First dives with E-PL3 -- flash sync problems

[nikitich]

2 brucetrinity - AFAIK the RC mode works only with Oly strobes (UFL-2 in your case) but is useless with strobes of other manufacturers. RC stands for remote control protocol incorporated only by Olympus.

 

[gstrek]

There seems to be a misunderstanding about RC Mode. RC Mode is Wireless TTL .... RC Mode must be set to ON for wireless (fiber optic). If RC Mode is set to OFF the camera will NOT communicate TTL commands to the remote strobe (the YS-01) thru the fiber optic cable. If RC Mode is OFF it will behave like a non-RC body (such as an e-500) which can do standard (not wireless) TTL. Wireless TTL communicates instructions to the remote strobe by including signals during/instead-of pre-flash. The S & S YS-01 should be set to TTL using the strobe Mode switch and RC Mode should be set to ON in the E-PL1/2/3 control panel.

If you have RC Mode to Off you are NOT doing wireless TTL.

Yes .... I have confirmed this on my E-PL1 and my UFL-2 .... if the UFL-2 is set to RC mode and the E-PL1 is set to RC = ON the strobe will fire and do TTL .... if the UFL-2 is set to RC mode and the E-PL1 is set to RC = OFF the strobe will NOT fire.

No .... I do not have a YS-01. However, the YS-01 mimics the UFL-2 wireless TTL function and should do the same thing.

See Jack's Olympus Underwater Guide at Optical Ocean Sales for the e-pl1 http://opticaloceansales.com/files/guide_E-PL1.pdf .... assume camera instructions as if you had the UFL-2.

I think you need to start over with the correct modes in the YS-01 and the E-PL3 and see what happens.

BTW, the YS-01 manual is here: http://www.seaandsea.com/PDF_manuals/YS01.pdf and specifies TTL setting using the Mode switch (page E-10).

For some detail on the camera strobe setup options look here near the bottom of the page: E-PL1 flash

The Olympus UFL strobes work with the RC mode (along the lines of the 'commander mode') allowing control of flash via the lcd camera display. The Oly strobes (also the Oly FL-50R and FL-36R) work this way but not the S&S YS-01 strobes.

 

[brucetrinity]

The Olympus UFL strobes work with the RC mode (along the lines of the 'commander mode') allowing control of flash via the lcd camera display. The Oly strobes (also the Oly FL-50R and FL-36R) work this way but not the S&S YS-01 strobes.

Ahah ! So, if I understand correctly, the YS-01 is not RC compatible. It is merely following the on/off cycle of the popup flash ... is that correct?

 

[gstrek]

Ahah ! So, if I understand correctly, the YS-01 is not RC compatible. It is merely following the on/off cycle of the popup flash ... is that correct?

The Sea & Sea YS-01 uses what the manual calls DS-TTL (or you can use manual mode). The fiber cable plugs into the 'slave sensor' port on the YS-01 (the black port on the strobe). So yes, it does take its lead from the popup flash. I shoot the camera on manual with fill flash and strobe in DS-TTL. I can use the camera LCD to adjust the flash compensation.

In RC mode the Olympus above water strobes (FL-50R and FL-36R) are wireless but it is light controlled from the popup flash not radio controled (like with a Pocket Wizard). My assumption is that the UFL Olympus strobes in RC mode work in a similar fashion and require the popup flash to be engaged. One of the main advantages of the UFL strobes is the sync speed can be much faster than 1/160 (max for the YS-01) using the RC Mode FP option.

 

[brucetrinity]

The Sea & Sea YS-01 uses what the manual calls DS-TTL (or you can use manual mode). The fiber cable plugs into the 'slave sensor' port on the YS-01 (the black port on the strobe). So yes, it does take its lead from the popup flash. I shoot the camera on manual with fill flash and strobe in DS-TTL. I can use the camera LCD to adjust the flash compensation.

In RC mode the Olympus above water strobes (FL-50R and FL-36R) are wireless but it is light controlled from the popup flash not radio controled (like with a Pocket Wizard). My assumption is that the UFL Olympus strobes in RC mode work in a similar fashion and require the popup flash to be engaged. One of the main advantages of the UFL strobes is the sync speed can be much faster than 1/160 (max for the YS-01) using the RC Mode FP option.

Thanks, I think I now understand the difference between Oly UFL-2 RC mode and the YS-01. In my case, with the UFL-2 and the E-PL1 in RC mode, you can visually see the different behavior of the popup flash. If the E-PL1 is set to RC = ON (without a remote strobe attached) the popup does not actually expose the picture the same way that it does with RC = OFF (It's very underexposed). With RC = On, apparently the popup is just sending data and not actually lighting the scene (except for incidental light from the data stream). Or, to put it another way, according to an Oly data sheet, in RC mode (camera) the popup is an optical controller and not a "flash". Is that your understanding?

