[BethC]

I was all set to order the Lumopro LP 120 flash over the weekend and they were out of stock But I really want a flash to start using for some fill on portraits, and especially want it for this coming weekend. So I ordered a Metz 48.

Anyone ever use both? and have any ideas if the Lumopro would have been a better flash? I figured if I'd rather the that one, I can always sell the Metz and hope to get enough out of it to cover the Lumopro and shipping.

Taking a webinar tomorrow all about flash photography and just got done reading a book, hoping to practice the rest of this week (If it comes in tomorow) and then hoping to use it Sat. for a family session.

[icywarm]

Which webinar are you taking? let me know if it is any good.

[BethC]

PSH Ditto Cam Live Sessioin - Understanding Portable Flash - Tomorrow Only

first one on the list...

[Russell-Evans]

I was all set to order the Lumopro LP 120 flash over the weekend and they were out of stock But I really want a flash to start using for some fill on portraits, and especially want it for this coming weekend. So I ordered a Metz 48.

Anyone ever use both? and have any ideas if the Lumopro would have been a better flash? I figured if I'd rather the that one, I can always sell the Metz and hope to get enough out of it to cover the Lumopro and shipping.

The Lumopro is going to give you a lot more power, but whether you use that light or not is not something anyone can tell you. The Metz has power settings in manual from 1/1 to 1/128 in half stops, 1/1, 1/2, 1/4, .... The power setting is available without menu diving by using the two center buttons, left for less power, right for more power.

To manually set the zoom, you'll have to negotiate the two center button push to get to the menu. The zoom setting is only shown on the LCD in manual mode when the flash is in it "normal" locked position or in the lower -7 degree. The flash doesn't zoom if the wide panel is deployed.

Some settings are only set after five seconds. You have to wait for the flashing to stop on the LCD before proceeding. When using the flash off camera you'll probably want to turn off the auto power off. I am a little absent minded about the flash so just leave it at 10 minutes.

The tilt seems to lock at each setting on my flash and requires the lock to be pushed. When on the camera, I grab the head, placing my thumb on the lock button, and then rotate the head clockwise before adjusting the tilt. This just seems easier as the action is all in the wrist and not at the elbows.

It you end up using wireless P-TTL, remember that the wireless sensor is behind the little window under the battery door, not at the front as with most flashes. To change batteries, place your left thumb on the battery door when sliding it open or closed. This relieves the force on the plastic hinges and should keep your flash in good shape for a long time.

You probably won't be able to put in all four batteries at the same time. There are two that sit a little under the lower protrusion on the door when it is open and you have to get them in and under that before the next two. It may sound silly, but I read on one review where the reviewer complained about the battery direction not being easily defined. It actually is however, clearly indicated on the metal posts on the battery door. You'll see the + and - for each battery. You can also look into the battery compartment and see the positive posts in red and the negative in black.

The Metz 48 does lack a PC port, so if you are going to need a pc connection, you'll need a shoe with a pc port. I have simply been using the hot shoe on the radio trigger I have.

Hope everything goes well with your new flash.

Thank you
Russell

[BethC]

Wow Russell, thanks so much for that information. I thought it would come in today and it didin't (I am horrible with ordering things, I order that morning and then wait that same afternoon for the UPS truck) Hopefully tomorrow.

I intend to do some OCF with it eventually but for this weekend want it for just some fill flash and planned on using it on camera. But, you said it lacks a pc port for a pc connection. I'm sorry to sound so dumb, but what is a PC port or pc connection?

and which radio trigger do you use? Have you ever used it as a slave? (I think that's the right term...where the on camera flash triggers it?)

[Russell-Evans]

but what is a PC port or pc connection?

It is a simple wired trigger port. You can see the ports on the side of the Lumopro LP 120 below and is why I mentioned it.



This page is pretty helpful at explaining things, Flash Triggers

and which radio trigger do you use? Have you ever used it as a slave? (I think that's the right term...where the on camera flash triggers it?)

I have been using a set RF-602 triggers for Nikon bought off of ebay. I have also used the cheaper PT-04TM triggers in the past. I wouldn't necessarily recommend either, as both have different trade offs, but for what I wanted, for the price I wanted to pay, they have worked for me.

I use the wireless slave function of the Metz all the time. It is quite easy to do if your camera supports it. The only issue with the Pentax cameras that do support it, and have SR, is that using wireless disables SR for some reason. This hasn't kept me from using it, just something to keep in mind.

Wireless on the Metz is actually easier to set up than with the Pentax flashes as the Metz 48 only does wireless P-TTL and it is either on or off. When you first set wireless on the camera, the camera will tell you what channel the camera is set to, default is Channel One. That's all you really need to know to get it to work. Once the wireless option is set on the Metz, you can then set the channel of the flash to match the channel on the camera. It default is Channel one, as well. If both camera and flash are new, or have not had their settings changed, everything should just work.

Things get complicated a bit because the Pentax camera bodies, for some reason, don't have the ability to set the wireless channel on the camera by themselves. You have to mount the flash on the camera and then use the flash to change the channel on the camera. Why, I have no clue, as it is very hard to understand this in the Pentax and Metz manuals I have read. There is a lot of misinformation about this as well, and people will tell you you first need to mount the flash, take the flash off the camera powered up, or also with the camera powered up, .... Just confusion when it is a simple GrrrAnimals thing of just matching channels, or using the flash to set the channel on the camera to another when you are shooting with other photographers and each needs their own channel for their flash or flashes.

After setting the channel on the camera, you turn everything off, and dismount the flash.

Thank you
Russell

[BethC]

Great! thanks again! I'm going to check out that link now.

[Ben_Edict]

The Lumopro is going to give you a lot more power, but whether you use that light or not is not something anyone can tell you. The Metz has power settings in manual from 1/1 to 1/128 in half stops, 1/1, 1/2, 1/4, .... The power setting is available without menu diving by using the two center buttons, left for less power, right for more power.

Hi Russell, why do you think the Lumopro provides more power? As far as I can see from the specs, the Metz has officially GN 118 and the Lumopro GN 100. I guess, this may be partially due to the Metz having that GN at 105mm reflector setting, whereas the Lumopro only has a 85mm setting. But anyway the difference is totally insignificant.

All in all, the Metz is a much better proposition, I think, being much more versatile and (if that counts - it certainly does for me) convenient to use.

Ben

[Russell-Evans]

Hi Russell, why do you think the Lumopro provides more power? As far as I can see from the specs, the Metz has officially GN 118 and the Lumopro GN 100. I guess, this may be partially due to the Metz having that GN at 105mm reflector setting, whereas the Lumopro only has a 85mm setting. But anyway the difference is totally insignificant.

I thought the GN 100 is at 50mm for the Lumopro? If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, and thanks for correcting my mistake.

Thank you
Russell

[Ben_Edict]

I thought the GN 100 is at 50mm for the Lumopro? If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, and thanks for correcting my mistake.

Thank you
Russell

Russell, I simply do not know that, as the Lumopro website does not give real technical details for the flash. I just interpret the GN of 100 as related to the longest reflector setting, as this is currently the standard way to confuse the buyer about the real power of a flash gun. Metz at least is honest about the GN related to the longest fl.

In the past it was standard to quote the GN related to the 35mm fl setting of the reflector (the standard setting for flashes with a fixed reflector) and thus it comes, that the massive Metz 45series flashes have an GN of "only" 45 (metric), whereas some cheap ebay flash guns claim the same or higher guide numbers - but only because the use the longest fl setting.

Ben