Metz Mecablitz 48 AF-1 Flash Review for Nikon

I have 2 years of experience with the Metz Mecablitz 48 AF-1 for Nikon, I want to share.

Overview of the Metz Mecablitz 48 AF-1 for Nikon

Overview of the Metz Mecablitz 48 AF-1 for Nikon

When working with a flash, you immediately understand that everything here is aimed at functionality and additional features - simply not there. Nothing superfluous, a modest display, 4 buttons, AF illumination, a reflective card and a diffuser plate, a receiver for remote control, a USB output - that's all you can see on this flash.

This photo was taken with the Metz Mecablitz 48 AF-1 for Nikon.

This photo was taken with the Metz Mecablitz 48 AF-1 for Nikon.

Third Party Flash always causes distrust, because non-native manufacturers of photographic equipment are usually wary of it. For example, there are rumors that the exchange of information between the camera and the native flash (SB-900, SB-700, SB-800, SB-600, SB-910) there are additional encrypted signals that only native flash units and cameras can work with and that this increases the quality of images compared to working with third-party flash units. I do not believe in this, and in practice, with skillful hands, this German flash is not inferior to anything SB-900 when working both with the camera and in SLAVE mode.
The head stroke is 24-105 mm, which is enough for domestic needs, for example, for my universal Nikkor 18-105 an excellent flash.

Photos at Metz 48

Photos at Metz 48

And so, closer to this miracle.
Working with her, found her strengths:
1. Ease - strong side, you do not need to set a million values, 3 shooting modes are available (I have an option for Nikon cameras), i-TTL, Manual, SL.
2. Built-in reflection card - a nice bonus, for example in a native flash SB-600 there is no such card, and all amateurs know that ordinary gum and a business card replace such a card, but the question still remains in convenience.
3. SL modePretty nice thing. It works no worse than on native flashes. My Nikon D90 communicates quite normally with the flash in this mode. SL is the Slave Mode equivalent for Nikon's native flash units.
4. A large head travel, horizontally the head goes 270 degrees, in general this figure can cause misunderstanding. It’s just that the head goes 120 degrees in one direction and 180 degrees in the other direction. In practice, it differs from the full 360 in very, very little functionality.

Photo on Metz 48

Photo on Metz 48

5. Normal autofocus highlight. The front of the flash has a special area that gives special infrared illumination with autofocus.
6. It charges quickly (depending of course on the batteries) and quietly, but you can still hear noises when idle and charging, it feels like it's alive.
7. Test operation button and readiness indication
8. Advanced shooting mode, allows you to automatically make the shooting angle a little wider, to get a softer backlight.
9. Quick sync mode HSS (analogue FP mode), will only work on cameras that support this mode. I successfully work at shutter speeds of up to 1 \ 4000. The flash supports fast synchronization up to 1 \ 8000. Some of the photos in this review were taken in remote control mode and quick synchronization.

Photo on Metz 48

Photo on Metz 48

Disadvantages
1. Sound alert does not turn on in SL mode (it simply doesn’t exist) is a rather uncomfortable thing, because you don’t know whether the flash is charged or not, and you can’t always tell by the green indicator, especially if the flash is about 10 meters away from you. In this mode, the red indicator blinks in front, as in native flashes.
2. Twist latch, I’m interested in the reviews that don’t write about it. This means that the flash will have to be twisted on the camera, and this takes time after the native flashes, which are on the latch, sharply casts a shadow of negative on the flash design. Personally, when I use several cameras and flashes and need to change combinations, twist and wind the locking ring bothers. And if you also forget to turn in which direction, then in general you can spoil your mood.
3. Bad battery compartment, powerful and slightly thick batteries simply do not want to cram there. A very serious minus.
4. There is no additional connector for external power, an indispensable thing for the studio.
5. There is no fixture for filters, there is no fixture for a diffuser, there is no shoe in the kit (a small flash stand).
6. No one needs an unnecessary USB output for flashing, it would be better to add a more useful thing instead.

Photography with Metz 48

Photography with Metz 48

Of course, you can also write that there is no way to control other outbreaks (Master of control), but this is a flash of a different price level, so I do not consider this a drawback.
On my copy, when I tried to stick the batteries at 2700 milliamps (which are heavy and slightly large), at first they did not stick in and did not stick, then when I took the others that came in, but pulling them back turned out to be a difficult task. Now I use this flash either with ordinary batteries or with batteries, which are included without any problems. Also, when I played with all this business, I have the battery cover locks off, that is, it is completely removed now, but latches just as well.


