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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: Chuck Norcutt <chucknorcutt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:52:56 -0400
No, you didn't hijack the thread.  You agreed with me all along.  (could 
be trouble there I guess :-) )  But I do have to admit that I didn't 
consider the utility of making a portrait from 600 feet away using a 
600/4 lens.  :-)

Dr. Flash

Ken Norton wrote:
>> 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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