BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: Problems with Photo Equipment - Tips & Tricks

Cannon 10D and Metz 45

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July 03, 2004

Per
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July 03, 2004

Per Metz, http://www.metz.de/en/photo_electronics/adapter.143.html, the SCA 3102 M2 module that enables E-TTL functions in other Metz speedlights cannot do so with the 45 CL-4. You would not have auto flash exposure with the 10D and Metz 45 CL-4, but they could be used together in full manual mode (setting aperture manually based on guide number calculation).

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July 03, 2004

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July 03, 2004

All is not lost, though, in using a 45 CL-4 with your camera. To their great credit, Metz has maintained considerable forward and backward compatibility with the SCA-300, SCA-3000 and SCA-3002 systems. An SCA-3000C cable is used to connect an SCA-3002 series module with a 45 CL-4. Even though the module supports quite a few functions, not all of them will be supported by the combitation of camera, module and flash.

One of these that the combination of the SCA-3002 module for your camera and 45 CL-4 cannot support is the E-TTL mode you asked about. It *will* support pure TTL.

Control features supported by the combination of 10D with SCA-3102 M2, and connection to a 45 CL-4 using an SCA-3000C cord:

* Flash ready indicator in viewfinder
* Automatic flash sync speed (switches shutter speed to X-sync when flash is turned on and ready)
* Manual flash exposure correction
* 1st or 2nd curtain sync
* Auto-focus measuring beam

Supported by the SCA-3102 M2 module and your camera, but *not* in combination with the 45 CL-4 (IOW, these could be supported by an SCA-3000 or SCA-3002 system flash)
* Canon E-TTL flash control
* HSS high speed synchronization (aka FP sync)
* Power zoom control (if the flash has a power zoom head)
* Flash range indication
* Wake-up function (some Metz flashes can automatically turn themselves off if they're not fired for a while; this turns it back on again automatically)

Unless you really *need* the E-TTL function for some situations in which TTL mode (without the "E") won't work well, ones that you'll actually encounter more often than rarely, the 45 CL-4 is a great combination with your 10D. I've been using its bigger brother, the 60 CT-4 and a littler shoe-mount cousin, the 40 MZ-2 and MZ-3i flashes (with SCA-300 system) for some time. Pure TTL control is all I've ever wanted or needed and it works very well. All the other bells and whistles are interesting or a convenience, such as high shutter speed "FP" mode, automagically waking itself up, or power zoom (like the 45's the 60's don't have a built-in zoom head) haven't been missed at all. IMHO, the 45's and 60's don't need power zoom heads, they're already pretty wide angle in coverage. Their power output is more than enough under nearly all conditions that zooming to narrow flash coverage allowing longer distance range with long lenses is entirely unnecessary. They have mondo range without it!

-- John Lind

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July 03, 2004

Does this not also apply to TTL flash control? Is it not possble to use center-weighted averaging, etc.? Is E-TTL the *only* mode for TTL flash control?

-- John Lind

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July 03, 2004

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July 03, 2004

The latter (auto) is not that desirable for night football either as shooting distances are longer and the sensor on the flash has a fairly wide angle of coverage. Makes picking out someone more distant with longer focal length more difficult without the flash being "fooled" by the reflectivity of closer objects/people. This could be mitigated a little with the zoom head attachment if you're always using longer focal lengths (narrows light coverage down to reduce reflectivity from elsewhere outside the field of view).

I looked up a number of other Metz units, including the 70 MZ-4/5. Seems only *two* Metz units, both shoe mount, support Canon's E-TTL flash control, the 54 MZ-4 and 44 AF-4C. Between the two for what you're doing, the 54 MZ-4 on a handle (e.g. Metz G16) or a bracket would likely be preferable. The 54 MZ-4 is an SCA-3002 system flash that would use the module previously cited . . . and the system has cords for remoting these on handles and brackets. That said, you're not likely to find one of these for the price you've likely found the 45 CL-4.

As an aside, I'm left puzzled why Metz supports Nikon's special TTL modes much better than Canon's.

-- John Lind

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July 03, 2004

-- John Lind

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July 03, 2004

SO I need the SCA-3000C cord and the SCA-3102 M2 module? With these I will get TTL just not ETTL?

