Some FL-50 questions


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You are welcome and thanks for the positive feedback.
 

Had mine bent at right angle when moving around. Was afraid of breaking it at first but now, it's like norm now. Maybe we should start a thread with pictures how we pack our stuff.

Oh yes, olyflyer, is that a blower? That gray round thing?
 

Thanks Olyflyer for the detailed description, and thanks to drakon09 and irischloe for the speedy response.

I now have a rough idea of the size of the FL-50 and I think it will fit into the Slingshot 200. Olyflyer has given a very interesting idea - no need to transport the flash straight ;)

Have to think out of the box sometimes... :D

Thanks!
I have the Slingshot 200. The straightened FL-50 will fit inside the Slingshot 200 with some adjustments to velcro dividers at the top part of the storage compartment.
 

Had mine bent at right angle when moving around. Was afraid of breaking it at first but now, it's like norm now. Maybe we should start a thread with pictures how we pack our stuff.

Oh yes, olyflyer, is that a blower? That gray round thing?
I don't think the flash would break because you transport it bent. It would however break if you are careless regardless if it is bent or not. The most common use of the flash is probably bent in the angle I have it in my bag, so the flash must be built for that but if additional preassure is applied it may break. Anyway, I am always very careful with my gear and everything I own. That's why I have the micro fibre in between my lens (the one you don't see under the flash) and the flash. The bag itself is very well padded and will not scratch anything.

Well, I agree, why not start a new bagthread?

Yes blu, the grey thing is a blower. Have been using the same for about 20-25 years. It will take some time before I replace it, I wanted to buy a new one just recently but realized that new ones are much smaller or much much bigger. No hurry, it works fine but it will not hold forever.
 

I have the Slingshot 200. The straightened FL-50 will fit inside the Slingshot 200 with some adjustments to velcro dividers at the top part of the storage compartment.

Thanks TomCat! That's where my next $600 is going :cry:
 

Anyway, I am on my way to get a set of 2700mAh batteries and it will be interesting to see if that will improve even more.


HI OlyFlyer,
Is the 2700mAh battery improved performance?

cheers :)
kenjii
 

HI OlyFlyer,
Is the 2700mAh battery improved performance?

cheers :)
kenjii

Make sure you
1. zoom the head all the way out
2. set to manual
3. Fire and count the recycle time.
 

HI OlyFlyer,
Is the 2700mAh battery improved performance?

cheers :)
kenjii
The main advantages using higher capacity is the shorter flash recharge time and the increased number of flashes you can fire off with one set of batteries. If it is woth the extra money or not is up to you. I have one set of 2700mAh and two sets of 2500mAh. It is hard to say if the 2700mAh gives more for the money but anyway, that was the most powerful I could get when I bought my FL-50 so I bought one set (4 pcs). At the same time you must be aware of the need of new charger also. The higher capacity batteries need higher quality and more modern chargers also, where each cell is charged individually and the charge current is better controlled. Those chargers usually allow you to charge 1-4 batteries at the same time. I choose not to get the very fast chargers, there are chargers that charge a set of four under one hour. My charger charges somewhere between 2-5 hours (more like 5 than 2) which is long but much friendlier to the batteries.
 

Thanz selamatlzh , thanz Olyflyer;
informative post

kenjii
 

Hi Hitman (and others who are interested),

P1117862.jpg

I used to have this bag but i tried many times & can never put in my E-330 with kit lens & FL-50 with some other accessories...
 

Just spit-balling here about a somewhat clumsy, possible IR autofocus assist light.

I've used a regular "red" pencil type laser directed into the eyepiece of SLR's to allow the camera's (Nikon) regular AF system to have a bright spot to focus on....it works.

Would Oly's AF system react to an IR filtered laser the same way? It would be slow but doable:
1. aim IR laser thru eyepiece while lens is accurately framing the subject
2. initiate AF sequence while laser is on.
3.remove laser, watch for "decisive moment" and then shoot.

** or if you rig the laser to a parallax compensator, you could just mount the laser on the camera body and work faster.

Of course, this is really only suitable to immobile or predictable subjects e.g. speakers at a podium, seated audience members, action that will take place within a definie zone of focus (such as parade participants when they walk toward and hit a predetermined "mark")

BTW, if you can live with a red laser, this eyepiece trick also works in manual focus with SLR's. If, you're old enough, you'll recognize it as a modified & modernized steal from the Kalart "focus-spot" rangefinder of 4x5 press cameras.

