------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
From: "Peter Loggie" <peter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [OM] Cheap Trix and other stuff
Date: Wed, 1 Mar 2000 22:44:52 -0000
Olaf Greve wrote:
>
>Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2000 15:21:11 PST
>From: "Olaf Greve" <ogreve@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: [OM] Cheap Trix and other stuff -> Cheap multiple T flash set-up
speculations
>
>Hi again,
>
>First off: I noticed a rather dumb typo in the name of the new themed
>events, of course the title will not be "The Olympus Phote Exhibition", but
>it should be "The Olympus Photo Exhibition". To further add to this, I
>noticed a line or two later I had used the <ctrl><c> - <ctrl><v>
>combination, to "quite handily" copy the same typo again... DUH!!! ;) Also,
>I misspelled Phillip's name (i.e. "Philip" instead of "Phillip", I must
have
>been thinking about a Dutch TV/video/audio/light-bulbs brand ;) ). So sorry
>for those typos!
>
>Then, to get to the OM content of this message (please note that I may use
>the terms "T cables" and "AutoCords" interchangeably, they both refer to
the
>"TTL AutoCord T xxxM" cables, used for controlling a T- series flash off
the
>camera):
>Frank and I just had some offlist discussion about making cheaper versions
>of the TTL T cables. Frank mentioned having made an improvised version of a
>multiconnector that can hook up to three flashes, by just taking two of the
>5m AutoCords, cutting both of them in two, and neatly soldering them all
>together (in a proper type of housing for solidity). Hence eliminating the
>need to buy a TTL MultiConnector and 2 more T cables!
>
>This idea inspired me to brainstorm about this some more and I came up with
>the following idea, of which I hope someone can verify if it will really
>work. Note that any and all ideas written down here are pure theoretical
>speculation until someone verifies that this can really be done this way:
>
>Let's take Frank's idea and scale it up to a solution that can handle up to
>9 T flashes (i.e. the official max. amount Oly mentions in their manuals).
>When assuming that the real TTL MultiConnectors do not somehow amplify the
>incoming signal (can anyone verify if this is the case?) one would need to
>buy/build some sort of housing which is big enough to accomodate 9 outgoing
>plugs. Take 5 of the 5m T cables and cut them in half, attach a generic
>5-pin audio cable to the cut end of each of the cables, use 5 male ones,
and
>5 female ones for this (so you can plug two cables into one another, if so
>desired, to just form one "normal" T cable with T connectors on both ends).
>Note that the cut T cables can also, again if so desired, be extended with
>some generic 5 threaded electrical wire before attaching the audio plugs to
>them, although I remember Hans told me recently that there's a maximum
total
>length of the cables used in a multi flash set-up (30m?).
>
>Then make sure the housing has 1 incoming audio connector, and 9 outgoing
>audio connectors, again interchange 5 male ones with 5 female ones. Now the
>only thing left to do, is to create the proper "signal" splitting wiring
>within the housing. This is (hopefully!) a straightforward matter of
finding
>a neat way to connect each of the 5 cables (from each of the 10 plugs) to
>the proper cables of each of the other plugs. I realise this will involve
>some awkward messing around with 50 cables, but it should still be doable
(I
>hope!). Of course it's not neat to solder 10 small cables together, so some
>proper signal splitting blocks are highly desirable. Once this is done and
>everything is properly shielded you should be ready to roll, and you can
>attach up to 9 flashes to the newly created "9T-Connector-Box"! Users of
>cameras without a TTL T outlet, can use the special T cable that has a
>hotshoe contact on one end of it.
>
>Now, suppose all the above is doable and doesn't require any signal
>amplifiers, and also assume a TTL Multiconnector to cost some $30, and
>assume the 5m T cables are also $30 each. Then the following cost picture
>would evolve for a 9 flash set-up:
>
>- -Oly solution: 1 T cable to the first MultiConnector, then from there 3 T
>cables to three more MultiConnectors, and then 9 T cables to the flashes.
