TTL flash for Micro Four Thirds cameras

see also:

• Olympus Four Thirds dSLR system
• Micro Four Thirds system
• flash for portraiture and fashion using Micro Four Thirds cameras
• remote TTL flash RC mode with the Olympus OM-D cameras
• remote radio wireless flash with the Olympus OM-D cameras
• more details on flash options for Four Thirds and Micro Four Thirds cameras
• flash units for macrophotography including ring flashes and twin flashes
• Olympus website - Olympus flash compatibilities with Olympus dSLR cameras
• Michael Meissner's list of flash units

• flash units designed for Olympus Four Thirds dSLR system are cross compatible with Micro Four Thirds system and generally, one can use either Olympus or Panasonic flashes on either camera brand
• in addition, there are some unique flash accessories designed for Olympus Pen cameras
• most Olympus cameras allow optical remote TTL with Olympus flash units with “R” as a suffix to their model number, while Panasonic add the “L” suffix
• Panasonic cameras prior to the Panasonic GH-3 do not support remote TTL flash
• at least the older Panasonic cameras have limited TTL flash capabilities as they appear to assume legacy lenses are f/2.8, and they stop you from using shutter speeds higher than flash sync, I am not sure if this has been addressed with the GH-3.
• when buying a flash unit, perhaps the most important feature for anyone other than TTL compatibility, size and price, is the ability for the head to swivel AND tilt to allow bounce flash of walls and ceilings.
• in the past I have recommended it is best to stick with the Olympus branded flashes, BUT now I would strongly advise looking at radio remote TTL models such as Godox or Cactus.
• flash photography for Four Thirds and Micro Four Thirds cameras tends to be a LOT simpler than Canon flashes on a Canon, but still needs a revamp of the macro capabilities.
• as with all mirrorless cameras, TTL flash on Micro Four Thirds cameras introduces a shutter lag as the camera must first measure the light output of the preflash on the main sensor, not a dedicated light metering sensor as in dSLRs
  • see explanation of TTL flash and shutter lag here
  • if you don't want preflashes or shutter lag, set flash to Auto or Manual instead of TTL mode although exposure and white balance may not be as accurate
• if you want radio remote TTL flash - see remote radio wireless flash with the Olympus OM-D cameras
• after using Canon’s 580EX II flagship strobe, the Olympus flash units are FAR simpler to adjust – no need to memorise arcane Fn Ctrl settings to put it in “Auto” mode instead of “TTL”, etc, and, for Canon users, you can use your Canon off-camera cord with these units and still have TTL.
  • the latest Micro Four Thirds cameras now have a 4 + central pin hot shoe instead of 3 + central pin hotshoe, with the extra pin being a power supply and in the same position as the extra pin on Canon flashes - I would NOT use Canon flashes on these new cameras as the power surge may damage the flash!

• most Micro Four Thirds cameras do NOT have a PC sync port fo use with manual off-camera flash units or studio strobes
  • an exception is the E-M1
• this is easily fixed by buying a hotshoe adapter with a PC sync port built in such as:
  • those with TTL pins and a TTL hotshoe so can also use your Olympus flash mounted:
    • Flash IS-HC120 hotshoe adapter for Canon EOS (works fine with Micro Four Thirds cameras)
  • plain single pin hotshoe adapters
    • getting hard to find, but are very useful as also allows mounting your Olympus flash and pushing shutter speed above x-sync
  • radio remote flash transmitter units
    • some have a PC sync port

