Table of Contents
Olympus OM-D flash modes
see also:
introduction
- Olympus digital cameras have several flash modes available in the camera menu:
- Auto
- RedEye
- Fill-in
- Slow1 Redeye
- Slow1
- Slow2
- Manual Flash - you set the power output of the built-in or bundled flash unit
- in addition to these, one can use remote control flash - see remote TTL flash RC mode with the Olympus OM-D cameras, in which case the camera can remotely control flash modes and outputs of attached and compliant remote flashes from within the special RC Mode panel (via INFO button if RC Mode = ON)
- if you want to avoid annoying pre-flashes:
- use Fill-in mode, plus,
- flash unit set to manual (no red eye nor TTL exposure determination flash will be fired), plus
- RC Mode = OFF (no remote control flashes will be fired), plus
- AF Illuminator = OFF
Auto and Red Eye modes
- cannot use SuperFP mode on your flash in these modes - must use Fill-in mode to allow SuperFP flash.
- the flash MAY NOT fire!
- the flash will ONLY fire if the shutter speed is within the following range:
- slowest shutter speed:
- the highest of:
- 1/(2 x focal length), or, (unfortunately, Olympus is yet to factor in effect of image stabiliser)
- your SLOW LIMIT setting (Menu:Cogs:F:Slow Limit)
- fastest shutter speed:
- the lowest of:
- x-sync for your camera-flash combination as determined by your camera, or,
- your x-sync setting (Menu:Cogs:F:X-sync)
- Red Eye mode just fires an additional pre-flash to constrict the pupils of your subject and thus reduce chance of red eyes
Fill-in flash mode
- flash will ALWAYS fire
- this mode works extremely well with the PASM mode on the camera set to M (manual)
- setting the aperture controls depth of field (DOF)
- setting the shutter speed controls ambient light exposure
- can increase ISO if need more flash output, but these also increases ambient exposure
- lowering ISO to LOW (100) +/- using a polarising filter or ND filter allows wider apertures in bright sunlight
- this may cause ambient over-exposure in certain modes as shutter speed will be restricted if using a compliant flash unit as follows:
- slowest shutter speed:
- in PASM M mode:
- functions as SLOW1, hence there is no option to select SLOW1
- in PASM modes other than M:
- your SLOW LIMIT setting (Menu:Cogs:F:Slow Limit)
- the focal length limit is thankfully ignored in these modes
- fastest shutter speed:
- the lowest of:
- x-sync for your camera-flash combination as determined by your camera, or,
- your x-sync setting (Menu:Cogs:F:X-sync)
- faster shutter speeds CAN be used if either:
- flash unit is also set to Super FP mode (FP TTL or FP Manual)
- flash unit is a non-compliant flash or connected only via the central firing pin or PC sync cord
- be aware that shutter speeds faster than x-sync result in progressively more “blacked out” areas which only receive ambient exposure but no flash exposure
- this is still useful up to 1/400th or maybe 1/500th sec if you subject is not within the blacked out area at top of image.
Flash OFF
- ensures the built-in flash (if there is one) or attached flash never fires even if scene is underexposed
SLOW1, SLOW1 Red Eye and SLOW2 modes
- ignores the SLOW LIMIT and the annoying 1/(2xFL) rule
- otherwise functions as Auto if in PAS or Fill-in if in Manual exposure mode
- SLOW1 = 1st curtain:
- fires flash at start of exposure
- SLOW2 = 2nd curtain sync or rear sync:
- fires flash at end of exposure, thus used for those moving car shots with trailing tail lights
Rear curtain sync effect with slow shutter speed courtesy of photofocus
SCENE mode: Night Portrait
- sets the following which cannot be altered:
- Slow1 Auto Flash, face AF, f/4, ISO200, exposure compensation = -0.3EV (to under-expose ambient)