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Re: [OM] Re: Flashmatic -was: Oly digest V2 #3283

Subject: Re: [OM] Re: Flashmatic -was: Oly digest V2 #3283
From: "Paul Farrar" <farrar@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 9 Apr 2002 09:31:29 -0500 (CDT)
> 
> I recently bought a 35-SP which has "guide-number flash" settings on the
> lens. I wanted to see how this works, so I set the lens for a guide number
> (~60 in feet) and then opened the back of the camera. As you move the focus
> lever from infinity to closer, the lens aperture closes down, which you can
> see from the open camera back. Pretty cool, and allows use of non-automatic
> flash with this camera. I think several of the old Olympus leaf-shutter
> rangefinders had such a system.
> 
> Some things I have read suggest that this is a more accurate flash system
> than the flash auto-sensor, as it won't be fooled by a light subject and
> dark background and overexpose the subject trying to make the background
> lighter when you focus on the subject. That can even happen using TTL
> flash... I'll have to try it out and see.
> -- 
> 
> Jim Brokaw
> OM-1's, -2's, -4's, (no -3's yet) and no OM-oney... 

It does have some down sides. One is that with P&Ses (almost all
of which use flashmatic), a focusing error is compounded with a
flash misexposure. My wife and kids usually manage to get the
Stylus to focus on window blinds, or something, about 3 times as
far away as the actual subject. The flash then tries to illuminate
them, blowing out the subject. A reflected light flash like the
A series for XAs doesn't have this problem, but has its own, which
is being fooled by subjects of unusual reflectivity. At least
with the Trip 35 or the OMs, I can preset everything and hand it
to the picture taker. (Then my wife tries to find a hole in the
back of the T32 to look through.)

Paul

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