Aoi Housings for OM (and Oly) - Strobe Trigger Choices

[SFEgr]

It appears that the new(ish) AOI housings continue the curious tradition of providing a big 'bump' on top for the old Oly flash unit. Doubly strange as these flash units are no longer included with the OM series camera purchase bundle (as I believe they used to be included). Has anyone here used the old Olympus FL-LM3 flash in these housings as well as any of the choices currently promoted by sellers of these housings - all of which are many times more expensive? And might offer any comparative comments in ease of use?

 

For me, I would prefer a more svelte housing but since the cavity is there for a big ol' flash unit, why wouldn't i just use the cheaper trigger? Oh yes, I know from Troporobo's post that these older strobes are no longer made but they can be found kicking about.

 

tx, Simon

Edited March 22 by SFEgr

[cerich]

3 hours ago, SFEgr said:

It appears that the new(ish) AOI housings continue the curious tradition of providing a big 'bump' on top for the old Oly flash unit. Doubly strange as these flash units are no longer included with the OM series camera purchase bundle (as I believe they used to be included). Has anyone here used the old Olympus FL-LM3 flash in these housings as well as any of the choices currently promoted by sellers of these housings - all of which are many times more expensive? And might offer any comparative comments in ease of use?

 

For me, I would prefer a more svelte housing but since the cavity is there for a big ol' flash unit, why wouldn't i just use the cheaper trigger? Oh yes, I know from Troporobo's post that these older strobes are no longer made but they can be found kicking about.

 

tx, Simon

Because the Olympus flash unit takes longer to charge between shots and many modern underwater strobes can charge much quicker, the flash triggers like the AOI new one can keep up with the strobe, great for fast moving action.

 

Also, the flash triggers like AOI take less to no camera battery unlike the little Olympus flash units, so you have better battery life for more shots.

 

Then there is possibly HSS depending on a variety of factors that camera, led flash triggers and strobe that you may have available.

Edited March 22 by cerich

[SFEgr]

Ahhh, thank you cerich, that makes sense. Recovery speed and HSS. So there are technologies (HSS) that the older designs don't have. Thanks for the answer.

[bvanant]

No big bump on my AOI housing (OM-1) and the built-in vacuum and LED trigger work fine. But I am pretty sure that it does not support HSS only Oly RC mode and some TTL.

Bill

[SFEgr]

48 minutes ago, bvanant said:

No big bump on my AOI housing...

 

Well, I might be mistaken as I have not handled the housing, but I was watching this Utube video

 

and the case looks a wee bit bigger than I expected, and it housed the vertical flash, like in the Isotta. It just seems more vertical allowance than other designs.

[cerich]

42 minutes ago, SFEgr said:

 

Well, I might be mistaken as I have not handled the housing, but I was watching this Utube video

 

and the case looks a wee bit bigger than I expected, and it housed the vertical flash, like in the Isotta. It just seems more vertical allowance than other designs.

the e-m5 lll and OM5 AOI housings have the bump on the aoi housings and option of trigger or oly flash the OM1 (l and ll) AOI housing comes with a trigger built in and no bump/hump so you are using that trigger only option

[Chris Ross]

The mini flash works quite well as a manual trigger set at 1/64 power on my OM-1 and with the larger batteries in the OM-1 and EM-1 series battery drain is a non issue when used at 1/64 power and recycle is very quick.  SO if you only want to trigger strobes in manual it makes a perfectly acceptable trigger.   It will also work in RC mode to trigger compatible flashes.  I've never used anything else UW.

[Wapiti]

RC mode with Backscatter strobes has a version of HSS; I'm forgetting exactly what they call it, but it works with AOI triggers capable of RC mode.

[cerich]

29 minutes ago, Chris Ross said:

The mini flash works quite well as a manual trigger set at 1/64 power on my OM-1 and with the larger batteries in the OM-1 and EM-1 series battery drain is a non issue when used at 1/64 power and recycle is very quick.  SO if you only want to trigger strobes in manual it makes a perfectly acceptable trigger.   It will also work in RC mode to trigger compatible flashes.  I've never used anything else UW.

I have found in RC the camera mounted only flash can be slow and lag strobes I also have been using set to fill in per older manuals  for older cameras than my O-M1 not 1/64 that I do use in non RC TTL or manual. I will note that O-M1 manual indicates in RC mode it can take up to 4 seconds to be ready to fire, which is glacial slow.

 

 

[Chris Ross]

2 hours ago, Wapiti said:

RC mode with Backscatter strobes has a version of HSS; I'm forgetting exactly what they call it, but it works with AOI triggers capable of RC mode.

If you really need faster shutter speeds than 1/250 a trigger like the Nauticam manual trigger is a workaround option.  This is a fully manual trigger and will allow you to set any shutter speed you like and it will work up to something like the 1/400 - 1/500 range and  sync with the shutter with no black band showing.  This is arguably fast enough to deal with sunballs which is a major reason for wanting a faster shutter speed. It also works with any flash not just HSS capable flashes.

 

HSS becomes increasing impractical as the shutter speed gets faster as the available power drops and even with this option the available power drops as the shutter duration starts to be shorter than the length of the full power strobe pulse.

[bvanant]

14 hours ago, cerich said:

I have found in RC the camera mounted only flash can be slow and lag strobes I also have been using set to fill in per older manuals  for older cameras than my O-M1 not 1/64 that I do use in non RC TTL or manual. I will note that O-M1 manual indicates in RC mode it can take up to 4 seconds to be ready to fire, which is glacial slow.

