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Re: [OM] F280 flash 'trap for the unwary' - was 'Don't do this at home

Subject: Re: [OM] F280 flash 'trap for the unwary' - was 'Don't do this at home :-('
From: "John A. Lind" <jlind@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 15:47:58 -0500
Although Piers is correct about the T-20 and T-32 flash heads, The F280 isn't the only OM device with this problem. The "TTL Auto Shoe Cord T" . . . used to remote a T-series flash . . . also has this problem with one additional twist. Although the foot has a hole where one would expect to find the black plastic "claw" that lifts the other contacts, the "claw" isn't there; just the hole for it. The contacts don't lift and that's how I got the shoe cord foot stuck in my M645 prism hot shoe several years ago.

While thinking about how best to get it back out without breaking anything, and since it was in the shoe, I briefly checked it with a multi-meter. As suspected, the two additional "flash ready" and "flash quench" contacts were also shorted out to the hot shoe base ("ground"). Even if it would back out of the shoe without hanging up mechanically, it would not have worked electrically to allow remoting the T-32 from the camera body. Watch this pitfall if thinking about remoting a T-series (or F280) from something other than an Olympus hot shoe. There must be enough clearance of non-conductive insulator around the center, trigger contact to keep from shorting out the additional ones.

I presume the same applies to the "TTL Auto Cord F" (shoe cord for the F280).

Glad my pior experience with this was able to help you.

-- John

At 08:37 2/22/03, Piers wrote:
Success!  Thanks to John whose recollections were as valuable as my bitter
experience.  It took a while to find tools long and thin enough to snap the
front edge of the thin plate over the base - but that was the key.

Now, the trap - it is *only* the F280 which has this problem, as far as I
can tell.  On the T20 and T32, the black plastic 'claw' on the shoe does
lift the OM-specific metal 'claws' flush into the body of the shoe.  On the
F280 it doesn't (I assume it isolate them electrically). And yes, I did try
both T20 and T32 on the M645, they dismounted with no problem.

Thanks again John

Piers


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