• see Godox X 2.4GHz radio remote TTL flash and lighting
• not weathersealed but far cheaper and more versatile than the Olympus or Panasonic models
• Godox TT350-O aka Godox Flashpoint Zoom Mini R2 TTL flash
  • similar to an Olympus FL36R in size and style but uses Godox 2.4Ghz system as master or a slave
  • the similar Olympus FL600R might have faster recycle time thanks to 4x AA batteries and has a built-in LED video light and sells for $US299 but lacks the inbuilt Godox X1 radio receiver
  • $US85 GN 36m at ISO 100 and 105mm zoom
  • bounce head, zoom 24-105mm
  • flash duration 1/350th - 1/20,000th sec; strobe multi flash up to 90 times at up to 99Hz
  • can control 3 slave groups and 16 channels at up to 30m
  • 2x AA batteries, 0.1-2.2sec recycle, 210 full flashes on 2x 2500mAh NiMH batteries
• Godox TT685-O
  • similar to V860 but uses 4 x AA batteries instead of a large lithium ion battery
  • 410g w/o batteries
  • $US119 (this compares with $US579 for the Olympus FL-900R!)
• Godox V860-O
  • similar size and almost the output as an Olympus FL50R
  • uses a 11.1V 2000mAh VB18 lithium ion battery and gives 1.5s recycle time and 650 full power shots
  • zoom 20-200mm in full frame terms
  • GN 60m at ISO 100 and 200mm zoom
  • can control 3 slave groups and 32 channels at up to 100m
  • flash duration 1/300th - 1/20,000th sec; strobe multi flash up to 100 times at up to 200Hz
  • 540g w battery
• Godox Wistro AD360II
  • not recommended to be mounted on cameras as too heavy
  • C and N versions for optical remote control (4 channels) but either are used as Godox radio slaves can now be used with any X1 system transmitter (requires firmware upgrade)
  • can control 3 slave groups and 32 channels at up to 70m
  • separate PB 960 power bank 11.1V 4500mAh LiIon for 450 full flashes, recycle 0.05-4.5sec
  • 360Ws power GN80m ISO 100 with AD-S2 standard reflector
  • user replaceable bare bulb flash tube
  • 800g excl. power bank
• Godox AD600B
  • 600ws powerful portable lithium ion battery powered studio type flash with Bowens S mount lighting accessory

• A Viper TTL radio controller can be used from the hotshoe to control single flash units or up to three groups of flash units at a range of 100m/330ft, and can operate in full TTL, manual or strobotic modes with DCM (Digital Channel Matching that locks the transmitter and receiver together once they are connected, to reduce the possibility of interference)
• hähnel Modus 600RT flash for MFT
  • announced May 2018
  • similar design to the Godox TT685 flash, and much of its specification with the Godox V860II
  • lithium ion battery can produce 600 full-power bursts per charge with only a 1.5-second delay for recycling
  • GN 60m/197ft at ISO 100
  • built-in radio TTL transciever

• Nissin website
• NB. as of April 2018, the E-M10 Mark III was incompatible see compatibility chart (pdf) for other issues!
• triggered wirelessly via hotshoe mounted camera brand-specific Nissin NAS Air transmitter module (Air 10s or Air1)
• non-NAS flash units can be triggered by attaching them to a Nissin Air R Receiver module
• Nissin MG10
  • announced May 2018
  • large hammerhead style powerful flash with bounce/zoom head covering 24-200mm (18mm wide) in full frame terms
  • GN 47.5 @ 35mm / 80 @ 200mm
  • recycle time: 1.5s (ext. power) / 2.8s (Lio-ion) / 3.5s (AA)
  • flash duration: 1/400 - ～1/20,000th sec
  • battery: 2x 26650 Li-ion or 8xAA
  • modeling light but no AF assist
  • 975g

• see Cactus v6II remote radio wireless TTL flash with the Olympus OM-D cameras

• 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

• announced sept 2016
• weathersealed
• 12-100mm zoom (7-10mm with diffuser panel)
• LED Video Light with 6 Output Levels
• $US579

• GN 50m at ISO 200
• faster recovery than FL-36R and FL50R
• built-in LED light for movies and AF assist
• the first Four Thirds/Micro Four Thirds external flash of reasonable flash output which sync at 1/250th sec and can act as a master for remote TTL flash
• introduced Feb 2012 with the OM-D E-M5 Micro Four Thirds camera