 

 

Yes indeed. RC mode can be very slow, particularly on BW dives. For BW I like RC mode since you might have very transparent beasts and very reflective beasts within a few minutes, but for transparent things like jellies, the second RC shot (at higher power obviously) can take some time. 

Bill

[bvanant]

I can not find any details on the AOI trigger talking to HSS mode. Maybe on the hybrid flash but on the MF-2 it is not clear how to make that work. Any ideas welcome.

Bill

[cerich]

46 minutes ago, bvanant said:

Yes indeed. RC mode can be very slow, particularly on BW dives. For BW I like RC mode since you might have very transparent beasts and very reflective beasts within a few minutes, but for transparent things like jellies, the second RC shot (at higher power obviously) can take some time. 

Bill

RC is awesome for BW.. but yeah, slow

null

[bvanant]

great shots

BVA

[Wapiti]

10 hours ago, bvanant said:

I can not find any details on the AOI trigger talking to HSS mode. Maybe on the hybrid flash but on the MF-2 it is not clear how to make that work. Any ideas welcome.

Bill

I think-but can't remember for sure- that there was a setting on the camera you had to change.  I do know that I picked it up through either the MF-2 manual, or via Backscatter's videos.  I know for sure it's possible- I could only get 1/250 with the S&S Duo, but I could go much faster with the MF-2 (AOI/OM-1)

[SFEgr]

On 3/22/2025 at 6:17 PM, bvanant said:

... the built-in vacuum and LED trigger work fine...

Yes - but - the housing for the OM-5 does not include the flash trigger, it is a $240 add on, making the OM-5 housing $175 more than the OM-1 housing and the OM-5 housing is designed larger than necessary to take a flash that is no longer in production. Rather disappointing as I had looked forward to this housing and am now quite put off the brand; my fault I didn't notice the detail before purchasing the camera.

 

Thank you all for the education on what to look for in strobe triggers! Very helpful.

[bvanant]

I have a couple of FLM-2 flashes that work with the OM-5. I can part with them quite cheaply.

Let me know.

 

Bill

[bvanant]

20 hours ago, Wapiti said:

I think-but can't remember for sure- that there was a setting on the camera you had to change.  I do know that I picked it up through either the MF-2 manual, or via Backscatter's videos.  I know for sure it's possible- I could only get 1/250 with the S&S Duo, but I could go much faster with the MF-2 (AOI/OM-1)

But faster with a trigger might not be HSS. HSS is a unique beast with a bunch of very fast weak pulses.  I can get to 1/400 in general with triggers, but if HSS is possible with the MF-2 or the AOI RC versions I am too dumb to find it.

Cheers

 

Bill

[cerich]

The MF2, I imagine but have not verified their HF-1 will be same.

[cerich]

1 hour ago, bvanant said:

But faster with a trigger might not be HSS. HSS is a unique beast with a bunch of very fast weak pulses.  I can get to 1/400 in general with triggers, but if HSS is possible with the MF-2 or the AOI RC versions I am too dumb to find it.

Cheers

 

Bill

the AOI UCS-Q1RC does NOT do HSS, the new AOI Ultra InTeLi P1 Underwater Strobe UIS-P1 DOES do HSS

[Wapiti]

2 hours ago, cerich said:

The MF2, I imagine but have not verified their HF-1 will be same.

 

 

Thanks, I knew I saw it somewhere.  If you go with AOI, note that they sell a non-RC trigger that won't do Super FP/HSS.  I believe the newer housings come with the better trigger but you'll want to confirm; I picked up the non-RC one to keep as a cheap back-up.

[bvanant]

On 3/23/2025 at 8:42 PM, Wapiti said:

I think-but can't remember for sure- that there was a setting on the camera you had to change.  I do know that I picked it up through either the MF-2 manual, or via Backscatter's videos.  I know for sure it's possible- I could only get 1/250 with the S&S Duo, but I could go much faster with the MF-2 (AOI/OM-1)

But faster with a trigger might not be HSS. HSS is a unique beast with a bunch of very fast weak pulses.  I can get to 1/400 in general with triggers, but if HSS is possible with the MF-2 or the AOI RC versions I am too dumb to find it.

The new AOI strobe that does HSS is too big for what I want to shoot, the MF-2 and the AOI RC strobes are about right.

 

 

 

Bill

[bvanant]

Thanks for the info. I will try it with the AOI (OM-1) later today.

Bill

[Chris Ross]

12 hours ago, bvanant said:

But faster with a trigger might not be HSS. HSS is a unique beast with a bunch of very fast weak pulses.  I can get to 1/400 in general with triggers, but if HSS is possible with the MF-2 or the AOI RC versions I am too dumb to find it.

The new AOI strobe that does HSS is too big for what I want to shoot, the MF-2 and the AOI RC strobes are about right.

 

 

 

Bill

I believe the ability to give you faster shutter speeds is limited to triggers that utilise the X-sync mechanical contacts and basically only use the centre contact and ground, more importantly they are not recognised by the camera as an external strobe so bypass the logic that prevents exceeding the sync speed by dialling up a faster shutter speed.  If you scroll across you can see the hotshoe of the Nauticam Olympus manual trigger - it has the cehtre contact and the outer metal contact which connects with the hot shoe ground.

 

https://fotografit.eu/products/164-underwater-flash-triggers-and-ttl-converters/2589-mini-flash-trigger-for-olympus-compatible-with-na-em1em5iiem1ii/

[bvanant]

The AOI trigger has a hot-shoe attachment that has all 5 pins. I haven't checked to see if all are actually connected. I pretty much am not too interested in HSS but would like to play to see if I could get it to work.  Shoting mostly slowly moving little things doesn't seem to be a good use case for HSS but maybe something will come up.

Bill