FlashQ

andix

andix

Mu-43 Regular
Of course it falls short. Because it looks good but unfortunately that's everything it does.

I am not an advocate of TTL flash and probably won't ever use it, BUT there are people out there who do and for them, this set won't do anything more than a good pair of PWs. So why bother. (PWIIs can be found for next to nothing on ebay now that the next generation of PWs are the big thing.)

Okay, let's say TTL is too much technology to cram into that little dude. But how about the ability to change flash power remotely? This is the biggest gripe of remote flash shooters, yours truly included. All I'm asking is for a trigger that would let me control two or three flashes independently, in MANUAL mode. I only want to adjust the output power.

Finally, the receiver needs an ADAPTER to mount it on a tripod or stand. Wait, what? Another part to lose in the camera bag or worse, outside of it? And if I put even the smallest Lastolite Ezybox on a FL-36, will that adapter hold the weight combined? Because it sure as hell doesn't look like it would.

My phased-out 0.02 CAD: rethink the product and make it different, better and more useful. Add power control. Then move on to Kickstarter and take it from there.
 
H

HappyFish

Mu-43 Top Veteran
No tripod socket ?
Very limited distance
Because of that limited distance many cameras can use the built in flash or small accessory flash and control a external with TTL manual ratios etc..
so the limited use and range of this is kinda silly IMHO


Phottix or something still much better choice readily available and cheap
 
OzRay

OzRay

Mu-43 Hall of Famer
The E-M1 allows you control the power of the remote flash units from the camera pretty much any way you want, when using the appropriate Olympus flash units. The flash units can be set to manual, auto of TTL auto.
 
Clint

Clint

Mu-43 Hall of Famer
Subscribing Member
andix said:
Of course it falls short. ...
Click to expand...
There are benefits over Pocket Wizards and other flash syncs -

- No synch cords required
- You can put several of these in a pants pocket and move on - try that with Pocket Wizards!
- Takes up very little room in a m4/3 camera case - not like Pocket Wizards!

- every receiver needs some sort of adapter to mount on a stand (not sure why'd use a tripod)!

Wait, what? Not sure why would want to put a 8 1/2" square Ezybox on a light stand requiring the flash synch to hold it - but it would be great for a quick use small hand held Ezybox!

Obviously not your cup of tea.
 
Clint

Clint

Mu-43 Hall of Famer
Subscribing Member
HappyFish,
the receiver does have a tripod socket with the included cold shoe adapter which looks like it can be slid in place and then left there.
Very limited distance?
- how often are your flashes more than 60 feet (20m) away from you?
- have you tried using the Olympus's RC flash system at 40 or 50 feet? Doesn't work so well.
- or put the receiving Olympus RC flash where it can't see the master flash? Like inside a Wescott Apollo. Sometimes works, usually doesn't.

For the price of these - I kicked in. I can see where these could come in handy while taking very little storage space.
 
OzRay

OzRay

Mu-43 Hall of Famer
As long as the operation of these units is consistent and reliable (I've got some Flashwave ones that can be hit or miss), then these units appear to be quite good. As far as I'm aware Pocket Wizards only support manual control on Olympus cameras/flash anyway, so they are an expensive (though reliable) option.
 
H

HappyFish

Mu-43 Top Veteran
did not see that it has a 1/4-20 thread on it :) first time around
should have said that instead of tripod ;) or for basically screwing in any adapter ? or even being able to use them on a cold shoe
saw this first time :)
20140330020729-PB16.jpg


did not notice further down they have a optional adapter :) for sure even more stupid ? something to loose :)
again just my opinion ;) I can see why some would like em

compare them to this ? for cheaper $31
http://www.phottix.com/en/flash-accessories/phottix-aster-wireless-flash-trigger.html

I would not bother with these either ? but they are 30 meter and have 4 channels and are very close in size ?
standard triggers are not that much bigger :)

I can carry the little flash that comes with the OMD and use my other flashes and that as a master have all kinds of control ;) I don't use it more than what they showed in the video in a house within say 20-30 feet the built in works just fine ?
and again I have full control ? and again 60 feet ? I will wait and see real world results


how often are the flashes more than 60 feet away ? well if that is the max lets see what real world turns out I am sure that is in ideal circumstances the 60 feet :) and actually I am that far away or close to it around DJ gear other stuff all the time so 60 feet is not good ! I am often setting up on one side of a golf hole going to the other side to take the shots remote power needed etc.

again my needs are different :)
and again if I am within that range that built in works like a champ and I can control the power and stuff which these do not do :)

again for remote flash ? go with something like the godox V850 remote power etc..

my radios are older picket wizards multi max units I don't use
I do use phottix have about 10 of them and also the cheetahs since my main lights these days are the cheetah lights
I can also use my phottix and cheetah together !
and again my phottix trigger can sit on camera my flash can be on that with full pass through TTL control on camera


I know you like em :) thats cool glad someone is doing something I just think they are to tiny to short not enough features and fall short big time ? you don't ;) neither of us are right or wrong and something close to it on market already

not insulting ya :) just saying I don't find someones product on kickstarted any good for what I do and again showing similar product out already that has more features and distance etc.. and cheaper most likely why they are less than half way there still
 
andix

andix

Mu-43 Regular
Lurch said:
Ok. So you're clearly not a fan :p
Click to expand...
Oh believe me I wish I was... can't beat that tiny size.