• introduced Sept 2012 with the new GH-3 camera which provides wireless TTL support for the 1st time in a Panasonic camera
• wireless TTL flash
• it could be just a re-badged Olympus FL-600R as it has similar specs

• this was the flagship model for Olympus, the R designation is the newer version which allows optical remote TTL flash, this has now been replaced by the FL-900R.
• GN 50m at ISO 100 at maximum zoom setting of 42mm (= 85mm in 35mm terms)
• 350g, 4x AA batteries, tilt and swivel including 7deg tilt down for macro, AF assist beam, supports Super FP flash (high sync flash)
• built-in flip out wide diffuser to cover focal lengths 8-12mm
• ?2.5-6sec sec recycle time from full output
• no modeling light – but then I have not found this useful anyway on a portable strobe
• it’s exposure compensation (up to +/- 3EV) is additive to camera flash exposure compensation setting.
• as with all portable strobes, it must be rested for 10min after high burst rates – at full power, rest after 10 shots at 1sec intervals, or at 1/8th power, rest after 80 shots at 0.2sec intervals.
• optional high voltage pack (HV-1) allows recycle time to be reduced to 1.3sec for full output, and allows up to 40 frames at up to 8fps at 1/8th power instead of 5 frames without it.
• optional FP-1 power grip with 4x C cell batteries allows elevated flash position to reduce red eyes, extended battery life and shorter flash recycle time, but can ONLY be used with the FL-50, FL-50R and the macro flash set, although allows use of the HV-1 pack for even faster recycling
• the cheaper, discontinued FL-50 is identical but does not support wireless remote TTL flash.
• Panasonic re-badge the FL-50 as the Panasonic DMW-FL500E

• similar to 50R but more compact (260g), less powerful than the 50R, but only has 2x AA batteries and thus longer recycle times.
• tends to be preferred for Micro Four Thirds, or for travel but now superseded by the faster recycling FL-600R.
• GN 36m ISO 100 at maximum zoom
• has swivel and vertical tilt for bounce flash photography
• see Wrotniak on the FL-36
• Panasonic re-badge the FL-36 as the Panasonic DMW-FL360E

• see Metz flash systems

• announced sept 2016
• GN 40 (ISO 100)
• LED video light
• OLED display

• late 2014
• $US499
• similar feature set to 58 AF-2 but:
  • GN 64m ISO 100
  • backlit touch display
  • master and slave remote TTL

• tilt and swivel
• motor zoom, flip out reflector, integrated wide diffuser
• twin flash with automatic fill flash
• remote TTL, HSS, stroboscopic mode
• similar feature set to Olympus FL-50R but adds a 2nd smaller flash for auto fill-in flash
• an awesome flash but perhaps a little big for Micro Four Thirds system

• tilt and swivel, motor zoom, flip out reflector, integrated wide diffuser
• replaced model 48 AF-1, new metal base, remote TTL, HSS.
• Amazon.com $215

• tilt and swivel, motor zoom, flip out reflector, integrated wide diffuser
• Amazon.com $189

• Metz 48 AF-1 digital - old model

• requires SCA 3202 adapter with latest firmware – see Metz info
• non-handle style MZ’s can be used off camera via the SCA 3008A connecting cable
• can use Metz P-76 power packs
• Metz 45CL-4 digital – digital version of the old handle style flash with no zoom, no fill flash, no 2nd curtain flash, requires SCA 3045 connection cable
• Metz 76 MZ-5 digital – but no auto fill flash
• Metz 54 MZ4i digital – twin flash, bounce, zoom, but no auto fill flash

• introduced 2016
• GN 60m at ISO 100, 200mm
• 1/3rd EV increment control down to 1/256th sec
• radioTTL and NISSIN AIR SYSTEM (NAS) remote for Sony, Canon and Nikon but not Olympus?

