Alternative to FL40 for 3040?

FJBrad said:

I want to be able to bounce flash and have more flash range. Any
good alternatives to the FL40 that have similar capability?
Anybody using slaved flash with good results?
--
Be the pixel.
950/990/995 Mac/PhoSho5.5
FJBrad

Click to expand...

FJBrad said:

I want to be able to bounce flash and have more flash range. Any
good alternatives to the FL40 that have similar capability?
Anybody using slaved flash with good results?

Click to expand...

Michael Meissner said:

FJBrad said:

I want to be able to bounce flash and have more flash range. Any
good alternatives to the FL40 that have similar capability?
Anybody using slaved flash with good results?

Click to expand...

This comes up frequently. If you need TTL (through the lens)
support, you have 3 basic choices. The Olympus FL-40 (+
FL-CB01/FL-BK01), one of the high end Metz flashes with Olympus
support (such as Metz 32Z with Metz 3202/Oly FL-CB01/FL-BK01), or
Promaster 5550/5750 with the 5-pin Olympus TTL adapter. See the
article where I price out the 3 flashes:

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1008&message=3187748

Note, the above page was going for cheapest cost, to have the same
or greater range, you might have to go to a more powerful Metz or
the Promaster 5750. I believe the Oly flash has a guide number of
120 feet at ISO 100.

If you don't need TTL support, and can deal with setting the f/stop
and shutter speed manually, you can get a FL-CB04 cable (or the
FL-CB01 cable and FL-BK01 bracket if you want to upgrade later to a
Metz or the Oly flash), possibly a bracket of some sort, and a
flash that takes a pc-sync connection (most do). I believe the
Vivitar 285HV is a popular choice (Vivitar 283, Sunpak 544, Sunpak
383 are other flashes I recall people using).

I currently use a Kalimar 175A flash (which is probably now sold as
the Kodakgear/Tiffen flash at Circuit City), since i ran out of
budget when buying my UZI. It isn't as powerful as the 285HV, but
I was able to take pictures at ISO 400 at 45 feet of my daughter's
junior high school graduation with my UZI. I hope to scrape
together the money to try out the Promaster flash (there is a local
dealer, so I can take the camera in and try it in the store to make
sure it works). I've been through 3 brackets (first one fell
apart), and currently use a Stoboflip bracket because it is small
enough that it can fit with the camera in my camera case.

Note, the Vivitar 285HV is a rather large flash, but then I guess
it needs to be to reach as far as it does. Using something like
the 285HV is useful, since it is one of the most popular flashes,
and there are various accessories (such as from Lumiquest and
Sto-fen) to control the light. Note, with some flashes you have to
worry about the flash putting too much voltage through the flash
terminal, and shorting out the camera. The usual page for talking
about trigger voltages is:

http://www.botzilla.com/house/photo/strobeVolts.html

A third option is to use a slave flash (flash is triggered by the
flash of the onboard flash). I don't know about the C-3040, but I
suspect the onboard flash flashes twice. This means you either
have to use a Digi-slave flash (starts at $100) or the new Wein
slave adapter (list price $60 if memory serves), both of which can
be set up to fire on the second flash instead of the first.

I need to write up this and put it in my web site, since it does
come up frequently.

Click to expand...

Juli Valley said:

You would have to have a special slave that fires after the first
flash since the Oly fires on the second flash. I'm not talking
about the red-eye setting; there are always two flashes.
http://www.pbase.com/julivalley/galleries
http://www.photosig.com/viewuser.php?id=19579
C-2100UZ, C-3040Z, A-28, B-3oo
3o4o
Juli

Click to expand...

FJBrad said:

The Digislaves were the only game in town for quite a while when it
came to preflash capable slaved flash, but there are some
interesting alternatives that have become available recently.
One of the reasons for an external flash is to solve the red-eye
problem by relocating the flash relative to the lens, so the
red-eye preflash isn't really an issue.
Is red-eye a problem for many people using the built-in?

Click to expand...

FJBrad said:

Michael Meissner said:

FJBrad said:

I want to be able to bounce flash and have more flash range. Any
good alternatives to the FL40 that have similar capability?
Anybody using slaved flash with good results?

Click to expand...

This comes up frequently. If you need TTL (through the lens)
support, you have 3 basic choices. The Olympus FL-40 (+
FL-CB01/FL-BK01), one of the high end Metz flashes with Olympus
support (such as Metz 32Z with Metz 3202/Oly FL-CB01/FL-BK01), or
Promaster 5550/5750 with the 5-pin Olympus TTL adapter. See the
article where I price out the 3 flashes:

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1008&message=3187748

Note, the above page was going for cheapest cost, to have the same
or greater range, you might have to go to a more powerful Metz or
the Promaster 5750. I believe the Oly flash has a guide number of
120 feet at ISO 100.

If you don't need TTL support, and can deal with setting the f/stop
and shutter speed manually, you can get a FL-CB04 cable (or the
FL-CB01 cable and FL-BK01 bracket if you want to upgrade later to a
Metz or the Oly flash), possibly a bracket of some sort, and a
flash that takes a pc-sync connection (most do). I believe the
Vivitar 285HV is a popular choice (Vivitar 283, Sunpak 544, Sunpak
383 are other flashes I recall people using).

