E-PL3 and S&S Flash YS-D1

[Bonzai2000]

Hello,

I´m using a E-PL3 together with the S&S Flash YS-D1 and fiber optic cable. I´m not really expierenced in using external UW-Flashes and need some hints.
I want using the flash in DS-TTL Mode and not sure which camera settings I have to use.

Flash mode is TTL and camera settings are RC Mode on, Av, Flash Auto.
Flash is working and after flashing the green led shows TTL is working.
But EV compensation seems not working correct.

Does somebody have already expierence with this combination and can tell me the configuration settings.
Should I use RC mode on or off?


Thanks

Alex

 

[cardog]

Hello,

I´m using a E-PL3 together with the S&S Flash YS-D1 and fiber optic cable. I´m not really expierenced in using external UW-Flashes and need some hints.
I want using the flash in DS-TTL Mode and not sure which camera settings I have to use.

Flash mode is TTL and camera settings are RC Mode on, Av, Flash Auto.
Flash is working and after flashing the green led shows TTL is working.
But EV compensation seems not working correct.

Does somebody have already expierence with this combination and can tell me the configuration settings.
Should I use RC mode on or off?


Thanks

Alex

RC mode is for Olympus strobes. Set your flash to "fill".

 

[Bonzai2000]

RC mode is for Olympus strobes. Set your flash to "fill".

The Flash is only synchronized with RC mode on, in off modde all pics are dark.
Flash is fill.

 

[ProfF]

The Flash is only synchronized with RC mode on, in off modde all pics are dark.
Flash is fill.

As cardog wrote, the RC mode is designed for communicating with Olympus strobes. It does trigger the flash (as it uses the flashes as a mean of communication) and so triggers the YS but not for the reasons you want.

My experience with the epl3+YS-01 might different than the YS-D1, but I either use fill flash (RC off) + YS on TTL, or manual (1/64) + YS on the second manual setting (w/o pre-flash). The latter combo is easier on battery life and lets you control the lighting by adjusting on the strobe. It is not great for a quick one-shot encounter but very nice otherwise.

Also try the same combo with the camera in Manual mode (rather than Av).

-Nir

 

[EarlyDolphin]

Set the YS-D1 to "TTL" and the internal camera strobe to "Fill-in-flash". That's all. The YS-D1 only copies the output from the internal flash. You may have to correct the intensity via +/- on the YS-D1, because the camera dose not know the real distance between flash and object, which often is different from the distance between camera and object.
I just returned from a two weeks diving safari in Egypt, with E-PL5 and YS-D1 and was surprised how easy the system has worked.

Here is an option for testing:
1.: Take a small free-standing objekt (on a table or what ever) and come close with the camera (e. g. 1ft/30cm). Mode APARTURE (A), spot- or center-metering on the object. Take a photo with flash.
2.: Move away from the object and zoom in so that the object apperas nearly with the same size in the photo as in the 1st version. Take a photo.
If it works correct, the object should you be illuminated with the same brightness in both pictures. If not, the object will appear daker in the second photo.
In reverse you can do the same test, but with setting the flash mode to "manual". The object shoud be illuminated different.

Regards from Berlin (Germany).

(bei Fragen kannste mir auch ne PN schicken ;-))

 

[MadBeaverDK]

I just returned from a two weeks diving safari in Egypt, with E-PL5 and YS-D1 and was surprised how easy the system has worked.

I would love to see some pictures from your trip.

 

[Bonzai2000]

Thank you all for your advices and answers.
I am now back from a one week red sea trip and the first dives this e-pl3 and YS-D1.
I have used most times fill in flash and RC off but sometimes the YS-D1 seems not to be synchronized. Then I switched to RC on with Level high and fill in flash and for me it seems to synchronized more reliable.

@EarlyDolphin
Thanks for your test setting explanations how to check correct working of the flash

Here some pics from the trip.

Greetings Alex

 

[EarlyDolphin]

Nice pictures! The first ones where shot without flash?
I believe the RC mode has nothing to do with the fibre optic flash control. Sometimes the flash won't synchronisze, when the output level from the camera flash is too low. I could repeat this issue while reducing the flash level manually. There is a point from where the YS-D1 can't receive enought light to be fired.
With the standard setting "fill in flash" and all RC settings off I had no problems. ... for more than 1500 shots

The next days I will start with a flickr account to show you some pictures from my trip.

 

[BoltSnap]

Does the internal flash have to be set to "fill" for the strobe to work in TTL or the 1/64 setting would do also?

 

[smoore]

The flash must be set to fill for TTL to work. In fill mode the flash will fire a preflash which will trigger a preflash in the strobe and it is this preflash that allows TTL to set the correct intensity for the actual strobe main fire. If set to 1/64th the flash is in manual mode and no preflash is fired to trigger TTL metering. I use S2000 flashes so if I have fill flash on my camera I set the strobe to TTL and if I have the camera set to manual (1/64th power), then the strobe duration (intensity) is determined by how the strobe intensity is set in manual mode on the strobe.