Impressions from the flash are very goodall the same it Germany, not China. The ergonomics are pleasant, it is enough to learn the menu once to perform quick settings: an amendment exposure, zoom, auto off time, etc. The menu is small, but informative, nothing more, it’s just not a fact that the instruction will be in Russian, so I’ll say right away that the + and - button can be pressed at the same time and used to configure. The button for fixing the rotation of the head is very easy to press, the head walks easily and setting the desired angle is quite simple.

Thank you for attention. Arkady Shapoval

 

Add a comment: Nicholas

 

 

Comments: 65, on the topic: Metz Mecablitz 48 AF-1 flash review for Nikon

  • Alexander

    Hello! There is a flash METZ 50 AF. I want to use it with a tripod. Nikon 5100 camera. Tell me, Which synchronizer to take?

  • Volodimir

    Arkadiy I want to power the Metz 48 AF-1 bedrooms I bought earlier for the E500 Olympus, but now can you go to the D7000?. Do you write Metz 48 AF-1 for the Nikon, but I don’t say anything to the bedroom

  • Volodimir

    Good day, Arkadiy, I want to feed the Metz 48 AF-1 sleeps I bought earlier for the E500 olympus, and now can I get the D7000 nickname?. You write Metz 48 AF-1 for the nickname, but I don’t say anything to the sleeproom.

  • Pastor

    A hellishly tenacious flash. I bought it for almost nothing in a terrible state. The battery cover is broken off, the flash dangles in the shoe, the plastic fastening to the shoe is cracked. The camera does not always see the flash, the flash does not hit in a series. One joy is TTL. I use it on canon, quite rarely, when I need it exactly. Otherwise I shoot the Jungnuo 560-2 with a manual - here's a reliable and cheap flash. And as the only flash it is risky to take a third-party manufacturer. On Nikon I have a sb-700 and I would not want any third parties. Returning to Metz, I can say that a flash is, in principle, reliable just like a flash. But other little things in it are not thought out and made rather inconveniently. And yes, batteries do not fit into the battery compartment, I use batteries.

    • Oleg

      Help synchronize Nikon D7000 with metz 50 (48) on the back (second) curtain. With the d7000, everything is clear, but on the flash I can not find the icons in the menu. Thanks .

  • alexey

    in principle, the metz-48 is a budget option sb-700 oh. power is the same, not buggy. what is a little annoying is the stuck batteries in the compartment and the locking thread. and no worse than sb-700.

  • Elena

    Good afternoon, tell me, please, did anyone hear about the Metz mecablitz 44 AF-3M flash? What can you say about her?

  • Nicholas

    Tell me please! how such a Metz 30 BCT 4 flash on amateur mirrors behaves.

    • Lynx

      Is burning

      • Oleg

        Good day . Help synchronize Nikon D7000 with metz 50 (48) on the back (second) curtain. With the d7000, everything is clear, but on the flash I can not find the icons in the menu. Thanks .

        • lynx

          Alas, I did not work with landscapes in such a way, I do not know.

          • Oleg

            Thank you.

  • VOX

    I am the owner of Metz Mecablitz 50 AF-1 Digital. I have been using it for more than two years, it is very economical, there are no complaints, the flight is normal ...

    • Oleg

      Good day . Help synchronize Nikon d7000 with metz 50 on the back (second) curtain. With the d7000, everything is clear, but on the flash I can not find the icons in the menu. Thanks .

  • anonym

    tell me if METZ 44AF-1 is suitable for NIKON coolpix p7000 and the car will work?

  • Vadym

    Having frowned at Nikon. Duzhe garnі hostility! Potim y minav on Kenon system, potim znov on Nikon :) Now I want zn її buy b.v. on olkh. Klasna, simple, without a whirlwind of bells and whistles. Robotic hardships!

  • Yura

    After reading, and thinking: three brothers.
    In Arcadia, everything is so positive look around 🤷🙃

    • Yura

      Dyakuyu for work, Arcadia🙏

  • Yura

    Who knows, enelupi climb there?

    • B. R. P.

      At the dupe, yak ring out)

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