Options for Leica M4

[TomR55]

II am interested in doing more work with on-camera lighting--specifically some portrait but especially more on-location shoots (think inside of buildings, structures ....) .

I have been told that a lot of Leica users eschew strobes, etc. But this seems an unnecessary limitation ... at least to me. I have used older Vivitar units, and I have a Juno unit, and these are fine--as far as it goes. The concern that I have is often missing shots because of the recharge time as the day wears on ... Ideally, I'd like something with portable batteries, such as a Quantum Turbo SC or some such thing. On that subject, I like the idea of a larger, curved light source as opposed to the flat, harsher light I'm getting from these older strobes.

Before investing in something such as a Quantum system (which might be overkill) I was hoping that some of the knowledgeable contributors to this forum might have some suggestions for strobe units that have portable, rechargeable batteries and decent output.

I am not interested in TTL as much as I'm interested in a dependable, fairly portable system that will enable me to investigate more photographically interesting options

Thanks to anyone who can provide useful suggestions.

Tom R.

 

[madNbad]

It’s actually really easy now. You can put together a Yonguno or Godox system for not a lot of money. A shoe mounted trigger with a PC adapter will take care of your needs. A Sekonic 308 can take care of your metering needs. I did it the old way with a M6 TTL and Metz flashes with the modules. They were line of sight and a pain. Got rid of them and moved to a simpler, adjustable flash with a radio trigger and things were easy. Get a reflector or make one and go to the fabric store for backdrop materials. If you’re in a semi studio setting, learn about using knotted clothesline to set pre determined lighting. Get a cheap digital camera, they help you save a lot of film. Have fun!

 

[madNbad]

For a start, get a Meike flash for a Sony or Canon. There’s a small one for Sony that is about seventy usd. A PC hot shoe adapter and start there. The littlest Meike has tilt, swivel and adjustable power output. Works as a fill, can light a small room and if you don’t like it, it’s not a big investment. Get a decent PC hot shoe adapter, with the M4 it’s something you’ll have for a long time.

 

[TomR55]

Great feedback, and some sensible ideas.

I do have a Sekonic 308 that has proved helpful in some situations. I have also a radio trigger for a "Phottix" Juno flash that I picked up a few years ago. And, I like the idea of using a digital camera to keep costs under control while picking up some essential knowledge and skills.

I do not know if any portable power supplies are available for that particular flash--although I can ask around ... . For the time being, I will try rechargeable batteries (although I suspect they will not provide lots of service time before requiring recharge).

Again, I thank everyone for their timely and helpful responses.

Tom R.