S2/S3 using Metz hammer flashes - anyone?

jOhO · 5th April 2005

Hi all, as above.

was thinking of getting something like the metz 45 CL-4 for my s2 (and IFFFFFFF i upgrade to s3, for that too!)

anything i should know? i have never used a hammer flash, and i'm more worried about the connection part of it. do i have to use the adaptor on my hotshoe, or can i just plug it in somewhere and still have my hotshoe free for other purposes.. (like my sb800, yeah overkill i know, but just wondering!)

wat about battery power and stuff like that? the hammer flash comes with a batt pack standard rite?

any advise, or any direction to links with this information, please let me know! and no need to gimme the metz website, i already turned the place inside out and it doesn't say much... or i'm blind.

thanxxxxxxxxxxxxxx!!!

caseytan · 5th April 2005

pick up your phone, call stanley, make an appointment, go and have a chat with him

jOhO · 5th April 2005

Originally Posted by caseytan

pick up your phone, call stanley, make an appointment, go and have a chat with him

stanley lim?

eheh yeah he advocates the use of hammers ALOT. i know..

Larry · 5th April 2005

S2/S3 both got standard flash sync ports built in, so no worries about getting extra accessories like a hotshoe adapter. but if you wanna use both flashes, you gotta worry about exposure cos the Metz hammerheads work better on auto rather than TTL. if you wanna TTL, then you need the compatible module which is mounted on the hotshoe (same as any speedlight).

and yes the hammerheads come with their own power/batteries.

caseytan · 5th April 2005

Originally Posted by jOhO

stanley lim?

eheh yeah he advocates the use of hammers ALOT. i know..

ar ba then ?

you can always try out his hammer and get some advice from him

since S2/S3 has PC Sync, you can use that for hammer and leave your sb800 on the hotshoe

Metz hammer flashes comes with a batt pack, but i don't think there's any 3rd party batteries for Metz, so everything original.

how bout getting a 60-CT4, think the batt pack can last one dinner session with power to spare, but YMMV

madmacs · 5th April 2005

i think the 45 cl-4 can use 3rd party battery packs like quantum. but the 60 ct-4 has its own dedicated battery pack. cannot use 3rd party. suggest you go with 45 cl-4 unless you need the additional flash power of the 60.

personally i found the hammer flash to be easier to use than my canon 550ex. just set aperture on camera, and then play with aperture setting on hammer flash to control flash power. the flash exposure is more consistent too.

jOhO · 5th April 2005

thanx for the help larry, casey, macs!

larry, so if i set the hammer on auto (as you mentioned it's better), and my sb800 on dttl (for s3 only, on s3 it'll be just ttl or AA mode) would that work?

casey yeah, my visit to SLCC is long overdue.. haven't had the time to go see them! ehehe

madmacs, eh, since when u use hammer?? ahha steady lar! which one?

caseytan · 5th April 2005

Originally Posted by jOhO

casey yeah, my visit to SLCC is long overdue.. haven't had the time to go see them! ehehe

er.. same here

haven't been to SLCC for a long time

jOhO · 5th April 2005

Originally Posted by caseytan

er.. same here haven't been to SLCC for a long time

er.. dun tell me we were in the same class, cos i have no idea who u are.. ahhahaha

caseytan · 5th April 2005

Originally Posted by jOhO

er.. dun tell me we were in the same class, cos i have no idea who u are.. ahhahaha

er... yes same class..

one of the 10D fella

the usual model

jOhO · 5th April 2005

Originally Posted by caseytan

er... yes same class..

one of the 10D fella the usual model

arrr!! okok i know liow.. u were our male model issit? haha the YAN DAO one... hahaha

oh brings back memories..

u the one with a minolta film slr too rite?

caseytan · 5th April 2005

Originally Posted by jOhO

arrr!! okok i know liow.. u were our male model issit? haha the YAN DAO one... hahaha

oh brings back memories..

u the one with a minolta film slr too rite?

yup yup, i'm the one

Larry · 5th April 2005

Originally Posted by jOhO

larry, so if i set the hammer on auto (as you mentioned it's better), and my sb800 on dttl (for s3 only, on s3 it'll be just ttl or AA mode) would that work?

erm, no. cos both flashes are not "talking" to each other. you'd end up with blown pics cos each flash would fire its own output depending on what each is metering. i'm sure there are accessories to sync the output but don't ask me what they are... multi-flash setups are v tricky stuff.

of course i could be totally wrong but i'm fairly sure i'm rite.

madmacs · 5th April 2005

Originally Posted by jOhO

madmacs, eh, since when u use hammer?? ahha steady lar! which one?

