Have Olympus badly blundered on the PM-1 with flash, as I cannot see any way of using the electronic viewfinder with flash, as the hot shoe, which appears to be the only flash connection, is occupied when the ELV viewfinder is in use.

Obviously the back screen can be used, but I have just spent more on the viewfinder than the camera body only to find no flash can be used with it attached, an incredible blunder.

Are there any known workarounds to this very serious problem? The camera remote fires on the switch lead via the port, so could it share the firing with the remote firing flash units, or external sensors?

This is a very serious issue, as the camera may have to be returned to Olympus, and another make or model sourced that can fire a flash gun!

Stephen.

I believe that I read in a review of the E-PM1 on DPReview that you can use the viewfinder or a flash, but not both at the same time.

Yep, that's what I thought.

The following is from the DP Review.


The PEN Mini comes with a clip-in flash, just like its near-twin the E-PL3. It's a compact unit that slides onto the hot shoe and draws its power from the accessory port.

The benefit is a smaller camera body when you're not using flash, but the down-side is that you can't use flash alongside any other accessory, such as an EVF or the PENPal Bluetooth unit.

You're using a €150 camera for studio work and are surprised that it lacks features?

The OM-D E-M5 or Pen E-P3 would be your best choices (depending on your choice of size and style), with the old E-PL2 Pen Lite being the next step down, if you want to use EVF and flash at the same time. The E-M5 is your best choice, allowing a completely free hotshoe to mount any kind of trigger or direct on-camera mount. The other two options will require the use of optical triggering of off-camera flash in order to be used alongside an EVF (if you want to be mobile with on-camera flash, just use a flash bracket).

Personally, I've learned to use one or the other and am very happy that way. In the studio I want to free myself from the eye-level finder, and find the LCD use to be extremely liberating. When I want to use the EVF I find myself shooting without flash, such as shooting outdoors or shooting action (ie, like sports). I've actually found little use for requiring both at the same time, though I of course thought for sure I would need that before I tried it for myself and simply changed my style to suit.

If you still think you do need it however, there are still plenty of other options to choose from. The Mini is not one of them. Besides the Olympus options I mentioned, there are also Panasonic options as well such as the GH3, GH2, G3, G5, or GX1. Judging from your choice of a Pen Mini however, I would guess the most appropriate Panasonic alternative would be the GX1, which will allow you to work in the same way as the E-P3 Pen or E-PL2 Pen Lite with removable viewfinder and small body. The Pens however, will allow you to remotely control flash guns with TTL via the Remote Commander. The GX1 does not have that option and will only allow you to trigger flash guns as dumb slaves.

Just be glad you didn't buy a Panasonic GF-3. You would lose all option of hotshoe flash and EVF altogether, nevermind choosing between one or the other.

__________________
Olympus E-3 | Olympus E-PL2 PEN | Olympus E-PM1 PEN | Zuiko ED 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 SWD | Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 | Vivitar 100mm f/2.8 Macro | Carl Zeiss Sonnar 135mm f/2.8 | Konica Hexanon 50mm f/1.4 | Konica Hexanon 85mm f/1.8 | G.Zuiko 50mm f/1.4 | Zuiko 35mm f/3.5 Macro | Zuiko 25mm f/2.8 | KMZ Jupiter-3 50mm f/1.5 | E.Zuiko 200mm f/4 | Zuiko 75-150mm f/4 | Olympus EC-14 teleconverter | VF-2 and VF-3 Viewfinders | EMA-1 Mic Adapter | Olympus FL-36R and FL-50R speedlights

cyclopsphoto.ca

It is most certainly not studio, or pro-work with the Olympus PM-1 camera, simply that I have never come across any digital reflex type that cannot use any flash with the ELV viewfinder in use, and the main reason for the camera choice is simple, lower cost. My nine year old 4900 Fuji can use the ELV and fire external flash, no problems.

It looks like the only option with the ELV in use is to set the camera to bulb and fire the ring flash manually. The lenses are set at small apertures, and low ISO, where ambient light will not be recorded much.

Most of the intended shots are close ups of flowers and cacti, where lamps are not used due to heat. Where you can get behind the main screen and use the magnifier function, the Olympus is excellent. The model with the flip up screen is better, but more costly. lt is all solved with the OM-D, but at a massive increase in cost.
Stephen.

Well I'm sad that I can't use the SEMA-1 microphone adaptor and an EVF at the same time, but it was something I was happy to go without for the price I paid for the Pen Mini. I don't understand your indignation when it is something that is plainly obvious from a cursory look at the camera: no flash, no viewfinder, one hotshoe.

Perhaps you could get an LED ring-light instead? They are meant to be good for the macro style photos you describe, and are mounted on the lens rather than the camera.

Edit: an example http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0032LSHE0/ can't attest to its quality.

Found a possible cure, the port is independent of the hot shoe and there is a maker of the port plug with a lead for the viewfinder to be removed off camera and still leave the hot shoe exposed. It only fires the flash, no TTL connection for Olympus's own flash, but seems to solve the problem that Olympus designed into the camera.

Stephen, just some friendly advice. In the future, if a certain feature is so important to you, it would be wise to ensure that the product you are buying has it. I am honestly surprised by your so angry reaction to the lack of a feature that Olympus chose to leave out. It is really not a flaw or problem, it was a design choice and was not hidden in any way.

I am glad you found a work around and I hope it works for you, but I think the problem was more with your lack of research than with the camera itself. All cameras are compromises of one sore or another and the E-PM1 sacrifices some features for the sake of size. Perhaps the E-PM1 is not the best camera for you and you should return or sell it now and find a more suitable replacement so you can better enjoy your hobby.

Good luck to you in whatever you decide.

Well, I sold cameras for many years in specialist shops, and did pro camera work for 30 years, and the camera was expected to the same as any standard camera. The lack of flash in the ELV mode is odd, it is not mentioned in basic sales information from Olympus, only in independent reviews.