Nikon FA, smallest TTL flash recommendation

[wiltw]

I can't resist...
Are you sure that is normal red eye, and not a crazed bride?
(I managed to mostly avoid those when I worked as a wedding photographer).

I managed to mostly avoid the red eye shots when I worked as a wedding photographer with medium format and Metz, too!

In this case, I was a guest with a dSLR and a long enough zoom that I could catch a closeup of the bride although I was at the oipposite end of the room from her (which I would not be, as the 'hired gun!')
Being friends with bride's mom and dad, I knew she was not crazed. Since she knew me she pointed at me when she spotted the camera with long llens pointed in her direction from across the room. Perfect for red eye...staring into the lens, dialated pupils in darkened room, small angle created by the distance.

 

[benveniste]

I've used an SB-30 as my "pop-up flash" for my FA and F100 for literally decades. I've also used it as an optical trigger (built-in IR panel!) for studio lighting, off camera on an SC-29, and even as an optically triggered "kicker" light. It packs a lot of versatility into a small size, and I wish that Nikon had made an i-TTL version.

If you are looking for a smallish flash that can do both TTL and iTTL, the Sunpak PZ40x will fill the bill.

 

[zanxion72]

The Meike description is somewhat vague and subject to misinterpretation. While they have modes 'TTL', 'M', and 'RPT', the truthe seems to be that 'TTL' is a reference only to the current 'iTTL' capable dSLR or mirrorless cameras, and not to 'film TTL' (meaning the FA and its contemporary cameras.

And you are quite right! I had the chance to try one from a friend and it is by no means TTL on the FA. It is most likely to be iTTL.

 

[zanxion72]

This example of red eye was achieved in spite of my Metz 45CT flash mounted so its flash head was over 10" higher than the lens axis! I was using a long FL lens, and the distance to the subject was far away (Let' say 50' away for discussion purposes). The the angle between lens center to to the subject 50' away and back to flashhead center was a small angle. Red eye.

So the Metz 32CT suggested by AgX to OP is somewhat less prone to red eye than the very low profile Nikon NB-27

Thank you for pointing this! I had it completely forgotten as I rarely use a flash. I'd like to see how large that Metz is from close.

 

[MattKing]

The Metz 45 and 60 series handle flashes are quite large (10 inches tall?) and sufficiently powerful (45 = metric guide number of 45, 60 = metric guide number of 60) to be able to illuminate a bride 50 feet/15 meters away.

 

[wiltw]

Thank you for pointing this! I had it completely forgotten as I rarely use a flash. I'd like to see how large that Metz is from close.

The Metz 45CT is 9.5" from bottom to top. I mount mine on a flash bracket which keeps i perfectly above lens axis, to avoid side shadowing, and which allows me to rotate camera between Portrait and Landscape orentation while keeping the flash perfectly overhead above lens axis. On rotating bracket, it is over 12" above the lens axis.; that is sufficient distance for me to work with a small softbox modifying the flash source without blocking the view of the lens!

This is a stock photo showing the 45CT on its standard bracket (not my rotating bracket). Clearly its bulk is the realm of the pro, and merely the appearance of the gear gets guest out of your way in moving about a wedding & reception!

If using ISO 400, at f/2.8 it can reach out in excess of 100'

 

[MattKing]

And if you are using one of the even more powerful 60 CT series, it is even bigger (although about the same height) and the separate over the shoulder power pack is heavy enough to prop open the doors for the reception hall.
I prefer the 60 CT flashes, because they were actually lighter in the hand - much of the weight was in the separate pack.
And the auto-thyristor exposure systems is the best I've ever used.

 

[wiltw]

And if you are using one of the even more powerful 60 CT series, it is even bigger (although about the same height) and the separate over the shoulder power pack is heavy enough to prop open the doors for the reception hall.
I prefer the 60 CT flashes, because they were actually lighter in the hand - much of the weight was in the separate pack.
And the auto-thyristor exposure systems is the best I've ever used.

Absolutely the best auto exposure, it astounds me that Canon engineers could screw up auto photosensor exposure so badly with the 580EX early flashes they released for use with eTTL cameras!

 

[AgX]

And to stay somehow one topic... the latest model of Metz 60 even yields TTL control.

 

[wiltw]

And to stay somehow one topic... the latest model of Metz 60 even yields TTL control.

My 45CT4 allows TTL control with my Olympus OM-4, with my Bronica ETRSi, and I set it on Auto mode (not TTL) to work with my Canon dSLR.

While I have newer Metz 54MZ that does work with CanoneTTL, I find that the hotshoe communications needed for eTTL are very flakey and spontaneosly inconsistent...if I mount flash on camera and camera on tripod, I can trigger it 6 times and get one inappropriately full power flash spontaneously even though I was using remote trigger rather than physical contact with shutter button! So if I want dependability of exposure, I put the Metz into Auto mode rather than eTTL! This flakey eTTL has plagued 4 different camera bodies, both direct hotshoe connected or using genuine Canon extension cables...it is WORSE using Canon's own cable extension.

 

[benveniste]

Size comparison between the Metz 45 and the Nikon SB-30.

 

[wiltw]

Size comparison between the Metz 45 and the Nikon SB-30.

View attachment 274564

Mutt and Jeff. I would prefer NB-30 over NB-27 simply for lowered risk of red eye!
I had a very small Vivitar, and while looking for it (failed), I found the flash unit for my father's Pentax 110. It is 2.5" x 2.5". Since it had not been used in over 35 years, I decided to put batteries in it and try to turn it on...it charged and on came the Ready light! Giving it a half hour of holding charge before I test fire it, to re-form its capacitor.

 

[wiltw]

Thniking about Vivitar for Nikon with film TTL support, I just found these on ebay


https://www.ebay.com/itm/265138798841?epid=102740631&hash=item3dbb8100f9:g:X0AAAOSwKZBghyfU

https://www.ebay.com/itm/112644272789?epid=99549302&hash=item1a3a1f3295:g:SqkAAOSwehZaDdvq

Given my own very recent success with a 35 year old flash charging and firing successfully, I am a bit less reluctant to try an old flash, particularly if the ad says 'tested' and there is only $20 at risk! Vivitar flashes were good reliable units!

 

[Tomwlkr]

I think the Nikon SB-15 is small enough

agree

 

[John Earley]

I really like my SB-23 (139g) on my F100, N80 and F3. TTL and manual settings.