Olympus FL 50R User manual

Electronic Flash
FL-50R
Instruction Manual
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Names of parts
Flash
Checking the package contents
The following items are included with the electronic
flash.
If anything is missing or damaged, contact the
dealer from whom you purchased the electronic
flash.
Light-emitting area
External power
connector
 Connect the
optional flash power
grip FP-1 or flash
high voltage pack
HV-1.
Terminal cover
Lock ring gP. 9
AF illuminator light-emitting
area gP. 30, 35
 When the subject is dark
or low-contrast, the built-in
AF illuminator emits light to
facilitate focusing.
Wide panel
gP. 26
Auto light receptor gP. 16
Lock pin gP. 9
Electric contacts gP. 9
Electronic flash
Remote sensor
gP. 36
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Flash stand
FLST-1 Bounce adapter FLBA-1
Plate Belt
Reflector adapter
FLRA-1
 Flash case  Instruction manual
(this manual)  Warranty card
Bounce lock release
button gP. 9, 22
Accessory shoe
gP. 23
MODE button
gP. 12
ZOOM button gP. 21
AUTO CHECK lamp
gP. 12
Battery compartment
cover gP. 7
CHARGE lamp/TEST
button gP. 11
POWER button gP. 11
Bounce up/down angle
indices gP. 22
Bounce left/right angle
indices gP. 22
Control panel
gP. 4
LIGHT button
 Press to light up the
control panel for about
15 sec.
The control panel also
lights under control
by a digital camera
with communication
capability.
Dial A
Dial B
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Control panel
Notes on this manual
The indications on the control panel may differ from those shown in the illustration
above depending on the setup of the electronic flash, the camera in use, and the
shooting conditions.
For example, the firing angle (ZOOM) can be displayed in either of the following modes.
1 FOUR THIRDS.......Focal length of a Four Thirds System digital camera
2 135.........................Focal length converted to an equivalent angle of view on a
135 type (35 mm film) camera
The text in this manual employs the [FOUR THIRDS] display mode and puts values in
the [135] display mode inside parentheses, for example “(xx mm with the 135 type)”.
For the selection of the display modes, refer to “Custom setup” (gP. 30).
Wide panel
gP. 26 Super FP flash gP. 18, 20 Flash control mode gP. 13
Close-up flash
gP. 27
FOUR THIRDS
gP. 31
Firing angle
(ZOOM) mode
gP. 21
ISO sensitivity
gP. 31, 47
Guide number
(GN)
gP. 17, 39, 45
Firing angle
(ZOOM)
value
gP. 21
Flash intensity
control
gP. 14
Aperture (F)
gP. 16, 31,
38, 47
Feet
gP. 31
Meter
gP. 31
Setting display
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Table of contents
Names of parts............................................................................... 2
Flash..............................................................................................2
Control panel .................................................................................4
Basic shooting................................................................................ 7
Loading batteries...........................................................................7
Attaching to the camera.................................................................9
Turning on the electronic flash.....................................................11
Shooting.......................................................................................12
Flash intensity control..................................................................14
Other flash photography modes................................................... 16
AUTO...........................................................................................16
MANUAL......................................................................................17
FP TTLAUTO ..............................................................................18
FP MANUAL ................................................................................20
Setting the firing angle (ZOOM)...................................................21
Bounce shooting..........................................................................22
Using the wide panel ...................................................................26
Close-up flash..............................................................................27
Various flash shooting methods...................................................28
Custom setup ............................................................................... 30
All reset......................................................................................... 32
Wireless flash............................................................................... 33
Basic wireless photography ........................................................34
About the placement of the electronic flash.................................36
Picture shooting using a digital camera without communication
capability................................................................. 38
AUTO...........................................................................................38
MANUAL......................................................................................39
Slave flash...................................................................................40
Warning display list....................................................................... 41
Q&A.............................................................................................. 42
Optional accessories.................................................................... 44
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Guide number (GN) list................................................................. 45
Light control range in AUTO mode............................................... 47
Continuous firing........................................................................... 48
Safety precautions
(Be sure to read and observe the following)........... 49
Caution for usage environment .................................................... 53
Specifications ............................................................................... 55
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Basic shooting
Loading batteries
The batteries are available separately. Always use one of the following
battery combinations.
