remote radio wireless flash with the Olympus OM-D cameras

see also:

• the Olympus OM-D system and how to make the most of it
• using the Olympus OM-D cameras with flash
• manual flash with Olympus cameras
• super FP flash mode
• remote TTL flash RC mode with the Olympus OM-D cameras
• Cactus v6II remote radio wireless TTL flash with the Olympus OM-D cameras
• TTL flash for Micro Four Thirds cameras
• links to instruction manuals for Olympus flashes
• How the Olympus RC pulses work
• my blog posts:
  • Hands on testing of the Godox AD 600B for radio remote TTL mobile studio flash, high sync and pushed sync on Olympus OM-D cameras – even works in conjunction with Cactus V6 II system!

• currently Panasonic does not have radio TTL remote flash support for their Micro Four Thirds system
  • they currently only offer remote TTL flash RC mode with the Olympus OM-D cameras which is an optical based remote control system
• in 2019, Olympus finally announced their 2.4GHz radio remote flash system (denoted with suffix WR)
  • it is compatible with most Olympus MFT cameras introduced 2015 and later (ie not the E-M1 first version!)
  • FC-WR radio remote flash main controller
  • FR-WR radio remote receiver to attach to a remote Olympus-compatible flash which does not have radio receiver capability to give TTL function, or via its PC socket for triggering manual output radio flash such as for studio lights
• for third party radio control of remote flashes (eg. using Godox or Cactus systems) you need to set your Olympus camera to:
  • TURN RC MODE OFF (in Menu Camera 2)
  • ENSURE FLASH MODE is NOT set to FLASH OFF (access this via Super Control Panel, use “Fill in” or similar)

• Olympus finally introduced their own weathersealed 2.4GHz radio remote TTL flash system in 2019 denoted by WR suffix
• it is compatible with most Olympus MFT cameras introduced 2015 and later (ie not the E-M1 first version!)
• FC-WR radio remote flash main controller
• FR-WR radio remote receiver to attach to a remote Olympus-compatible flash which does not have radio receiver capability to give TTL function, or via its PC socket for triggering manual output radio flash such as for studio lights

• introduced 2019
• 3 group, 15 channel, 2.4GHz radio TTL range of 30m
• weathersealed; 100lux at 1m LED video light; unit is compatible with old optical RC remote TTL flash;
• GN 42m ISO 100 using 75mm lens (GN 27m with 25mm lens)
• zoom range 12-75mm (wide angle panel gives 7mm)
• 4AA batteries; recharge 1.5-2.5sec; 303g w/o batteries;
• can be used with HiRes, Focus bracketing and focus stacking modes

• see Cactus v6II remote radio wireless TTL flash with the Olympus OM-D cameras
• Cactus V6 II system will now support cross-platform radio wireless TTL flash via a free firmware update announced March 2017
• will be able to use Canon, Olympus and other TTL flash units to work in either on-camera TTL or via radio remote TTL mode on various camera models, initially, Sigma, Sony and Fujifilm cameras, and then Micro Four Thirds Panasonic and Olympus cameras as well as Canon, Nikon, and Pentax cameras.
• they will also allow remote control of power output and automatic zoom as well as Super FP/HSS mode, low output option (less than 1/128th to allow for ultra brief exposures) and Power Sync (presumably, similar to HyperSync)
• two new types of unique TTL flash exposure Locks:
  • Flash Compensate
    • store a desired flash exposure that will automatically adjust according to changes in camera settings. Gone is the ever-changing flash exposures between each TTL metering.
  • Flash Power Lock
    • lock flash power output after a desired TTL exposure is achieved. Perfect for consistency in repeat shooting. Wireless TTL functions
• see https://www.cactusimage.com/special/X-TTL/
• a few gotchas:
  • the only flashes you can use for cross-TTL are Canon, Nikon, Olympus and Panasonic system flashes and not all flashes are compatible but you may be able to create a custom profile for your flash via your computer (can store up to 10 custom flash profiles)
  • there is a different version for Sony Cameras and Sony mount flashes but you can use your Canon or Olympus flash on a standard version and triggered by a Sony a7 with a Sony version trigger.
  • After setting the V6 II to auto-detect (AUTO) from a manually selection camera system, you must restart the V6 II for the selection to take effect.
  • HSS mode may not work on Pentax or Sony cameras unless you use brand-specific flashes - this is due to timing differences
  • HSS only works to 1/4000th sec on Panasonic GX85 cameras due to timing differences
  • you may need to remove the hotshoe spring plate on some Olympus E-M1 cameras to ensure good contact, and then you must mount the v6ii and with camera turned on, must press the shutter halfway before turning it on into tx mode . How to make the E-M1 compatible with a Cactus V6 II
  • the locking pin is optimised for Canikon so the locking pin may not lock on Olympus cameras or Olympus flashes (can try pulling the flash back 0.5mm)
• Cactus V6 II user manual (pdf)

