I have been looking for a flash that will fit the E series Cameras but as of yet I have not found anything decent other than Olympus flashes. Is there any other company who may offer a flash to fit these cameras that would be reliable, and more affordable than the Oly flashes? I need one that has a decent range for when I am using my long lens. It basically only needs to add a little bit of fill but I am hoping I can get something that will shoe some effect at over 50 feet. Under $200 or around that price range is where I want to be. A little bit more than $200 would be considered affordable but not too much more.

I know you stated other than Olympus, but here is an Oly brand for $170.00 that will bounce flash. There is also a SunPak avaliable for $50.00. If you get one post a review and a few samples. I am in the market for one as well.

http://www.adorama.com/IOMFL36.html

He's right. I have the FL-36 and I use it with my 40-150mm with no problems. Lights up the whole room.

I tried out the FL 36 after borrowing it from a friend and I find that indoor it would be an excellent addition to my kit. However I need it more for outdoors and long range and it simply didn't cut it (even with a Better Beamer attachment). Same with the FL 50. A $400 flash should simply be stronger IMHO and there was barely any noticeable difference between the FL 36 and the FL 50 to justify the price difference.

I am leaning towards a Vivitar 285 HV as it states it has a usable effect at ISO 100 at 120 feet. 40 yards is a workable distance for me with a 500 mm lens and using the Better Beamer it should give me even more usable light at that range I hope. I have the local camera store trying to get me one to try out (the owner has a friend who owns one so he's trying to work out a loaner for me before I buy... gotta love customer service when you know the owner lol) Once I test it out I will post the pics and my feelings on the lens/flash/Better Beamer combination.

You didn't use the settings correctly if you didn't see a difference. I have both the FL-36 and the Vivitar 285HV and each has it's place and uses. The power output on both flashes is about equal. Compared to the FL-50, they have about 2/3s the power of that flash. The big advantage the FL-36 has over the Vivitar is TTL useage and its ability to sync at any shutter speed in FP mode. I've found the FL-36 to be a quite capable unit coupled with my E-1s.

Thanks Marc. I only played with each flash for about 15 minutes and tried to play with the settings but as I have never used a flash before (I am a natural light guy) I really had no idea what it was I was doing. My biggest need for a flash is with my 500 MM lens usually at 75 - 120 feet when shooting wildlife I can't get any closer than that to. ( or when the only shot I have is backlit)

Do you find a difference with the light focus between the FL 36 and the Vivitar 285HV? and if so at what range to you start to experience fall off?

75-120 ft outside? The only strobe I know of that will come close to lighting something like that isn't too portable. I don't care what anybody or any manual might say, I've never seen a flash do the job beyond about 50 feet. I've been shooting professionally for 25 years, with a degree in commercial photography. The only way you'll light something at that range is with prepositioned studio type strobes. Shooting hoops for SI, they mount studio strobes in the rafters set on the backboards themselves. If you're trying to shoot say, whitetails in the wild with a hot-shoe type flash, won't work. Maybe a Sunpack 622, or the big Metz, both of them are potatoe masher type units, but those would be the only ones I know of. I had Norman 200s at Edwards AFB. That's a 200 W/S unit with a battery pack the size of a shoe box you wore with a belt around your waist. I shot with Hasselblad 500 CMs and using VPS III I was able to shoot syncro-sun in the desert at about 1/500 @ f8 out to about 30 feet if I remember correctly. Worked the best at about 10-15 feet. That's with a leaf shutter in Zeiss glass. I haven't used or seen anything better than that throughout my years of shooting syncro-sun. Get close, and if you can't, try setting up a blind or use decoys to draw the game into you. Same principle as duck hunting, and I've got about 6-7 dozen decoys, but prefer using a Benelli and then eating them. Sorry I can't shed more light on the subject than that.

M

no worries. I'll keep playing around. I don't need the flash to light the subject completely as there is usually enough ambient light. I simply am trying to add more detail at a longer range. I'll keep trying and I'll let you know if I figure something out.

I've never seen a flash do the job beyond about 50 feet
Hm, I must dig out some of my 580EX night racing shots at about double that.

Read the whole question. He's asking about shooting sycro-sun during daylight. Now, if you've got something that works, please by all means.

I just read some stuff by a local photographer here in Toronto who uses the Better Beamer attachment in daylight at distances around 75 feet ( I talked to him personally yesterday about it and he gave me this website link) and gets very decent results. The effective range claimed on the product site is 100 feet during daylight for fill flash.

Link : http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/better_beamer.shtml

They claim that the attachment will increase the light by 1 - 3 stops and focus the light to reach a longer distance even in daylight.

One of the guys in the NW forum uses this attachment (It's either Canon Bob or Big Baldo I can't remember which) and his results are excellent. I have ordered a Vivitar 485 HV and a Better Beamer attachment to fit it now after playing with the 285 HV yesterday. I will keep you posted on my results.

Post a picture or two. I wold like to see the result.

Greg

Big time. I may not be from Missouri, but in this claim I have to say: "Show me"!