METZ MECABLITZ 36 AF-4
Two problems you may have with the single flash:
1. uni-directional light
2. harsh shadows
You'd be much better off if you could get two of the flashes to use off camera.
The Metz 36 AF-4 is a little limiting as you cannot control it manually (P-TTL only). It does look amazingly good for the price though at £65. Plus reliability wise as the zoom is manual there is no worrying about zoom motor failure like on other Metz flashes.
At the moment I have two Metz 29 AF-1 flashes because the zoom motors on both 58s broke and they are stuck at the widest setting outputting GN29!
Vic.
Sigma 8-16 Pentax DA 16-45 Pentax DA 55-300 Pentax 18-55WR Tamron 90 Di Macro Metz 44 AF-1
Problem with the 36 is that you need a P-TTL cable to get it to fire at anything other than 1/1 power and you cannot adjust it creatively outside the +-1 EV stop allowed in camera.
That is why it is £65.
Vic.
Sigma 8-16 Pentax DA 16-45 Pentax DA 55-300 Pentax 18-55WR Tamron 90 Di Macro Metz 44 AF-1
GN is 20 at 28mm (widest setting).
ISO speed compatibility is 25-800 only.
Maximum power flash duration is 1/500s.
If you had a P-TTL lead I don't see it being a bad flash.
If it had manual mode I'd get several myself.
The MECABLITZ 44 AF-1 is looking to be better at £145.00 at SRS
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Just not sure about the "funky" control panel on the back! What do you think?
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Vic.
Sigma 8-16 Pentax DA 16-45 Pentax DA 55-300 Pentax 18-55WR Tamron 90 Di Macro Metz 44 AF-1
If you can get a cheap P-TTL cable then there is nothing wrong with the 36. Macro work will mostly be using automatic flash anyway:
Vic.
Sigma 8-16 Pentax DA 16-45 Pentax DA 55-300 Pentax 18-55WR Tamron 90 Di Macro Metz 44 AF-1
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611 posts
16 years
Surrey
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I was thinking of hooking it up to the X-synch socket with a standard cable. There's not much point in buying expensive Pentax off-camera cables and adaptors for macro is there? For info I'll be using a BPM bellows for some macro stuff. I don't want to spend too much at this stage as I doubt it will get a huge amount of use. £65.00 seems pretty good to me?!
Vic.
Sigma 8-16 Pentax DA 16-45 Pentax DA 55-300 Pentax 18-55WR Tamron 90 Di Macro Metz 44 AF-1