A flash for Olympus and Panasonic - super light with a disadvantage

A review for a customized on Four Thirds and Micro Four Thirds flash unit can not be compared with reviews on the same flash units that fit for Canon or Nikon.

To come back to the functions and the drawback I have to be a little more detail.

Haptics and processing:

As usual Metz the workmanship is very good, the flash is (fully opened) in a stable styrofoam packaging in its longest form accommodated. The flash has a length of almost 18 cm. Unfortunately, there is here at the new flash units from Metz, the (previously common) pocket. You can buy the accessories of course, however, would have been expected in my opinion, as an adjunct in the box. In addition, a detailed instruction manual in German language is (however, contains a typographical error, it will display images displayed twice on two different issues). A hot shoe made of metal makes sense and is very stable. Down at the base of the instrument is the imprint OLY for FT / MFT standard of Olympus.

Function:

A flash in the price category should be variable and versatile - that's the Metz 50 AF 1 all. The reflector has a motorized zoom and works in the Panasonic G (2) very reliable in synchronization with the zooming the lens. The head of the unit can be rotated through 180 ° and pivot about 90 degrees upward and 10 degrees downward. A diffuser and a reflector can be opened on the flash head to redirect the light discreetly in rotated position. A so large rotating flash head is obviously a great thing, especially in portrait mode you can steer by turning the head light - and not many devices like this. Aufsteckdiffusoren and the like are in the accessories so you do not have to look far, the head has the external dimensions of approximately 71 mm by 43 mm. At just 400 grams with batteries, the flash is not a lightweight, but it is not really difficult. Operation with batteries (4 x AA) works well - better batteries Eneloop (Sanyo), which enable significantly faster flash rate due to lower internal resistance.

TTL works fine and you can also easily use the +/- buttons on the back the exposure in 0.3 - 1.7, etc. Set "up and down" - 0.7 to 1.0 - of 1.3. This helps well continue for some unclear situations and even with very fast lenses (eg Panasonic 20mm Pancake F1.7). The modes TTL (exposure), TTL HSS (Metering + Speed ​​Sync) and M (manual) allow a lot of leeway, such as TTL HSS flash to limit the depth of field or M to just a forced head position (for example, as a spot-effect) by at Portraits or to force a quantity of light.

Below are all the features in the illuminated display of the flash.

In addition, there is the adjustable "Automatic off" for battery protection (up to 10 minutes) and a "flash bracketing function" which automatically takes three shots in succession with different exposure (the three stages can be set) and other functions such as focal length adjustment (reflector always a focal length before or followed) and "Modeling Light", which by pressing a button, a strobe continuous light generated around the subject to illuminate - a useful thing in manual focus in the dark. As far as all the important functions can be set with only three buttons, the mode button toggles TTL, TTL and HSS M and the two buttons (plus and minus) set the rest. The fourth key is to trigger Modeling Light and manual flash fires there and is illuminated green when the flash is ready. Flash readiness is but with Eneloop battery always 100% thus the key is lit in green.
The remote operation away from the camera only works with a corresponding remote operation of the Olympus cameras or even a Metz 58 AF with Remote Transmitter. The Panasonic G does not that alone.

Disadvantage:

The slave mode via the optical sensor of the flash is not optimally matched to the system, because the only drawback of this flash is the impossibility of synchronizing to a camera flash metering (measuring flash is not to be confused with the Red-eye flash, the measuring beam flashes extremely nearing actual flash and is hardly noticeable). This means - A camera with preflash, such as the Panasonic G2 lets the Metz 50 AF 1 unleashed (does not flash mounted on the camera) already when trigger measurement flash. Thus, the flash is of course completely useless for such applications and one has to wonder that even those flashes as the favorable Nissin devices have a measuring flash synchronization and non Metz. Therefore, and due to the lack of case I have to deduct a star, because it would be just a matter of flash software to measuring flash synchronization at Metz 50 AF 1 to enable.

Conclusion:

Good workmanship and a swiveling flash head, the desire no leaves in edgewise as landscape mode, and a great - really fast to comprehend operation, justify the price quite here. The result on the image sensor of the camera is always in the right light and also there is plenty of scope for creativity. For off-camera flash I bought a cable that brings an advantage - it sparkles with unleashed with the optimal amount of light measured by TTL and remote programming without the flash.

Tip:

Cheap slave flashes, there is, for example, from Manfrotto (Manfrotto D 22 iS) and synchronize the measuring beam of the Panasonic G and can be regulated in three stages.

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Addendum 02.07.2011:

By lightning, I'm still excited - have now bought another flash for my Pentax K-5. So far, both flashes will work perfectly and without any failures.