Need some help with using Metz 45 CL-4 with Hasselblad 501CM

[ted_smith]

I'm having a bit of difficulty and I'm not finding the answers with G searches so I must be using the wrong terms or it's an odd question.

I have a Hasselblad 501CM with 80mm CB lens. The lens has a hole for a flash cord.

I have a Metz 45 CL-4 (non-digital one) flash that I bought for use with both my Hassie and my Nikon F5 (I have the SCA3000 adapter for the Nikon so can use TTL etc).

My question is two fold but Q1 is my most pressing:

1) how do I use this flash with my Hasselblad, given that the 501CM has no metering etc so I can't use TTL (as far as I understand it?)? I have the cord to plug it into the lens, and I have an incident light meter. So if I meter a scene that is EV16 for example and want to add just a little bit of fill-flash to fill in eye sockets or whatever, how do I achieve this my flash without over exposing? How does the flash know how much to pump out with the Hasselblad?

2) When I use this flash with my Nikon F5 with TTL mode, sometimes the Nikon says "H1" (from memory) meaning the flash is going to be too much for the exposure with the given settings (usually aperature priority). With my old flash (the SB800, which was stolen) I used to reduce the power to -1 or -2 or whatever I needed. I can't seem to work out how I achieve this with the Metz?

If anyone knows of a link to a net resource that answers Q1 especially or Q2, please let me know.

Ta

Ted

 

[mwdake]

Your flash has an Auto mode that you can use with your 501CM for fill flash.
Set your camera to the shutter and aperture desired and metered.
On your flash set the film speed then set the dial to one of the auto exposure apertures that is 1 or 2 stops larger than metered and seton the camera. In other words if you measured and set the aperture on the camera at f11 then set the flash to f8 or f5.6 depending on how much fill you desire. You need to assure the subject distance falls in the aperture you set on the flash otherwise choose a different shutter/aperture combination and set the aperture on the flash accordingly that gives you the range.

It sounds more complicated than it is.

Do you have a manual for our flash?

You can find one here...

http://www.cameramanuals.org/flashes_meters/mecablitz_45cl-4.pdf


Please consider Mike's request for a small donation to support his camera manual site, he does a wonderful job for us old camera types.

 

[Ian C]

Most flashes have a forward-facing photocell on the front for sensor-automatic mode (the photocell is the “sensor”). It’s usually about 3mm or 1/8” in diameter. This reads flash that’s reflected from the subject. You have to be careful to not block the sensor with your hand or camera strap. On my Metz 60-CT2, the sensor is on the center of the handle just below the flash head.

Fractional-stop fill flash is had by setting the film-speed indicator on the flash unit to faster film speeds (1/3rd-stop increments, obviously). Naturally, you shouldn’t change the ASA setting on the meter. I don’t think you can get fill flash increments finer than 1/3 stop.

So, if you were using an ASA 160 film and you want -1f fill flash, set the flash at ASA 320. For -(4/3)f, set the flash at ASA 400. For -(5/3)f, set the flash at ASA 500, and so forth.

Obviously you must use the aperture indicated on the flash unit for this to work properly.

 

[ted_smith]

Thanks gents, for the info.

I found the PDF for the flash from the Metz website shortly after posting.

Reading it and your replies I found the answer to my Q2 and it was because, rather stupidly, I didn't realise the inner wheel was for the ISO. I'm not sure what mine was set to when I last used it but it was not conciously set for the ISO of my film speed, which might explain why I was getting "Hi" errors on my Nikon despite rather low light.

I have read through the manual again and it makes a bit more sense now, I think. So, my light meter reports EV13 which equates to a Hasselblad lens setting of (for example) F8 at 1/125th sec. So I set the ISO on my flash to ' 1" ' (which I think means ISO100 - see question below), and turn the auto dial to F8 for normal flash or say 5.6 for fill in flash providing my subject is between 5 - 7 meters. Then shoot. Is that correct?

Last question - the manual doesn't state this, but the central ISO dial on the flash reads :

ISO 25 50 1" 2" 4" 8" 1"' (i.e. 1 followed by two little dashes, 2 followed by two little dashes and lastly 1 followed by three little dashes). Does that mean :

ISO 25 50 100 200 400 800 1000

Please?

Ted

 

[MattKing]

Ted:

I think the two little "dashes" are actually small "0"s, except the last number actually has a small "6" followed by two small "0"s (i.e. it means 1600).

And note that the different positions on the "auto" selector dial indicate maximum distances for the aperture used, but not minimums. The auto flash circuitry will reduce the output appropriately for shorter distances.

And be sure to be consistent about using either feet or meters, but not both .