This w-e, I've used for the first time the M7 HSS mode.

For the moment, the Metz 54MZ-3 (+ SCA3502) is the only flash unit available for HSS with the M7.

The result are very good, but more natural when underexposed (as usual).

It's also more natural when the camera is used horizontally or with a Stroboframe bracket to avoid unwanted additional shadows.

The operations are not really automated.

You have to play with the five following variables:

- on the M7:

- 3 speeds :1/250 1/500 1/1000 set manually, - all the apertures - ISO (DX)

- on the Metz (once you have set the wanted aperture manually on the flash unit, and choose the Manual-HSS setting):

- 25 power ratios : 1/1, 1/2+2/3, 1/2+1/3, 1/2, 1/4+2/3, 1/4+1/3, 1/4, etc. ...till 1/256 - the zoom head position from 24 mm to 105 mm

Fortunately, the Metz display clearly the resulting distance on the screen, because of course, each the five variables (ISO, shutter speed, aperture, power ratio and zooming) will modify that resulting distance.

Only the ISO and the 3 shutter speeds are automatically transferred from the camera to the flash unit.

As an example, with ISO 400, 1/250, f2, zoom head on 35 mm setting and ratio 1/1, the distance displayed on the flash screen will be 6,90 meter.

Obviously, the easiest way to change the displayed resulting distance, is to play with the flash power ratio.

The only way to underexpose is to do it manually, like dial f2 on the Metz and set f2,8 on the lens. The Metz EV compensation settings is not available in Manual mode.

The Nikon TTL cord SC-17 is still 100% compatible with the M7, which is even more important with that Metz, because of its weight which is better supported by a bracket.

As far as I can see, the Contax TLA100 cord is also fully compatible.

IMO, it's very nice to have the HSS available, but it's only useable if you don't have to move the focusing ring, like for posed portrait or landscape.

There is nothing about the HSS mode in the SCA-3502 instructions booklet, because that mode was not available with the M6TTL or R8. I had to use the Nikon SCA-3402 instructions.

-- Lucien (Lucien_vd@yahoo.fr), March 07, 2002

Answers

Lucien,

Have you already managed to get a M7?

Very quick!

-- William Westergren (westergren@skynet.be), March 07, 2002.

Thanks for the review. Sounds like an awful lot of calculations are required to try and get a few notches more on the shutter speed dial. I think I'll stick to my Nikon N90s and its computer when I need fill flash shots!

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), March 07, 2002.

William,

In your country...

-- Lucien (Lucien_vd@yahoo.fr), March 07, 2002.

Lucien,

Could the shop name be starting by A...

I'll try to take a look this weekend.

-- William Westergren (westergren@skynet.be), March 07, 2002.

In MY view, any discussion of M-series flash/electronic "improvements" to bring them to the 1980 (or earlier) level of SLRs is seriously misplaced. SLR's do it MUCH better. If I want to get back into the flash/carry all the stuff around mode ala SLR, my F100 will whup my M6/M2 Leicas so bad it's laughable.

-- MikeP (mike996@optonline.net), March 09, 2002.