Are Metz Flashes better?

[Stoner]

I just shot another wedding with my 10D and 550EX Flash and was dissapointed in how the flash worked in helping me to focus in the low light conditions of the dance hall that was used for the reception. I use a 28-135 IS lens but tried my 85mm 1.8 to try and help the focusing but it didn't help much. I have heard that Metz makes a flash that works better with the 10D than the 550 does. Has anyone had experience with this?
I would like better low light focus assist and also for indoor equestrian action shooting I need a short flash duration even at a 30 foot distance. The 550EX and 480EG that I have used in the past slow down their flash duration to about 1/700 second when you get too far away and that is not fast enough to freeze action at the equestrian events I shoot.

[NHL]

It depends what you call by better... Depending on the model, the ones with the dual head will provide a more even illumination, because one head can be bounced while the smaller head provide an even fill. I use a handle mount 45CT-5 Metz which will require the camera to be put on manual, ie non E-TTL, and no AF illumination, but auto flash. Other Metz like their 54 series can provide every functions that Canon offer; However, you've just stumble on one of Canon E-TTL archille's heel in evaluative metering centered around their autofocusing points. In wedding where subjects often wear black and white, the evaluative sensors can usually be fooled depending on where the focus point is aimed at: white dress and you have an underexposed shot, or black suit then you end up with overexposure! Use FEL (this mode only uses centerweight meteringonly) or strictly manual like I do to overcome this issue... The new 1D has this fixed by factor in the distance as well.

At 30 ft distance, the 550EX can get you the range but only @ 1/200s or less. If you use 'FP' or high-speed sync instead for 1/700s, the Guide Number is reduced to about ~16 from 55 making your 28-135 IS unpractical, only the 85mm f/1.8 can have the range then because of its faster aperture.

You might need both an ST-E2 for low-light AF assist and a more powerful portable QFlash for the range and coverage! :P

[Stoner]

That wasn't the info I needed. I am talking about flash duration, not flash sync speed.

[barthold]

Well, I learned something!

Are you saying that without using FP sync the flash speed is 1/700 or so? I find that hard to believe, it was my believe the flash duration is in the order of 1/20,000. However, in FP sync mode the flash duration will effectively be the duration of the shutter speed. Then I can believe your 1/700 and it not being fast enough to freeze-frame. In that case NHL seems to have some good points.

Confused!

Barthold

[NHL]

Originally Posted by Stoner

That wasn't the info I needed. I am talking about flash duration, not flash sync speed.

OK, Got it: ie you want more light at smaller power ratio (ie something more powerful)!

http://www.jafaphotography.com/metz.htm
http://www.photosafaris.com/PickingAFlashUnit.asp or
http://www.naturephotographers.net/a.../jm0703-1.html