>Total: 4 MultiConnectors and 13 T cables. (Costs: 17 * $30 = $510).
>- -"9T-Connector-Box" solution: 5 T cables (the length of them is basically
>immaterial, as they can cheaply be extended by generic 5 threaded
electrical
>wire) - say the 5m versions. 20 generic 5 (or more) pin audio plugs (10
>male, 10 female). Some solder, some signal splitters, duct tape, a housing
>(perhaps customly made from wood or so), and some 3 hours of soldering.
>(Costs: 5 * $30 = $150 (for the cables), 20 * $1 = $20 (for the generic
>audio plugs), $30 for the housing and solder, $30 for assorted small stuff
>like cable splitters, duct tape, etc. -> total: $230)
>
>So, again assuming all the above is possible and that I'm not too far off
>(on the low end) with the estimates for the costs of the various
components,
>the solutions can mathematically be expressed as (x = amount of attached
>flashes):
>1-Oly solution:
>- --------------
>0-1 flashes: 30x (i.e. each T cable = $30)
>2-3 flashes: 60 + 30x (i.e. fixed cost: 1 multiconn. + 1 T cable)
>4-5 flashes: 120 + 30x (i.e. fixed: 2 multiconn. + 2 T cables)
>6-7 flashes: 180 + 30x (i.e. fixed: 3 multiconn. + 3 T cables)
>8-9 flashes: 240 + 30x (i.e. fixed: 4 multiconn. + 4 T cables)
>
>2-9T-Connector-Box:
>- ------------------
>0-1 flashes: 30x (i.e. each T cable = $30)
>3, 5, 7, or 9 flashes: 95 + 15x (i.e. fixed: small stuff $80 + 1/2 T cable
>$15 + $15 per attached flash)
>2, 4, 6, or 8 flashes: 110 + 15x (i.e. fixed: small stuff $80 + 1 T cable
>$30 (note this will yield 1/2 unused T cable!) + $15 per attached flash)
>
>So doing the math (after the overkill of mathematical formulas which are
>more or less irrelevant, but which I wanted to get correct just for the
heck
>of it ;) ), yields a break even point of (a rounded) 2 flashes.
>So, when you want to use more than 2 flashes simultaneously, the
>9T-Connector-Box should be cheaper! Not only should this be the case, but i
t
>will also save you the trouble of finding these MultiConnectors, and you'd
>only have to find 5 T cables rather than 13 if you want to go up to 9
>flashes.
>
>Anyone willing to try to put this into practice? (If so, please keep me
>posted!).
>
>Cheerio!
>Olafo
I had an idea for something similar - but for multiple F280 flashes and TTLF
cords. After failing to get any answer from anyone else I asked Pat
MacFarlane at Olympus America:
"I have 2 each of these (and one OM4T) and while I know that the F280 is
not intended to be used in multiples (ala T series) I wanted to know
whether:
1. the TTLF cable could be extended - by splitting it in the middle and
adding an appropriate length of cable. If it could what would be the
limitations and what specification of cable would be needed?
2. two F280's could be used at the same time by interconnection the front
halves of two TTLF cables to one back half, on an OM4T, using some sort of
locally manufactured multi-connector."
My intention was to use the multiple F-280s was , like T32's to provide
illumination from more than one direction, but with more flexibility on
shutter speeds. One or both flashes to be sited off camera, closer to the
subject."
Pat advised my that they had tried this. He advised that "The extended
cord should not exceed 14 ft. All connections should be soldered and
covered with shrink tubing. If inductance (unwanted electrical signals
generated by the flow of currant in an adjacent wire) should become a
problem. a loose knot should be tied in the cable about every 2.5 f."
My thinking was to use computer networking cablewhich I already had. I
then bought the box to house the connections, the shrink tubing, and 7 way
mini-din plugs and sockets but I still haven't summoned up the nerve to cut
the two TTLF cables and attempt all the soldering! Hopefully I'll get
around to it soon.
Peter Loggie
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