I have an Epson PhotoPC 3000Z camera and am looking to purchase an external flash. I have been looking at a variety of external flashes and have a few questions. Epson recommends the Metz 32 Z-2 compact flash unit. The Metz compact flash units 32 MZ-3 and 32 Z-2 support the Special Camera Adaption (SCA) 3000 system. The Metz website states the following: The principal new feature of the SCA 3000 system is the ability to evaluate the digital data supplied by the camera's electronic control system. The ultra-compact SCA 3000 adapter transmits this information in a digital form to the flash unit. The SCA 3000 system has made it possible to implement the following functions, depending upon the type of flash unit used: - Digital transfer of film speed - Digital transfer of lens aperture - Automatic zoom reflector control - Integrated AF measuring beam - Second curtain synchronization - TTL flash exposure correction My questions are as follows: 1. Epson recommends the Metz 32 Z-2 compact flash unit. What digital data is actually exchanged between the Metz 32 Z-2 and the Epson PhotoPC 3000Z camera? 2. The Metz 32 MZ-3 is more complicated with a power zoom reflector and integrated AF measuring beam. Will this flash unit work to its fully capabilities with the EpsonPC 3000Z camera? What additional data, if any, is actually exchanged between the Metz 32 MZ-3 and the Epson PhotoPC 3000Z camera? 3. If the information sent between the Epson PhotoPC 3000Z and any flash unit (including Metz) is just a 'trigger to flash' message then ... Will the Epson PhotoPC 3000Z camera work with the Metz 32 Z-1 compact flash unit? Is there any benefit to upgrading to the Metz 32 Z-2 flash unit? or the Metz 32 MZ-3?
I have a Metz Mecablitz 50 MZ5 which incorporates an automatic exposure calculation unit which mounts on top of the camera. I normally use this unit successfully on a medium format and 35mm camera which are full manual. Even with the correct aperture, film speed, lens zoom settings inputted into the unit the exposure is wrong with the Epson. The firmware inside the camera doesn't work in a linear fashion as conventional film so reciprocal calculations cannot be conducted ie: 1/60 f8 = 1/120 f6. There are look-up tables inside the camera that calculate the exposure in an Epson Digital Camera kind of way. Epson UK are currently investigating the actual values used and how the camera calculates them so I can compensate when using the flash. My advice to you would be not to buy a sophisticated flash for this camera. No information is passed to the flash which acts as nothing but a slave to the camera. Even with a guide no of 50 in my flash unit the pictures are always underexposed and the correct exposure is difficult to work out without knowing how it works in the camera.
Posted on Sep 13, 2005
I have tried a couple of external flashes on the 3000Z. It is my understanding from reading various Internet posts (and I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong) that, other than triggering the flash to go off, there is no communication between the external flash in the hot shoe of the 3000Z and the 3000Z itself. Settings need to be made manually in the manual mode to set the f-stop and the aperture to get good exposures. The Metz flashes are expensive. Most have opted to use less expensive flashes such as the Vivitar 283/383, or a Sunpak, or even a "Wal-mart" flash. I chose an inexpensive bounce flash with a secondary "fill-in" flash to get rid of the shadows sometimes seen with indoor bounce flash pics. I purchased the Phoenix 82ZBDA Multi-dedicated twin flash from Porter's Photo Catalogue for $37.95. This flash works fine, but is not that powerful (GN 79 ). If you need a more powerful flash, you might consider the Vivitar 383.
Posted on Sep 13, 2005
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