p.1 #1 · Leica SF60 flash strength enough for umbrella use outdoors?
Looking at the Profoto website, some video clips show their smallest flash, the A10, being used outdoors with a small 33" white deep umbrella. The specs show 76Ws but no guide number nor are they provided at the B&H site.
Using a Leica SL/SL2, I do have their SF C1 trigger and 2 SF 60 flashes which are rebranded Nissan i60s. This allows HSS and TTL as no other non Leica system flashes allow these functions. The guide number for the SF60 is 196'/60m @100ISO/200mm.
I don't have much experience with flash but would like to do outdoor portraits with the flash(es) providing fill and additional general subject lighting. What I don't want is the obvious flash effect so that is why I am inquiring about reflectors such as the umbrella which seem to be a good compromise in ease of set up compared to a soft box.
Not knowing how to compare the 2 flashes, do you think the Leica flash is powerful enough to work with small white deep umbrellas such as the 33 inch Profoto ones or if not, is a sliver reflective umbrella better?
p.1 #2 · Leica SF60 flash strength enough for umbrella use outdoors?
The A10 is about the same power as a Nikon SB-5000, SB-910, etc. The guide number for the SB-910 is 48/157.5 (ISO 200, m/ft). A 33" white umbrella will work fine. You'll have to adjust the fill flash to contribute around 20% of the ambient light level to minimize the "flash look". Mixing flash and ambient light will take some time to learn, so have a bit of patience. There are plenty of good videos on YouTube showing how to mix flash with ambient light.
You might want to consider getting a light meter to begin with. You can also just adjust manually, but personally, the light meter readings helped me understand the ratios of ambient to flash better.
p.1 #3 · Leica SF60 flash strength enough for umbrella use outdoors?
the A10 is about the same ppower as the SF 60.
consider the situation A10 to SF60.
..Battery is bigger on A10 but for SF60 can use an external battery that reduces load time.
.. only a leica Flash will give you HSS or TTL on leica camera.. Profoto to leica support should be coming. at this point you will be using any other flash like profoto in manual mode only, No HSS No TTL.
.. light modifiers will absorb light, so if you are using an umbrella white you already have 1 stop less power.
.. in outdoor you will need to hold down the umnrella because wind will blow it over. sand bags are your friend to protect your investment.
Like you I use the SF60, it is an ok Flash for on camera flash. for outdoor portrait shoots i use a more powerfull flash that does not need to be at full power, most of the time a Godox 300 or Profoto B10 plus diffiused is much better.
p.1 #4 · Leica SF60 flash strength enough for umbrella use outdoors?
Thanks for all of your replies. I don't do much outside flash so won't commit to more powerful battery powered strobes but will use what I have. Now finding that I can use umbrellas, I will get a few small sized Profoto ones. I also read that the Nissan MG10 grip flash is also compatible with Leica HSS and TTL but that would be too much equipment for my purposes.
p.1 #5 · Leica SF60 flash strength enough for umbrella use outdoors?
story_teller wrote:
You might want to consider getting a light meter to begin with. You can also just adjust manually, but personally, the light meter readings helped me understand the ratios of ambient to flash better.
Thanks for this suggestion. I do have a Seikonic L-358 flash meter that I bought ages ago when I did start to work with Alien Bees in my basement. I'll dig it up and read up on how to use it for analyzing ambient and flash light effects.
