I recently bought a Pentax AF280T flash for use with a Pentax 645. I would also like to use it with my Leica M TTL in non-dedicated, auto mode. When I put it on the hot shoe, the flash symbol in the Leica viewfinder lights up and blinks, so it seems to be receiving some information from the flash. Is this going to screw up the exposure, or, even worse, damage the Leica?

-- Ed Berger (eberger@attglobal.net), August 22, 2001

Answers

It MAY NOT damage the Leica but why take the chance? Use a hotshoe adapter to protect the TTL circuitry (Kaiser makes one). Another Leica user reported that when he used his Nikon SB-26(?) flash on his TTL the flash got hot and quickly ran the batteries down in the camera. Again, why take the chance? Hook it up properly!

Cheers,

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), August 22, 2001.