p doing candids with the RZ....yeah right. , Andy @Andysnap ...have you got that cart ordered for me yet? :D
 
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^^ helium balloons^^ :D. :D
 
Asha said:
Cheers Richard,
Dunno if i'll bother buying tbh as i'm likely to sell the flash on given that i have two very usable Nikon units. I'll have a play with the Metz and go from there......
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You should be able to play and work out,but,with the high voltage be careful on your digital bodies, although Nikon do say somewhere that up to 250 volts is OK. Check that out.(y)
 
medwaygreen said:
You should be able to play and work out,but,with the high voltage be careful on your digital bodies, although Nikon do say somewhere that up to 250 volts is OK. Check that out.(y)
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....must be a reason why flashguns for Canon and Minolta have the trigger voltage of about 3v-6v ...even in 1980.
 
excalibur2 said:
....must be a reason why flashguns for Canon and Minolta have the trigger voltage of about 3v-6v ...even in 1980.
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Not sure that is correct.
 
Steve Smith said:
Yet they still worked with all the other flashes available.
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Well not always, I used a Canon A1 for over thirty years and the wiring died on the flash circuit a couple of times in the end the repairer upgrade the wiring on the A1 to cure the problem. The flash in question was a Vivatar 283, have used it on my Nikon digital cameras without issue.
 
Steve Smith said:
Yet they still worked with all the other flashes available.


Steve.
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Yes they do, I've used a Nissin flash on a Canon but I know it's about 8v also have the version of a 283 that's about 8v....but I ain't going to put say a Metz with trigger of up to 400v on my T90 just in case it ruined the camera......why risk it with so many conflicting views, just use a flash unit with low trigger volts and don't worry.
 
I've never
medwaygreen said:
You should be able to play and work out,but,with the high voltage be careful on your digital bodies, although Nikon do say somewhere that up to 250 volts is OK. Check that out.(y)
Click to expand...
tried using old flash guns on any of my Digi kit for that reason ....not worth the risk especially when i have dedicated flash units for the modern stuff.

Now using those modern units on old kit...sometimes that can be cool.
 
My opinion is that Canon suggest low voltage on the hot shoe but 250v on the pc sync because they don't want a fully charged flash with 200+ volts on the hot shoe centre pin being pushed onto the hot shoe where it might (but probably can't) touch one of the other control pins and cause damage.

As the article states, the switching will be carried out by a surface mount opto thyristor device and these cannot be bought with an operating voltage lower than 400v.

It would be ridiculous to design a camera which could be damaged by high flash voltages when for a few pence, a suitably robust component can be used. It would be equally ridiculous for Canon to use a robust circuit on the pc sync and a crappy circuit on the hot shoe. They will either have identical circuits or be parallel connected to the same circuit.


Steve.
 
"Pentax (Germany) has informed me that the maximum voltage for Pentax DSLRs *istD and *istDS is 30 volts and the maximum safe voltage for the K-series is 25 volts."

"Using obsolete flash units that apply currents of more than about 24 V to the camera hot shoe X-contact will damage the camera." - EP-3​

Edit: removed my petulance.​
 
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Like anyone else, I will use whatever flash gun on whatever body so long as I am sure that no problems are going to occur re voltage.

In all honesty though , the best and safest way is to use the dedicated flash for whatever said camera ( unless the flash is now obsolete!), afterall that's why the companies produced the flash units in the first place!
 
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