21.2.2013

Hard to fault this flashgun, it works perfectly. If you just want to put it on your Nikon and take perfect flash shots without thinking about it, this flash unit does the job really well. That means it communicates perfectly with the sophisticated i-TTL programming of Nikon cameras. (Watch out, some independent brands don't! - for example I considered a Nissin which claimed it could do this, but only when I read the fine print did it turn out to be incompatible with my particular Nikon camera.)The Metz charges rapidly, produces a nice even light, and gets the exposure right. So you end up with photos that look better than anything the camera's in-built flash could achieve. (I use a Nikon D5200,so it's good to see the Metz even works with newly-released Nikon cameras). It works well for bounce flash (where the flash is pointed upwards so the light bounces off the ceiling, producing softer lighting for indoor shots).The rear of the flash unit is very simple, it has four nicely illuminated buttons rather than an LCD panel. These do the job well and make the flash pleasantly simple to use. It's like using an Apple computer rather than a Windows PC, it's deceptively easy and it just works. There is manual adjustment etc but to be honest you might seldom use it since the standard settings get the job done perfectly. Some advanced features are missing compared to the Nikon flashguns at two to three times the price. For example, for remote wireless shooting, the Metz only works on all channels, whereas on Nikons you can select the channel. This means if you are in a room full of photographers and you're all doing remote wireless flash work at the same time, the Metz will go off when anyone takes a shot, rather than 'listening' only to your channel. But realistically when would you ever be in that situation?! (By the way, to work remotely the Metz seems to require a master flash such as another Metz on the camera, the inbuilt flash doesn't seem to work to trigger the remote flash - but I think that is a limitation of the Nikon D5200 rather than any limitation of the flashgun).The Metz has a quality feel to it - it is very nicely made and is a good match for Nikon cameras. Disappointingly the foot to stand it up for remote flash is not included, nor is a bag, you have to buy these as optional extras if you want them. The manual is very good, proper clear English (the Metz is made in Germany, not Asia).If you love complexity (i.e. you want to fiddle a lot with the LCD panel settings on your flash) and have plenty of budget, why not buy the Nikon SB-700 (and around twice the price) or the Nikon SB-910 (at around three times the price). But if you want a flash that will take equally good shots in most situations, this Metz is highly recommended.

4.7.2013

This flash unit from the renowned German manufacturer Metz has a flash output similar to Canon's own Speedlight 430EX and, as far as I can see, very similar functionality when attached to a Canon EOS dslr. This gives it just over three times the power output of my 40D's built-in pop-up flash with a metric guide number of 44 (105mm lens @ ISO 100) against 13 for the built-in flash. What it doesn't have, however, is the price of the Canon flash is substitutes for, this little beauty can be found new for around £120.The five buttons on the back control on/off, auto/manual, power output in manual mode and a host of other functions, and the contacts on the hot shoe enable it to be controlled from the camera's menu,

12.4.2015

Works well with my Panasonic Lumix DMC-G6, including slave functionality. You do need to read both the camera and flash instructions though for the slave bit. I couldn't get the Wireless FP mode (high speed flash repetition for a fast shutter speed) to work on the flash, but there is no mention in the Metz instructions that this function is supported, although the camera has this option available. The Metz flash has an auto-focus measurement beam that has a longer range than the one on the camera, and I couldn't get this to operate either. This time there is no mention of it in the camera instructions. I've sent an enquiry to Metz asking about this, as it would be useful.The quality of the picture with Auto-White Balance is very good,

2.2.2016

Although mot bought through Amazon, I bought the Olympus compatible version of the Metz Mecablitz 44 AF-1 around a year ago to use on my Olympus Stylus 1 and thought it worthwhile sharing my experiences so far with this unit.The Olympus Stylus 1 has a built in flash above the lens with a guide number of 10.3m. Whilst it's ok for a little fill in flash or occasional indoor use, the results can be harsh and red eye is an issue. The Stylus has a hotshoe, so a flash was the first accessory purchasedThe Metz, with a guide number of 44m at 105mm provides a substantial leap in flash performance and allows far more pleasing flash lighting as the tilt/swivel head is can be used to bounce flash off a wall or ceiling instead of straight at the subject.

16.3.2014

I'd been toying with the idea of getting a flash for a while. The built in unit on EOS650D does an OK job, but the lighting is harsh and there is little flexibility in its use.I first looked at the bottom end of the price range and found models that looked good but were manual only and had poor build quality. Then there was Canon's own. Undoubtably good quality and good specification, however they command a high price.Metz is a well known brand and one that I've used before. With a guide number of 44 it is powerful enough for most situations and has a bounce and swivel head for a more flattering light.When the flash arrived it was well packed. The instructions were clear and concise,

14.1.2015

We all read books and magazines about photography that tell us that an ordinary camera mounted flash is of little use. And being a (relatively) newcomer to the hobby I absorbed this as a mantra. In the end, however, I had to accept that a flash gun is needed as a balance of convenience and requirement.The Sony flashgun is presumably excellent, but eye wateringly expensive. Certainly outside of my budget so I had to search elsewhere. This Metz fitted the bill. Not Chinese copy cheap, but at a price point that most interested camera users could afford.Build quality is very good. Not weighty but then that presumably is an advantage in keeping the overall weight down to a liftable amount.In common with most other flashes,

7.7.2015

Wow, what a difference a decent dedicated flash makes.Unfortunately this was not it. But then again it was.The flash gun arrived very quickly but would not work. I sent it back and received a full credit by return - can't praise that service enough.I then went into a high street photo shop beginning with 'J' and ending with 'PS' and discovered that the fitting on my Canon EOS was possibly slightly dodgy.By ensuring it was screwed down very tight it then worked. It produces fantastic shots, automatic works brilliantly.In short it is fantastic. I feel bad sending it back in the first place and frankly the shop I purchased it from was pretty poor in the service it gave (wanted to try it in the shop to make sure it worked and they didn't have any AA batteries.

