Ef-20 Flash

[Cortney Voegele]

Im wondering if it's okay to use my Fujifilm EF-20 on my Leica M. Has anyone tried this particular flash with success? It's small, can be bounced, and I already have it. So, it would be great if I could also use it with my Leica.

I use it all the time on my M240. It works great in the sense that it fires everytime. However, there is no adjustment of power setting. It seems to put out the same blast of light no matter where you position the power setting. I tend to do a test shots and adjust my aperture until the exposure is correct.

I'd spend the extra $50 and get an SB-28. One, it has aperture automatic exposure that actually works with the Leicas (or any camera) and two, it will trigger the ready light/synch speed on your M. Also, it swivels. You can use pretty much any dedicated Nikon-mount flash on an M. TTL does not work, but if you can get auto aperture, it is tremendously helpful.

I use an EF-20 with my X100T, and though it's brilliant there, it's the least practical thing you could imagine using with an M. The flash is too close to the lens axis, not powerful enough to use as a main bounced flash, and has a dog-slow recycle time compared to a 4 x AA flash.

I often use my SB800 in manual mode on my M240 and like the the Fuji flash, it fires every time. The balance isn't great however. The flash is definitely too heavy for the camera and it throws off the ergonomics. I see that you can get the SB28 pretty cheap used, so it is a good purchase. But I'd want to have both the Nikon and the Fuji flash as options depending on how much gear I was willing to walk around with that particular day.

Also, I should mention, the Nikon flash will recycle faster because you can set it to a lower power and you have 4 batteries. With the Fuji flash always firing at one constant power setting, it can start to take a while for it to fire the next shot. But the Fuji flash is definitely worth getting.

As you can see, the exposure on the subject remains relatively even due to the consistent fill-flash exposure, but the ambient exposure (both background and on the subject) is dramatically affected as the shutter speed changes. Note that the slowest speed used (1/500th) is still twice as fast as the maximum flash sync on the new X-Pro 2. The lesson? If you want to control the ambient light exposure in the middle of the day while using flash, you can use a leaf shutter camera and a compact flash and do what a much bigger camera cannot do without specialized and more powerful equipment. Did you also note the vignetting effect when using higher shutter speeds and fill flash? It allows you to get away with portrait photography with a 28mm equivalent lens!!

Notice both have the exact same exposure settings and the only difference is the fill-flash. Again this shot would not have been possible with a camera with a standard focal plane shutter, unless you have a specialized flash with a pulsating flash exposure which also needs more power and gives much less range and is very distracting to unknowing subjects.

On the negative side, the flash is quite plasticy, in contrast to the solid build and feel of the Fuji "X" cameras. For its output, the EF-20 is also overpriced at $130 U.S. (a bit more costly than the more solid Nikon SB-400.)

A plus is that the flash is plasticy, so it is really light. When standing up on the flash shoe to bounce, the flash doesn't overbalance the camera. The EF-20's TTL output is accurate, more so than the slightly lower priced Nikon SB-400 I also own. It is nice that the EF-20 is in scale with the size of the X100, and would even be in scale with the size of the X10.

All in all, I'd recommend the EF-20. I'd also note that if you use the Fuji hood on the X100 and want to use a flash, the hood blocks the built-in flash. So, you'll have to buy a Fuji flash if you want a TTL flash.

I'm extremely under whelmed with this flash's specs. I think it is one of the weak links of Fujis digital rangefinder type cameras. In contrast I was hoping to see flash offerings on par with Canon or Nikon's ETTL models.

I want to get a flash for my X-E2. Of course Nissin i40 and EF-42 from Fuji are the best, but those are large units, that I don't feel carrying along that much after getting rid of my canon gear. I want to buy a small unit. I don't need firepower - I'm fine with ISO1600. I need celling/wall bounce. I want to be able to fire this off-camera using third party nonTTL triggers in manual mode.

@Steve: you did muddy the waters I will get some nonTTL flashes for umbrellas later on. Now I need the first flash to use on the camera itself, for chasing kids indors. OIS does not get the job done by itself when the kids move around all the time

I just bought one for Panasonic, so it's not apples to apples. But comparing it to the EF-20, it's a little bigger/heavier, the diffuser isn't integral (they include a Stofen knock-off) one more thing to carry/lose but better softening if you're into that sort of thing, has direct manual controls, swivels+tilts (that's not readily apparent from the pictures) and a strobe function. Mine's getting exchanged because it won't read more than 2/3rds charge even with fresh batteries, and it killed those after less than 50 frames, so QA might be an issue.