 AA (R6) alkaline batteries/AA (R6) NiMH batteries/
AA (R6) lithium batteries/AA (R6) oxyride batteries/
AA (R6) NiCd batteries : × 4
Lithium battery packs (CR-V3 type) (Olympus LB-01) : × 2
xNotes
AA (R6) manganese batteries cannot be used.
 Do not mix old and new batteries or batteries of different types together.
Carry spare batteries when traveling or when using the electronic flash in
cold areas.
1Open the battery compartment cover.
2Insert the batteries with correct +/– polarity.
AA (R6) batteries CR-V3
3Close the battery compartment cover.
Battery compartment
cover
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Flash interval and flash count
Batteries used Flash interval Flash count
AA (R6) alkaline batteries Approx. 6 sec. Approx. 150 times
AA (R6) NiMH batteries
(2,400 mAh) Approx. 4 sec. Approx. 200 times
AA (R6) lithium batteries Approx. 6 sec. Approx. 200 times
AA (R6) oxyride batteries Approx. 5 sec. Approx. 170 times
CR-V3 lithium battery pack Approx. 5 sec. Approx. 220 times
* Measurements obtained from in-house tests at Olympus. Actual figures may vary
depending on shooting conditions.
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Attaching to the camera
Confirm that both the camera and electronic flash are off.
Attaching or removing the electronic flash while either the flash or the
camera is on may result in malfunction.
1Pressing the bounce lock release
button, place the light-emitting section in
standard position (horizontal, front).
2Remove the hot shoe cover from the
camera.
Store the hot shoe cover in the pocket
located on the inner side of the flash case.
3Loosen the lock ring.
If the lock pin is protruding, pull it back
inside by turning the lock ring as far as it
will go in the direction opposite to LOCK.
xNotes
 Do not apply excessive force to the lock
pin.
 Do not touch the electric contacts with a
finger or metallic object.
 Do not attach the electronic flash while
the lock pin is protruding. Otherwise,
malfunction may result.
Bounce
lock release
button
Electric
contacts
Lock pin
Hot shoe cover
Lock ring
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How to remove
1Loosen the lock ring completely, then slide the electronic flash out
of the hot shoe.
2Attach the hot shoe cover to the camera.
Using with a camera not equipped with hot shoe
If the camera has an external flash connector, connect the electronic flash using the
flash bracket and bracket cable (optional).
The electronic flash can be used as a wireless flash with cameras compatible with
the Olympus wireless RC flash system. g“Wireless flash” (P.33)
The electronic flash can be used as a slave flash with cameras equipped with the
slave mode or manual flash mode. g“Slave flash” (P.40)
4Slide the electronic flash all the way into
the hot shoe until it stops with a click
(1).
5Turn the lock ring as far as it will go in
the direction of LOCK (2).
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Turning on the electronic flash
Turn on the electronic flash only after attaching to the camera. After
turning on the electronic flash, be sure to check the remaining battery
charge.
1Press the POWER button.
The control panel lights up and battery
charging starts.
Press the POWER button again to turn the
electronic flash off.
2Verify that the CHARGE lamp lights up.
Replace the batteries if the time it takes for
the CHARGE lamp to light up exceeds the
following values.
Alkaline or oxyride batteries 30 sec. or more
NiMH or lithium batteries 10 sec. or more
If the CHARGE lamp and AUTO CHECK
lamp blink alternately, it means that the
battery capacity is running low. In this case,
replace the batteries.
Press the TEST button to test the flash
activation.
CHARGE lamp/
TEST button
POWER
button
AUTO CHECK lamp
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Firing angle
Displayed according to the
focal length of the lens.
Shooting
Let’s try shooting pictures using the TTLAUTO mode. In TTLAUTO
mode the flash intensity is controlled automatically according to the
camera’s settings.
