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Re: [OM] Flash Wars

Subject: Re: [OM] Flash Wars
From: Dave Haynie <dhaynie@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 26 Nov 1998 04:38:05 -0500 (EST)
On Thu, 26 Nov 1998 00:03:02 -0600, brookswf@xxxxxxxx (BILL F BROOKS) jammed 
all night, and by sunrise was overheard remarking:

> Is anyone on this list familiar with the virtues/pitfalls of the Sunpak
> Auto 266D flash unit? 

I don't know the Auto 266D, but I have used Sunpak flashs with Olympus
cameras since 1978. Before the days of TLL (and an obvious income -- my
teenage photojournalism career was limited to the "Colts Neck Calendar",
a monthy newspaper and calendar for a town of about 3000, usually with a
couple of photos), my AutoZoom 2000 gave me fractional power settings
and the usual flash-mounted auto-sensor.

Today I still have that one, but my main flash is a Sunpak Auto 555,
a big sucker which couples to the TLL system on my OM-4 and OM-PC. Far
as I can tell, it works as well in this respect as an Olympus flash. The
only downside is that, far as I know, there's no dedicated TLL cable for
the OM-4 screw-in connector -- it couples via a standard camera-specific
module. I understand the latest, like the 266D, understand most of the
TTL protocols (other than Canon's), also a factor if it's a shoe-mounted
flash, of course. 

> I've got the chance to *maybe* get one for X-Mas,
> or perhaps a Vivitar 550FD, and don't know which would be better as a
> master flash.  It seems that the 266 will allow you to get a *little*
> closer to the vampires than the 550 will in TTL mode (already have a
> sharpened stake so no fear >;) and I'm not too concerned about which one
> will reach out further, because if the vampires are not filling the
> frame, then the shot is a waste. 

I don't know the Vivitar. I also have a Vivitar 2600D, a fairly cheap
one I got buying a whole used OM-G system. This one lets the OM cameras
know its there, and shows a ready light in the viewfinder, but doesn't
couple TLL. I would expect most of the good flashes these days handle
TLL, and as this isn't rocket science, you would expect it to work. On
the other hand, actual experiential ancedotes would do more to inspire
than my ramblings. 

As for the vampires, I don't want to get that close. Buffy and her pals
all seem to be Karate experts against these bad boys, but studied
Aikido.  And besides, I have a 500mm reflex lens, so I can get a nice
flash portrait of most demons from a safe 100ft or so, with the 555.
Vampires, on the other hand, can't be seen with a reflex lens, but the
28-200 zoom with 3x converter works, thought at a maximum of around f16,
one would need a closer approach even with the 555.

> I do use a zoom (28-200) to help compose these shots on an OM-4 (and
> keep the beasties at least an arm's length away) 

They claim the Sunpak 266D is good for about 33ft., and the variable
lens on the thing will help with the long shots. Still, it's amazing how
fast a denizen of hell can cross 33ft. 

> But to tell the truth I've got enough to worry  about just
> spotting, high-key/low-keying, and just plain focussing on these spawn
> from hell that I figured I could use all the help I could get (they're a
> far cry from what I like to shoot, a nice landscape that just sits there
> waiting for the light to get right.

Vampires and the OM-system really don't get along, in general. I mean,
you don't even get an accurate viewfinder metering on them with the OM-4
or OM-PC. The OM-77 can't autofocus on them. You're probably better off
with an OM-1, a big-ass flash (these always seem to be able to drive
away monsters better than weapons or holy water, anyway), and a damn
fine pair of running shoes. 

For more mundane subjects, the mirrors all work, they're not speeding
past you at supernatural speeds, and TTL flash works better than
externally metered flash. 

--
Dave Haynie  | V.P. Technology, Met@box Infonet, AG |  http://www.metabox.de
Be Dev #2024 | NB851 Powered! | Amiga 2000, 3000, 4000, PIOS One



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