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omd:flash_remoteradio

remote radio wireless flash with the Olympus OM-D cameras

introduction

  • currently Panasonic does not have radio TTL remote flash support for their Micro Four Thirds 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)
feature Cactus V6II Godox PocketWizard
price per transceiver $US95 $US46 $US186
radio frequency 2.4GHz 2.4GHz 433MHz
maximum range 100m 100m >240m (except limited with some flash units to 10m or so)
autodetect camera/flash system yes, same transceiver works for Olympus, Panasonic, Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Pentax TTL/HSS systems, user can create own flash profiles N/A, system specific transmitter needed no Olympus TTL or HSS support
Passthrough Olympus TTL hotshoe yes, multisystem yes, system specific no, only for Canon/Nikon
flashes with built-in remote TTL/HSS without need for a 2nd transceiver Cactus RF60X Godox X1 compatible flashes and studio lights no
remote TTL with Olympus flashes firmware upgrade coming Olympus receiver coming no
remote HSS with Olympus flashes yes Olympus receiver coming no
remote manual output of Olympus flashes yes, 0.1EV Olympus receiver coming no
remote zoom of Olympus flashes yes Olympus receiver coming no
remote manual output of Olympus flashes yes yes no
remote trigger of Olympus flashes yes yes does not seem able to trigger Olympus flashes
remote TTL with other remote flashes firmware upgrade coming for most flashes with Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic TTL compatibility Godox flashes, studio lights; Canon/Nikon compatible flashes (with Godox receiver) no
remote HSS with other remote flashes yes, most flashes with Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic TTL compatibility Godox flashes, studio lights; Canon/Nikon compatible flashes (with Godox receiver) no
remote zoom of other remote flashes yes, most flashes with Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic TTL compatibility Godox flashes; Canon/Nikon compatible flashes (with Godox receiver) no
remote manual output of other remote flashes yes, 0.1EV, most flashes with Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic TTL compatibility Godox flashes, studio lights; Canon/Nikon compatible flashes (with Godox receiver) no
remote trigger of other remote flashes yes yes yes
hypersync mode yes “PowerSync”, user adjustable no yes, but only Canon/Nikon flashes and in manual mode, user adjustable
radioID to isolate from other photographers 4digit PIN No No
number of channels to isolate from other photographers 16 32 32 manual channels
number of other photographers able to fire receivers in group workshops and individually assign settings 20 MultiMaster Mode nil? nil?
number of flash groups 4 5 (16 with PRO transceiver but no Olympus version yet) 3
SuperFP/HSS mode auto or HSS off via menu switch on transceiver N/A
Low power 1/256th output possible yes yes ?
AF assist beam yes yes ?
trigger delay yes, user adjustable delay yes, 0-10msec user adjustable
sequential firing of groups of flashes yes, A-B-C-D, AB-CD yes? yes
trigger a remote camera to shoot in burst mode yes, “sports mode” ?single shot only ?single shot only

Olympus radio remote TTL flash units

  • 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

Olympus FL-700WR

  • 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

3rd party radio remote TTL flash

Cactus v6 II X-TTL system

  • 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
  • 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)

Godox X / Flashpoint R2 2.4GHz radio wireless remote TTL flash system

Nissin Air System

  • 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
  • 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

  • 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.

Profoto Air Remote TTL-O for Olympus

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

optical signal to radio signal remote TTL flash systems

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

Aokatec AK-TTL Radio Wireless Flash Trigger

  • 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

non-TTL manual remote flash

  • there are a multitude of systems that will allow radio remote control of flashes in manual mode (not TTL)
omd/flash_remoteradio.txt · Last modified: 2019/04/21 01:10 by gary1

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