Metz 36 AF-4 flash with LX5

The Metz 36AF-4 is a reasonably priced flash and not over large to match with an LX5. I've had one for a few days and share my views here.

Those who hoped it would be built like the professional Metz guns (like the 45CT series) will be disappointed. It feels quite fragile and I have concerns about the durability of the foot. Mine can be awkward to engage with the camera hotshoe - it needs quite a shove to get it wholly forward and ensure that all the control pins contact those in the camera shoe. It has a (rather crude) lock that is supposed to push down a small pin into the corresponding hole in the shoe but it's far from positive. Failure to get the gun in the correct position results in the flash not firing at all, or no control over its output.

It has no "normal" auto or manual control - the camera is in sole charge. Prior to buying the Metz I'd been using a very old Vivitar 283 with a Wien "Safe Sync" to protect the camera against the high voltage from the 283. It worked very well indeed - in fact I think I prefer the Vivitar over the Metz. It's far better built too.

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John Gruffydd, Mold, Wales, UK