 

[gstrek]

Thanks, I think I now understand the difference between Oly UFL-2 RC mode and the YS-01. In my case, with the UFL-2 and the E-PL1 in RC mode, you can visually see the different behavior of the popup flash. If the E-PL1 is set to RC = ON (without a remote strobe attached) the popup does not actually expose the picture the same way that it does with RC = OFF (It's very underexposed). With RC = On, apparently the popup is just sending data and not actually lighting the scene (except for incidental light from the data stream). Or, to put it another way, according to an Oly data sheet, in RC mode (camera) the popup is an optical controller and not a "flash". Is that your understanding?

That is my understanding as well. In fact, the popup flash (above water) will add some incidental light. You can push it back so it bounces off the ceiling or (I haven't tried this) put a piece of exposed film over the flash. Supposedly, enough light passes through to still control the off camera strobe but not enough to affect the exposure (or to add additional 'catch light' to the eyes). Of course this is not an issue when underwater!

For above water, I would go with the Oly strobes given the simplicity of off camera flash using RC mode. For underwater and for travel, I would go with the YS-01 given the size, packability and the modeling light. The UFLs are larger and more floaty but the higher sync speed might be nice to have. Not a good enough reason for me, though.

 

[brucetrinity]

That is my understanding as well. In fact, the popup flash (above water) will add some incidental light. You can push it back so it bounces off the ceiling or (I haven't tried this) put a piece of exposed film over the flash. Supposedly, enough light passes through to still control the off camera strobe but not enough to affect the exposure (or to add additional 'catch light' to the eyes). Of course this is not an issue when underwater!

For above water, I would go with the Oly strobes given the simplicity of off camera flash using RC mode. For underwater and for travel, I would go with the YS-01 given the size, packability and the modeling light. The UFLs are larger and more floaty but the higher sync speed might be nice to have. Not a good enough reason for me, though.

Yes ... and the YS-01 flexibility on other camera brands.

So ... any progress from Proff ???

 

[ProfF]

Thanks for the informative discussion. I didn't try too much the RC mode but as far as I could tell it does not work with the YS-01 (but it might be that I am wrong).

Anyhow, today's dive (I am in a course so been limited to one dive a day) went smoothly. I believe that the problem was with one of the optic cables -- I used two L-shaped adaptors connected to a toslink cable (e.g., http://www.amazon.com/Toslink-Rotate-degress-Female-Adapter/dp/B005H4I010). Once I removed one of them the problem disappeared. Again, I am not sure if this was the cause or not. I suspect that too many interface points reduce the signal quality/strength. But I am not sure.

-Nir

 

[gstrek]

Thanks for the informative discussion. I didn't try too much the RC mode but as far as I could tell it does not work with the YS-01 (but it might be that I am wrong).

Anyhow, today's dive (I am in a course so been limited to one dive a day) went smoothly. I believe that the problem was with one of the optic cables -- I used two L-shaped adaptors connected to a toslink cable (e.g., http://www.amazon.com/Toslink-Rotate-degress-Female-Adapter/dp/B005H4I010). Once I removed one of them the problem disappeared. Again, I am not sure if this was the cause or not. I suspect that too many interface points reduce the signal quality/strength. But I am not sure.

-Nir

Thanks for the update. I am interested in what you find with RC mode. This is the second post in the thread with a cable problem, btw.

FWIW, I am using the S&S fiber optic sync L-type cable: 50107 Sea & Sea Fiber Optic L-Type Sync Cable for Slave Strobes and Cameras. It has worked flawlessly but I baby it knowing how brittle they can be.

 

[brucetrinity]

Thanks for the informative discussion. I didn't try too much the RC mode but as far as I could tell it does not work with the YS-01 (but it might be that I am wrong).

Anyhow, today's dive (I am in a course so been limited to one dive a day) went smoothly. I believe that the problem was with one of the optic cables -- I used two L-shaped adaptors connected to a toslink cable (e.g., http://www.amazon.com/Toslink-Rotate-degress-Female-Adapter/dp/B005H4I010). Once I removed one of them the problem disappeared. Again, I am not sure if this was the cause or not. I suspect that too many interface points reduce the signal quality/strength. But I am not sure.



-Nir

Just for the heck of it, you may want to have a look at http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ol...-fiber-optic-ports-e-pl1-housing-pt-ep01.html ....
However, don't know how 2 strobes could be affected unless you have a dual cable plugged into one port (the weaker one) or you have a single cable in the weaker port and the 2nd cable is a daisy chain from strobe 1 to strobe 2.