Flash for S3

[Mike Brown]

I am contemplating buying an S3 to replace my tired, but still functioning, S2. However, I am uncertain whether my MEtz 45CT and SCA module will work with it. The Metz and S2 have worked well for me at weddings, and I do not really want to change the flashgun as well.
Two questions therefore: Is the S3 compatible with the Metz 45? ; and secondly is the S3 really that much better than the S2?

Any thoughts would be welcomed.

Thanks all
Mike Brown

[Steve P]

Hi Mike,

Having owned an S2 and now the S3 I guess I can answer one of your questions. I'm not to sure about Metz flash guns as I stuck with an SB800.

Anyway is the 3 better than the 2? I would say yes and no depending on how you see things. The new sencor is a step forward with it's "S and "R pixels, it really does have a wider DR. The thing that lets it down is the write times especially if one shoots Raw. 13 secs to record a file can be a pain at times! It's gained a Portrait button , great but it doesn't wake the camera :confused: Why bother, by the time you've pressed the main button you may as well have stuck with it in the first place! On a positive the body is a lot better now that it's covered with grippy rubber though, far easier to hold than the S2, and Fuji have done away with the CR123's :righton:

The end result though is what matters and image quality is brillient. Despite the Camers failings it does make beautiful photographs, and an improvment on the older S2! If I had my time again would I swap the S2 for one? Yes, absolutely!

Cheers

Steve

[Mike Brown]

I have discovered on the Metz website that a flash module SCA3402 M5 should give me the compatibility that I need. Will check it out with local Jessops in the AM.
Thanks for your thoughts on the 3. Image quality is reported to be substantially better, and as my main use if for weddings and portraits, I guess that is good. I do not shoot raw files much as in the hurly burly of a wedding the delay in writing time can lead to shot loss. I will use RAW for teh in church, no flash pics. For these noise is a problem with the 2 above 400 ASA. Reports indicate that the 3 is much better here, so perhaps I might not need the flash too much anyway.
Thank you for you help and thoughts.

Best wishes

Mike

[Steve P]

Hi Mike,

Jpeg's are fine it's just I'm not a very good photographer so Raw is safer :rolleyes: . In fairness to me I sometimes find the S3 white balance inconsistant so again Raw saves the day. Have you tried an Expodisc, it does work most of the time. If I do shoot Jpeg I alway set Org/Org for colour and tone as I believe it gives the most natural result.

Noise is defo not an issue with the Fuji even above 800!

Steve

[easternherp]

Hi Mike,

I have an S3 and a metz 54-mz4i. I use the 3402 nikon adapter and this works very well. I have sent it into Hassleblad to have the chip reprogrammed with the version M5 as mine was only M4. They do this foc and most adapters in the UK at the moment are M4.
The adapter can be used with the 45 version flashguns but some of the controls have to be manual. Metz say that the 54 and 75 guns are the most compatible with the S3 but the 45 should be ok.

[Mike Brown]

Thank you both for your useful comments. I have since tried to speak to Fuji and Metz, sadly neither were very helpful. Metz said that the 45 would not wrok with an S3, although they couldn't tell me why (they did give me a long diatribe about why TTL through a digital camera is not TTL anyway), and Fuji said I should ask Metz. Mmmmmmmmm!
My local Jessops (camera store) were quite emphatic that it would work, so I think I will be buying one. If it doesn't work I wonder what I will ask Santa for this Chrsitmas?

Thanks once again

Mike

[sandman]

Mike get another opinion before you buy , Jessops will say anything for a sale , and i know from personall experiance that the staff are not trained that well , try GREYS OF WESTMINSTER or PARKSCAMERAS for a second opinion .
Can't help on the Metz ,i've a SB800 and it works fine , now i've done the lastest firmware upgrade .

Brian

[Mike Brown]

Thanks Sandman for your thought. I know the manager as a friend of mine, and I am not buying the camera from them, so I hope that the advice is sound. From what I can glean from various reviews it should work witht eh correct SCA module, if not I will have to buy a new flash gun.
Interestingly I stopped into Wilkinsons Cameras today to ask about buying an S3. they knew very little about it but tried their best to persuade me to buy a Nikon D70 instead as they said it offered better images for less money. When questioned about the difference in file sizes they said that file size with the modern digital camera was not an issue!
Thats why I like the forum, at least you can get some honest opinions.

Best wishes


Mike

[easternherp]

Mike,

If you were down this way you could have tried my adapter. I have found that the 54MZ4i won't let me put in manual apertures and only takes the aperture from the camera, no matter what setting the flash is in. I am going to contact metz and ask if that is correct.

[Mike Brown]

One day I would love to go to that beautiful part of the world. Thank you for your kind offer. I will be interested to hear what Metz have got to say in due course.

Thank you for your help.

Mike

[easternherp]

Hi all,

Just had a response from Hassleblad Uk who are the Metz dealers in the UK. They say that the 3402 adapter and the 54mz4i flashgun are the correct combo for the S3 and S2. In TTL mode the camera controls the amount of flash used as you would expect. In A mode the camera sets the aperture (on the S3 anyway) and the flashgun uses its own sensor to measure the flash and in M mode the flashgun fires at either Full, Half or quater power set by the user. The only way to reduce the flash output is to use the camera's flash exposure compensation button. This limits you to 3 stops either way which may not be enough sometimes especially if you are very close to the subject. The only way to manually set the apertures is to buy a non dedicated sca301 shoe.

[Mike Brown]

Thanks for sharing that with me Andrew. It does seem that a new flashgun will be on the Christmas prezzie list. I will get the camera (at the price I am being offered it I could not really refuse it anyway) and try your suggestions.

Once again many thanks for taking the trouble to help.

Best Wishes

Mike

[easternherp]

No problem Mike. I was going to get second hand 45CL4 but then came into some money and then decided to go for the 54 rather than the 70 as I am getting a Lightsphere II and that won't fit on the 70 but does on the 54. I had thought about the Nikon 800 but have used metz in the past and trust them to be good.