I currently use a Kalimar 175A flash (which is probably now sold as
the Kodakgear/Tiffen flash at Circuit City), since i ran out of
budget when buying my UZI. It isn't as powerful as the 285HV, but
I was able to take pictures at ISO 400 at 45 feet of my daughter's
junior high school graduation with my UZI. I hope to scrape
together the money to try out the Promaster flash (there is a local
dealer, so I can take the camera in and try it in the store to make
sure it works). I've been through 3 brackets (first one fell
apart), and currently use a Stoboflip bracket because it is small
enough that it can fit with the camera in my camera case.

Note, the Vivitar 285HV is a rather large flash, but then I guess
it needs to be to reach as far as it does. Using something like
the 285HV is useful, since it is one of the most popular flashes,
and there are various accessories (such as from Lumiquest and
Sto-fen) to control the light. Note, with some flashes you have to
worry about the flash putting too much voltage through the flash
terminal, and shorting out the camera. The usual page for talking
about trigger voltages is:

http://www.botzilla.com/house/photo/strobeVolts.html

A third option is to use a slave flash (flash is triggered by the
flash of the onboard flash). I don't know about the C-3040, but I
suspect the onboard flash flashes twice. This means you either
have to use a Digi-slave flash (starts at $100) or the new Wein
slave adapter (list price $60 if memory serves), both of which can
be set up to fire on the second flash instead of the first.

I need to write up this and put it in my web site, since it does
come up frequently.

Click to expand...

A very comprehensive set of replies. Thanks also for the links. I'd
like to find a moderately powered flash setup that is either auto
or TTL auto. The FL40 seems a bit overkill in terms of bulk, and
price (for my needs), although I'm sure it's a good rig for those
who need the power and capability.
I'm going to get that new Wein slave shoe and see how it works.
Thanks again for your very expansive replies!
--
Be the pixel.
950/990/995 Mac/PhoSho5.5
FJBrad

Click to expand...

Michael Meissner said:

FJBrad said:

The Digislaves were the only game in town for quite a while when it
came to preflash capable slaved flash, but there are some
interesting alternatives that have become available recently.
One of the reasons for an external flash is to solve the red-eye
problem by relocating the flash relative to the lens, so the
red-eye preflash isn't really an issue.
Is red-eye a problem for many people using the built-in?

Click to expand...

Red-eye in people (green-eye in cats and dogs) is a problem for me
on both the D-510Z and C-2100UZ builtin flashes (in fact one of the
requirements I had when upgrading from the D-510Z that it be able
to support external flash). Note moving the flash away from the
lens helps a little, but it still produces red/green eyes in my
experience. The most extreme example is when I was shooting my
daughter's junior high school graduation at the limits of my flash
(45 feet, ISO 400, full UZI zoom), I got red-eyes on most of the
people facing towards the camera. I suspect I would have had to
move the flash several feet away to see any relief.

Recently, I have gotten good results from bouncing the flash off
the ceiling, or using a Lumiquest MidiBouncer in places where a
normal ceiling bounce won't work (such as our 2 story cathedral
ceiling in the dining room). Unfortunately, I still have problems
when I'm taking pictures outside at dusk (color balance is off).
On the UZI, I have the camera remember the f/stop and shutter speed
between powering on/off, so that when I change the camera into
manual, it goes to my common setting (f/5.6 at 1/125 second). I do
have to play around with the f/stop, which is why I'm interested in
a TTL flash.

Click to expand...

Member said:

Member said:

Recently, I have gotten good results from bouncing the flash off
the ceiling, or using a Lumiquest MidiBouncer in places where a
normal ceiling bounce won't work (such as our 2 story cathedral
ceiling in the dining room). Unfortunately, I still have problems
when I'm taking pictures outside at dusk (color balance is off).
On the UZI, I have the camera remember the f/stop and shutter speed
between powering on/off, so that when I change the camera into
manual, it goes to my common setting (f/5.6 at 1/125 second). I do
have to play around with the f/stop, which is why I'm interested in
a TTL flash.

Click to expand...

You're absolutely right about tele shots and red-eye. The angle
from flash to lens decreases as distance increases. I don't know
the math, but at some distance it becomes impractical to expect
red-eye avoidance with a camera mounted flash.
Bounce is always a good solution, but then, at the distances we're
talking about (45 feet), there isn't a flash made that'll reach
that far when bounced.
I think red-eye images can be attained at typical portrait
distances, even using direct flash.

Click to expand...

Member said:

I'm working on a solution, but have to test my theories. I'll
report findings manana.
--
Be the pixel.
950/990/995 Mac/PhoSho5.5
FJBrad

Click to expand...

Philly said:

The Wein slave shoe sounds very interesting. I think I'll give it
a try also. However, I'm not sure which model is the one with the
option to fire off the 2nd flash. If you happen to have a link or
more info for this model, could you post it please. I couldn't
find a web site for Wein but did find a host of Wein products sold
through B&H. The closest item that I saw there is the item below,
but it doesn't seem as if this is the model that lets you trigger
off the second flash.

