S2/Metz Failure

[copple]

Please help if possible.
Have Metz 54-3 on my S2. It has been working fine since purchased last March. Put in on th camera to use fill in on a daylight shot. Fired the camera shutter, & the gun 'POPED' at least I think it was the gun. The Metz died.

Contacted Hasselblad (UK) who sent me another gun overnight (GREAT SERVICE) This also had the same result - New batteries in the gun & first time I fired the shutter it went 'POP'.

This time the display was OK on the gun - but it would not flash either on or off of the camera.

Any ideas & has this happened to other useres? Any suggestions, possible causes would be appreciated. By the way, when I called Fuji/Hasselblad, they both said 'this cannot happen, there is only a 'trigger voltage' not enough to damage either unit!?!?!?!

[Swampy]

uhg, I have the same setup as you, but I've not had a problem in 3 months with it. I have heard the Metz pop fairly loud once in a while though. Kinda scary sounding even. Keep us posted on what happens, I'm sure there's other people with the same setup here.

[copple]

Hi Swampy
Thanks for the reply.
Once the service people have had a look & get back to me I will forward details as to the reasons for the Metz failure.
Regards
Tony

[Tom V]

I had a Honeywell Strobonar (potato masher style) flash that worked great for about a year, the "popped" and stopped working. I brought it to Honeywell, who fixed it at my expense. A couple months later, it "popped" again, and Honeywell found something else to fix, again, at my expense. A while later, it "popped" and I gave up. On my meager High Schooler budget, I could not afford to fund the Honeywell Service Center's Othodontia, Christmas, and College Funds.

I took the thing apart and found carbon trails from arcing on the circuit boards. The capacitor was shorting inside the unit, frying some things, and leaving short-happy carbon trails.

I never bought a Honeywell flash again. I switched to a SunPak 411, which served me for at least a decade. I then bought a Big Metz thing (CT-1?) which worked great, but was eventually sold when I swtiched to Nikon and used Nikon TTL Speedlights, as well as my (then) new Speedotron Flash system.

Yada yada yada. It sounds like the Metz units you have used both suffered from the same thing my Honeywell had.

[Wichita Wayne]

One Strobonar was enough for me. When it worked it was nice, but a guy needs two or three of them because one will always be in the shop. Now we use Metz and Sunpak. And we have not had good luck with Metz 45 series flashes, but the 60CTs are great.

[copple]

Hi Guys,
Thanks for coming back with the info.

My main concern was that the Metz had damaged the S2 when it 'popped', hanging offence if it did. The units have been sent to the service centres for checking. But the bit that gets me, is that OK things go wrong, but for technical manufacturers main service centres to say as they did - 'it can't happen' because-because-because, is nothing short of BS.

Especially as Fuji 'have NEVER heard of this happeneing!?!? As both the units are under warranty, I'll see what results they come back with this time; but with your comments,will be very carefull to make sure I don't get passed off with more BS in the future.
Again many thanks for your'e inputs, it's great to have feed back other wise you feel - It must be me doing something wrong - again!
Regards
Tony

[jeffinkansas]

I also shoot the S2 metz 54mz3 set up. I have fashioned a homemade diffuser, and sometimes I get the POP, but I have not had failure. Sounds to me like its a flash problem, or a faulty nikon adapter module.

[copple]

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for get back to me. This POP was really quite loud, but I suspect you are right, or at least hope you are, that it was in the first instance a componemt failure in theMetz & in the second instance, could have been the flash tube itself?

Should have some confirmation of the results ina couple of days,& will post the findings.

ATB

[Steve Wynn]

I am still using (2) Metz 60 CT1 flash units that I bought in 1989 and 1990. I've worn out about 2 straps, and 4 batteries apiece but the guns and the battery case are going strong. With durability like this, you start to swear by things.

Steve

[Topngu]

i had this flash over 10 yrs...recently i just did TTL again 28 ...80...
it's came out good...special for who shoot wedding

[copple]

OK! OK! I hear you all on the 60 series, I am looking at these as an addition to the 54. Currently checking my local contats for a good used unit. So you are right the 54 looks as though it will end up as the back up unit!

As an amatuer I only use flash as fairly small part of photography, & still trying to get the best out of it. I am reluctant to spend out on a new unit, having said that ; I am rapidly convincing myself that it could be of benefit in setting up a 'small' studio operation for portrait work in the future, rather than spend out on studio lighting in the early stages. (Any ideas here would be most welcome) .
Thanks again for all your comments & input
Regards

[Wichita Wayne]

The 60 series flashes are really expensive and they only have a propriatary external (brick over the shoulder) battery pack. They are great but I am not sure I would run out and get one unless it was earning its own keep. A Nikon Speedlight, Metz 54 or a good SunPak that will take internal batteries would probably be a better choice for an amatuer. The only reasion I have a bunch of 60s is because I use them with my Hasselblads. At weddings you sometimes need coverage at 50 ft. distances and the 60s will do that with no problem.

[copple]

Wayne, thanks for the wake-up call Wayne re 60 series.

Have now had a reply form Fuji, Metz say they will be back to me Friday. The Fuji technicians say they could not find a definite problem that would point to the S2 damaging the Metz. So in a sense I am no further forward, however, they have replaced my original S2 with a new body, under warranty, so I am pleased with the overall result.

When the Metz gets here I’ll check them both out & see if we have a repeat performance (god I hope not). Will let you know what if anything comes back from Metz as to the cause of the initial problem.
ATB

[copple]

Have now heard back from Metz, the technician is off ill and in hospital, so they have sent both guns back to Germany.

As & when they get some feed back they will let me know. In the meantime a replacement (new) gun is in the post.

So I'm afraid no real answers as yet to pass onto you all, but at least I am up & running again. Will post any news as & when Metz gets back to me.

Thanks to all for taking time to post replies, it was much appreciated.

By the way anybody using the Wein ‘safe sync’ system, as I though this may be a way of reducing possible failures in the future?

ATB

[Steve Wynn]

I'm using the Wein Safe Sync HSHS with the Metz 60CT1 and have been for over a year. No problems so far.

Steve

[Topngu]

Any one use ANY external flash other than Nikon Must use :
Hot shoe safety synch or
Pc safety synch...from (WEIN)
cost more than $600US to repair dammage main PCB:eek:
(even in WARR!)