Studio LIghts w/ E500 (converting to digital now)

[MOShutterbug]

Hi - I am a portrait photographer who had to drop out for the last few years and am now getting my business back up & running. So, I am switching (finally!) from my medium format to digital. I just got an E-500 2 days ago and am learning all its functions...wow-a few years out makes for a lot of make up learning!

I have a Photogenic PL1500 light that I've always used for studio shots. It has been great and I'm hoping I can continue to use it. But, this digital camera doesn't have a place for the sync cord to connect. Can I convert my light over or what exactly do I use for studio lights? Surely I can still use this light with my new E500???

Please help! And, if I MUST get new lights, where is the best price and equivalent that will get me going?

Thanks for any help!

[jb683]

You will have to buy a Hot shoe adapter to trigger your lights.

[smc1377]

I'm not familiar with those lights nor could I find much info online about them. But if they are anything like mine, you can buy a slave or something that plugs into your current studio lights.

This is what I have...



Basically, turn on your on-camera flash and when you take a picture and it fires, the slave will trigger your studio lights to fire as well.

Here's the weblink to their products where they claim they have a fitting for all lights.

http://www.weinproducts.com/batteryfree.htm

Good luck. Hope that helps.

**EDIT**
When reading up on the E-500, it didn't say that it utilizes E-TTL when metering the flash. All DPReview said that it was a TTL camera. If it would have been an E-TTL camera, it'll fire a flash fractions of a second before the picture is taken and the main flash is fired. This pre-flash is basically used to meter the flash. This pre-flash will cause your studio lights then to fire as well when connected to the slave. The slave will detect light and tell your studio lights to fire. But being a TTL type camera, when the flash fires on the camera, it should be taking the picture at the same time. Don't quote me on that though since I'm just relying on what I'm reading.

On Canon equipment, there are ways to cheat to cause an external flash to to revert back to TTL even if it doesn't have that option. I'm not so sure about Olympus.

[MOShutterbug]

Thank you, both, for the information. I am told I will need a Wein Safe Sync. My understanding is that it will attach to my hot shoe and then provide a connection to my current sync cord. I have been unable to find the maximum trigger volume on my E500.

I'm just learning about the E500 after only 3 days of owning it, but I can tell you that it does work great with the F50 external flash that I bought with the camera. I believe I can trun off the pre-flash bursts, but I will check on that.

Will post my findings when I'm done.

Thanks, again!

[smc1377]

I'm glad I could be of some help. It seems like the product you mentioned will certainly do the trick. I'm just somewhat surprised that the E-500 doesn't already come with the PC connection.

However, I always end up using the cord anyways when I shoot with lights. The results are just more predictable and consistent.

Good luck with your photography business!!!

[jb683]

Just go to Olympus.com and follow the link to the Olympus store. The adapter you need cost 99.99. Just bought one.

[eydryan]

olympus has the ability of pc control but mainly by usb cable and through olympus studio. and yeah hotshoe adapter is the simplest solution.