1Set the camera’s shooting mode to P
(Program Auto).
2Press the MODE button of the electronic
flash repeatedly to set the flash control
mode to [TTLAUTO].
3Press the shutter button halfway.
Shooting information will be communicated
between the camera and the electronic
flash and the light control range will be
displayed on the control panel.
If the subject is not within the light control
range, adjust the distance to the subject.
The light control range will vary according
to the camera’s setup (ISO sensitivity,
aperture value and focal length of the lens).
4Press the shutter button fully.
When flash activation has been performed
correctly, the AUTO CHECK lamp blinks
for about 5 seconds after the shutter is
released.
Light control
range
Flash control mode
AUTO CHECK
lamp
MODE button
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Flash control modes
Select the flash control mode according to the subject and the shooting
conditions. Press the MODE button repeatedly to change the flash
control mode.
Control
panel display Control operation Main application Ref.
page
The flash light intensity is
controlled automatically
according to the camera’s setup.
The flash will be adjusted based
on the brightness taken through
the camera’s lens.
Usually use this
mode with a camera
with communication
capability.
P. 12
The flash light intensity is
controlled automatically
according to the camera’s setup.
The flash will be adjusted based
on the brightness captured
by auto light receptor on the
electronic flash.
If the camera has
communication
capability, this mode
can be used only
when the camera
is an AUTO-
compatible model.
P. 16
In this mode, the flash is emitted
according to the guide number
setting.
Shooting using
manual flash. P. 17
Super FP flash. This mode allows
you to use flash photography
even at shutter speeds faster
than the flash synchronization
speed of the camera. In AUTO
mode the flash light intensity
is controlled automatically. In
MANUAL mode the flash is
emitted according to the guide
number selected.
Outdoor shooting
using flash, such as
fill-in flash shooting
in the daytime.
P. 18,
20
xNotes
Certain modes may be unavailable depending on the shooting mode set
on the camera and the functions of the camera in use.
It is not possible to select an unavailable mode.
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Operation of the flash in each shooting mode
Values and operation details in the table will vary depending on the
camera. Refer to your camera’s instruction manual.
Shooting
mode Flash emission Shutter speed Aperture
P
The flash is emitted
automatically when
either backlight or
a brightness level
requiring flash is
detected.
The camera sets
the shutter speed
automatically. At the
shooting conditions
that will trigger a flash
emission, shutter
speed is fixed at 1/30
or 1/60.
The camera sets the
aperture automatically.
A
The camera sets
the shutter speed
automatically. At the
shooting conditions
that will require slower
shutter speeds, shutter
speed is fixed at 1/30
or 1/60.
The aperture will be
set to the value you
select.
Use the guide number
and the light control
range as a reference
when setting the
aperture value.
g“Guide number
(GN) list” (P. 45),
“Light control range in
AUTO mode” (P. 47)
S
The flash will
always be emitted
at shutter speeds
slower than the flash
synchronization speed
of the camera. The
flash will always be
emitted with Super FP
flash.
The shutter speed will
be set to the value you
select.
The camera sets the
aperture automatically.
MThe aperture will be
adjusted to the value
you select.
Flash intensity control
The flash light intensity can be adjusted between +3 and -3.
1In the custom setup, set the flash intensity control to [on].
g“Custom setup” (P. 30)
The windicator appears in the control panel.
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Flash intensity value
(The light control range will
not be displayed while an
adjustment value is set.)
2Turn dial B to select a flash intensity
value.
Turning the dial toward + will change the
value as follows: 0+0.3+0.7+1.0...
+3.0.
Turning the dial toward – will change the
value as follows: 0-0.3-0.7-1.0...
-3.0.
3When the camera’s flash intensity
control mode is set, the actual flash light
intensity will be the total of the flash
intensity value set on the electronic
flash and that set on the camera.
The flash intensity value displayed on the
control panel is that of the electronic flash
only.
Flash intensity control
e.g.)
Selected
adjustment
value
Adjustment value
displayed
on the control panel
Actual flash
intensity value
Flash +0.3 +0.3 +0.6
Camera +0.3
xNotes
In MANUAL and FP MANUAL mode settings on the camera will be
ignored.
