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Has anyone any experience of these: Metz Mecablitz 50 or 58 AF-1 Digital Flash?
If so how do they compare with the Olympus FL50 quality, performance and feature wise?
Thanks.
I have a Metz 48AF-1 which is very similar to the upgraded 50 (slightly improved GN and metal hotshoe plate being the changes if memory serves) and have been pretty happy with it. I compared it to the FL36 when I bought it and it seemed to be capable of all the functionality of the FL36 (remote flash, TTL, Hi synch speed etc) but at a much reduced price. I have read that the menu is a bit 'clunky' compared to the Oly models but for the minor changes I tend to make it works fine. Build quality seems good as well, it is German after all but I did find it doesn't bounce (no pun intended!) too well on tarmac when I dropped my first one out of my bag!
Steve
E-M1 Mk II X2, E-510, Pana/Leica 8-18mm, Oly 12-100mm f4, Pana/Leica 50-200mm f2.8-4, Laowa 6mm f2, 5omm f2, Pana Lumix 1.4XTC, Oly 9-18mm f4-5.6, 14-54mm f2.8-3.5 II,14-42mm, 40-150mm
I had a Metz 58AF1 when I was a Nikon shooter and it was a great flash. I have used Metz flash all my working life as a photographer (now about 40 years - yikes!) and have found them the best guns there are. I have never been let down by one, and guns with SCA feet have always upgraded with me. I am currently using a 54MZ3 with my Olympus and Panasonic and it is just fine. On the rare occasions I have needed to contact Metz customer support in Germany they have responded very quickly in English and give me very precise and good information and advice.
I have a Metz 58 and a ms-1, nice flashes albeit the build is a bit plasticky, I suspect the key components are as good as the brand makes, but the body is manufactured to price.
Have the Metz 58 AF-1 and well pleased with it. As mentioned the menus are not totally intuitive but ok once you have practiced a bit. Don't change the settings much other than to switch to wireless occasionally. Does what it says.
Thank you for the replies.
To put a slightly different slant on the question; if the Olympus FL50R and the Metz 58 AF2 were the same price which would you choose and why?
Thanks.
I've bought the Metz 58 AF-2 and already it's impressed me with the accuaracy of its metering which produces very natural looking colours and tones in day and low light situations. I never really gave much thought to the the wireless control facillity but I tried it out last night in the garden and was quite suprised with the results.
The menu of the Metz has come in for some critisiscm but once you learn your way around it's not so bad. Build quality has also been commented upon but I don't think it looks cheap. To me it's typically Germanic in its design and function in that it does the job well and will do so (hopefully) for years but it offers no frills, a bit like German cars in my experience.
I'm afraid over the last seven years I have had appalling luck with Mecablitz
flash guns. Every single one of them was quite honestly rubbish.
Not one of them proved to be reliable, I had two go down at a wedding (not good) and one of them had been back to Hasselblad four times before I finally cried enough and dumped the lot.
Therefore I am loathe to try any new models.
However I am the proud owner of two Vivitar 283 flashguns which over the years have given untroubled flawless service. I checked with the distributors after I went digital and it seems there was no real reason not to use them with my digital equipment. OK they are pretty basic and you do have to understand flash guide no's a wee bit but hey ho, if you call yourself a photographer you should know what you are doing with a flash gun anyway.
I reckon that as these flash guns were first introduced in 1975 and they are still
being made it says a lot for their reliability. I luv em,. I do use Oly FL50R kit and they seem to be a we bit underpowered. But they do produce some lovely lighting effects. I haven't used Oly flash guns since the early eighties but the ones I had were superb.
I'm afraid over the last seven years I have had appalling luck with Mecablitz
flash guns. Every single one of them was quite honestly rubbish.
Not one of them proved to be reliable, I had two go down at a wedding (not good) and one of them had been back to Hasselblad four times before I finally cried enough and dumped the lot.
Crikey I'm sorry to hear of your experience, I can only hope that I have better luck.
Has anyone any experience of a Metz Mecablitz 48 with E-510?
I have these accessories, but I think this flash doesn’t compare perfectly with E-510.
If I use the camera in auto mode (at night) the shutter speed is very long (1/30) but besides the Metz flashes. On manual mode I can use 1/100 or shorter shutter speed and I obtain better quality pictures.
The flash doesnt’t show me the shutter speed and aperture details neither.
I've had (still have one) three 48 AF-1's and all of them underexposed by around 0.7EV when set to TTL - nothing wrong with the build, functionality or reliability, just odd that they all seemed to do this..... for me at least.
@balages. I can't remember much about my 510, but am sure it's like any other Olympus I've had and you set the minimum shutter speed for use with flash in the menu system. Yours is obviously set to 1/30th, but that's not an unreasonable shutter speed for flash work if you want a touch of background light in it as well if it's available. Mine is always set to 1/10th or 1/5th.
I have the Metz 58 AF-2 mainly because I wanted a higher powered flash than my Oly FL-36 plus the remote wireless slave capability. From the aspect of 'does it do a good job?', the simple answer is Yes.
If the question was, 'how straight forward is it to use?', then the answer is more complex than my ideal! The menu is not as straight forward and obvious as the Oly FL-36 (and I presume similar FL-50R menu), and at times I am left wishing that I had the guide book to hand.
If the question was, 'if I was given an Oly FL-50R or the Metz 58 AF-2 which would I use?', then the answer would be the Oly.
And of course, if I was to spend my own money again in choosing the Metz or the Oly, then I would have to stick with what I bought i.e. the Metz. Its menu is a little frustrating, but the quality is good, the price is right and the power and wireless linkage to my Oly camera all works well.
One other minor but interesting point - the Oly FL-36 has the flash stand in a pocket inside the case for the flash (very useful, always to hand, hard to lose), not sure if the FL-50R is similar, but the Metz 58 F-2 has its flash stand separate, it has already been lost, and I have now bought a couple of extra cheap ones, with one now velcroed onto the outside of the flash case!
I have 2 x Metz 58 AF-1 and a Metz 48 AF-1 and am really happy with them. I started off with a 58 AF-1 and was so impressed that I added the other two Metz flashes.
I upgraded from an Olly FL36R and have never looked back, but I have never had an FL50R so can't compare the Metz with the FL50R.
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