• see Godox X 2.4GHz radio remote TTL flash and lighting
• in 2017, Godox added units compatible with Micro Four Thirds system:
  • wireless transmitters on Micro Four Thirds cameras:
    • Godox X1T-O wireless flash trigger $US46
    • Godox TT350-O / Flashpoint Zoom Mini R2 TTL
      • similar to an Olympus FL36R but with Godox X1 radio system; GN36m; simple control for 3 remote slave groups, 16 channels, with a radio range of approximately 30 meters
      • S1 and S2 optic slave modes
  • wireless enabled receiver units:
    • Godox AD200 pocket off camera flash
    • Godox AD600B portable studio flash
    • Godox AD 360II off camera flash
    • Godox TTL speedlights (V860II and TT685)
    • Any of the brand-specific Godox lights designed for Canon, Nikon, and Sony all (such as the V860II-N, AD360II-C, and TT685S) can now function as TTL/HSS lights regardless of the brand triggering them so long as the master signal matches up with the camera brand.
  • http://www.diyphotography.net/godox-quietly-launches-cross-brand-ttl-hss-lights/
• see also:
  • http://flashhavoc.com/flashpoint-zoom-mini-r2-ttl-for-olympus-released/
  • http://flashhavoc.com/godox-flash-system-overview/

• in 2016, Nissin announced that they are producing a Micro Four Thirds radio TTL flash transmitter for control of their Nissin Air compatible flash units
• you need to buy the Nissin commander Air 1 type Four Thirds / Micro Four Thirds which sits in your hotshoe and controls remote Nissin Air compatible flashes such as the Nissin Di700A
• see Instruction Manual for MFT (pdf)
• uses 2.4Gz radio and works up to 30m
• cannot mix TTL and manual modes at same time
• not weathersealed
• no passthrough TTL so if you need to mix it with a manual remote system, mount it on top of a manual remote transmitter which does have a TTL pass through hotshoe
• in Aug 2017, Nissin announced delay in the MFT version of Nissin Air10s wireless TTL commander until Oct 2017 because of “local rules” in Japan.

• PocketWizards is one of the leading companies providing radio remote flash technology to professional photographers
• in 2016, they announced development of a new transmitter that will work on certain Panasonic cameras only (GH-4)
• currently, their system only works in non-TTL mode with Olympus cameras, and may not work with Olympus flashes for some reason but works with Canon flashes and an Olympus camera.

• introduced 2017 and requires camera firmware upgrade for compatibility
• allows remote TTL control of compatible Profoto studio flash systems
• $US419

• these will need the Olympus camera RC mode to be ON as they are using the Olympus optical remote TTL system

• announced in 2012
• similar to the RadioPopper concept but works with remote optical TTL flash modes of Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus and Pentax cameras and flashes
• converts optical signal at the camera to radio wave signal which is then received at the remote flash and converted back into an optical signal which is sent to the flash unit
• allows radio wireless TTL flash at up to 110m
• allows High Speed Flash mode to 1/8000th sec
• allows remote setting of manual flash output in the 3 groups
• uses AAA batteries
• transmitter unit can just sit on the flash on the camera and point in same direction as that flash
• receiver unit's optical connection is taped to the flash optical sensor
• http://www.aokatec.com/index.html
• Use on Olympus system

• there are a multitude of systems that will allow radio remote control of flashes in manual mode (not TTL)
• see remote flash for cameras