SF24D Flash - Can use for Wedding Table to Table shots?

[artspraken]

I will be doing Wedding table to table shots at a wedding using M9.

Would like to ask whether Leica SF24D Flash is okay?

My concern is because SF24D cannot turn upwards to bounce. Will the full frontal light make the pictures look poor? I am debating whether need to get a flash with bounce.

Will be grateful for any pointers.

 

[ZoomP]

I will be doing Wedding table to table shots at a wedding using M9.

Would like to ask whether Leica SF24D Flash is okay?

My concern is because SF24D cannot turn upwards to bounce. Will the full frontal light make the pictures look poor? I am debating whether need to get a flash with bounce.

Will be grateful for any pointers.

I shot my friend's wedding with my M8 last time. Set to B&W @1250 ISO. No need flash and paired with a 35 VC f1.2. It's pretty good.

Since M9 has better noise control, you may wanna try it in colors too.

 

[dtohs]

i suggest lower iso, on m8 i ever used 320 in low light condition, then push up exposure in PP. The high iso was just not acceptable to me..:thumbsd: Shoot in color raw, then convert to B&W later if u wish.

Fast lens may be appropriate for solo portraits under these low light condition, i suggest shoot at f2.8 onwards for small group photos or u may end up with second & third person bokeh faces.

Also if u want to just capture around the table portraits, the flash may not put everyone at ease.

ps: Leave the table or large group photos to the wedding photographer.

 

[artspraken]

ps: Leave the table or large group photos to the wedding photographer.

I'm the only wedding photographer lei. i am the only one doing table to table.

 

[dtohs]

I'm the only wedding photographer lei. i am the only one doing table to table.

Haha i see, maybe SLR does a better job then, i dont think i can (thats me ofcoz, still not experience enough) to cover from portraits to groups photo with just one lens, if u have to, i suggest a 50mm on full frame for this shoot. Good luck.

 

[artspraken]

I got 50mm and 35 mm, might get a cheap 21mm for table shot

Main problem now is dunno the hotel lighting is how bright

 

[Yoricko]

Nikon TTL Flash Sync Cable + Offhand. It may be awkward for some people. You will need to get precise frameline visualization, the flash cable will somehow obstruct either sides of the viewfinder.

Leica's TTL is slow. Most of the time, your photos will end up with everyones eyes closed. Use Auto or manual mode. Might as well get some Nikon flash an shoot auto.

I made a DIY diffuser out of those Kodak film capsules. Frontal light is still pretty bad.

 

[KWYLEE]

no need Leica flash, consider a cheap Metz auto flash. Will save you enough for a cheap wide. 24/28mm might suffice.

 

[schmuak]

I would use 5DmkII or something. The AWB on M9 sucks big time under artificial light.

 

[chiif]

I can lend u a metz flash gun. You can bounce with it.

But you can over come the harshness on direct flash by using tissue paper to diffuse the light. That's the poor man's way. But it definitely would cheapen your M9... :bsmilie:

Still can use M9, no need to use DSLR... Doing table shots, best to use 24 or 21. Set aperture to f8 to get sufficient depth of field and sharpness. 35mm and 50mm is too tight, you only have at most 3 meters to cover 10 person + bride + groom + the 4 parents. That's 16 person in a frame.

But do remember to prefocus, focus fast and shoot. People usually don't give a damn about photographers and can't understand why photographers need time to focus. All they want is get on quickly, eat, get drunk, shake the hands and go home. :bsmilie:

Practice before the actual dinner and set the light and reading before the actual table shots so that you don't fumble when it comes to actual shoot.

Bring along your mac or pc and make sure your picture looks OK on screen before the event. Make sure your white balance is consistent.

Hope that helps! And good luck!

 

[artspraken]

Grateful thanks for all the tips.

I've been thinking of a lumiquest softbox. Would this solution be better than tissue paper? If this diffuser is good enough, might not need to bounce.

I'm also toying with the idea of using a Nikon SC28 flash sync cable to play with light from different angles. Like Bruce Gilden style liddat,.

 

[artspraken]

I've been researching on the internet how to make my SF24D bounce, and I found this interesting pic!

just to share with all

source:
http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/discus_e/messages/3/60211.html

 

[Cactus jACK]

not specific on the SF24D per se, but regarding methods of bouncing / diffusing flash.

this gentleman was the official photographer for the leica store launch earlier this month (iirc, he's from the Schmidt Marketing Malaysia office). point is, he attached the flash via a flash cable and held it in hand, which allowed him the flexibility to position the flash as and how he wanted, depending on the lighting of the scene.

photo by ed9119

while it might look a little cumbersome, but once you get use to focus-postion flash-snap, i think that you may find this quite useful.

 

[KWYLEE]

... Or you can try my Blasphemous wireless set-up... http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4146/5050871609_4ff6d31f70_b_d.jpg