Wayne


Well, you bring at least one good news, the fact that the AF light can be used when the flash is OFF is not clearly stated in the manual or I just missed it. Thanks for clearing that up.

The red light pattern may not be visible for the photographer but unless it is IR it is definitely visible for the people/animals in front of the camera. I would really welcome IR if it would work, it would even be better for the flash use since if you turn on the red light the surprise effect is gone by the time the camera is ready to fire. IR is much better than visible light, in fact the red light may be even more irritating than the E-500 strobe light that is used as AF assist. Maybe next gen flash will have IR. So, should I wait for PMA or not? :dunno: No point asking Oly.
 

Just spit-balling here about a somewhat clumsy, possible IR autofocus assist light.

I've used a regular "red" pencil type laser directed into the eyepiece of SLR's to allow the camera's (Nikon) regular AF system to have a bright spot to focus on....it works.

Would Oly's AF system react to an IR filtered laser the same way? It would be slow but doable:
1. aim IR laser thru eyepiece while lens is accurately framing the subject
2. initiate AF sequence while laser is on.
3.remove laser, watch for "decisive moment" and then shoot.

Technically a visible laser will work (discussed the same thing back in the days of the C-700 series)...don't know though where you'd get an infrared laser and if it would work. The one thing though is you'd have to tap the AEL button after turning off the laser as exposure is also measured during the half-press...unless you half-press with the laser, let go of the button, disable the autofocus, then half-press again and take the picture.
 

graphic45,

First I wish you welcome to CS (ClubSNAP) as a new member.

Since quite a while back, I have my FL-50 and I am very happy with it. Acually, even the AF assist is very efficient, working to about 7-9 meters, and the camera focuses without problem in total darkness. I am definitely not going to install a pen-type laser on my camera than must be controlled manually, since the FL-50 works fine for my needs in most situations. IMO, manually controlling the AF laser is a bit of a problem.

My problem is macro (1:1 or larger), where the FL-50 AF assist is useless. So I am thinking of a red visible laser liner that is controlled from the FL-50 AF assist light. That laser is going to be installed around my lens. It is a future DIY project for me. A more simple one would be a mirror directing the FL-50 AF assist light right to the front of the lens.
 

Wish I still have my E-330 with me. I could experiment with that. Set to LV mode A, then the laser can just shoot through the viewfinder.

What I am doing now is it use a torch light to focus.1/2 press, then off torch and shoot.
 

http://www.olympus.co.jp/en/support/imsg/digicamera/download/manual/

I think to answer your questions is better to hands on one.

Personally base on experience with FL50 before, to optimise its capability you need to buy the external batt pack.

Should consider Metz 54. The pros are <5s recycling time without batt pack and has a wider coverage 24mm (FL50 has vidgeting on its corner at 28mm). Cons would be lack of TTL and FP.

I own Metz and has been using it for last 3 years. I have both 44 and 54. Practically I use AUTO (It works peefectly) since TTL dont work well and I never need to use FP.

I believe both flash are selling about the same price in Singapore. The very obvious advantage when you start using Metz is its recycling time.


Does Metz have AF-Assist?
 

Thanks for the link. What do you mean about vignetting at 28mm? The FL-50 should work down to 11mm, if there is vignetting at 28mm how is it at 11mm?

i have used FL50 with 8mm FE even. if you bounce off the walls instead of direct flash, there will b no vignetting.
 

i have used FL50 with 8mm FE even. if you bounce off the walls instead of direct flash, there will b no vignetting.
All my questions are answered several months ago, since I bought the FL-50. Anyway, bouncing is a good way in some situations but not always. Walls and ceilings are some times too far away or have the wrong colour. If the subject is too near the lens, bouncing from a ceiling will give bad shadows under the eyes for example. A bounce card on the flash may work better, but there is no vignetting even with direct flash, at least until the limit of my lense's focal length, which is 14mm at widest. As far as I remember, that is only a problem with the pop-up flash. The FL-50 is simply too high above the camera to cause vignetting even with the lens hood on.

The FL-50 is a really nice flash to work with, very powerful and flexible, enabling twisting the flash head to almost any angle to bounce from. I often use walls or ceilings and because the flash is powerful, even if the distance for the light is increased the FL-50 can handle that quite well.
 

Hi, I m new around and I have a E-500 with a FL-36.

I have been having issues with the slow recycling time and after reading your post, I am really interested in the FL-50,

Where do you recommend for getting one and what the best price you know of?
 

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