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Other flash photography modes
AUTO
The flash light intensity is controlled automatically by measuring the
amount of light through the auto light receptor. This mode uses the
settings on the camera together with the settings on the electronic
flash.
1The control panel shows the light control
range according to the camera’s setup.
The light control range is not displayed if
the camera’s setup (ISO sensitivity and
aperture value) does not match one of
the usable ISO sensitivity/aperture value
combinations. In this case, the [ISO] and
[F] indicators blink to alert you. Change
the camera’s setup (ISO sensitivity and/or
aperture value). g“Light control range in
AUTO mode” (P. 47)
2When flash activation has been
performed correctly, the AUTO CHECK
lamp blinks for about 5 seconds after
the shutter is released.
Light control
range
Firing angle
Displayed according
to the focal length of
the lens.
Test flash activation
Flash activation can be tested before actually releasing
the shutter.
Press the TEST button for test flash activation.
If the AUTO CHECK lamp blinks for about 5 seconds after
the test flash activation, the flash is adjusted correctly.
If the lamp does not blink, change the aperture value, ISO
sensitivity, subject distance, etc.
Checking the light by means of test flash activation is
possible only in AUTO mode.
TEST
button
AUTO CHECK
lamp
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MANUAL
In this mode, the flash is emitted according to the guide number (GN)
setting.
1Turn dial A or dial B to set the guide
number.
The control panel shows the guide number
set and the optimum shooting distance
according to the camera’s setup.
2If the distance to the subject does not
match the optimum shooting distance,
change the guide number or the
distance to the subject.
The optimum shooting distance varies
according to the camera’s setup (ISO
sensitivity, aperture value, lens focal
distance and shutter speed). For
details refer to “Guide number (GN) list”
(gP. 45).
Firing angle
Displayed according to the
focal length of the lens.
Guide
number Optimum shooting
distance
Optimum shooting distance
When the ISO sensitivity is set to 100, you can calculate the optimum shooting distance
by dividing the guide number (GN) by the aperture value (F). g“Guide number (GN)
list” (P. 45)
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FP TTL AUTO
In this mode, the electronic flash uses Super FP flash to synchronize
with high shutter speeds.
The following operations are possible using Super FP flash.
Attenuation of shades when shooting a backlit picture.
Outdoor portrait shooting using daytime fill-in flash shooting with the
aperture opened up to blur the background.
Shooting against light
Without flash With flash (FP TTLAUTO)
Portrait shooting
With aperture adjusted With aperture open
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1The control panel shows the light control
range according to the camera’s setup.
2Confirm that the distance to the subject
is within the light control range.
If it is not within the light control range,
change the distance to the subject or the
camera’s setup.
The light control range varies according
to the camera’s setup (ISO sensitivity,
aperture value, lens focal length and
shutter speed).
3When flash activation has been
performed correctly, the AUTO CHECK
lamp blinks for about 5 seconds after
the shutter is released.
Mode
Light control
range
Firing angle
AUTO
CHECK
lamp
xNotes
With Super FP flash the highest guide number will be lower than in TTL
AUTO mode.As a result, the light control range will be shortened.
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FP MANUAL
In this mode, Super FP flash is performed at the set flash intensity.
Optimum shooting
distance
1Turn dial A or dial B to set the guide
number.
The control panel shows the guide number
set and the optimum shooting distance
according to the camera’s setup.
2If the distance to the subject does not
match the optimum shooting distance,
change the settings or the distance to
the subject.
The optimum shooting distance varies
according to the camera’s setup (ISO
sensitivity, aperture value, lens focal
distance and shutter speed). For
details refer to “Guide number (GN) list”
(gP. 45).
Firing angle
Displayed according to the
focal length of the lens.
Guide
number
Optimum shooting distance
When the ISO sensitivity is set to 100, you can calculate the optimum shooting distance
by dividing the guide number (GN) by the aperture value (F). g“Guide number (GN)
list” (P. 45)
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