Author Topic: Do you use a flash with your E-P1? (Read 1935 times)

skrc · « **on:** February 01, 2010, 07:24:01 AM »

I am a new E-P1 owner and am so excited! I also ordered the FL-14 just in case I need a flash. Since I am new to photography I understand that some people integrate the flash into their work and some refuse and just use any available light. Can you offer some advice to me about how you shoot with your E-P1?

adash · « **Reply #1 on:** February 01, 2010, 08:59:09 AM »

Flash is mandatory with a slow lens when shooting indoors or with low light. You will get used to your flash in a very short time.
Get yourself a cheap slave flash also. I can only recommend what I have already tested, though:
http://e-p1.net/index.php?topic=1421.0
Better options certainly exist.

Quote

Can you offer some advice to me about how you shoot with your E-P1?

Me personally - no. Go shoot pictures and you will find out how to do so. It's much more fun this way

Agent00soul · « **Reply #2 on:** February 01, 2010, 01:15:57 PM »

I fairly regularly use an FL-50 (complete with Demb Flip-it) on my E-P1. Works extremely well.

lorenski · « **Reply #3 on:** February 01, 2010, 04:16:25 PM »

I think it's an over reaction that the cam has no flash. But when you do use one, it sure does brighten things up for sure! BUt sometimes people in a shady room don't like it when you blind them, so you have only a few snaps before people get pissed off so you just get in 3 or 4 snaps before the annoyance factor kicks in. With no flash, I can take 150 pics. Aperture can brighten them up just fine.

But yes, my flash does turn on the lights!

edob2009 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 01, 2010, 05:12:31 PM »

I have an old Sunpak flash that I used for years with my film camera, a Nikon FM. It fits the hot shoe on the E-P1 and synchronizes perfectly. I have had it for fifteen years or so. I've used it on my Nikon for that long. You can probably get one, second hand for next to nothing. New they're probably, no more than $50 or so. The one I have is a Sunpak, Auto 144PC Thyristor.

peterb666 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 01, 2010, 05:46:58 PM »

I have the FL-14 flash which I use occassinally with the E-P1. I don't use any other flash at the moment. You don't need to use the flash very often with the E-P1, especially if you have one of the faster lenses like the Panasionic 20mm f/1.7 as ISO1600 shots are quite good. I have even got good results some of the time at ISO3200.

You can encounter a little bit of redeye with the FL-14 as it sits quite close to the lens. It also works better at ISO200 (a git weak at ISO100).

For those using other flashes, be very careful of the trigger voltage of the flash. Olympus specs for the E-P1/2 are that you should not use it with flashes that are more than 6.5 volts. My other flash, a Pentax, has a trigger voltage in the 7v range. Some, like a Pansonic that I had for my Nikon FM are over 180v and should be avoided at all cost.

skrc · « **Reply #6 on:** February 01, 2010, 09:16:00 PM »

Awesome. Thanks for the advice! I can hardly wait to go start shooting.

f64 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 05, 2010, 01:13:34 PM »

If I think I need flash, I will try shots with and without the flash. I would say that about 80% of the time, I prefer the shot without flash.

skrc · « **Reply #8 on:** February 05, 2010, 01:29:34 PM »

Quote from: f64 on February 05, 2010, 01:13:34 PM

If I think I need flash, I will try shots with and without the flash. I would say that about 80% of the time, I prefer the shot without flash.

That's kind of what I hoped to hear!

count_zero · « **Reply #9 on:** February 05, 2010, 01:37:23 PM »

I would get the FL-36r over the FL-14. It's a little more versatile (zoom from 14-42mm, bounce, etc...). The FL-14 looks good, but when held it felt flimsy/cheap and its over priced.

Ian Tindale · « **Reply #10 on:** February 05, 2010, 02:04:22 PM »

I was using flash on my E-P1 today:
Dell mini 10v (1011)
Three Elinchrom D-Lites - a pair of D-Lite 2s, one each side, and a D-Lite 4 behind/underneath. Itâ€™s actually an in-camera double-exposure, one exposure to burn in the screen image with no flash, the other with the flashes to light the subject, all in-camera.

cosinaphile · « **Reply #11 on:** February 05, 2010, 08:08:37 PM »

I do use a vareity of flashes on my ep1 the fl14, a contax tla 140 , a tiny titanium finished model made for the contax g1 electronic rangefinder and also an old olympus flashthat ive misplaced but works very well when i can find it

clementperron · « **Reply #12 on:** February 06, 2010, 07:00:43 AM »

I change my metz 58 for a litepanel micro... very usefull for photo and video... i could use my 70-300 at night with it... it's a Ok light for that.

ae8za · « **Reply #13 on:** February 10, 2010, 07:53:56 AM »

How else you're going to take low light photography without a flash???

I'm using the FL-36R with a Stofen Omnibounce for low light shots involving people, sometimes even using the Canon OC-E3 cord for off camera flash...

Works great with the E-P1...

swandy · « **Reply #14 on:** February 15, 2010, 08:37:17 PM »

I have the FL20 and the FL36R and have used both with the EP2 but generally I just let the camera pick a higher ISO (the results are fine to me up to around 3200, and they do clean up nicely if necessary) and tend to use the Pana 20mm wide open indoors. Much happier with the results than using flash.
Steve

joebee · « **Reply #15 on:** February 16, 2010, 11:53:13 AM »

I don't have an Olympus flash and don't use any non-TTL flash on my E-P1 neither (I grab my DSLR if I do flash photography).

Do you use a flash with your E-P1?