I read that the flash that comes with the camera acts as a wireless trigger for off camera flash? If so what flashes can I use to work with them for instance can I use Yongnuo yn560iii for instance and will it also trigger studio strobes like Paul C Buff?
-
Welcome to the new forums! Please read this first. For known issues we are working to resolve, click here.
Olympus wireless flash trigger omd 1 mkii
- Thread starter dx052
- Start date
Michael Meissner
Veteran Member
There are two types of flash triggering:
- Dumb slave triggering. In this mode, you put the Olympus into manual flash power mode, and the Olympus flash puts out a single pulse of predetermined percentage of light, and the slave flashes see that pulse and do their own light. You can use this for studio strobes. You typically need to use a light meter or take a bunch of shots to get the strobes to provide the right amount of light. Note, the flash from the camera will contribute to the lighting setup. People typically dial down the power to 1/128. An alternative is to put exposed film stock over the pop-up/clip-on flash to block the visible light, but allow infrared (the slave flashes are typically sensitive to IR light).
- Use the Olympus (and now Panasonic) TTL RC flash setup shooting in automatic flash mode, where the flash emits a series of coded pulses to control the remote flashes. You can group flashes into 3 different groups (A, B, or C), and control each group separately from camera (power level, etc.). You can also have the pop-up/clip-on flash not be used for the final illumination of the subject. You need flashes that know about the Olympus RC protocol.
- Olympus
- Panasonic
- Metz
- Nissin
If I read the specs right, the Yongnuo yn560iii is radio controlled, and you would need an appropriate Yongnuo trigger sitting in the hotshoe. In the past, Paul C. Buff studio strobes had a dumb slave trigger sensor, and I assume they still do.
Last edited:
Henry Stamm
Veteran Member
The Em1 flash will not fire the yn560III units. Those require an appropriate Yongnuo transmitter. The Em1 flash can fire any of the Olympus brand flashes as long as they have the "R" in their names. For example, it will work with the FL50R and FL36R, but not with the earlier FL50 or FL36. The other comment mentioned several other systems that might work with the em1 flash.
I can highly recommend foregoing the Oly flash systems entirely, however, and using the new Godox Oly-designated flashes and transmitters. Much cheaper, and they can also do TTL and high-speed sync. The Yongnuo systems work well, but are limited to 1/320 for sync speed and cannot do TTL.
Also, do keep in mind that the Oly system requires line-of-sight since it's an optical system, not a true wireless radio system. The Yongnuo and Godox systems, like many others, uses a wireless radio band. What this means in actual use is that the Oly system may not fire in certain kinds of light setups and camera shooting position. As an example, if your shooting position is forward of the off-camera flashes, you may have to make sure to turn your onboard flash backwards so the off-camera flashes actually "see" the onboard flash fire. There are situations where the onboard flash fire may not be seen by the off-camera units.
kli
Veteran Member
Yes. It can be used as a master in the four-thirds "RC" smart optical (wireless TTL) scheme.
Anything that can be an RC slave, so Olympus and Panasonic flashes for sure (e.g., an FL600-R/FL360-L). 3rd-party makers like Nissin and Metz also make RC slave capable flashes. But not Godox or Yongnuo.
Weeeeellll. Not as an RC slave. So, no TTL/HSS/power commanding over optical.
But the YN-560III does have S1/S2 "dumb" slave modes, which use a sensor to fire the flash in sync with the shutter. They will respond to ANY flash burst, so if the Oly flash is just being used on-camera as a flash (not a wireless master), and in M mode, S1 fires in sync, and in TTL, S2 fires in sync (skips the metering "pre-burst").
The YN-560II's built-in radio receiver is for the Yongnuo RF-602/603/603ii/605 and YN-560-TX triggers. And only the YN-560-TX can remotely control the YN-560III's power level.
Also. Today? A Godox TT600 + X1T transmitter is probably a better bet for the same price as a YN-560III + YN-560-TX, because Godox's X triggering system can actually give you TTL/HSS with Oly gear if you decide you want to add it (which Yongnuo's stuff doesn't), and even though the TT600 is manual-only (like the YN-560III) and doesn't do TTL, with the X1T, you can still get HSS over radio (unlike the YN-560 combo).
The Buff lights all have a "dumb" optical slave sensor, like S1 mode, so again, if you just use the Oly flash as a flash, not a wireless commander, and keep it in M mode, you can trip the lights remotely. The only way to get remote power control over Buff lights, though, is to use their CyberCommander or CyberSense triggers. And there's no way to use either with a speedlight.
Again, Godox might be better if you plan on having control over both speedlights and studio strobes.
Henry Stamm
Veteran Member
I think this is a good choice. But if you can step up to the 860 series, do so. More powerful flash. I really like their lithium batteries, too. They last longer and recharge reasonably quickly. What I have are 4 Godox v860ii-O flashes and the Godox x1T-O TTL trigger.
kli
Veteran Member
Actually, same guide number as the TT685 (and Yongnuo offerings), which is basically the same flash but uses 4xAAs instead of the battery pack. It's about $110 vs. $180 for the V860II. Godox makes five speedlights in its X triggering system:
- TT350 (TTL, mini flash, 2xAA batteries. Only 270º swivel and no cross-brand TTL; about $80. Underpowered, but a better fit on-camera with small mirrorless bodies; can be used as an on-camera transmitter in the system.)
