Overcoming the E-PL3 1/160 flash sync limitation with Inon D2000 strobe

[amnong]

Thanks Phil. What you described certainly works for “all the way manual mode”.
Additionally, reducing the internal flash intensity to 1/64, may also be a good way to save battery life (Using the D2000, there is a need to disable the pre-flash using the magnet).

Yet, it does not quite resolve the 1/160 limitation.
I understand that the RC mode is a proprietary Oly sync protocol, but I still don’t quite comprehend, what is so unique in that protocol, that as long as the flash of the camera fires, it still does not trigger an external strobe in manual mode.
Is there a chance that it is only a software issue that can be tweaked by a certain mod? Does anyone know a way to approach Oly on that?

Amnon

 

[PHIL RUDIN]

The problem with the RC mode is that your S2000 does not know which flash to fire on. It will fire but on the pre flash, that is why it fires but you don't get an exposure. You get what you pay for and the only way for the RC at 4000th will work is with the Olympus UFL2 strobe and even with that strobe it needs to be hard wired to the housing. No fiber optic cord.


Phil Rudin

 

[terson]

My understanding is that RC is also a wireless signal and can be used successfully without the hard-wired sync cords?
If you check in on The Drafahl's website you will find an article where they use the RC mode with an EPL-3 and "love the results". . .
Just what I've read. . .
Bruce

 

[JackConnick]

Yeah, RC actually only works on fiber optic Phil, not hard-wired. Olympus hasn't had hard-wired TTL is a long time.
The advantage of it besides the fast shutter speed is really is that you can control the UFL-2 from the camera back add/subtract EV from there, which makes the UFL-2 actually useful. Otherwise the tiny lcd screen on it is impossible to read.

For my money the Sea & Sea YS-D1 shoots rings around all of the above strobes, with accurate TTL and lots of power.

Jack

 

[terson]

Hi Jack,
Good to hear from you.
There were a few reports on this forum, and others, that there were some seemingly isolated issues with the newest S&S YS D-1, can you confirm if these have been rectified or are they still vielled in the cloke of secrecy pact that seems to go on inside your industry. . .ie deny everything until S&S make a public announcement?
Bruce

For my money the Sea & Sea YS-D1 shoots rings around all of the above strobes, with accurate TTL and lots of power.

Jack

 

[JackConnick]

It works great with Oly Cameras and most others like the Nikon D7000. With Panasonics it's more hit or miss, depending on the mode.

Jack

 

[PHIL RUDIN]

Cool Jack you would know better than I.

Back to the original topic, good to see that Amnon got the S2000 working and I don't see a way that you will overcome the 1/160th limit with that strobe.

Phil Rudin

 

[Wisnu]

You can use housed flash with HSS feature. I had used EPL-1 with Metz 58AF-1 in 10bar housing, hard wire. No problem to sync. at 1/2000.
But the housing is very bulky, and have to be take extra care with sync. cord. So, it's just a spare unit just in case my YS-01 fail.

 

[JackConnick]

Phil; I agree.

To the OP; You can change the sync speed in the menus under some of the advanced settings, but I don't think it will make any difference. You might get a little more out of it that way. Best to use low ISO and apertures to get what you want.

Jack

 

[amnong]

Here is an official answer from Inon Japan, who where kind enough to spend the time and analyze the issue.
I tend to believe that this is something that can be resolved with firmware upgrade by Oly (BTW: they already released firmware 1.3 for the E-PL3, that said to "improve the RC mode").
Any suggestions how to contact Oly and present the issue?

Thanks, Amnon


"Unfortunately we were unable to find solution to accommodate INON strobe with Olympus RC mode.
We have checked behavior of the E-PL3 in RC mode.
When the RC mode is activated, the built-in flash of the camera looks like giving up to deliver adequate flash light for photography.
Instead, the built-in flash sends some optical signal to control RC mode compatible external strobe(s).
We hoped to use this optical signal as trigger an INON strobe, but the signal is very particular and not compatible with INON strobe.
INON strobe can flash by this optical signal, but the optical signal is not for photography resulting in underexposed image.
We assume this optical signal is sent out well in advance before the shutter opens".
We are sorry for not being help of you this time.
Thank you for contacting INON.