The above image is probably not that interesting. A quick conversion from a raw file, with the dust spots removed from the table top.
It gets a little more interesting when I say it’s a resized jpeg from an 80Mp raw file from an Olympus E-M1 mkII. Why? Because it’s studio lit.
There’s currently an issue firing studio heads during the Hi-Res shooting sequence of the E-M1 mkII, and there’s been a fair bit of internet cackle about it, and very clearly explained by Tony Ventouris of Unlocking Olympus. As this is a feature I am going to need for a shoot next week, I thought I’d better look for a workaround. It turns out I didn’t need one.
I tested the pins on the hot shoe during the sequence, and it appears the central pin, used for “dumb” or manual flashguns, doesn’t fire. Neither does the PC sync. However, the itty bitty FL-LM3 flash gun supplied with the E-M1 mkII does fire. So, the TTL communication works, but not the central pin.
I have a range of Elinchrom equipment, which includes the Elinchrom Skyport HS trigger, which utilises the TTL timing signal for it’s high speed magic that allows the user to sync flash up to 1/8000th sec. However, here, I’m simply using the transmitter to fire a single Elinchrom BRX500 head without any issues, and incredibly reliable too. It makes no difference if the transmitter is in standard mode, or HS mode. The signal to fire is sent regardless, straight out of the box.
The E-M1 mkII HiRes mode dictates a maximum sync speed of 1/50th sec (yes, I know. It’s pants!), and minimum (smallest) aperture of f8. I used those settings at an ISO of 400 with the BRX500 firing at absolute minimum, 2.3 through a Lastolite Ezybox 90x90cm frame left, and a silver 5 in 1 reflector frame right.
The HiRes settings were 1/8th sec delay for shutter, and a 2 sec delay for flash recharge.
It doesn’t matter if you don’t have Elinchrom lights, because the Skyport Plus receivers will fire anything from a humble speedlight via the built in hotshoe, right up to anything at all you can add a sync cable to. And the Skyport receivers are fired by the Skyport HS for Olympus.
Below is the obligatory BTS.
The 80Mp jpeg image (9Mb), converted from the 80Mp raw file can be accessed here : https://www.sewellshouse.co.uk/freebies/Dragon.jpg
The 80Mp raw file and the in camera converted 50Mp jpeg file can be downloaded from here : http://gofile.me/2SluH/utOO1zU32
The Elinchrom Skyport HS for Olympus can be found here.
Tony Ventouris’ site is well worth a look, and especially his Olympus specific presets. Excellent stuff!
I provide training via Focal Point.
Thanks for your time and sharing this!
You’re welcome Juan.
Cool setup… I love black acrylic product shots! Interesting bit about the TTL signal firing. Does that mean you can effectively HSS with the camera in normal mode just firing a TTL signal from the FL flash with the elinchrome picking it up… or is there still a timing issue?
The image in the post was just a “find something quick to test”.
The below image is from the shoot I mentioned in the post, requiring high resolution product images for an expo display.
Hi Tony.
I would think there would still be a timing issue if your were using the FL to trigger other lights.
The Skyport HS reads the TTL signal to trigger the radio signal. When coupled with the Elinchrom HS heads, which have a long flash duration, you can sync to 1/8000th sec without issue. AT first glance, it sounds like your standard tail hack, but you are able to utilise far more of the flash pulse, and therefore more effective use of the light output than the conventional tail sync. The OD function of the Skyport HS allows you to tailor the signal timing for even better results if required. (Something I haven’t needed to do).
Thinking about it, you may well be able to use the FL flash as a HS trigger, providing the studio/location heads had long flash durations. So speedlights would need to be at full power, and voltage controlled lights may be better at something like a quarter output (as a guess).
Oh, and thanks for your presets and the PDF I purchased from you a while ago. Extremely good value.
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