At 12:53 AM 7/16/03, you wrote:
Oops, I'll bet I can answer my own question; you are not using T series
flashes and the ones you use don't have the Oly connectors.
Might a TTL Auto Connector T20 help?
Moose
Yes and no. You're right, I'm not using an Olympus "T" flash. The T-32
doesn't have enough GN for the task; not with ISO 160 film. The primary
flash is a Sunpak 120J TTL with OM module for TTL control (GN =
150). Although the module can go on the bottom, the usual method is with
an EXT-10 remote cord that puts a cold foot on the flash bottom and the OM
TTL module into the camera hot shoe. The 120J is bigger and heavier than a
T-32. The TTL version also requires batteries in the flash for the TTL
module to work, even if Sunpak's high voltage battery slab is being used to
power the flash. Weird, but the HV slab only recycles and powers the flash
discharge circuitry; the low voltage from the in-flash batteries are
required to power the TTL circuitry.
Secondary flash for alternate and spare setup is a Metz 40 MZ-2 (or MZ-3i)
with remote cord (SCA-307A) and SCA-321 OM TTL module. Alternative setup
with it is SCA-300E on bottom of flash and using an SCA-300A cord from it
to an SCA-321 in the hot shoe . . . same cable as used with a Metz potato
masher flash handle (45 CL-4, 60 CT-4, or shoe mount on G-15/G-16 handle).
I have a cold shoe on the bracket flash bar (Newton 7000) which is a camera
rotator (versus a "flip flash" style). Also have a pair of Auto Connector
T20's and one of them is mounted upside down on the bar that holds the
flash. I've considered remounting it in place of the metal cold shoe but
it doesn't seem as sturdy with a large, heavy flash mounted in it. I've
also experimented with cabling from a TTL Auto Connector 4 on the camera to
the upside down T20 Auto Connector and puting the flash's OM module in
it. Haven't worked out a satisfactory routing of cable release, flash
cables and power cable from slab to flash yet. Something always gets
tangled too easily when rotating the camera . . . or the cable release from
bracket handle to shutter release flops down behind the camera and gets in
the way of the viewfinder. Still need to work on alternate setups with all
the cabling. There's also a need to be very flexible with flash and camera
mountings to allow quickly switching over to spare hardware in the event
something goes south, jams film, etc.
I'm paranoid about possible hardware failures . . . to the extent I have a
second rig, usually the OM-1n, pre-loaded with a complete roll of film, set
up with a Sunpak 544 handle or Metz 40MZ on G15 handle, turned on and
staged to pick up and run with. During the ceremony, the spare is usually
within a few feet of me. Doesn't have the shadow control of the bracketed
one, and recycle time is a little longer, but it's better than shadows
thrown by shoe mounted flash and much better than missing a series of
photographs taking a couple minutes switching cameras in a bracket. During
the reception, it's sitting just under the top of the camera bag which is
usually in a quiet corner of the stage where the DJ is planted. IMHO,
there's little excuse for missing a critical photograph, and zero excuse
for missing more than one. Having the spare rig ready to run allows
reconfiguring spare equipment on the bracket to wait until a couple minutes
of "dead time" when it can be done without the severe time pressure that
leads to making mistakes.
-- John
< This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
< For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
< Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >
|