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Re: [OM] OM-10 Flash Work

Subject: Re: [OM] OM-10 Flash Work
From: "John A. Lind" <jlind@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 09 May 1999 08:35:06 +0000
At 03:09 5/6/99 , Chip Kinkead wrote:
>I'm without a manual to my OM-10.  How to set the camera for flash work with
>a T-32 ?  I do see a red flash "ready" lamp inside when the flash is charged
>but I have no shutter speed dial to set on 1/60.  If I see the red "flash
>ready", is the shutter automatically set for flash ? 
>
>Chip Kinkead

Saw the other reply so thought I would add a little more detail.  The other
"yes" answer is correct.  The camera automatically switches to 1/60th when
the "Flash Ready" LED lights up.

If you have (or eventually get) a manual adapter, *remove* it from the
camera body before using a T-20 or T-32 in "Normal Auto" mode.  If you
don't want to do that, then set the manual adapter to 1/30th and the camera
mode switch to "Manual."  I have made that mistake on a couple of occasions
with the OM-10.  The instruction sheet that came with the manual adapter
mentions this.  The shutter will not X-sync correctly if the manual adapter
is left on the camera and set for a shutter speed faster than 1/30th second.

If you look on the hot shoe of the OM-10, there are two contacts.  The
center one triggers the flash.  The off-center one is used by the flash to
illuminate the "Flash Ready" LED in the viewfinder.  This LED will
illuminate when the flash is charged and blink if there was enough light
after shooting the frame, just as the "Ready Light" on the back of the
flash does.  On the OM-2n, OM-2S and OM-4 (perhaps others as well) there
are three contacts.  Two of them do the same as on the OM-10.  The third
(which is not on the OM-10) is the "Flash Quench" and is used by the
TTL/OTF metering to shut down the flash when enough light has been detected
by the internal metering for a proper exposure.  The OM-10 does not have
the internal electronics to support quenching the flash.  You have to use
the sensor on the flash itself in "Normal Auto" mode to quench it.

BTW, the sensors integral to my T-20 and T-32 work very well under nearly
all conditions.  What you have to watch for is a bright light source
(direct sun streaming through window or bright lamp) slightly outside the
angle of view of the lens (not seen in the viewfinder) but forward of the
camera and nearly in view.  The angle of view of the sensor is wider than a
standard lens (50mm) to allow use with moderate wide-angle lenses (about
35mm) and the flash will detect this additional bright light that does not
show up on the film.  The result is the flash quenching too soon and
subject underexposed.  How much depends on the brightness from the other
light source.  The solution is to move the subject or reduce the amount of
light from the other source.  For most users this situation will not happen
that often.  Both of my Sunpak's with internal sensors have the same
problem (flash sensor angle of view wider than standard 50mm lens).

-- John

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