Your experience of Metz flashes.

[DominoDude]

It took me years to buy my first dSLR, and I suspect that it will take me another bunch of years until I buy my first serious flash.
I had my first experience with a Metz "hammerhead" on a Nikon F-something back in the mid 80's, and it had a colour consistency like no other flash and it was extremely reliable. Does anyone of you have any recent experience with Metz? Quirks and oddities? Hardly known flaws and so on...

 

[Nitroman]

I used Metz CT4's in the 1990's but now use Canon 580EXII. It's awesome. Just buy the Canon and you won't regret it.

One other thing - use these batteries eneloop. They recharge faster and are the best. Cost more but worth every penny.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/blister-eneloop-HR-4UWXB-battery-capacity/dp/B00B49IFIK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1409247178&sr=8-2&keywords=aaa+sanyo+eneloop

 

[awinphoto]

I used to love working with Metz flashes... i started in the early 00's using the Metz 70 series hammerhead style flashes... it was remarkable... It still to this day, power wise, matches Canons top flashes pop per pop. Once i moved from film cameras to digital, that flash become obsolete because the adapter and commander would not work on the digital cameras at that time, the canon 10D. I sold that flash and moved to the metz 54 shoe mount. It sucked losing that extra power and rechargeable battery that was freaking awesome, but it was, at that time, the first metz flash that worked successfully with the digital cameras. Now, they have 70 series flashes that work flawlessly with canon digitals but their prices have gone up to the point where i can pick up studio strobes cheaper than that...

They are a little bit more plasticy and lighter than the canon counterparts. The 70 series are excellent flashes, built like a tank, but are spendy and few people have the need for that much power. I eventually sold my 54 for 2 430's when i got the 7d just so i can use them with the 7d commander mode. Every so often i get the temptation to move back to the metz system, especially since i'm not using the 7d as much and using the 5d3 more and more... maybe one day...

 

[Old Shooter]

I have used Metz flashes since the mid-80's... Still have a 45CL-4 Digital that I use today... They are truly a piece of quality gear... As stated, you will pay over $500 just to get started...

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/602998-REG/Metz_MZ_45140_mecablitz_45CL_4_Digital_TTL.html

For TTL, you need this...

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1025254-REG/metz_mz_53112m6_sca_3102_dedicated_ttl.html

And this...

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/35024-REG/Metz_MZ_5484_SCA_300A_System_Adapter.html

And this battery pack is just the best...

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=accessoryIntermediate&A=accessoryDetail&Q=&sku=432947&is=REG&print=Y&det=y

So another $240 to make it really trick - but for pro work you would want at least one more NiMH cluster...

I love the sturdy handle mount and the quality of light it puts out...

 

[pwp]

My experience with Metz has been mixed. I used to shoot daily news with The Metz 45. The NiCad batteries were fine for a few months then faded fast. We had to carry 4-5 of them. I never really liked them. Later I got a Metz 60 CT4 just because of the "bang for the buck" factor. I dug it out, dusted it down, charged the battery & sold it last week for $100. I got a Metz 54 MZ hotshoe flash when I got the Canon 1Ds in late 2002. The 1Ds and Canon Speedlights were so utterly hopeless at delivering anything like a correct exposure, the prevailing knowledge at the time was to go with a Metz. As well as the faulty ETTL exposure mode it had something called Auto-thyristor or something which metered differently somehow. It kind of worked.

But really? Metz? Why go there? Just go and get a couple of Canon 600 EX-RT speedlights.

-pw

 

[DominoDude]

Thanks for your thoughts and input, guys! It's much appreciated.

Pwp: Metz is cheaper here than Canon SpeedLites at comparable GN's.
Canon 600EX-RT -> $710
Metz 64 AF-1 -> $535

Old Shooter: Yeah, making sure one has the correct model of adapters would be one of the downsides of them old hammerheads.

 

[pwp]

Thanks for your thoughts and input, guys! It's much appreciated.

pwp: Metz is cheaper here than Canon SpeedLites at comparable GN's.
Canon 600EX-RT -> $710
Metz 64 AF-1 -> $535

$710 for a 600EX-RT? Not any more. That sound like maximum RRP. Shop around. You should get them for under $500 now.

What about pre-owned? Good 600 EX-RT's can be picked up for under $400 if you're patient, and mint condition 580EX II's can be bought any day of the week for around $300. Canon Speedlights tend to be amazingly robust and reliable bits of kit. I absolutely hammered my pair of 580 EXII's for years until an update to 600 EX-RT's and I've been hammering my pair mercilessly for over 12 months now. They 100% pass the tough-test.

-pw

 

[DominoDude]

Thanks for your thoughts and input, guys! It's much appreciated.

pwp: Metz is cheaper here than Canon SpeedLites at comparable GN's.
Canon 600EX-RT -> $710
Metz 64 AF-1 -> $535

$710 for a 600EX-RT? Not any more. That sound like maximum RRP. Shop around. You should get them for under $500 now.

What about pre-owned? Good 600 EX-RT's can be picked up for under $400 if you're patient, and mint condition 580EX II's can be bought any day of the week for around $300. Canon Speedlights tend to be amazingly robust and reliable bits of kit. I absolutely hammered my pair of 580 EXII's for years until an update to 600 EX-RT's and I've been hammering my pair mercilessly for over 12 months now. They 100% pass the tough-test.

-pw

It was the lowest prices of that day for both of those flashes. Looked them up on a site specifically for price comparisons. The currency was converted according to the day price, and only slightly rounded. So, sadly, that's the ballpark in which I have to play.

I have to add that I have a habit of being a pest in the shops, so I usually can shave off 15-20% on prices there and then - they want to get rid of me and agree to giving me discounts...
I promise to keep a better eye open towards used ones, that might save a buck, and the nerves of shop owners.