• introduced 2014
• similar design to Olympus FL600R but:
  • dials to control settings instead of buttons and LCD screen
  • seems it cannot be a master for remote TTL
  • can be used in remote TTL with most camera manufacturers (presumably need a camera-specific model)
• GN 40m at 105mm focal length
• covers 24-105mm, built-in diffuser extends this to 16mm
• built-in LED video light with 9 steps output
• tilt-swivel head - 180deg R/L and 90deg up
• 2 control dials
• remote TTL, HSS
• 4x AA batteries
• 203g, RRP $US338
• Nissin website
• http://www.lightingrumours.com/nissin-i40-m43-review-6683

• very small swivel head which also has optical slave and LED lamp
• http://www.lightingrumours.com/meike-mk320p-review-7458

• 4xAA batteries
• Amazon.com $169

• Amazon.com $117

• cheap version of FL-36

• cheap version
• Amazon.com $39.95

• cheap version
• GN 45m at ISO 100
• 4xAA batteries
• 6 manual output levels?; wireless slave mode but does not specify if wireless TTL;
• no FP/HSS mode; no stroboscopic mode;
• Amazon.com $95

• cheap version
• GN 45m at ISO 100
• 4xAA batteries
• 24-85mm zoom
• 270g
• 6 manual output levels; wireless slave mode but does not specify if wireless TTL;
• no FP/HSS mode; no stroboscopic mode;
• Amazon.com $75

• seems similar to Opteka EF-600 DG Super but 5 manual output settings
• Amazon.com $129.95

• GN 42m
• 255g
• Amazon.com $68

• need off-camera TTL cable for bounce flash
• avoid these if possible unless size/price are much higher priorities

• tilt but no swivel
• GN28 but at ISO 200
• covers the angle of view of a 14mm lens but a built-in wide panel allows the flash to be used with 9mm ultra-wide lenses such as the M.Zuiko Digital 9-18mm f/4-5.6, albeit at reduced effective GN.
• no manual mode
• 2 x AAA batteries
• 97g
• in remote TTL mode has 2 groups A/B to allow 2 groups of flashes to fire and can be used as a master or a slave

• compact 74g vertically styled flash but no bounce, tilt or zoom,or Super FP mode. GN 20m ISO 100
• Panasonic re-badge the FL-20 as the Panasonic DMW-FL220E

• ultra compact 84g horizontal styled flash for Micro Four Thirds cameras with GN 14m ISO 100
• no bounce, tilt, zoom nor Super FP flash mode.
• see manual (pdf) hosted on Biofos.com

• compact flash introduced 2014 for the GM5 camera

• ultra compact weatherproofed flash comes with the OM-D E-M5 camera
• can act as a trigger for remote TTL flash
• GN10m ?

• tilt but no swivel
• Amazon.com $120

• tilt but no swivel

• non-swivel but tilting white flash which is similar to the FL-36 but uses 4xAA batteries for faster recycling

• GN 26m
• tilt but no swivel
• Amazon.com $60

• Promaster
• Soligor
• Cullman
• Phoenix
• Vivitar eg. Pro 648

see flash units for macrophotography including ring flashes and twin flashes

• designed for Micro Four Thirds, compact, lightweight, weatherproof
• dual output control dials
• Supports focus stacking and focus bracketing of Olympus E-M1 and E-M1 Mark II
• cap diffusers but these may need to be supplemented by a bigger diffuser
• angle of the flash heads can be adjusted -60 to 40 degrees, and the position of the flash heads along the ring adapter can be adjusted as well.
• can be used as the commander flash during multiple-flash photography in RC mode
• supplied with 46mm and 62mm ring adapters which allows use on:
  • Olympus mZD 30mm f/3.5 2.5x macro lens
  • Olympus m.ZD 60mm f/2.8 macro lens
  • other lenses with either 46mm or 62mm filter thread and close focus capability
• 4xAA batteries
• 283g excl. batteries
• $US479
• see https://petapixel.com/2017/06/20/review-olympus-stf-8-macro-twin-flash/

