Vivitar or Metz for a Hasselblad 500 c/m

[DrPablo]

My Vivitar 283 has died and I need to get a replacement. I've been thinking about a Vivitar 285-HV, but the Metz 45 and 60 series flashes have caught my eye. They'd present a problem, though, with my Hasselblad flash bracket.

Any particular advantages or disadvantages of one system vs the other?

 

[nick mulder]

Dont know about your flash bracket etc - But my Metz 45 (CL and CT) are both very robust flashes, they also dont have the big power pack of the 60 ...

 

[bdial]

I have a Metz 45 CT-3 which I like quite a lot, though I've not used it with the Hasselblad yet. It can throw an amazing amount of light. There is a Hassleblad to Metz adaptor that apparently fits onto the left hand grip bracket, and places the flash over the camera. Additionally, Metz has a platform bracket for MF cameras. Either of these is pretty pricey new though. The Metz bracket doesn't seem to be common used. I've sort of resigned myself to using the standard 35mm style bracket with it. There is also a Stroboframe bracket for them.

Some models have a second tube and refector so that you can bounce with the main tube and still have a fill light. I would find that a very useful feature, which is something the Vivitar can't do.
TTL mode with my Nikon works quite well, and gives me perfect exposures from 20-30 feet, a nice option if you have the metered prism that can link to it. The bracket has a tripod screw, which is nice if you are going to put it on a stand.
Downsides, it's a lot bigger than the Vivitar and requires 8 batteries. It doesn't have the built-in tele ability. However if I were choosing between current versions of the two, I'd go for the Metz because of the second reflector. Spec-wise it has a little more power, which is always an advantage.

 

[Chan Tran]

The Metz's are better but correct me if I am wrong that they are significantly more expensive than the Vivitar. New 285 is only around $90. I paid $600 for my 60CT4 and before they are discontinued the 60CT4 was selling for more than $1000. May be they are cheap used, I don't know.

 

[Mick Fagan]

I think the biggest advantage with the Metz system, is that it is a system.

With my Metz 32CT4 and 45CT4 I can use them on any camera as long as I have the correct end adapter.

If in the future, or present, you have a camera that has some kind of flash compatability, like TTL flash metering, or OTF flash metering then you only need the appropriate adapter.

I run TTL flash on any of my Nikon bodies from an FE2 to an F3HP. I have a friend with a Nikon F4 who has borrowed the 45 and used it perfectly on that, plus one of the Hasselblads a friend has, has also used it with flash compatability.

The same leads by the way, work on at least one Metz 60 unit, cannot remember which one, but I remember the battery swinging around my waist.

Mick.

 

[Chan Tran]

Mick, The Metz 45CT4 and 60CT4 are the same in term of their interface to the camera.

 

[Mick Fagan]

Chan, thank you for that. I already knew that, but I was really referring to the different end plug for each camera, or camera system.

Meaning that with correct end adapters one can use the same flash with virtually full compatability on say Nikon, Canon, Minolta, Hasselblad. The actual leads are the same for each camera, but the actual module which attaches to your camera is different for each model.

My FE2 uses the SCA 343 adapter. The F3 uses a special whole lead for each flash, this is due to the special requirements of the F3 flash connection and it's relatively old fashioned flash technology.

The person who used my flash with the Hasselblad used my leads and bought his own SCA adapter to use with that camera.

Mick.

 

[Chan Tran]

Mick, What I meant that you can use exactly the same modules and cable for the 2 flashes.

 

[Mick Fagan]

Chan, I see what you mean now. Obviously a slight misunderstanding on my part.

I can use the same cables and adapters for the 32CT4, 45CT4 and 60CT4.

Mick.