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Metz mecablitz 48 AF-1 digital

The Metz 48 flash is a real workhorse: very reliable and pretty powerful. Some specifications:

  • Works on 4 x AA rechargeable batteries
  • Guide number 48 at ISO 100 and zoomed to 105mm
  • Zoom range: 18mm (with diffuser) 24 – 28 – 35 – 50 – 70 – 85 – 105mm
  • TTL enabled (hardly used by me, though…)
  • No optical slave or wired connections (unfortunately)
  • Power settings 1/1 1/2 1/4 1/8 1/16 1/32 1/64 1/128

Below are pictures, taken with and without several modifiers to bundle or divert the light for later reference. The setup is:

  • Distance to wall: 200 cm
  • Wall width: 300 cm
  • Wall height: 240 cm and flash set at 120 cm height
  • Wallpaper: 2 colors is 70 cm width
  • Flash power setting: 1/4
  • Camera settings: f/10, 200 ISO, 1/25 sec, 16mm (APS-C)

Unmodified (bare) flash

Metz 48 bare 18mm 18mm
Metz 48 bare 24mm 24mm
Metz bare 28mm 28mm
Metz 48 bare 35mm 35mm
Metz 48 bare 50mm 50mm
Metz 48 bare 70mm 70mm
Metz 48 bare 85mm 85mm
Metz 48 bare 105mm 105mm
 

Using a sto-fen diffuser

Metz 48  stofen 24mm 24mm
Metz 48 stofen 70mm 70mm
Metz 48 stofen 105mm 105mm
 

Foam + velcro snoots

Metz 48 8cm-snoot 105mm 8cm snoot is to short
Metz 48 15cm-snoot 70m 15cm snoot @ 70mm is OK
Metz 48 15cm-snoot 105mm 15cm snoot @ 105mm more unevenly lit
 
Metz 48 22cm-snoot 70mm 22cm snoot @ 70mm
Metz 48 22cm-snoot 105mm 22cm snoot @ 105mm
 

Using grids

Metz 48 course grid 70mm 1/4″ short grid @ 70mm
Metz 48 coarse grid 105mm 1/4″ short grid 105mm
Metz 48 fine grid 70mm 1/8″ short grid 70mm
Metz 48 fine grid 105mm 1/8″ short grid 105mm
Metz 48 27mm straw grid 105mm grid of 27mm black straws @ 105mm
Metz 48 65mm straw grid 105mm grid of 65mm black straws @ 105mm
 

A few (very personal) conclusions:

  • At 85 and 105mm light distribution is a bit uneven
  • A stofen diffusor is a waste of light (built-in 18mm is more effective)
  • Simple cheap foam snoots work fine
  • A short grid works very well to bundle light
  • Home-built grids of black straws have a great light fall-off

To demonstrate the zoom effect of the flashes at shorter range these shots:

Flashes at 24mm At 24mm zoom setting
Flashes at 18mm At 18mm setting (diffuser)