• a nice simple ring flash, which unlike the Canon version is full circumferential, but annoyingly, it only fits certain lenses as it does not use filter threads to attach.
• no Super FP mode
• fits the ZD 14-54mm lens
• designed for the first version of the ZD 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 lens but does not attach to the new SWD version
• requires the FR-1 clip on adapter to use on the ZD 50mm f/2.0 macro – but adapter is so nice, I use it as a lens hood on the lens all the time!
• Olympus FR-2 adapter allows attachment to 46mm filter threads such as on the Olympus m.ZD 60mm f/2.8 macro lens, and of course you can use step up and step down rings for other lens sizes
• hopefully Olympus will make one for 58mm filter threads

• uses the same control unit as the Ring Flash, and unlike the Canon equivalent, comes with diffusers which are essential for this style of photography.
• uses same lens adapters as the SRF-11 ring flash

• supports IR remote TTL of Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Four Thirds, Micro Four Thirds (requires firmware v3 or higher), and Sony
• wireless manual exposure mode with “learning” capability to ignore on-camera pre-flashes
  • manual mode the total output can be set to from full power to 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32 or 1/64th full power
• clip on plastic diffuser
• 2 x AAA batteries
• one of the lightest “ring flashes”
• each flash unit is able to be angled by 20deg within the ring frame and variable output from each flash via the ratio setting
• modeling light
• AF assist light
• adapters to fit lens filter threads of 52mm, 55mm and 58mm;
• adapter rings in the sizes 62, 67 and 72 mm are optionally available
• comes with a on-camera flash IR pass clip to prevent that flash causing shadows on macro subjects
• PC sync outlet
• USB port for firmware updates
• GN 15m ISO 100
• only weighs 190g excl. batteries
• standard 1/4-20 tripod socket on the bottom for tripod mounting
• generally sells for $US399
• it's size, weight and ring adapter sizes make it well suited to Micro Four Thirds, and as a fill in flash, it is to be preferred over the Olympus Ring Flash, as it is lighter, does not occupy the hotshoe and thus you can still use remote TTL flashes as your main and kicker flashes.
• see also Metz flash systems
• issues:
  • lighting from above with the flash diffuser on is still quite harsh for macro work
  • angle of flash is limited to 50mm focal length lenses on APS-C cameras
  • requires latest firmware to work with Micro Four Thirds

• waterproof to depth 40m
• TTL flash in slave mode
• uses Sea & Sea parts
• floats - which can be a nuisance as it may need to be weighted down for keeping it on the sea floor
• GN 14m at ISO 100
• Amazon.com $269

• waterproof to depth 60m
• TTL flash in slave mode
• uses Sea & Sea parts
• RC and Slave mode
• floats - which can be a nuisance as it may need to be weighted down for keeping it on the sea floor
• GN 32m at ISO 100 (similar features to an FL-36)
• ~$599

• not pin compatible with Canon EOS TTL flash and cameras
• Amazon.com $43

• fully pin compatible with Olympus older TTL flash and cameras as well as Canon EOS - but obviously will not give TTL flash with mixes of Canon flash on Olympus camera and vice versa.
• NOTE that the latest Olympus cameras have an extra hotshoe pin which can supply battery power to the flash - this may be an issue when using such cameras with Canon flashes on camera or via this cable.
• B&H PhotoVideo $66

• uses 4x C cell batteries
• allows elevated flash position to reduce red eyes, extended battery life and shorter flash recycle time of 2.5sec on full charge
• and allows use of the HV-1 high voltage pack for even faster recycling of 1.3sec
• requires a TTL flash cable to connect to camera such as the FL-CB02 which connects to a hot shoe
• can ONLY be used with the FL-50, FL-50R and the Olympus macro flash set
• optionally can use a RG-1 release cable to allow the shutter release to trigger the camera
• see instruction manual (pdf)