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RE: [OM] macro flash

Subject: RE: [OM] macro flash
From: "Brian P. Huber" <bphuber@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 16 May 1999 18:04:30 -0400
Dunay,
There are other flash units on the market that will work with the OM TTL
system.  Current models that will work are easily found in the Sunpak line.
The 444D is especially good, has high power as well as ability to set
manually down to, I believe, 1/64 power.
Some other used Sunpak units (433D and 422D should also work with the
correct adapter with the same function as the Olympus flash units.
Sunpak also sells the D8 and D12 ring lights that use the same OM adapter.

All current Sunpak units that have the "D" designation will allow adapters
for various cameras, including Olympus.  These adapters cost ~$30.

Some older Vivitar flash units (550 FD (MPO adapter); Series 1 600 for OM;
3500, 3700 with OM adapter; and the 5200 and 5600 with OM adapter) will all
work with the OM series and give proper TTL exposure.  The 5200 and 5600
also allow for optional manual settings to 1/16 power on manual.

There are also additional adapters for the Vivitar flash units (DSC-1 for
3500, 3700 and DSC-3 for 5200, 5600) that will allow you to mount the flash
off the camera and still get TTL exposure.  These adapters have coiled cords
about 24 inches in length.

I have also seen a Vivitar close up adapter for the 3500, 3700 series that
uses fiber optics to focus exposure directly on the subject.  This should
work well for your application.  I believe the model is called the MSD-1.

I have purchased many of these flash units on eBay (ebay.com) for less than
$50 as well as the adapters.
Some of these, like the Sunpaks also will swivel as well as bounce the
flash.  For the 3700 and 5600 a company named Stofen (stofen.com) also makes
adapters for ~$20 US that diffuse the light and allow closer operation.
They also have adapters for Sunpak and the T32 for the Olympus flash

All of the Vivitar, and I am sure the Sunpak also have guide numbers in
meters as well as feet.

Vivitar also sells a model 5000 that is a ring light.  It is not automatic,
but gives good coverage and is designed for close up work.  List price is
~$100, many stores in US sell it for ~$80 or less.

I might be able to get something to you if you can tell me what item you're
most interested in.   Also, new or used.
Brian Huber

-----Original Message-----
From:   owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Dunay Gejza
Sent:   Sunday, May 16, 1999 7:12 AM
To:     olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject:        Re: [OM] macro flash

Thanks for all replies, I combined some of them bellow.

>I suppose the 'correct' way is to use one of the Oly flashes
specifically
>designed for macro. They would be the T28, either single or double,
or one of
>the ring flashes (the T8 or T10). All these require the T-series
power control.
>These set-ups are not inexpensive.


My problem is that Olympus Slovakia does not sale any T flashes only
some accesories to them (other problem is that they have a sale
policy: We are in less rich country, we know that we will not sale
many OM accesories and so we try sale them that  expensive as
possibly, for example Ring Cross Pol filter for T10 cost  $272 US +23%
tax VAT, Zuiko 60/6.5 $4560 + 23% tax VAT ......). To buy them used
(and in Czech rep it is the same) is nearly 0hance. So I have only
2 possibilities:

1. Find some good Olympus shop with used equip. in Austria in Vienna
(because to other places of EU i have too far and I shall not travel
there until autumn).
Does not somebody on list from Austria or Germany know some one?
2. Find somebody that will ship it. I believe that the shipping,
packing, insurance, money tranfer cost will be less than $80 and if I
shall buy something more expensive (for example T power control + T10
+ ring cross pol. filter) I shall have profit on it.
The problem will be to find some trustworthy shipper because if I
shall buy something (used) that will not work well I feel the
replacement will be problem ...


>All the Oly macro flashes require the T-Power Control 1 unit, which
is the
>size and shape of a T-32 flash, only instead of a flash tube in the
front of
>the unit, there is a special twist plug electrical connector.  This
one
>power source can be used with all the macro flash heads.

I feel that I shall buy in future T10 (I need to find some well
possibility or collect some money for it) simply because it is small.
You know, in forest if you have a lot of entomological equimpent
(nets, aspirators, tweezers, killing bottles ...) - part of them you
have always in hands and the camera hang on my neck I shall earlier or
later break any mounting with 2 flashes ...
Is somebody on the list that made a photos of beetles with T10? How
bad it was with reflections?

>Only Oly flashes will work on the OM bodies without using adapters of
some
>kind and still provide full TTL/OTF flash control.  If you can solve
the
>mounting problem, then many manufacturers have flash units with TTL
adapters
>for the OM system - Metz and Sunpak come to mind immediately.  The
Metz
>website is www.metz.de (Deutsch and English).  Sunpak offers a ring
light
>attachment for its 622 pro model (see
http://www.sunpak.com/prosp.html ).
>The 622 unit may be a good fit for your dual-purpose requirement
because of
>its interchangable head capability.  While the base unit is fairly
>expensive, individual heads are cheap.  They also offer two models of
ring
>light only, with guide numbers of 26 and 40 respectively.  See
>http://www.sunpak.com/dx8r.html for details.

The Sunpack 622  will be nice but they told that proposed price will
be nearly $700 for it .....  The Metz are quite exensive, too, but
this is a possibility
The only flash with adapter for Olympus that I found here in shop was
Cullman 4434 (the GN - in metres - is 44 so quite powerful) and it
cost with adapter and 23% VAT tax together less than $170 (BTW, for
Nikon, Canon or Minolta are here many flashes around, but for Olympus
...)
Do you know that flash? Can you recommend it to me? Do you think it
will work OK - and long time?
Or can you recommend some other flash (TTL with adapter for Olympus)
that will have GN - in metres - as minimum 32 and will work better
with my zoom 65-200/4 and 50/2 macro? (I think that my financial limit
for normal flash will be $200-250).
What about Vivitar 285 or other Vivitars? Can they work TTL with OM ?

Thanks for patience.

Gejza Dunay
Slovak republic




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