FL-50Rs and a strobe ???

[Graham_of_Rainham]

The set up is fairly standard studio arrangement, Two FL-50Rs in front of the model and an old sunpack with a slave unit lighting up either the background or as a hair light.

Problem: If I use the FL-50Rs in their "R" mode, the preflash from the camera triggers the back strobe, before the shutter/main flash fires.

Any ideas for getting the backlight to see the main flash and not the preflash.

Everything is fine in manual slave mode, but that means all adjustments to the flashes is done on the heads rather than from the camera. Not too much of an issue in a simple setup but if one gun is high overhead the RC mode is really usefull.

I've already ordered extra leads to trigger the rear flash and I could buy another FL-XXR as a rear light...

ANY BRIGHT IDEAS ???

Thanks guys

[Ian]

The set up is fairly standard studio arrangement, Two FL-50Rs in front of the model and an old sunpack with a slave unit lighting up either the background or as a hair light.

Problem: If I use the FL-50Rs in their "R" mode, the preflash from the camera triggers the back strobe, before the shutter/main flash fires.

Any ideas for getting the backlight to see the main flash and not the preflash.

Everything is fine in manual slave mode, but that means all adjustments to the flashes is done on the heads rather than from the camera. Not too much of an issue in a simple setup but if one gun is high overhead the RC mode is really usefull.

I've already ordered extra leads to trigger the rear flash and I could buy another FL-XXR as a rear light...

ANY BRIGHT IDEAS ???

Thanks guys

The Olympus wireless flash units are controlled using a burst of coded flash from the built in flash of the camera. This is relatively dim compared to the main flashes, so you could try putting 'sunglasses' on the old Sunpak to diminish the controller flash pulses, but allow the main flash through. The question is, what to use for the 'shades' - something like semi-opaque tape over the slabe sensor, perhaps?

Ian

[Graham_of_Rainham]

I've done a lot of testing today, and it would seem that the slave triggers I have react to very low levels of flash, which while brilliant for most applications, present the problem of reacting to command flashes. I've tried various "shades" and made black tubes that the sensor only looks down to the main flash and still the thing goes off.:\

Because all my old flashes cycle quite slowly, I thought I'd try my FL-50 as that cycles very fast. No luck there either, the clamp ring prevents the FL-50 from being attached to the hot shoe slave unit :( Even if it did fit, I doubt that it would be fast enough to fire off both the command and the trigger flashes.

If I was still at work I'd fire the E-3 at a sensor and look at the signal on a scope, just out of interest (anyone done that ???)

I'm thinking about upgrading the old FL-50 to an "R" version, which would solve the problem and tidy up my "System", but for something that is not used much more than half a dozen times a year, a work around solution is attractive.

Then again I could stop being so lazy and go back to doing it all manually :o

[Ian]

I've done a lot of testing today, and it would seem that the slave triggers I have react to very low levels of flash, which while brilliant for most applications, present the problem of reacting to command flashes. I've tried various "shades" and made black tubes that the sensor only looks down to the main flash and still the thing goes off.:\

Because all my old flashes cycle quite slowly, I thought I'd try my FL-50 as that cycles very fast. No luck there either, the clamp ring prevents the FL-50 from being attached to the hot shoe slave unit :( Even if it did fit, I doubt that it would be fast enough to fire off both the command and the trigger flashes.

If I was still at work I'd fire the E-3 at a sensor and look at the signal on a scope, just out of interest (anyone done that ???)

I'm thinking about upgrading the old FL-50 to an "R" version, which would solve the problem and tidy up my "System", but for something that is not used much more than half a dozen times a year, a work around solution is attractive.

Then again I could stop being so lazy and go back to doing it all manually :o

Could you not hook up the old Sunpak via a very long PC sync cord? OK, it's not wireless any more but would probably solve the problem?

Ian

[Graham_of_Rainham]

Could you not hook up the old Sunpak via a very long PC sync cord? OK, it's not wireless any more but would probably solve the problem?

Ian

I cut up my 10m sync cord for another "project", but it wouldn't take much to modify it back to being an extension lead as well, so yes that's another option. I'd have to use one of my Low Voltage guns, as the one I currently use on the slave would fry the E-3 :eek:

The more I think about this a nice new FL-36R is looking to be on the cards :D

Just need to find the best price.

[Ian]

I cut up my 10m sync cord for another "project", but it wouldn't take much to modify it back to being an extension lead as well, so yes that's another option. I'd have to use one of my Low Voltage guns, as the one I currently use on the slave would fry the E-3 :eek:

The more I think about this a nice new FL-36R is looking to be on the cards :D

Just need to find the best price.

The hot shoe voltages might be restrictive, but I wonder if the PC sync socket is more beefed up? It's a much older 'standard' - I will make enquiries!

Ian

[Graham_of_Rainham]

The hot shoe voltages might be restrictive, but I wonder if the PC sync socket is more beefed up? It's a much older 'standard' - I will make enquiries!

Ian

It would be great if the PC socket could handle the typical 400V that even quite small SCR type circuits can switch. Even if it could only handle the same low voltage of the hot shoe contacts, I feel another little "project" in the offin and a trip to Maplin for some optoisolators :)

It will be nice to have an answer from Olympus on this, and I'm really gratefull for the interest that you and everyone else has shown in this.

Thanks