60 ct-4. battery pack is heavy....

if you plan to use the hammer for your weddings, i suggest just use the hammer alone. keep the sb800 in the bag as backup. like larry say...set the flash to auto (as in flash will measure the flash output). depending on range to target, i usually set flash aperture to 0 to 1/2 stops wider than cam aperture (bounce flash of course). so far so good.

updated: the -1/2 to 0 sounded confusing...

madmacs · 5th April 2005

Originally Posted by jOhO

arrr!! okok i know liow.. u were our male model issit? haha the YAN DAO one... hahaha

oh brings back memories..

u the one with a minolta film slr too rite?

so...between us...(in the forums

), our model sexy or not?

jOhO · 5th April 2005

Originally Posted by Larry

erm, no. cos both flashes are not "talking" to each other. you'd end up with blown pics cos each flash would fire its own output depending on what each is metering. i'm sure there are accessories to sync the output but don't ask me what they are... multi-flash setups are v tricky stuff.

of course i could be totally wrong but i'm fairly sure i'm rite.

hehe yeah i think u're right.. i've heard/read about the not talking to each other part. hmm...

jOhO · 5th April 2005

Originally Posted by madmacs

60 ct-4. battery pack is heavy....

if you plan to use the hammer for your weddings, i suggest just use the hammer alone. keep the sb800 in the bag as backup. like larry say...set the flash to auto (as in flash will measure the flash output). depending on range to target, i usually set flash aperture to -1/2 to 0 stops wider than cam aperture (bounce flash of course). so far so good.

well if i do end up getting a hammer, i think i'll only use it at the banquet, and if flash allowed, at church. basically in places where i can move around freely and pple are not that close (physically) to me.

sometimes in tea ceremonies and crowded gatherings in small flats, i already find it hard to squeeze in and out with my current set up which is just cam and sb800, so add the hammer worse..

and my "raise cam up above head and shoot blindly" method is pretty zhun! with the extra weight i dunno if i can do it anymore..

but i guess the best thing about hammer is the sheer power... can bounce off even pretty high ceilings rite? plus there's that fill in second flash in front!

jOhO · 5th April 2005

Originally Posted by madmacs

so...between us...(in the forums ), our model sexy or not?

the best money can buy!! (plus a bit of "goodwill" gifts....) *wink*wink*

jOhO · 5th April 2005

Originally Posted by caseytan

yup yup, i'm the one

ahha pretty sporting of u.

madmacs · 5th April 2005

the hammer is not that heavy...so i think you can still fire over the heads

after a full day shoot you can really feel the weight of the 60-ct4 battery pack. a quantum pack for the 45 cl should be manageable.

5th April 2005	#1
jOhO Moderator Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Singapore Posts: 6,455	S2/S3 using Metz hammer flashes - anyone? Hi all, as above. was thinking of getting something like the metz 45 CL-4 for my s2 (and IFFFFFFF i upgrade to s3, for that too!) anything i should know? i have never used a hammer flash, and i'm more worried about the connection part of it. do i have to use the adaptor on my hotshoe, or can i just plug it in somewhere and still have my hotshoe free for other purposes.. (like my sb800, yeah overkill i know, but just wondering!) wat about battery power and stuff like that? the hammer flash comes with a batt pack standard rite? any advise, or any direction to links with this information, please let me know! and no need to gimme the metz website, i already turned the place inside out and it doesn't say much... or i'm blind. thanxxxxxxxxxxxxxx!!!

5th April 2005	#2
caseytan Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: w o o d l a n d s Posts: 631	pick up your phone, call stanley, make an appointment, go and have a chat with him

5th April 2005	#4
Larry Moderator Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: singapore Posts: 6,097	S2/S3 both got standard flash sync ports built in, so no worries about getting extra accessories like a hotshoe adapter. but if you wanna use both flashes, you gotta worry about exposure cos the Metz hammerheads work better on auto rather than TTL. if you wanna TTL, then you need the compatible module which is mounted on the hotshoe (same as any speedlight). and yes the hammerheads come with their own power/batteries.

5th April 2005	#6
madmacs Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 5,421	i think the 45 cl-4 can use 3rd party battery packs like quantum. but the 60 ct-4 has its own dedicated battery pack. cannot use 3rd party. suggest you go with 45 cl-4 unless you need the additional flash power of the 60. personally i found the hammer flash to be easier to use than my canon 550ex. just set aperture on camera, and then play with aperture setting on hammer flash to control flash power. the flash exposure is more consistent too.