Metz Flash

Does anyone has any experience about the Metz Flashgun, especially, the potato masher? I am interested in getting a more powerful flash other than the 580EX II. At first, I was fond of Quantum flash until I found out about the price. . For that kind of price, I could get a Bron Mobilite for a little more. Thanks in advance.

I have a 60 CT2 I bought in 1982, works great. The metz flashes generally give you the guide number at 35mm Canon gives it at 105mm so the canon numbers look real good. I can still walk into my local pro(ish) shops have batteries for it in stock. They are big but the batteries give about 400 full power flashes.

You should be able to find used ones at decent prices as I don't think they are not super popular. Capacitors have an expected life of about 20 years so mine should be exploding at any time (makes me sort of nervous when airport security have me turn it on).

If you find a used one try and get the adapter they sold that lets you dial the power down in manual mode as there are only 3 manual setting , full power, winder (I think about 1/64th power ) and motor drive (about 1/128th power). I don't have that but think it would be very useful.

The Metz 60 or 45 potato mashers can only be used in Manual or Auto mode with Canon dSLR, even with the Metz 3102 M3 module, because the flash cannot support the needed pre-flash for ETTL...and the only potatomasher flashes that have this preflash now are the recent version with 'Digital' clearly part of the name, like '45CL4 Digital.

The 45CL is clearly more powerful than the Canon 580EX or Metz 58AF1, if you compare those flashes at the fixed coverage angle of the potato masher, rather than the sleight of hand games that speedlight manufacturers play with the autozoom headed 580EX and 58AF1! The Auto mode of the Metz flashes was wonderfully reliable and consistent in the results, winning the hearts of thousands of wedding pros in the film days, and even today -- in contrast with the inconsistent and unpredictable results with ETTL.

Via the modules, Metz flashes can be made to work with hundreds of models and brands of camera...I can use my Metz with Olympus, Bronica, and Canon simply with a change of module...so I am not locked in to a single brand of camera, and new modules can support newer models of cameras that could be introduced at any time.

Thank to Quad and Wilt for the answers.
Wilt, Have you used the digital potato masher? Is the result of te Auto mode on par with Canon E-TTL? I am quite comfortable shooting in manual mode for both camera and flash. I think it is very nice to have the E-TTL though when I am on the move or don't have time to spare for adjustment. Will there be a WB problem if I mixed the Canon and Metz Flash together?

I have not used the digital potato masher. 'Auto mode on par with Canon ETTL' I would have to answer "NO, far BETTER!!!" As I stated in the earlier reply, "The Auto mode of the Metz flashes was wonderfully reliable and consistent in the results, winning the hearts of thousands of wedding pros..." ETTL is under Canon body control, not the flash, so the ETTL stupidity is the fault of its designers, and the horrid underexposure (-2EV according to some reports on POTN) of the Canon 580EX-II in Auto mode is an indication of just how flawed Canon flash seems to be in general!