Click to expand...

Michael Meissner said:

Philly said:

The Wein slave shoe sounds very interesting. I think I'll give it
a try also. However, I'm not sure which model is the one with the
option to fire off the 2nd flash. If you happen to have a link or
more info for this model, could you post it please. I couldn't
find a web site for Wein but did find a host of Wein products sold
through B&H. The closest item that I saw there is the item below,
but it doesn't seem as if this is the model that lets you trigger
off the second flash.

Click to expand...

Here is the thread where I read about the Wein digital slave:

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1018&message=3160578

I suspect it was just announced and hasn't entered the retail chain
yet.

Click to expand...

FJBrad said:

Michael Meissner said:

Philly said:

The Wein slave shoe sounds very interesting. I think I'll give it
a try also. However, I'm not sure which model is the one with the
option to fire off the 2nd flash. If you happen to have a link or
more info for this model, could you post it please. I couldn't
find a web site for Wein but did find a host of Wein products sold
through B&H. The closest item that I saw there is the item below,
but it doesn't seem as if this is the model that lets you trigger
off the second flash.

Click to expand...

Here is the thread where I read about the Wein digital slave:

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1018&message=3160578

I suspect it was just announced and hasn't entered the retail chain
yet.

Click to expand...

http://www.weinproducts.com/
All of the digital slaves (preflash) have a "D" designation at the
end. So their Peanut slave, PN, gets changed to PND for digital
preflash.
I have an e-mail out to Stan Wein, and will post to this thread
what I find out regarding availability.

Click to expand...

Member said:

--
Be the pixel.
950/990/995 Mac/PhoSho5.5
FJBrad

Click to expand...

Michael Meissner said:

Philly said:

The Wein slave shoe sounds very interesting. I think I'll give it
a try also. However, I'm not sure which model is the one with the
option to fire off the 2nd flash. If you happen to have a link or
more info for this model, could you post it please. I couldn't
find a web site for Wein but did find a host of Wein products sold
through B&H. The closest item that I saw there is the item below,
but it doesn't seem as if this is the model that lets you trigger
off the second flash.

Click to expand...

Here is the thread where I read about the Wein digital slave:

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1018&message=3160578

I suspect it was just announced and hasn't entered the retail chain
yet.

Click to expand...

Philly said:

Michael,

Thank you for your reply. I will check it out. Actually, I only
have an old Olympus D-340R now but am on the verge of buying either
the C4000 or D40--I'm just waiting to see what will be announced at
the photo trade show in Germany next month. I have a Vivitar 2000
flash which I am currently using with a 1965 Konica rangefinder so
it would be great if I can use this decent $17 flash (79' guide
number at ISO 100) as a (poor man's) substitute for a $300+ flash
system for the Olympus model.

Click to expand...

Philly said:

One more thing, I just read that the Olympus models do NOT do a
pre-flash if it is set in Manual. If this is true, then the older
Wein Slave Shoe may work!

Click to expand...

• the slave shoe would be a wireless trigger for the external flash unit so that the external flash is triggered once the on-camera flash fires.

• the Wein "D" slave shoe provides a selectable trigger, so that the external flash is triggered upon the 2nd flash fired by the on-camera flash unit.

• the exposure control would be handled by the external flash unit, with the camera's exposure settings manually set per the external flash unit automatic exposure specifications.

• there would be no physical wire connection between the external flash unit and the camera, and no PC sync or proprietary external TTL connector on the camera unit is required. So there is no chance of a high voltage external flash unit causing damage to the camera.

Michael Meissner said:

Philly said:

Michael,

Thank you for your reply. I will check it out. Actually, I only
have an old Olympus D-340R now but am on the verge of buying either
the C4000 or D40--I'm just waiting to see what will be announced at
the photo trade show in Germany next month. I have a Vivitar 2000
flash which I am currently using with a 1965 Konica rangefinder so
it would be great if I can use this decent $17 flash (79' guide
number at ISO 100) as a (poor man's) substitute for a $300+ flash
system for the Olympus model.

Click to expand...

Note, the Vivitar 2000 flash is one of the flashes that does
produce voltage that is higher than Oly recomends (the 2000
supposidly puts out 54 volts, while the recomended amount is 6
volts). Most of the flashes from that era are high voltage
flashes. There are some people using it, but in the immortal words
of Clint Eastwood, you have to ask yourself, do you feel lucky?
There is a $40 Wein safe sync pc-sync/hot-shoe that protects
against high voltage, but at that price you could get a safe flash.
As I noted, the FL-CB04 cable is ~$40.

If external flash matters to you, then go for the C-4000 (the
D-40/C-40 doesn't support an external flash).

Michael Meissner said:

One more thing, I just read that the Olympus models do NOT do a
pre-flash if it is set in Manual. If this is true, then the older
Wein Slave Shoe may work!

Click to expand...

I don't know one way or another. I do remember, somebody else
finding that the C-700UZ wouldn't fire unless in manual mode, but I
have discovered the UZI will fire in any mode, :-(

Click to expand...