Olympus E-520 Basic setup

Hi Guys

Just got my E-520 a week ago and the E05 housing and Port PPO-E05 port turned up today - very exciting.

I want to use the camera in about 3 weeks on a trip to Queensland in Australia and I can't afford a new TTL flash for this trip.

The plot is to use the camera in manual mode and fire a slave non TTL flash (Sea and Sea Sub 50 most probably) using the pop up flash to trigger it.

Managed to get the S&S base plate to fit on the Olympus.

Any ideas how I can make this work?

I recognise the limitations but I did use manual for 20 years before I got my first TTL so I am OK with this method for this trip.

Any help in Camera set up and flash set up would be greatly appreciated.

Cant wait to get wet.

Ardy

Sounds like you already have a plan. You'll need a FO cable to connect from the PT-E05 to the strobe. Other than that, it should fire it. You will probably have to set the internal strobe settings (lowest setting should work on 1/64th) on manual as to disable the preflash in the camera.

You'll need a FO cable to connect from the PT-E05 to the strobe. .

Thanks Gary - Hate to sound like a total knob but where do you buy a Fibre Optic Cable? Is this a standard piece of FO cable or something different?

I assume it fits in the rubber gromets at the front of the housing and then is attached to the front of the flash?

Sorry mate I am SOOOOO! out of date.

Ardy

Hi Ardy,

Manual is a breeze with digital compared to film as you can review your results and view the histogram after each shot. The main problem is how to control the output of the strobe. The more manual settings you have for strobe power the better off your results will be. you can control output by moving the strobe in and out from the main subject, using diffusers and changing the power output on the strobe without having to change camera settings. I have used the same Olympus camera/housing system with a manual ring-flash with great results.

Phil Rudin

Thanks Gary - Hate to sound like a total knob but where do you buy a Fibre Optic Cable? Is this a standard piece of FO cable or something different?

 

I assume it fits in the rubber gromets at the front of the housing and then is attached to the front of the flash?

 

Sorry mate I am SOOOOO! out of date.

 

Ardy

Hey from 1 knob to another...haha. Does the slave flash have a Sea&Sea style FO port? If so, you can get a standard FO cable with Sea&Sea style FO plugs on each end and you're set.

Gary -thanks for the reply. Nope it dont have anything to do with FO, just a nikonos cable with those wet end things for changing flashes underwater which I have never done.

I assumed that the FO cable would deliver a burst of light to trigger the strobe set in slave mode. Am I being too simplistic in assuming this?

Phil - I will use the smallest of my strobes and adjust the f stops and shutter speeds. It will be like 5 years ago no big deal.

My larger flashes have only full and half power. Now all I need to do is work out how to get the flash to fire.

Well the FO's deliver a light signal but its really not a lot of output. You'd have to secure the cable right over the slave sensor on the strobe. Normally this is a Sea&Sea style socket but on older strobes maybe you'll just have to DIY it over the sensor.

Well the FO's deliver a light signal but its really not a lot of output. You'd have to secure the cable right over the slave sensor on the strobe. Normally this is a Sea&Sea style socket but on older strobes maybe you'll just have to DIY it over the sensor.

Hi Gary - Went to a local electronics store and the guys there got a bit excited about making it work. It was very easy the FO cable attached to the flash with a small strirrup shaped piece of plastic the guys epoxyed to the front of my flash over the slave strobe.

Anyway it works perfectly on Manual with the flash on 1/64th. Tried a few shots out of water and all seems well.

I am diving at Byron Bay (about 12 hours drive north of Sydney and 1 hour south of Brisbane) on 17th Jan. So I am hoping the weather is OK and looking forward to what I can shoot. May even jump into Stradbrooke Island and see if the Manta's are there.

Thanks for everything.

Ardy

Hi Gary - Went to a local electronics store and the guys there got a bit excited about making it work. It was very easy the FO cable attached to the flash with a small strirrup shaped piece of plastic the guys epoxyed to the front of my flash over the slave strobe.

I've had excellent results making my own FO cords from standard audio optical cable ... My advice - make a 2nd one to take along.

Have a great trip! Like others have said, manual with instant feedback is much easier than manual with film ...

I've had excellent results making my own FO cords from standard audio optical cable ... My advice - make a 2nd one to take along.

 

Have a great trip! Like others have said, manual with instant feedback is much easier than manual with film ...

Thanks Jeremy - I wanted to go and see friends in Western Australia and dive over there but had to succumb to the female powerhouse and go to her bestfriends 50th birthday party in Brisbane and then stay with a friend of mine on the Gold Coast in his new house. His house wont be finished in time and the bestfriends mother died 2 weeks ago and she cancelled the 50th party.

Still Byron Bay and Stradbroke Island is a decent compromise situation.

Ho! Hum! it must be Christmas!

Hi Gary - Went to a local electronics store and the guys there got a bit excited about making it work. It was very easy the FO cable attached to the flash with a small strirrup shaped piece of plastic the guys epoxyed to the front of my flash over the slave strobe.

 

Anyway it works perfectly on Manual with the flash on 1/64th. Tried a few shots out of water and all seems well.

 

I am diving at Byron Bay (about 12 hours drive north of Sydney and 1 hour south of Brisbane) on 17th Jan. So I am hoping the weather is OK and looking forward to what I can shoot. May even jump into Stradbrooke Island and see if the Manta's are there.

 

Thanks for everything.

 

Ardy

Could you clarify which strobe you are using? Your first message mentioned a S&S YS-50, but I didn't think either the YS-50 or the YS-60 had an optic slave sensor.

Could you clarify which strobe you are using? Your first message mentioned a S&S YS-50, but I didn't think either the YS-50 or the YS-60 had an optic slave sensor.

Hi Arcatus - It is a S&S YS50 and it does NOT have a FO slave port. In fact it wouldnt matter what flash you used as long as it has a slave position setting on the flash. The cable is glued directly to the front of the strobe over the slave and the FO cable delivers a small (very small) amount of light from the flash and this is enough to fire the flash in slave mode.

I tried it with my S&S sub-200 as well and it worked a couple of times but there is a problem with the slave mode on the flash as it only works occasionally. I think this is because I have never set it to slave before and I think the connection must be dirty in the switch. Pity as its a great wide angle strobe, huge beast though.

The great news about this is that providing you are prepared to experiment a bit with manual exposures and power settings on the strobe, anyone with a Digital camera and a bit of common sense can use all these old strobes that are being sold for a song on ebay. What a great way to learn underwater photography for someone starting, they can then evolve to the INON etc world with some basic knowledge that would set them up well.

I recommed this solution to anyone short of cash (like me) and thanks go to Gary and Phil for there help in what turned out to be a 'no brainer' after all my concerns.

BTW guys I will post a couple of shots from this setup assuming it works OK in late January.

Hi guys

You were all sooo! correct manual with a digital slr is very easy. The flash worked at 1/64 apart from a couple of times when the pre flash went off (not sure why in manual).

These are a couple of my lesser shots that I am farting around with in RAW to get some understanding. Sorry about the box fish it was the first thing I shot and I didnt get close enough so this is a BIG crop. The little bannerfish were only about 2" (50mm). The lens 14-42 seems fine but I am looking forward to getting the 50mm macro.