Those annoying spots...

[rcoomer]

Canon only makes a 3' off camera cord and it is the only one that works for all the functions of a Canon flash. So I bought 2 and connected them together with no problems. I've read where others have tried to make them or use other brands and they generally had problems.

If you are not using a high end auto flash that syncs with your camera, I would think you cound use or make a longer cord, or use a hotshoe to PC terminal adapter to use other/longer cords if your flash has a PC terminal like a Vivtar 283/285.

As always, be careful with flash voltages when combining new camera's with old on camera flashes.

[Dave Bunnell]

A good place to get camera cords of all sorts is Paramount Cords

http://paramountcords.com/

They will make them in custom lengths with your choice of a couple dozen different connectors on the ends. Don't know if they would carry the proprietary connector that connects the Olympus cord to the camera, but you can always get one that extends your connection from the PC socket on that to your strobe. They will have connectors to fit into common strobes like vivitar and sunpak, or to hotshoe. If connecting an extension cord to that PC socket on the little Olympus cord, I'd wrap some tape around it to secure it.

Dave

[NZcaver]

...Most digitals have a filter over the sensor to limit the IR they see. . . that's why IR exposures are generally pretty long unless on digital cameras you have a night shot IR mode on your camera...

I was not aware of this - thanks, I stand corrected.

For what it's worth, I got my hot shoe-to-hot shoe cable off eBay for less than $10 shipped (about what these cords SHOULD cost, in my humble opinion). My one's a curly cord that stretches to about 6 feet. I believe it was made to use with some type of dedicated flash - it has 2 pins on the bottom instead of the usual one. However I just use it with my "dumb" generic flash, either set to auto or manual.
It works good.

[VACaver]

My camera is an Olympus SP-500UZ and it does not have an option for pulling in an external flash cord. As far as turning down the intensity of the built-in flash...I don't know, I'll have to do some digging and see if I can.

[VACaver]

OK, did some digging and found that I can adjust the camera for using a slave. All I have to do is start on Page One of the 189-page manual to see how to do it

[Realms]

Once you start taking pics with the flash off the camera, you will be amazed. Good luck!

Realms
http://www.realmsofreality.net/

[ethan]

A cheaper way to improve your caving "snapshots" might be to get a $20 mini slave flash like this from Ritz Camera -
http://www.ritzcamera.com/product/531660769.htm

Dave is quite right about the limitations of some of the cheaper slave flash units. The one I mentioned should be used just as a fill-in flash, at best. The slave sensitivity is only good for a relatively short range, but it does have a 360 degree sensor on top. It can also be manually fired if you are doing a time exposure.

NZCaver - How are you manually firing it? Is there a "test" button? I use a digital point-and-shoot (Canon S410) with an unavoidable preflash, so the slave mode is useless, but I was thinking it'd be useful for added light on long exposures.

I looked for the specs at Ritz and in the Steve's Digitalcam review, but I couldn't find any answer anywhere. I can't find the manufacturer's website. Steve's has a picture showing the back of the unit, but all I can see is a slide switch was "0 and 1" positions.

Also, what is the cycle time? How do you compare its power to a that of a Vivitar 285? I see published guide number of around 100 for the 285, but nothing mentioned for the MS-1. I'm just a little skeptical of anything that runs of a pair of AAA cells.

I'm torn between buying a new MS-1, a used 285, or just buying both and letting the MS-1 slave from the 285. Will the MS-1 put out enough power to be useful in such a situation?

Ethan

[Realms]

Ethan

I have a MS-1. Put it this way. I used it only once. It is pretty much just a fill flash. Probably puts out about the same amount of light or less than your built on camera flash. Recycle time is about 8-10 sec and yes it does have a manual firing button. But like I said before, I only used mine once. I bought it with a gift card. Would have been better using it to buy batteries for my camera. There is no way to compare the power to something like the 285. If flashes were trucks hauling dirt, the vivitar would be a dump truck where the MS-1 would be a bucket. (Just not much flash power)
Now on the flip side to all this you could do this:
*Buy a 285 or similar flash
*Buy a firefly slave unit
*Buy the MS-1

*Tape some unexposed developed film over the MS-1
*Turn off your on camera flash
*Hold the MS-1 in your hand and manually fire it to set off the slave used to fire the 285

If you can keep the shutter on your camera open for just a couple seconds, you can do this.

