Selecting the sync speed/the sync speed range
While the shutter speed used has no influence on the
control of the flash exposure (because the flash dura-
tion is very much less than this), the reproduction of
the available light is very strongly influenced by shut-
ter speed and aperture setting. A fixed setting of the
shortest possible shutter speed for flash operation,
the sync speed, in many situations unnecessarily
leads to a greater or lesser underexposure of all parts
of the subject not directly lit by the flash.
The LEICA M8 allows you to combine flash operation
with the shutter speed generated in aperture priority
mode to subtly change the lighting conditions for the
respective subject to suit your ideas on picture com-
position. You can choose between five options for
this:
1. Lens Dependant
Automatic control of shutter speed depending on
the focal length of the lens used (based on the rule
of thumb for shake-free pictures with a hand-held
camera = 1/focal length, e.g.
1
/
60
s using the
Summicron-M 50mm f/2 ) up to sync speed
1
/
250
s.*
* Only when using Leica M lenses with 6-bit coding in the bayonet
and lens identification enabled in the menu (see p. 80/86)
2. Off (
1
/
250
)
Fixed setting to the shortest possible shutter speed
of
1
/
250
s, e.g. for the sharpest possible recording of
moving subjects and fill-flash.
3. down to
1
/
30
, 4. down to
1
/
8
, and 5. down to 32sec
Automatic control of all shutter speeds from the
specified value down to the sync speed of
1
/
250
s.
Note:
Manual exposure control also allows any shutter
speed can be set down to the sync time of
1
/
250
s.
Setting the function
1. In the main menu (see p. 80/93) select Auto Slow
Sync (5.1.13) and
2. in the respective sub-menu, select the desired
variant.
Selecting the firing moment
Flash photographs are illuminated by two light
sources, the available light and the light from the
flash. The parts of the subject exclusively or primarily
illuminated by the flash are almost always reproduced
extremely sharply (with correct focusing) due to the
extremely fast pulse of light. By contrast, all other
parts of the subject – those that are sufficiently illumi-
nated by the available light or illuminate themselves –
are portrayed with different degrees of sharpness in
the same picture.
Whether these parts of the subject are reproduced
sharply or “blurred”, and the degree of “blurring”, is
determined by two independent factors:
1. The length of the shutter speed, i.e. for how long
these parts of the subject “act upon” the sensor
2. How quickly these parts of the subject – or the
camera itself – are moving during exposure.
The longer the shutter speed or the faster this move-
ment, the greater the extent to which the two – super-
imposed – parts of the picture can differ.
Comprehensive instructions/Flash mode / 113
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