Metz 45CL-4 Flash

The 45CL is a perfect tool for stuning colour. I have been using 550ex with my EOS1v and results were OK. The advantage of this flash over other dedicated units are two reflectors and colour temprature. The skin tones are perfect and the bounce and fill in flash does its wondrs. I baught a new unit and had a bumpy start.I used SCA3012 adaptor and when I put my camera in Auto (P) mode the apperture used to be locked at f22 and shutter speed locked at 1/250 (blinking). I contacted Metz in UK and they were very helpfull. The unit was faulty so I returned it and bough another used one. The result of my fisrt wedding shoot was much better then 550EX. This flash has become my favorite from its first result. The power is sufficient to cope with any situation and unit is very easy to use. In TTL mode it gives me 6 rool of 36exp with one charge of 2100 mah rechargable battery pack. Auto mode is another advantage. Simply this is the best flash one can buy. The 60ct4 is biger brother of this gem, but with separete 2-3 Killos to carry on your shoulders is a cosiderable load for a day lone wedding shoot.

The power, colour temprature, designe, build quality, two reflectore, perfect TTL exposure, auto mode and every thing.

None

Minolta flash, Canon 550ex

Very help full.

I bought this flash unit together with the 3402 SCA (for Nikon) and the TTL cable with AF assist light. I was working then as a semi-professional (extra incomings taking photos at weddings banquets). It has never failed. Sure, this flash is heavy, bulky and a bit expensive (with all the TTL accesories), but it's reliable and very suitable for the job. The recycle time is very short in usual conditions (so you're always ready to shot), the bounce/swivel head with secondary lamp is a must then you have a white ceiling above you, the metering (in auto mode) is very acurate and predictable, the rechargeable battery saves you money, and you can also use standard alkaline batteries when the main battery drains off. The arm places the head away from the lens axis, preventing red-eye effect and so the lighting is less flat. I usually use it in auto mode, changing the aperture to fit the light bounce. I rarely use TTL (as I get less predictable results), and the TTL mode supported in this flash is analog (old) TTL, not supporting the newer more advanced TTL modes such as 3D with preflash. But TTL works reliably, anyway, and it is a saver when you need to work really fast without having much time to thik, and specially when using filters. The AF assist light accesory is a great help when focusing in low light situations such as a dark church.

Strengths: - Sturdy, RELIABLE! - Fast recycle time, enough power for most uses - Bounce/swivel head with secondary lamp - Many modes to suit your needs - A standard in Europe for wedding photography - Repair and parts service

- Heavy and bulky, may not fit everybody's needs. Not just the unit to carry always in the bag. - Old-fashioned NI-CD battery with "memory" effect. and the charger is not intelligent, you have to remember when to disconnect it. - The accesories are expensive. But this is true for all brands, isn't it?

Metz 32 MZ-3 + SCA 3401 (red-eye effect!) Cullmann DC-25 + SCA 346 F80 built-in pop-up flash (just a toy)

Never required, but available if necessary

This reviews both the Metz 45CL/4 and older 45CT/4. Used the 45CT/4 for tons of wedding and location shoots...figure about 40,000 pops and still going strong. Replaced it with the 45CL after noticing some burnt looking discoloration of the bulb and mirrored reflector surrounding it. Functioning was still perfect, but weddings are no place to have doubts in equipment or confidence, so obtained the 45CL/4 as main unit and retired the 45CT/4 to non-wedding use.

Good power; TTL flash is superior for critical photography, where results determine your paycheck; bounce/swivel head, and Omni-Bounce has unit to fit. CL/4 has a bit better control panel layout than CT/4, otherwise they seem interchangeable from users standpoint. Seeem to last forever, work as they're supposed to; what's not to like? By the way--someone commented that they are not to be used with Quantom Turbo batteries...nonsense!!! I, and almost every wedding photographer this side of Pluto use that combo as standard gear. Like I said earlier, 40,000 pops and still running, and every one of them with the Turbo!

When I think of one, I'll post it.

Haven't needed since 1988.

Nothing to criticise about this gun at all! It has plenty of power and the auto sensor is pretty accurate. You don't really need the TTL adaptor. Buy the NiCd version, which comes with a spare battery cluster for normal alkaline cells in case your NiCds run out.

Power, accuracy, build quality

Price - you could get four Vivitar 283s instead.

Metz 45CT-1

I have owned the 45CT-5 and the actual 45CL-4. Both are perfect machines in terma of power, versatility and rugged design. The SCA-connectors link both flashes to my old Canon A1 or (CL-4 version only) to my EOS 3. I prefer using the A-TTL-mode of this flash over the e-TTL mode of the dedicated systems (my Canon 420EX flash) since the latter tends to unexpected under- and overexposures. Read the comments of some professionals on the 550EX systems VERY carefully! For macro photography, I use the Metz 45CL-4 not attached to the camera but hand-hold to obtain various directions of light. At distances below 0.8 m from the subject I simply turn the main reflector by 180° and use unly the second small reflector. Result: perfect macro exposures without ring light! I also don´t miss the motorized reflector for indoor photography since the brute power of the unit mostly allows a bounced illumination which I prefer by far.

- power - reliability - easily connected to other cameras - second reflector for macro shots

- NC-charge unit is not intelligent - short lifetime of the NCs - diffusor not very robust

Metz 60-CT1, 45-CT5, Canon 420EX

- never needed