Vario X: How to use an external flash and viewfinder together

[ronald weissman]

As long as you're willing to use a flash in manual mode, using an external flash together with the VF-2 viewfinder is relatively straightforward.

1) I used a simple cold shoe bracket attached to the bottom of the camera.



These can be found in many camera stores, if the cold shoe is large enough for your flash. You may have to buy a separate cold shoe that fits your flash (I had to do this).





2) To use the flash that has optical triggering, do the following:

A) Set the flash to manual slave mode (for some Oly/Panasonic flashes, this is called servo or m-servo mode, as slave mode is a wireless protocol, rather than an optical protocol.)

B) Set the Vario X flash system to Studio mode, using the right arrow on the four way controller (which brings up the flash settings--set it to studio mode and confirm by pressing the menu button). Be careful not to accidentally reset this once you've set it.





Use the popup flash to trigger the main flash optically. You'll probably want to educe its flash compensation for the popup flash as much as you want (mine is set to minus 3) to eliminate its impact on the scene. The flashes I've tried 'see' the optical flash from the Vario X with no problem.

I have tried the Metz-52 (oly/panasonic version) and the Leica SF 58, a wonderful flash that can also be used in full TTL mode when attached to the flash shoe on the Vario X. (And the Leica SF 58 works really well in this mode).

Given the leaf shutter on the Vario X you can be quite creative with high speed shutter settings and readily overpower ambient light. You've full control of ambient light settings using exposure compensation, shutter and aperture controls, and using the manual settings on the Leica or Metz (both work well), it is easy to get your balance approximately correct using the histogram.

The whole setup is no heavier than a camera mounted flash and allows full use of the viewfinder. I'd be interested to see others' results with other flash setups.

Enjoy.

 

[jeff hladun]

Interesting post. I wish the M8 had the ability to work flash wirelessly; it forces flash connection solely via the hotshoe as there is no PC connection.

Have you considered hand-holding the flash, instead of having it attached to the camera with the extension bar? The further away I have mine from the camera, the more I like the flash effect. But sometimes I want it straight over the camera to minimize left/right shadow. Sometimes I bring it down to prevent hat brim shadow.

I didn't know the X-Vario had a leaf shutter. Definitely a bonus for strobe shooters. Just another reason the love the new camera!!!

Please post your efforts...

 

[ronald weissman]

Yes, I tried handholding the flash and the camera separately in each hand. Quite cumbersome but do-able, though you risk blocking the optical sensor if you're not careful.

My goal was to avoid the rear screen and use the EVF both for clarity and for stability. Attaching the flash to the side next to the camera (and with a thumbscrew enabling you to rotate the whole flash, not just the head) attached to the bracket means two hands are holding one combo device rather than one hand each for camera and flash. And it is just about as portable as a direct-attached flash. Lots of flexible use/placement of the flash, But tastes/styles do differ. If you like handholding flash and camera, go for it!

 

[jeff hladun]

ronald weissman wrote:

But tastes/styles do differ. If you like handholding flash and camera, go for it!

I agree...I like all sorts of flash techniques, and I'm thrilled that as one of the early adaptors of the X-Vario, your flashwork will obviate the major misconceived shortcoming of the camera, which is the slowness of the lens. At 1600ISO, 1/30s, f3.6, the XV is not at all limited to brightly-lit scenes; for anything darker, why on earth would photographers NOT use the built-in flash, or an external strobe?

I've been very impressed with the image samples from this camera, and look forward to seeing what you can do with the external flash unit attached. I shall be patient!

Cheers.

 

[Rodrigue Zahr]

But tastes/styles do differ. If you like handholding flash and camera, go for it!

I agree...I like all sorts of flash techniques, and I'm thrilled that as one of the early adaptors of the X-Vario, your flashwork will obviate the major misconceived shortcoming of the camera, which is the slowness of the lens. At 1600ISO, 1/30s, f3.6, the XV is not at all limited to brightly-lit scenes; for anything darker, why on earth would photographers NOT use the built-in flash, or an external strobe?

I've been very impressed with the image samples from this camera, and look forward to seeing what you can do with the external flash unit attached. I shall be patient!

Cheers.

--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12191517@N05/

Or we can put the slave flash on a separate tripod.