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[OM] Re: Flash trigger voltages

Subject: [OM] Re: Flash trigger voltages
From: Chuck Norcutt <chucknorcutt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 15 Dec 2007 14:10:31 -0500
The problem is not so much determining what the trigger voltage is on 
the flash unit but rather determining how much the camera is designed to 
withstand.  If you have the flash unit in hand you can easily measure it 
yourself with a volt meter.  But there's no way you can tell what the 
camera can take unless the manufacturer tells you.

On Sep.7, 2006 Nils Frohberg sent a note to the list advising us all 
that Olympus Europe tech support had sent him email advising that his 
E-500 and all E-system cameras were protected to 200 volts on the hot 
shoe.  Then I think John Hermanson got some conflicting information from 
Olympus America but it was vague enough that I didn't bother recording 
it.  Both the E-1 and E-3 manuals note that the PC connection is good to 
250 volts.  The manuals for the other cameras which do not have a PC 
connector don't make any mention of flash voltage but do give 
instructions on using non-E-system flash units.  The only caution is 
that TTL connections for other than E-system flashes may be trouble. 
Given that the E-1 and E-3 PC connections are good to 250 volts I think 
the info Nils was given is at least suspect... probably drawn from a 
tech's faulty memory rather than from a written technical spec.  I don't 
see why a hot shoe would be good only to 200 volts if the camera's PC 
connector is good to 250.

On the link below you will see a note implying Canyon is only good to 6 
volts.  Such was true for the early EOS digital cameras D30 and 10D.  As 
stated in the user manuals, the later cameras (from 20D on) are good to 
250 volts on the PC connection.  I think the same holds for the hot shoe 
but the wording in the user manuals is a bit vague on that.

An then we have the wonderful Mynolta A1 which claims the PC connector 
is good to 400 volts.  But once again the status of the hot shoe is left 
unmentioned.  I don't think there's any reason to believe the hot shoe 
and the PC connector are on different circuits and therefore have 
different maximum voltage levels but I suppose they could be.

Dr. Flash


Jim Couch wrote:
> I got this link from one of the Nikon lists I lurk about on. A great 
> resource that gives trigger voltages for a ton of flashes. I thought it 
> might be helpful for those trying to see if that old Sunpack or Vivitar 
> flash sitting in the closet will work with your beloved Olympus digital. 
> (Just to keep it on topic!)
> 
> http://www.botzilla.com/photo/strobeVolts.html
> 
> Jim Couch
> 
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