Minolta Maxumm 5200i flash and Olympus E3

[rob_ruttan]

<p>I have a Minolta Maxumm 5200i flash and an Olympus E3. Is there any way I can get these two to work together, probably with some sort of wireless system?</p>

[GerrySiegel]

<p>Rob, my first thought is that there is always a way...cut and splice wise if nothing else. Not knowing that flash, can you say what output connections are there, for triggering? From photos I see the bottom takes a Minolta fitting special shoe, right? And wonder what is the pin connector on the side from the photos I looked at, is that also MInolta fitting or generic? <br /> If you can get a cord to mate w either that will accept a PC connection output, there are many budget radio frequency transmitter-receivers that will work w PC or standard hot shoe. <br /> As you know, the Oly E-3 has both a hot shoe and a PC outlet and I use it to trigger various non Olympus flashes. As to which model RF set, ah, lots of past Qs here on what is what and what price etc.. You will be working in a manual mode most likely, but as an off camera fill flash it sounds like a powerful unit worth employing. If no definitive answer comes along here, try a phone call to this party who specializes in flash cords:<br /> http://flashzebra.com/</p>

[parv]

The relatively painless way(s) involve using optical slave or radio transmitter & receiver.

 

*Optical Slave*. Put the Minolta 5200i flash on ...

 

Optical Slave in Hotshoe for Sony ⁄ Minolta Flash, http://flashzebra.com/products/0136/

 

... set "force flash" or some such setting on the camera. Whenever the camera flash would fire, so would the Minolta flash (given optical slave sees the camera flash). Mind to put the camera flash in manual and/or turn off pre-flash. Else, find an optical slave that would ignore pre-flash.

 

 

*Radio Devices*. Get a radio transmitter appropriate for your camera. Get a matching receiver for Sony flash with iISO shoe (or receiver for ISO shoe and iISO flash adapter, http://flashzebra.com/products/0133/). Look into Cactus V5 and/or Yongnuo RF-602 (avoid RF-603) radio devices for use on Olympus SLRs.

 

Problem with both optical slave and iISO flash adapter linked above is the limited range of angles in which flash will remain in contact with the adapter pins. Better yet, sell the Minolta flash & buy LumoPro 160 (for $160 from MPEX, http://mpex.com/lumopro-lp160-manual-flash.html) or any other flash with ISO shoe.

[parv]

Deja vu: http://www.photo.net/olympus-camera-forum/00Zh4P ?!

[rob_ruttan]

<p>Gerry & parv. Thanks for the answers...helpful! I'd like to get this to happen as I can't afford a decent flash for the Oly. And yes, parv, I posted it in two forums to double my chances for a response.</p>

[parv]

Everybody should post in multiple locations to multiply their chances for similar responses indeed. Site owner does it; you did it; others have done it. Rest of the lot should also get on with the program then.

 

This irritates me only when I post a reply as I have stopped caring otherwise (see the beginning of the previous sentence for the reason). If I could turn back time, I would have not replied in the first place.