Sorry if this has been covered- could not find it in the "flash" section:

A few times I was using a simple Canon flash on the M6 TTL, it wouldn't go off. Sometimes the lefthand error would be flashing, other times not. The flash symbol was always on. The conditions were nothing out of the ordinary: 400 speed film, and inside a restaurant. So I would take the shot, and the flash would go off; someone else would take it, and it wouldn't. We waited sufficiently for the recycle time (flash indicator light would come on), and the camera was set at 1/50s or 1/30s.

Any reason why this might be? Under what conditions will the flash not fire?

TIA,

-- Tse-Sung Wu (tsesung@yahoo.com), April 10, 2002

Answers

Make sure the M6 has good batteries and that all electrical contacts are clean. The flash won't fire if the camera's batteries aren't working.

-- Andrew (mazurka@rocketmail.com), April 11, 2002.

It may simply be a problem with using another manufacturers TTL flash on the Leica. I have tried my Contax G2 flash unit on my M6 TTL, and while each first exposure is spot on, the flash needs turning off, and then on again, before it will fire again for another correct exposure. It seems to have nothing to do with the recycle time, but more to do with the feedback the camera gives to the flash. Just a thought which I hope helps.

-- Steve Barnett (barnet@globalnet.co.uk), April 11, 2002.

Using the PC cord usually fixes the problem for me.

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), April 11, 2002.

Can some one clarify that you can use the contax TLA200 on TTL mode with the M6TTL and get spot on exposure???? Why do you need to put it on and off. what is this syn cord about??

thanks

Ralph

-- ralph (sinus@magix.com.sg), April 12, 2002.

Hi Tse: I had the same problem with my ttl. while using any flash that had only one contact. When I used my Nikon SB22, the flash fired every time. I sent it off for repair and there is a problem with the electronics, which is common with the earlier ttl models. Jim

-- Jim Dikaios (jdikaios@yahoo.com), May 17, 2002.