Studio Use Of OM T Series Flash TTL With Digital

<p>Having built up a comprehensive system based on OM bodies and T-series flash units, I wanted to know if I could use it with my E-P2. This may be of interest (please ignore some of the metering comparison diversions):<br /><a href="http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16626">http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16626</a><br />The principles could be used with other camera systems.</p>

<p>I have not experimented with flash old or new for table top not moving etc closeups, Harold. I take the lazy route and use continuous lighting for small objects. In this example I employed one Ott Lite from an Office Supply for overall illumination and two Mighty Book LIghts ( twin LEDs in each) with exposure off a grey card under the object in this case or placed in the scene beforehand. Manual exposure is fine, but not necessary. I too have a number of old flash units but I am using them mainly for slaved add on lights to my main piece, an Olympus FL 50. But I can easily get by with a Vivitar 285 Thyristor. My Olympus FL 20, another oldie but goodie OM flash for early C cameras- does not allow TTL control on my Panasonic GH2 but that is not a problem.<br /> I use FL 20's accurate auto setting for starters. For the camera I I just set the custom dial my <em>flash custom for FL 20 C- mode</em> to what I want, like F 4.0 and ISO 200 and 1/85 and the camera remembers those auto flash settings. The FL 20 was a cute little devil, powerful enough for a lot indoor stuff, and I still keep it handy.<br /> Yes, I digressed from your subject, I know, just wanted to share a lazy man's style for table top.<br /> Aloha, gs</p><div></div>

<p>Interesting, thanks for sharing. It doesn't really apply to me as the only Olympus flash I had was an S20, that doesn't do TTL with older bodies even. I also have a Vivitar 285hv and I just got an FL300R to go with my OM-D EM-5 (whenever that shows up). I use a set of Cactus V4 wireless triggers and some impact stands and umbrellas for lighting. Though I need to get another Vivitar 285hv. I at least find it isn't too onerous to have to manually adjust the flash power, positions, etc to get the right scene lighting that I want for macro/small shooting and for portraiture it isn't too bad so long as my subjects stay within a few feet of the "bullseye" for my setup (straying more than that tends to throw lighting balance off by getting too close/far to/from that lighting sources).</p>

<p>I was into Vivitar flash before I got my OM OTF kit. I used twin flash (one Vivitar 283, one Sunpak) on a a Kennett Macro flash ring, all calibrated for various apertures and working distances (magnifications) for Kodachrome 25 with my Canon A1 and Tamron SP 90mm and its x2 TC. If I set it right the exposures were infallibly correct. I could do 1:1 macro with the subject in one hand and the Camera/flash setup (very heavy) in the other, which impressed some people! I was going to recalibrate the setup for ISO 100 film, using the E-P2 to check exposures but the disparity in flash sensitivity, then unknown to me, would have made that a complete falure. I will do it. Then I can use the A1 again, which will be as passive as it the E-P2 in the proxy setup.</p>