OzRay said:
The E-M1 allows you control the power of the remote flash units from the camera pretty much any way you want, when using the appropriate Olympus flash units. The flash units can be set to manual, auto of TTL auto.
Click to expand...
Yes. It does. And not only the E-M1. Also the E-M5 and the E-5 and the E-3 and the E-620 and a few others... BUT, line of sight only. Optically. Which means the power is controlled via a train of impulses emitted by a flash on the camera. I am talking about radio controlled power adjustment here. I think there was a topic on this issue recently.

My biggest gripe with Oly's optical system is that I have to have a light on the camera, which kills most of my creative lighting ideas. (And no, obscuring that with a baffle still doesn't do it for me, since I absolutely hate spilled light.) Speaks volumes of why I still choose to work manually despite all the effort involved (think lowering a light on a boom to adjust the flash in 1/3 increments until achieving the desired result, then repositioning it exactly where it was.)

Another drawback of the optical system is that I am using Lastolite softboxes, which for the most part obscure the optical sensor of the slaves.

For the same reason, I couldn't care less about pass-through. I. Just. Don't. Want. A. Light. On. The. Camera. (Not to pitch my work here, but both "People" galleries on my website carefully avoided a frontal lighting scheme, and for good reason.)
 
OzRay

OzRay

Mu-43 Hall of Famer
andix said:
Oh believe me I wish I was... can't beat that tiny size.



Yes. It does. And not only the E-M1. Also the E-M5 and the E-5 and the E-3 and the E-620 and a few others... BUT, line of sight only. Optically. Which means the power is controlled via a train of impulses emitted by a flash on the camera. I am talking about radio controlled power adjustment here. I think there was a topic on this issue recently.

My biggest gripe with Oly's optical system is that I have to have a light on the camera, which kills most of my creative lighting ideas. (And no, obscuring that with a baffle still doesn't do it for me, since I absolutely hate spilled light.) Speaks volumes of why I still choose to work manually despite all the effort involved (think lowering a light on a boom to adjust the flash in 1/3 increments until achieving the desired result, then repositioning it exactly where it was.)

Another drawback of the optical system is that I am using Lastolite softboxes, which for the most part obscure the optical sensor of the slaves.

For the same reason, I couldn't care less about pass-through. I. Just. Don't. Want. A. Light. On. The. Camera. (Not to pitch my work here, but both my "People" galleries on the website carefully avoided a frontal lighting scheme, and for good reason.)
Click to expand...
I understand that it's an optical, line of sight, system, but then so are many others, such as Nikon's.

The small controller flash provided with the E-M1 puts out such a small amount of light that it shouldn't affect the overall exposure at all. I've played around with the system and can't detect the on-camera flash at all.

The Lastolights shouldn't generally obscure the sensor, as you can turn the flash body around to face the controller, and other flash units not in direct line of sight can be set to slave mode and triggered by the other flash units (assuming that you are using the wireless flash units).

But at the end of the day, no one can expect any system to perfectly meet their specific needs.
 
andix

andix

Mu-43 Regular
Check out the JRX from RadioPopper. They do exactly what I need. But there isn't any RPcube for Oly / Pana. Exclusively CaNikon, with maybe a Sony in the works. We don't exist. I wrote, asked, begged. They just chose to ignore me. Not even a "no we won't make it."

As for the on-camera flash, YMMV. I had different results. Hence the need for a radio system :) Also, you can't turn a flash in *any* Lastolite the way you want it. It so happens mine have the flash cold shoes in a fixed position. (Older model I suppose. But I ain't spending anything on fixing compatibility issues.)

All in all, I just don't want a light on the camera, period. I shoot in near-dark studio conditions most of the time, and believe me, that tiny light does come up as parasite.
 
OzRay

OzRay

Mu-43 Hall of Famer
As I said, you can't expect any system to be perfect. In this case, the reality is that pretty much only Nikon and Canon are supported to the greatest extent by the aftermarket flash controllers, that's where the money lies.
 
Lurch

Lurch

Hi, I'm a gear addict
OzRay said:
...the reality is that pretty much only Nikon and Canon are supported to the greatest extent by the aftermarket flash controllers, that's where the money lies.
Click to expand...
Yup - ditto with Pentax. Eventually you just learn to make do with whats available. In this case, it's given me time to practice using off-camera manual flashes :)
 
H

HappyFish

Mu-43 Top Veteran
bounce behind and to the side so its never going forward ? use a wall as a huge soft box :)
when if you need it depending on work its handy ?
OCF is nice combination etc.. just cause its on the camera does not mean it has to be front on and look that way :)

andix said:
I. Just. Don't. Want. A. Light. On. The. Camera. (Not to pitch my work here, but both "People" galleries on my website carefully avoided a frontal lighting scheme, and for good reason.)
Click to expand...
 
T

ThomD

Mu-43 Top Veteran
Other than colors, what makes this materially different from a Cactus or YN wireless trigger? Size? There is such a thing as too small. Besides, remote power control is the future.
 
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