White Light

a bit heavy

Its a prof flash of a very high quality and the prints i get with my Pentax 67 and this Metz flash is very good looking not yellowish or blue but white and clean! i use it for fashion ,portraits and weddings and find it very good to work with! Its still a very pro flash even compared to other brands and i will always choose this although The Vivitar 283/285 comes close. Go for Metz-its german quality.

Customer Service

Nope

Similar Products Used:

many from national canon vivitar and others

Power, Power, Power
Twin flash for under-chin fill in (if using main for ceiling bounce)
Power Pak (ext) lasts about forever

Expensive
Big

We couldn't get first few units working with Nikon's new at the time F100. Supposedly, the F100 pumps a lot more and different info to the flash that the Nikon SB28 handles just fine.

Metz, however, had to re-write their software to get this unit to work with newer Nikons, and I had to wait almost 2 months of constant complaining etc... But I finally got it (for free) and it works like a charm, under ALL environments and situations.

As Ferdinand Porche' once said "there is no substitute for power"... This is a pro's flash - you'll see them used all the time by pabarrazzi's(sp), sports journalists on the field etc..

Customer Service

If you ever have to deal with Metz direct (Germany), I feel for you. But Bogen sees to it that you're taken care of quite well...

Similar Products Used:

Nikon SB28, 27, 26, 22

Quick Recycle
Light weight for output
full featured.

poor choice for square format due to
lack of secondary diffuser and
right side only mount.

Great unit for 35mm with the proper bracket.
What good is a hand strap if the flash is above the camera?
Put display on back of controller not top!!!!

Customer Service

never required

Similar Products Used:

other metz, vivitar

Power, flexability of the SCA system, lost of features, additional powerpack, "little" weight for all the power and features, good price ratio.

None except the lack of support of the 1/8000 shuttertime support.

Probably the best flash around, it sounds like overkill if you want to use it for "daily" work, but it's a pleasure to work with. The SCA system makes it unbeatable for all original brands. The quality is even better.

Customer Service

Not needed, they're giving good information even about the weak points (SCA incompatabilities)

Similar Products Used:

Metz, Minolta, Nikon, Canon

powerful flash and accuracy is good as long as u have the lcd control. At manual the flash is powerful enough for weddings, portraits and parties

does not sync high enough action photography/

it may not be the powerful portable flash around but, you can good results with or without the lcd control....at manual mode you get the best out of this flash

Customer Service

never tried it yet coz mine never broke down on me

Similar Products Used:

lumedyne, dynalites and sunpaks

Powerful, Full Featured, Accurate

Big and Heavy. The battery charger is not a "universal" type, so I have to buy a second charger for overseas. Concerns about the bracket strength. Proprietary NiCads.

Very flexible and powerful flash, but it's big. Biggest gripes are the proprietary NiCad, non-universal charger, and bracket design. I broke the block where the camera plate attaches to the flash - it's a bad design. It's especially worrisome with larger cameras- F5 and medium format. I now carry an extra attachement block with me (provided gratis by Bogen). I use this when I can, but use the SB-28 when I travel or need to go light. Great flash for weddings, groups, and large areas where you need the power. Especially nice when using the StoFen diffuser.

Customer Service

Prompt, knowledgeable technical support from Germany, good support from US distributor (Bogen).

Similar Products Used:

Mikon SB-28

Power, Weight, Flexability.Quality of lighting

Fires camera and flash for no reason on Nikon F5 & N90s Loose 3-4 frames for each roll of film. Brackets cheap feel

I use this constantly in sport, Banquet, wedding, group portraits, plays and many school functions.
With Metz bounce attached (50-23) there is plenty of power for all of the above. The metz flash producer the most natural lighting of any flash. The nikon flashes tend towards yellow and photos compared side by side are like day and night. Nikon flashes are obvious. The metz flash often makes a scene look like natural light and there is no harshness at all. Value rating under new pricing at B&H moves value rating from 4-5 stars but at price I paid can only give 4 star value rating. Extremely versatile flash

Customer Service

Have not had time to send in for repair of random firing in constant use.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon SB26
Nikon SB28

Very versatile, especially the 12 auto- aperture selection & SCA-type controller.

The zoom motor is slightly noisy and uses proprietary rechargeable battery.

A very capable unit that can caters to just about any type of flash photography.

Customer Service

N/A.

Similar Products Used:

Canon & Vivitar, much cheaper.