I recently went to a Professional Photographers Guild of Houston (PPGH) workshop with Mark McCall, M.Photog.Cr., CPP and he was using an old manual flash that I haven't seen since the 1980's. It was the METZ 45 CL-4, an old workhorse of a portable camera flash back then and was only rivalled by maybe the Sunpack 522 and Vivitar 365 flashes.
Mark was very gracious and sharing with his knowledge, and told us how he acquired this flash and how he uses it in the digital world without TTL (actually, that's how we used flashes back before digital, so it isn't anything new, except that one can't control the output from your camera like one can with TTL controlled flash units). I really appreciate how Mark was totaly selfless about sharing what he does as a photographer, how he learned it, special workflow tricks that he figured out from years of experience, and provided encouragement to everyone at all levels of experience. He is one of the World of Photography's greatest resources, so if you ever have a chance to go to one of his workshops, it will be money and time well spent.
So within a week later after the workshop, I am the proud owner of the METZ flash for $100 (via Ebay), a new battery pack $25 (Amazon), and new Pocket-wizard flash cable that fits this METZ flash $82 (Amazon). So for About $210, I got a great off-camera flash that is very powerful, don't know the guide number and really don't care cause it throws alot of light at full power. And this flash has a small 2nd flash in the front of the unit that acts as a fill light when the main flash head is swivelled in the bounce position. There's something that is designed in the flash that regulates the output of the light, too. You got to go to Mark's workshop to hear him explain it cause I can't remember how it does it, all I know is that it does, and really isn't that what matters most - LOL. The actual model numbers / ordering codes are listed below:
- METZ 45 CL-4 (not the digital version as it is over $500)
- PocketWizard 804-414 ME1-6P Electronic Flash Cable (Black)
- Metz MZ 5312 45 Series AA Size Battery Holder (Note, only needed if the METZ flash doesn't have one or is corroded)
These additional items, I already had but I am listing the items for reference:
- Manfrotto 026 Swivel Lite-Tite Umbrella Adapter
- Manfrotto 118 Male Spigot for 2905 1/4-20-Inch Male and 3/8-Inch Male 26mm Long Adapter
- and a Manfrotto 119 Female Spigot for 026 1/4-Inch 20 Female and 3/8-Inch Female 31mm Long Adapter
- Cheetah Stand C8 - 3 Section Aluminum Light Stand, 29-Inch to 96-Inch Height - Black
- Pocketwizard Plus III
- Ildozine V3 Caddy