Hope this helpful

Realms
http://www.realmsofreality.net/

[ethan]

I have a MS-1. Put it this way. I used it only once. It is pretty much just a fill flash. Probably puts out about the same amount of light or less than your built on camera flash....There is no way to compare the power to something like the 285. If flashes were trucks hauling dirt, the vivitar would be a dump truck where the MS-1 would be a bucket. (Just not much flash power)

Thanks for the advice. I just picked up a used Vivitar 283 on ebay for slightly less than the MS-1 would've cost new. Unfortunately I don't think I'll get it in time for my next trip Thursday, but maybe that'll give me a bit of time to think about how to protect it while caving.

Is there anyone here who has a spare VP-1 "Varipower" unit they wouldn't mind selling? Otherwise I'll just probably just build my own (it's supposedly just a potentiometer) - something like this: http://www.genre.fsnet.co.uk/solved/v283/

Ethan

[Dave Bunnell]

Ethan,

The VP1 rocks, as it make the 283 even more versatile than the 285 in a smaller package (for folks tuning in, this handy $30 device plugs into the Vivitar 283 and lets you dial it from full to 1/64 power, which is really nice for close-ups with those digitals that won't let you stop down past f/8).

Only 30 bucks from B&H or other big mail-order camera companies.

I suspect it is only a pot. One annoying thing about it is that your flash will continue to go off from a slave even when turned off after you use this at lower power settings, (Perhaps because the capacitor builds a much bigger charge?) So if you can improve on this in a small package, maybe saving more battery capacity as well, go for it!

I looked at the article and was wondering about these digital switches, are they very costly? He's getting maybe one more step from his design, and its a bit bulkier, so I wonder what advantages it may offer over the VP1?

[Realms]

Very cool Dave. I will be getting one of these as soon as I get a 283 Sounds very handy indeed.

Realms
http://www.realmsofreality.net/

[NZcaver]

NZCaver - How are you manually firing it? Is there a "test" button?...Also, what is the cycle time? How do you compare its power to a that of a Vivitar 285? I see published guide number of around 100 for the 285, but nothing mentioned for the MS-1. I'm just a little skeptical of anything that runs of a pair of AAA cells...

As Realms said, yes there is a test button on the back of the MS-1 (it also doubles as the "ready light"). The cycle (and startup) time on mine is more like 5 seconds, using my normal NiMH batteries (I just timed it) - and those AAAs seem to last pretty well. As I previously mentioned, it's really only good as a fill-in flash. If you're going to be doing anything serious, you're going to want something bigger. The reason I got mine is because it was cheap, VERY compact, and better than NOT having a separate flash (for short-medium range shots, anyway). Being about the same intensity as any on-camera flash, it won't really improve the range of your shots - but it should improve the quality and give some more lighting options. I've taken it caving many times, and it's held up surprisingly well to being knocked around.

By trial-and-error, I came up with a rather interesting way to use it. On my old crappy snappy digital camera, I have a "sunset" mode. It fires a lower-intensity flash (double flash) but leaves the shutter open longer than usual - maybe 1/2 to 1 second. I would steady the camera on something (sometimes my tiny pocket-tripod), and either have someone else manually fire the MS-1 as soon as they see the camera flash, or do it myself. (I put a piece of tape over the MS-1 sensor to stop it firing automatically on the first flash.) I have since "upgraded" my camera, my flashes, and my photography techniques, so I don't usually do this anymore. However, it gave reasonable results (better than not using a second flash) and others might find this technique useful.

I couldn't find the guide number for the MS-1 anywhere (surprise surprise), but I imagine it's only about 20-30 @ ISO 100. The flashes I normally use now are a Vivitar (GN 79 @ ISO 100), and an Achiever (GN 56-112 @ ISO 100 - it's a zooming flash). I'm always keeping my eyes open for something bigger and better though...