26.3.2014

I bought this mainly to use off camera with my Lumix GX7.It's great value for a fairly powerful flash which has the benefit of being able to shoot in TTL mode off camera using the GX7's wireless mode. It has very few controls, and no display, and appears to have been designed primarily for TTL use, which it does very well.There are a couple of little annoyances which have dropped it a star in my opinion.- There doesn't seem to be a way of manually setting the power in slave mode - you can use TTL mode with the flash off camera, unless you use a separate remote trigger.- The range of manual levels are limited to 1/1, 1/2, 1/8 and 1/64 settings. You can overcome this by adjusting the camera's ISO or aperture setting,

9.9.2013

I had to buy this as my old Pentax dedicated flash would not work with the P-TTL of my new K7 camera. The instruction book gives the bare minimum of info. I used the flash at first on full Auto Green programme on the camera. I was initially disappointed as there was no ability to tone down the exposure. The Pentax camera guide was also of limited help. I soon found that using the ordinary prog. or any other of the cameras programmes enabled you to get all the functions and exposure controls you could want. The flash does work without a cord as a slave.Although this is not as powerful as my previous flash I'm happy with it. The tilt and twist head for bounce and the ability to adjust exposure and work with various camera settings means its a good buy.

31.3.2013

After buying a chunky lens I had to buy a separate flash as the built in flash was partially blocked. I found using this flash very frustrating at the start and tests showed that using it on my K-r produced over exposed subjects; the camera refused to acknowledge there was a flash attached and exposed as if it wasn't, with the result that everything within the flash range was over exposed.I toyed with the idea of returning it but read other comments on the Pentax user forum and found I wasn't the only one hitting their head off a brick wall with external flashes and Pentax K-r cameras. I have found I get acceptable results using the camera on manual but leaving the flash on auto (old school

7.1.2014

Got this flash for my SONY ALPHA A380 a few weeks ago and it is absolutely fantastic. Initially I was a little unsure as to what type of flash I would need, but after seeking some advice from a camera shop they recommended this flash. Since I had never used a flashgun before I had no idea what to expect, or even how to use it; but after a few hours of playing around with it I started to figure out all of the necessary settings both on the flash and on the camera. I would definitely recommend this flash to anyone who is seeking a high quality yet affordable piece of equipment. I have currently only used it for studio type photography, but all results have been fantastic.

15.10.2012

I have purchased this flashgun to complement my Nikon D80 to replace a Metz 44MZ-2.I needed a TTL flashgun that is simple to use, easy to carry around and inexpensive.I found it fits the bill perfectly on all counts. It has no complicated menus just switch it on. It is easy to carry around yet packs adequate power (I have other flashguns for higher powers).I can also control it remotely via Nikon's CLS using the camera's integral flash.I think it is an ideal introductory flashgun for photographers who need additional flash power but do not want a complex specimen.Performance-wise the pictures I took were correctly exposed,

18.6.2013

Excellent performance with my Pana FZ200, very powerful perfomance, motorised zoom head automatically provides the correct coverage spread of light. Simple to use, just leave on auto setting. Bounced flash with the head tillted up by 60 degrees gives very natural illumination without harsh shadows considerably improved over built in flash head. As this is less than half the price of the Pana unit of similar spec, its a great bargain. German build quality is excellent, and the firmware is updateable should future cameras need it. To update simply connect to computer with micro usb lead and wait, will connect to website automatically and update if required. Well recomended 5 stars.

18.10.2014

Read up about the Metz 44 AF-1 Digital Flashgun for Canon to make sure it was a suitable alternative to the much more expensive canon equivalent.It hasn’t disappointed me at all. It is a quality product which works perfectly with my EOS 700D.Looks very good too! I like the fact that there is no LCD info. Panel on the device, just coloured LED’s on the back to indicate its status. Very easy to use and keep set correctly for the circumstances.I was able to update the firmware easily to the latest version.My only negative comments are that it does not come with a case or flash stand. Metz do have an after-market case for this model, however, it is by no means cheap!

30.12.2013

This compact but fully functional unit exceeded my expectations. This flash offers the full range of features while being just the perfect size for the small G3 body.I tested it in a room with lots of pictures and a mirror on the wall. By adjusting the swivel head to point nearly backwards at 45° I was able to get a correctly exposed image without any flash hot spots on any picture or the mirror.In terms of actual functionality it matches my camera with TTL, auto zoom etc. The flash head rotates 180° rear ( to the left) and 90° upwards.Build quality is excellent and of a guide number of 44 makes it more than powerful enough for anything I will use it for.

Metz Mecablitz 44 AF-1 digital - Reviews

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