Question
In your answer you make no mention of Shkia. Is there not a problem of davening after shkia if one waits till chazara hashatz
Answer
ב"ה
My understanding of your question is the following:
If one came late to Mincha and the time is almost Shkiah and they haven't started yet the repetition of Shmoneh Esreh , should the latecomer wait for the repetition of Shmoneh Esreh and then daven along with the Chazan which would already be after shkiah or should he daven on his own? The Mishna Brura (סי' רלג משנ"ב ס"ק יד) says that it is preferable to daven minacha on his own ON TIME rather than daven with a minyan after shkiah.
The above Mishna Brura also says that if in a problematic situation in which one is only able to daven mincha after shkiah, he may do so. The minhag in Eretz Yisrael allows to daven Mincha up to 13 and 1/2 minutes after Shkiah.
(See also (תפילה בציבור, של הרב יצחק יעקב פוקס פרק ג: מז ושו"ת מראה הבזק חלק ג סי' יד
