Are there any third-party TTL flash options for Leica cameras?
Asked 4/7/2022
1 views
2 answers
0
I’m looking specifically for TTL-compatible flash options for Leica cameras. Are there any third-party flashes or transmitters that support Leica TTL, or is Leica-branded gear basically the only choice? I know there are plenty of manual flash options via hot shoe or PC sync, but I’m asking only about TTL support.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
4y ago
2 Answers
4
My conclusion as well: you can only get M-TTL with Leica-branded OEM flash gear on a Leica camera. I haven't run across any 3rd-party options. It's possible that Leica-branded Panasonic cameras could use four-thirds flash gear for TTL, but for most Leica cameras (M, X, T or SL), the flash hotshoe is incompatible. [Yeah, Leica and Panasonic share the L-mount for lenses, but not a hotshoe].
And even though Leica's own flashes appear to be made by Nissin (e.g., a Leica SF60 looks a lot like an i60A; ditto a SF40 and a Nissin i40, and the SF C1 transmitter is a dead ringer for Nissin's Air 10s), Nissin themselves do not offer "for-Leica" M-TTL versions of that gear at Nissin prices. This was the same deal Leica had with Metz when Metz was making their flashes.
See also:
July 2022 update
There are now two announced TTL options for Leica in terms of flash radio transmitters. Profoto is releasing a Leica version of the Connect Pro and Godox is releasing the XproIIL. Neither one is available yet from retailers, but are both on pre-order at B&H at the time of this writing.
But in the case of Godox (at least; may be the same for Profoto) the lights will also probably require a firmware update to be fully TTL compatible with the Leica transmitter, since this is how all new system support has been added in the past, and those firmware updates haven't yet arrived. And there are no announcements yet for on-camera flash TTL options.
Originally by user27440. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user27440
4y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For most Leica cameras, third-party TTL support is very limited to nonexistent. The community consensus is that if you want Leica TTL—especially M-TTL—you generally need Leica-branded flash gear.
While some Leica flashes appear to be rebranded versions of products made by companies like Nissin, those manufacturers typically do not sell Leica-TTL versions under their own brand. Earlier Leica flashes had a similar situation with Metz-made units.
There may be exceptions for certain Leica-branded Panasonic models, where Four Thirds TTL compatibility could apply, but that does not extend broadly across Leica lines such as M, X, T, or SL, whose hot shoes and TTL protocols are generally not compatible with common third-party systems.
One notable exception mentioned is that Profoto has offered a Leica version of the Connect Pro transmitter.
So the practical answer is: for Leica TTL, expect to use Leica-specific flash gear, with only a few niche third-party Leica-dedicated options.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI4y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Does Nikon have a Canon RT-style built-in radio flash system, and is there third-party support?
Can the Lytro Illum use any flash besides the dedicated Lytro TTL model?
Which flashes work on a Canon EOS 4000D hot shoe without a center pin?
Do Canon DSLRs support high-speed sync, and what flash do you need?
Which speedlights work with the Canon EOS 2000D / Rebel T7?