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Re: [OM] Radio, non line of site, flash trigger --TTL f/u

Subject: Re: [OM] Radio, non line of site, flash trigger --TTL f/u
From: Ken Norton <ken@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 27 Apr 2009 10:09:43 -0500
>
> But I do believe Will Crockett who tells me that digital
> daylight TTL fill flash is not very reliable beyond about 6 feet due to
> the limitations of pre-flash brightness.  So, what good is it that I can
> trigger a flash from 600 feet away that the camera can't accurately
> measure beyond 6 feet?  His actual recommendation for daylight fill
> flash if you really want exposure automation is to use flash controlled
> auto mode. (ala T-32 or Vivitar 285)
>


That would be 6-foot flash-subject distance.  Imagine with me for a second
that you are shooting a portrait of somebody with a 600/4 lens from 600 feet
away, but the flashes are right up close and personal.  This would work
peachy. If I was king of the world, I would ban all pre-flash. It has never
been anything more than a kluge.

As to in-flash auto-exposure, I'll say that as a general rule, you can do a
whole lot worse.  What has been surprising to me is how exceptionally
accurate the T45's in-flash auto-exposure is.  The sensor is heavily
center-weighted. I've found a few circumstances where I can fool it, but one
would have to progress to a distance-measuring multi-zone configuration
(like the IS-3/G40 combo) to get it better.

For multi off-camera flash, the best approach I've ever used is to slap the
flashes in manual and use my flash-meter to determine proper exposure.  I
understand technical progress and I'm all for it. But so much of this
technical progress in auto-flash is purely a compensation for laziness at
best, incompetence at worst. The end result, no matter how advanced the
auto-exposure/flash system, it rarely exceeds 75% success rate in anything
other than the most simple and short-distance the situation.

I've had several fellow professional photographers comment on the T45 flash.
It definitely gets a double-take!  And then, when I bounce the thing off of
a 50' high ceiling...  They're asking questions about this flash and they're
thinking that it's brand new and Olympus has come up with a new flash design
which N/C hasn't. I'm being a little coy about the answer. :)

The fact is, once you start using a bloody powerful flash with the
capabilities and features of the T45, going back to pipsqueak flashes with
zoom heads seems a bit underwhelming. It's cool being able to shoot from a
hundred feet away at ISO 200--wide angle. Oh, and having it fully recharged
for the next full-dump in a hair over two seconds.

Sorry to hijack the thread...

AG
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