- TT600 (manual. 4xAA; about $65)
- TT685 (TTL. 4xAA; about $110)
- V850II (manual. Li-ion, about $140)
- V860II (TTL, Li-ion, about $180)
Just me, but unless you use an external battery pack all the time, there may not be a reason to step up to the V860II from a TT685. It depends on your usage patterns. AAs are available everywhere and you may already have a ton. The Li-ion battery packs last a lot longer, but they're proprietary and cost $50 apiece; the rechargers cost $20 apiece.
Now, granted, a single battery pack to recharge is a lot easier to deal with than recharging/conditioning 12 AA batteries at a time. And 12 AA Eneloops will cost you about $50. If you swap batteries a lot with multiple speedlights, then the V850II/V860II are a no-brainer. But if you just do a few hundred pops per session with two lights as an occasional hobbyist shooter, then it might be overkill.
If you can wait on getting the gear, the XPro triggers have begun rolling out (Canon and Nikon versions are already available). And while the Sony, Fuji, and MFT versions haven't yet been announced, they're expected. They lack the hotshoe of the X1T transmitter, but the overall UI is much nicer, and the trigger has some features the X1T does not (e.g., zoom control over TTL flashes, TCM, modeling light control by group, ID codes, and universal power setting adjustment).
Last edited:
Aoresteen
Leading Member
I guess I'm just old school. When I need to use multiple strobes or remote strobe I have two setups.
The first is my main studio set up. I sync one strobe to the camera and the rest use an optical slave sync to trigger them. I use a flash meter (Sekonic L-508) to balance the strobes and chimp the camera to make sure I like the results. It's bullet proof. Strobes are Paul C Bluff from 1998 (ZAP 1000) and are still going strong.
The second is for when I'm in an environment where there are other people around using strobes (think weddings & sports). I only use RADIO triggered strobes where I have a much better chance not having another person using the same frequency tripping my strobes.
I have tried to figure out & justify replacing my FL-36 with an FL-36R and/or getting a newer Olympus strobe such as the FL-600R or the FL-900R and I can not make a case for them. My E-3 & E-5 can trigger the Oly R strobes wirelessly but I have all ready have a set of radio remote triggers that do it will all my cameras.
The first is my main studio set up. I sync one strobe to the camera and the rest use an optical slave sync to trigger them. I use a flash meter (Sekonic L-508) to balance the strobes and chimp the camera to make sure I like the results. It's bullet proof. Strobes are Paul C Bluff from 1998 (ZAP 1000) and are still going strong.
The second is for when I'm in an environment where there are other people around using strobes (think weddings & sports). I only use RADIO triggered strobes where I have a much better chance not having another person using the same frequency tripping my strobes.
I have tried to figure out & justify replacing my FL-36 with an FL-36R and/or getting a newer Olympus strobe such as the FL-600R or the FL-900R and I can not make a case for them. My E-3 & E-5 can trigger the Oly R strobes wirelessly but I have all ready have a set of radio remote triggers that do it will all my cameras.
I shoot for my own pleasure and sometimes use my home studio setup for eBay products for friends and, sometimes, for myself. I have a homemade lightbox, various cardboard sheets with aluminum foil and white covers, gobs of clips, kludgy bits, and so forth. A more or less permanent but humble home studio, about 50% courtesy of Cowboy.
I also have a FL-36 flash and use the lovely little flash unit supplied (a surprise in every box) with my E-M1.2 it to trigger it as well as an ancient Sunpack bounce flash. Yes, it took some fiddling to get exposure in the ballpark for various setups but no more fiddling than to get the reflectors aimed just right and so forth. Advantage for me is that I simply do not need to worry about various systems and interface protocols, and communication is at light speed.
If I were a pro, even the modest amount of time fiddling would be too much but as it is a hobby and I know pretty much what I want lighting-wise (most of the time), I am more than happy with this setup.
john isaacs
Veteran Member
- Messages
- 10,435
- Solutions
- 22
- Reaction score
- 9,907
High speed sync (or FP TTL in Olympus parlance).
In addition, recycle time (4xAA batteries)
And power plus recycle time (think FL-50R with external battery packs).
Cactus V6 manual radio trigger with 4 groups. Groups let you individually control each strobe/flash which makes setting power levels much simpler.
Radio TTL options:
Nissin i60a and Di700a with Air controller (I use these)
Godox controller or small flash for control, bigger flash/strobe (this is newer to m4/3, I don't have them)
Additional options for Panasonic:
Quantum CoPilot for control and Trio or T5Dr/X5Dr
PocketWizard TTL (I don't have these)
Similar threads
Keyboard shortcuts
- f
- Forum