Faster OM Flash Synch Speeds for Fill Flash

[dtcls100]

Overall, I am using fill flash on more and more of my outdoor sunlit photos to lighten shadows and add a little sparkle to the eyes of my subjects. I find that there is no need for any calculation to get improved results, as I use very low power fill -- 1/16 power with a white diffuser on a Vivitar 285 HV flash -- adds just enough light to lighten shadows and make eyes sparkle a little bit, without making the pictures look like any flash has been used at all.

The trick is to use a camera that has a fast enough synch speed to be usable in bright sunlight. An interesting point here is that given the very low fill flash I am using, I can get away with using my OM cameras in manual mode at 1/125 second (even though the real synch speed for the flash to expose the entire frame is only 1/60), as the flash effect is subtle so that if the whole frame is not covered by the flash (due to the narrowing focal plane shutter slit at higher shutter speeds), one doesn't really notice it in outdoor settings. At 1/125 second, a good portion of the frame appears to be still exposed by the flash and the subtlety of the fill flash prevents having any areas -- not exposed by the flash – from appearing unnatural.

Obviously, this would not work so well where the flash intensity is a major part of the lighting, such as indoor photos.

[FONT=&quot]Wonder if anyone else has tried this? [/FONT]

 

[TXForester]

That's interesting. I suppose with some experimenting, you might find 1/250th would work if you shot it with the intention of cropping out the area where the shutter curtain covers some of the image. Just a guess.

 

[dtcls100]

That's interesting. I suppose with some experimenting, you might find 1/250th would work if you shot it with the intention of cropping out the area where the shutter curtain covers some of the image. Just a guess.

Ran a test with a trusty OM-1 and Vivitar 285 HV flash. With the camera back open and flash mounted, I fired the shutter with the lens at full aperture in a dark, unlit room, with my eye close to the shutter. At 1/60th of a second, the image circle appeared fully illuminated by the flash. At 1/125th sec, about 7/8ths of the image circle appeared lit, from the left edge almost to the right edge. At 1/250th sec, only about 1/2 to 2/3rds of the image circle appeared lit. At 1/500th sec, only the left 1/3 of the image circle appeared illuminated. This would indicate that 1/125th shutter speed can be readily used for outdoor fill flash using an OM-1 camera (which I have used), and that 1/250th sec could be used in a pinch (I have not tried this yet) as long as your subject is located to the left part of the image frame.

I should note that using an OM-2n on manual exposure and/or automatic exposure, neither a dedicated Olympus T32 flash nor a non-dedicated Vivitar 285HV flash would fire with the shutter speed set on manual exposure above 1/60th sec with the flash mounted in the hotshoe (I haven't tried using either flash with a plain PC cord). I haven't tested to see if this is the case also with one of my OM-4 or OM-4T(i) bodies, but this is probably the case since the OM-2n and probably later automatic exposure OM bodies had circuitry added to prevent the flash from firing at higher than 1/60th sec to prevent incompletely exposed flash pics. The result might be different with an earlier OM-2 (i.e., pre OM-2n model), as I understand that this 1/60th sec circuitry was not yet added, but I don't have a plain OM-2 body to test this out. I also do not have an OM-3 or OM-3Ti body to test this out either. This 1/60th sec flash limitation might also have been included in the OM-1n model (as opposed to the earlier OM-1). I will have to test this out with my OM-1n body sometime.

The upshot of all this is that, strangely enough, a more primitive OM-1 (and possibly OM-2) might be superior to the later models (OM-1n, OM-2n, OM-2s, OM-3, OM-3Ti, OM-4, OM-4T(i)) in terms of permitting one to use a higher flash synch speed for outdoor fill flash!

 

[dtcls100]

That's interesting. I suppose with some experimenting, you might find 1/250th would work if you shot it with the intention of cropping out the area where the shutter curtain covers some of the image. Just a guess.

Ran a test with a trusty OM-1 and Vivitar 285 HV flash. With the camera back open and flash mounted, I fired the shutter with the lens at full aperture in a dark, unlit room, with my eye close to the shutter. At 1/60th of a second, the image circle appeared fully illuminated by the flash. At 1/125th sec, about 7/8ths of the image circle appeared lit, from the left edge almost to the right edge. At 1/250th sec, only about 1/2 to 2/3rds of the image circle appeared lit. At 1/500th sec, only the left 1/3 of the image circle appeared illuminated. This would indicate that 1/125th shutter speed can be readily used for outdoor fill flash using an OM-1 camera (which I have used), and that 1/250th sec could be used in a pinch (I have not tried this yet) as long as your subject is located to the left part of the image frame.

I should note that using an OM-2n on manual exposure and/or automatic exposure, neither a dedicated Olympus T32 flash nor a non-dedicated Vivitar 285HV flash would fire with the shutter speed set on manual exposure above 1/60th sec. I haven't tested to see if this is the case also with one of my OM-4 or OM-4T(i) bodies, but this is probably the case since the OM-2n and probably later automatic exposure OM bodies had circuitry added to prevent the flash from firing at higher than 1/60th sec to prevent incompletely exposed flash pics. The result might be different with an earlier OM-2 (i.e., pre OM-2n model), as I understand that this 1/60th sec circuitry was not yet added, but I don't have a plain OM-2 body to test this out. I also do not have an OM-3 or OM-3Ti body to test this out either. This 1/60th sec flash limitation might also have been included in the OM-1n model (as opposed to the earlier OM-1). I will have to test this out with my OM-1n body sometime.