Thanks for all the help

Mike

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July 03, 2004

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July 03, 2004

After Jon posted his replies, I went back to the Metz site, looked under their FAQ section and found the following written by Metz about Canon *digital* cameras and compatibility wtih Metz flash units:

--------------------
"Can my mecablitz be used with a Canon digital camera?

All current Canon digital cameras with a hot shoe feature so-called E-TTL flash control in place of the standard TTL flash control. Fully automatic operation with these cameras requires flash units that feature this particular flash mode, namely Metz mecablitz 44-AF 4C and Metz mecablitz 54 MZ. The Metz mecablitz 54-MZ model, however, will usually require the SCA-3102 M2 adapter.

All other Metz flash units with the SCA-system do not feature the Canon-specific E-TTL flash control. Consequently, these flash units can only be used in automatic or manual flash mode. In this instance the aperture will have to be set manually on the camera."
--------------------

This means your 10D's *only* TTL mode with flash is E-TTL. Since the 45 CL-4 cannot support it (regardless whether or not the module does with a different Metz flash), you cannot use the 45 CL-4 in "TTL Mode" with your 10D.

You *can* use it in "Auto" Mode which uses a built-in light sensor on the flash to control how much light it puts out. A set of dials on the flash allows you to set the film speed and adjust the sensitivity of its sensor for the lens aperture you want to use. With digitals, the "film speed" is the same as the "ISO Sensitivity" setting on your camera. Doesn't matter the order in which you set the camera or the flash. Whatever ISO and lens aperture you manually set on one, you must also manually set the other to the same ISO and lens aperture. Once set, you don't have to change it unless you wish to, but must change both (flash and camera) so they match each other. The light sensor on the flash will control light output; all the camera does is trigger it to make it fire.

The flash's light sensor has a fairly wide angle of view and the flash head itself has a very wide angle of coverage to allow using wide-angle lenses with it. In "Auto" mode, it's easier for the sensor to be "fooled" if you're using the flash with a telephoto that has much narrower field of view than the flash covers. It's the reason I suggested getting the "telephoto" adapter for the flash head if you're using telephoto lenses for the football work. This narrows the coverage of light, extends flash range, and helps keep the sensor from being fooled as easily. With manually adjusted flash tele adapters I usually set them to the shortest focal length I'll be using and leave it. For the 45 series tele adapter, you will have to set it to the focal length in 35mm format that has the same field of view as the focal length you're using. Digital camera makers have been pretty good at giving the 35mm equivalent focal length.

It will also work in "Manual" mode, which is a fixed output of the flash and requires you to (a) focus the camera, (b) read the focus distance (c) look on the dial of the flash to calculate lens aperture (d) manually set lens aperture. This is how exposure is set with flashbulbs (which have a fixed light output). Using this mode with flash on camera is quite rare now as it's time consuming and cumbersome. You would have to operate the D10 in manual exposure mode. It is a mode that's used if flash is off-camera and being employed much like a studio monolight would be.

Also discovered the "M2" is a version number. You will likely see it listed in on-line catalogs as simply an SCA-3102 without any version number. You should contact the dealer to ask which version it is and ensure the 3102 is an "M2" (or later) version. Versions prior to that should not be used with your camera.

Hope this straightens things out and sorry for the initial mis-information. I do believe you'll find the 45 series Metz a hardy, reliable workhorse. Wedding photogs have been using them for years.

-- John Lind

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July 03, 2004

Lat night I took some practice shots using the Flash Sensor of the kids running in the Yard. They came out good. During games I will have to be careful when the play comes closer to back off the F stop to keep from burning them up. At long range I was able to light up my subject out to 40 yards.

Thanks again to all of you,

Mike Johnson

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July 04, 2004

RE: Canon v. Nikon flash systems for digital...
Neither system can use open-shutter off-the-film TTL, where the flash meter is at the bottom of the mirror box and reads light reflected off the film. The digital sensors do not reflect light back to the TTL sensor uniformly the way film does. Both Canon and Nikon developed modified TTL flash systems for their film cameras that get around this. Canon's E-TTL uses a low power preflash fired while the shutter is still closed and mirror still down, directing the light instead to the Evaluative meter for exposure calculation.

I'm not as familiar with Nikon's i-TTL/D-TTL system. I know it uses a preflash, but not sure how it reads light to calculate flash exposure. Mirror down using the Matrix meter? Mirror up but before the shutter opens, reading light reflected off the back of the shutter curtains?

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July 06, 2004