Trigger voltage has fallen over the years. In those days when flash contacts
were a simple mechanical switch, the trigger voltage wasn't too important --
most switch contacts could handle two or three hundred volts without damage.
As cameras became increasingly "electronic" and flashes started "talking"
with the camera, mechanical contacts were replaced with transistors and
other switching devices. These generally could not handle hundreds of volts,
and there was a real chance the camera could be damaged.
If I had a Vivitar 283 (admittedly a classic flash) with a trigger voltage
of 260V, I wouldn't use it on _any_ "modern" camera. It's time to toss it
and buy an up-to-date flash.
Regardless, Olympus should have come right out and told you what the maximum
allowable trigger voltage (and its polarity) was. They know what it is;
there's no excuse.
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