The upshot of all this is that, strangely enough, a more primitive OM-1 (and possibly OM-2) might be superior to the later models (OM-1n, OM-2n, OM-2s, OM-3, OM-3Ti, OM-4, OM-4T(i)) in terms of permitting one to use a higher flash synch speed for outdoor fill flash!

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

In the 35mm world the various Zeiss Ikon Contaflex models and Voigtlaenders Bessamatic are two single lens reflex types with the ability to synch flash up to their maximum 1/500 shutter speed, courtesy of the Synchro Compur leaf shutters fitted to them. I still enjoy using mine for a variety of reasons not directly connected to image quality (which can still, however be very good indeed). But a need for daylight flash fill at a range of shutter speeds remains one of the few genuine justifications for considering either of them for regular use. I find the Bessamatic handles better, but the various Contaflice are a lot easier to work on, with ergonomics that are an acquired taste.
Cheers
Brett

 

[Ade-oh]

The upshot of all this is that, strangely enough, a more primitive OM-1 (and possibly OM-2) might be superior to the later models (OM-1n, OM-2n, OM-2s, OM-3, OM-3Ti, OM-4, OM-4T(i)) in terms of permitting one to use a higher flash synch speed for outdoor fill flash!

Or you can synch the OM-3ti and OM-4ti with the F280 flash at 1/2000!

 

[ronnies]

This would indicate that 1/125th shutter speed can be readily used for outdoor fill flash using an OM-1 camera (which I have used), and that 1/250th sec could be used in a pinch (I have not tried this yet) as long as your subject is located to the left part of the image frame.

My OM shutters travel right to left as you look at the camera so since the image is reversed of the film that would have to be the right hand side of the image?

Ronnie

 

[jcb4718]

That is interesting! When I take pictures when trekking at altitude, because the contrast is so great I use fill in flash e.g. to lift the shadow on people's faces. With my OM 1n I could not quite perfectly balance ambient and flash. I could not quite reduce the ambient exposure enough with a shutter speed of 1/60. I bought an OM2000 to get over the problem because it has a flash sync of 1/125 and I could reduce the ambient contribution by a further 1 stop. It works fine, just! I've just tried your experiment with the OM2000 set to 1/250. It's a fan shutter and I found that maybe the bottom 1/4 of the picture is not illuminated by flash at this faster shutter speed. This could be an advantage in circumstances where the (near) foreground would otherwise be overexposed. I shall certainly be experimenting further. Thanks for pointing out this trick!

 

[dtcls100]

Tested out my Vivitar 285 HV with an Olympus OM-4T at 1/125th sec. on manual. The flash does fire at this setting on the OM-4T, unlike the OM-2n, probably because the OM-4T has to be able to fire a flash at all speeds give its full synchro flash capabilities with the F280 flash unit.

It appears that at 1/125 sec, almost the OM-4T's entire image circle is illuminated by the flash, again with perhaps only the far right edge not being illuminated. So, 1/125th sec does seem to be very usable with an OM-4T. I will try this test with a plain OM-4 (need to load batteries), and an OM-1n (mine has film in it right now) shortly.

In terms of flash synch, the difference between 1/60 and 1/125 is meaningful -- more meaningful IMHO than the difference between 1/125 and 1/250.

As to using the F280 flash with the OM-4T or OM-3Ti at faster synch speeds (up to 1/2000), it is undoubtedly useful, but the full synchro flash uses alot of power with long recycling times and limited range. Using 1/16th power manual fill with a Vivitar 285 HV flash, one can shoot off a string of motor drive shots with no problem, or can use a higher power setting to get fill for telephoto shots at a greater distance.

 

[dtcls100]

Tested my OM-1n with the non-dedicated Vivitar 285 HV flash. The flash fired at 1/125th sec.

So, to sum it up, one can use 1/125th sec (on manual exposure) for fill flash using a non-dedicated flash to cover almost the entire image circle using an Olympus OM-1, OM-1n, and OM-4T(i). On an OM-2n, the flash will not fire at higher than 1/60th sec. I do not know about the plain OM-2. I would assume that one can use 1/125th sec for fill flash with the OM-3, OM-3Ti, OM-4 and OM-2S, but don't know for sue.

 

[wblynch]

...I've just tried your experiment with the OM2000 set to 1/250. It's a fan shutter and I found that maybe the bottom 1/4 of the picture is not illuminated by flash at this faster shutter speed.
This could be an advantage in circumstances where the (near) foreground would otherwise be overexposed. I shall certainly be experimenting further. Thanks for pointing out this trick!

Or turn it upside down and flash the foreground but not the sky ?

 

[charjohncarter]

You could also get a ND filter say a 3 stop, and use that to lower your effective ISO. Doing this will require you to move your 385 from 1/64 to 1/8. That is if you still use 1/125, but with a 1/60 your Vivitar 385 will be at 1/4. The only way you get an advantage using this method is if you have a powerful flash which you do.

Also, the Topcon Unirex has synch all the way to 1/500 to add what has been said above.

 

[KoNickon]

Or, get an FM2n (synchs at 1/250)!

 

[dtcls100]

I actually just got a black Nikon FM3a to take advantage of the higher 1/250 synch speed for indoor shots at a distance with ambient lighting to avoid motion blur. However, while the Nikon FM3a undoubtedly is a very fine and nicely built camera, I do prefer the feel and handling of the OM cameras and the imaging of the Zuiko lenses. Synching at 1/125 for fill is alot better than at 1/60 in terms of minimizing camera shake or subject motion blur. Using an ND filter doesn't address these problems.