I just got the Minilux Zoom. One of the reasons I got it was for it's hot shoe. A great thing to have and I think the only point and shoot to have one.

But if I am to use an external flash unit. I have to set the aperture to match the flash unit. But I can't set the aperture on the Minilux Zoom! So how do I work around this problem?

What use is this hot shoe?

Please help!

Thanks.

-- Sol Campbell (solcam31@hotmail.com), October 28, 2000

Answers

On the original Minilux you could use it as an aperture priority automatic camera. The aperture control was part of the "focus dial". The Minilux Zoom does not allow you to control the aperture, only to adjust the camera selected exposure lighter or darker. If you want a separate flash, why not use the flash designed for it? The Leica CF flash will couple to the camera's electronics and that seems a great deal easier to me than trying to get another flash unit to work. If you would like complete control a M or R camera would be much better. You could get a ordinary Minilux and attach a flash bracket and a flash triggered by a slave. Then you could set your aperture and have a more powerful flash though it seems pretty silly for a point and shoot camera. Finally the CF flash unit is relatively inexpensive by Leica standards and is a good unit (made by Olympus fo Leica); I would buy it myself.

Cheers

-- John Collier (jbcollier@home.com), October 28, 2000.

John,

Thanks for your post. Yes I know that the non-zoom Minilux has Aperture Priority and it tells you the selected shutter speed too. This one has only Programmed Mode! And the choosen aperture and shutter speed are kept strictly confidential! There is no way to find that out! And this is more expensive than the non zoom!

So why did it get it? For the hot shoe! And now it appears the shoe is USELESS!

Anyway the manual does say it can be used with any external flash and not just the CF. Moreover the CF is not dedicated to this camera at all. It has its own light sensor and there is only one pin which just signals flash ready.

The CF sells for $150. For that price I can and do want to get the Metz 34. That is almost as small as the CF and much more versitale and very much more powerful. It's guide number is 34 as opposed to the 20 of the CF.

So I don't want the CF. I might as well use the built in flash then.

So how can one use the hot shoe on the Minilux Zoom???

Please help!!! Anyone!

Thank you.

-- Sol Campbell (solcam31@hotmail.com), October 28, 2000.

Read the Leica literature. The CF flash does "communicate" with the camera.

Cheers

-- John Collier (jbcollier@home.com), October 29, 2000.