I have the MK320 and have had real food luck using all modes. The buttons are quite small as is the screen . I used it off camera with my Yongnuo's sender and receivers and it works real well. But as all things take time to learn so will this gadget, the price is right but it is not a serious piece of equipment

I use the Fuji EF-42 as my prime flash, with the Yongnou 560II when more power is required, although it is a manual flash. I did have the Fuji EF 20 and whilst I found it to be a pocketable flash, I found it to be disappointing and overpriced, so I sold that to part fund the EF-42.

I think it is a case 'how long is a piece of string' how big the party and how large the room and how well lit the room is. You can extend the flash by increasing the ISO and if the image get's a bit too dark remove shadow's in post processing with LightRoom or similar software.

Yesterday I got my new MK320-F - to me it seems better built than my EF-20, e. g. the battery door. And it is much stronger and has many other functionalities for a lesser price. I will sell my EF-20.

I bought a Meike 320 and for the money it is pretty good I think. Decent build quality and a 32 GN is good enough for most indoor usage, including bounce. It does have some vignetting but I can live with it.

However, one odd thing. The ETTL mode works well mounted on the camera (my X-E2), but for some reason it won't work using an off-shoe flash cord - either Canon's or Lastolite's. I've seen someone online saying that the Canon cord works fine with an X-T10 and a Fuji flash gun, so it could be something about the Meike flashgun. Disappointing, anyway.

I bought the Meike 320 for Fujifilm a few days ago. I think it is brilliant. TTL on the body works well, off the body as an optical slave works very well too, simple and practical. Strong, small, light, well built, very competitive price but feels like a quality product - what more can you ask for. Includes a diffusor and a desktop stand (with a tripod thread on the bottom). I just ordered another one. I also ordered the FlashQ 1tx + 2rx set, I will report on it when it arrives. Of course, for studio work you will likely use something bigger but as a low weight unit for travelling or for holidays, I think it is very nice to have.

Got my FlashQ T1-S (new version) set, one TX and two RX. Tiny, lightweight, cool. Works to 1/200 with my X-T10 and my two Meike 320 for Fuji. Very small and portable mini setup. Good fun. The only downside I see as for now is that the RX does not fit firmly into the table-top stand that came with the Meike. A piece cut from an old credit card solves that.

The set was delayed for a few days (sold out) but the folks at LightPix were very fast and polite in their response to my mail and then it came very fast as promised. (4 days Hong-Kong to EU - Slovakia).

Hello all , I am newbie here in photography as well using Fuji camera.

I am planning to bu a Fuji EF-20 flash for my Fuji X20 camera.

aside from its price , I choose the EF-20 cause it was able to bounce or tilt . I am just wondering If it is worth of purchase or the built in intelligent flash if enough for a family self portrait ? could anyone share some sample shots used with flash ef-20..appreciate all your help.

4:19AM, 22 June 2013 PDT(permalink)

The built in flash is pretty decent, but you will get better coverage and distance with the EF-20.

My personal choice would be to use a couple of these off camera as slaves. One left one right like studio strobes. The built in flash will fire them and you will get nice even lighting, or whatever you want, depending on the setting of the flash units.

They are small, inexpensive and easy to operate...full manual operation, but it is easy to set them to whatever circumstance is encountered.

They also work on camera but in an odd sort of way....you have to use the pop up flash to trigger them, which does work but of course is not PTTL like the EF-20.

For all around shooting the EF-20 would be easier to use, but it would not beat the two flash set up for portraits.

You can expect this light if you use the two Sunpaks.....

Another option is to use the Cactus Flash wireless to trigger any off camera flash unit or units....one or several. This also works superbly, and the transmitter unit works fine on the X10/X20...I use it all the time with my studio strobes. Inexpensive and can give excellent results most ever time!

Hope this helps you a little.

Regards!

ages ago(permalink)

This is just one quick test shot of my famous snowman. The X-Pro1 was in manual mode, shutter speed 1/60s, aperture f2.8, ISO 400 and the flash was in TTL mode and pointed 45 degrees upwards and used as a bounce flash. I think the result was quite pleasing.

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