no help on metz manual -metz 54mz-4i

[bluesmap]

i rented this flash thinking there would be a manual with it. im also looking online at the metz site to see if i can find help but no avail.

what is that number on the bottom right that says 3.4m?

sometimes its there. sometimes its not. i cant figure out what it does. i have to use the flash in like an hour LOL and although it doesnt bother me at the moment i would like to know what it does and how to change it.

from the manual im pretty sure the HSS is high speed sync?
i have the option of using ETTL with or without HSS...im going to shoot without the HSS.

thanks

http://i27.tinypic.com/2v8k6lz.jpg

[chris1911]

If i am not mistaken, it's the effective flash range for the current settings/focal length. That number is not shown when tilted up in bounce position. The HSS does stand for high speed sync.

I have the 48 AF-1 and assume the one you have is similar. I do not have access to the manual right now, but if no one has given you a better answer by the morning, i will be able to look it up then.

[bluesmap]

i dont think anyone has this flash system.
it was weird using it. i used it for about an hour at a bar/club. definitely not like the 580. i found myself going as high as f/8 and iso 100 which i never did with the canon 580ex. this thing is powerful but i dont know if maybe it was the settings, or anything else. but any info you can provide will be helpful i will be using it again tomorrow night for about an hour
the menu did not help me much but i'll download and read it again fully

[nadtz]

I have that flash (I love my metz) and yes, that is the effective distance given the other settings. The manual is a bit of a pain to trudge through but it does answer all the basics.

What do you have your camera set to? I usually set my camera in manual mode (or AV if I want to balance ambient) and set the camera to A mode then tweak FEC to my liking.

[bluesmap]

i have it on ETTL at the moment.
im not sure how av works i'll have to test it out

[nadtz]

you can refer to http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/ for how canon flash works in the various modes.

[Wilt]

It is showing that, for the current ISO setting on the camera, and for the lens at 20mm (so the flash coverage is for that FL), and for aperture at f/6.3, you would be able to shoot as far as 3.4m and have sufficient light output from the flash.

[chris1911]

Here's part of the manual. Didn't have time to scan any more right now. If you want more, let me know.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p246/chris1911/metzmanual1.jpg

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p246/chris1911/metzmanual2.jpg

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p246/chris1911/metzmanual3.jpg

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p246/chris1911/metzmanual4.jpg

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p246/chris1911/metzmanual5.jpg

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p246/chris1911/metzmanual6.jpg

[bluesmap]

thanks chris and Wilt. i should be good now

[nadtz]

Can also get the manual from metz

http://www.metz.de/fileadmin/fm-dam/Download/Photo_Electronic/Bedienungsanleitung/mecablitz/mecablitz_48_bis_76/mecablitz_54_MZ_4_4i_D_F_NL_GB_I_E.pdf

Sorry for the long ugly URL. the metz site is a bit on the slow side for me today, hopefully between the scans and that URL you have what you need!

[bluesmap]

the metz will not function if the AF point is not centered (while on ETTL) has anyone else noticed that or is it just me? when i put the autofocus point back to center ETTL is working fine. took me 10 minutes to figure that one out.

[nadtz]

I hadn't noticed it quite like that, but the metz will only AF assist the center focus point. I'm not sure if the CF to turn off AF assist will stop that behavior.