Using Auto Flash with OM2n and T20/32 flashguns.

[PeteD]

Hi all
I've recently aquired an Olympus OM2n as well as 2x T20 and a T32 flashes. For some unknown (to me) reason I cannot get the flashes to work with the camera on full auto. Can anyone shed any light please?

TIA

Pete

 

[Fernando]

there may be several reasons for that odd behavior, I think you should provide more data on what have you done so far to make them in working order, what do you mean by 'not working', what type of hot-shoe are you using to connect body to camera: a Shoe 4 not too badly cracked is the only one that meets requirements to make full functional OM 2n -> T 32/20 coupling at sync 1/60 TTL - OTF mode. contacts must be clean, etc. ... :confused:

 

[MattKing]

Do you have manuals for the camera and flashes?

If not, you can find links throughout the Unofficial Olympus OM Sales Information File, which you can find here:

http://olympus.dementia.org/eSIF/om-sif.htm

Do you have the sliding plate on the rear of the flashes oriented the right way?

 

[PeteD]

Hi Guys.

I have manuals for both camera and flash units. The camera is fitted with shoe 4, in fact I swapped it with the one off my OM1n in case it was the shoe not working.

I've had another play with both T20 flashes and can get the charge light in the viewfinder to come on now which it wouldn't before. Also the auto check light on the flash is lit but very dim but it doesn't flicker to indicate correct exposure. I've tried it on all 3 recommended f stops.

The plate on the back of the flash is turned to full auto control.

The camera is set for 1/60th second shutter speed and f5.6 stop.

Pete

 

[mopar_guy]

The camera meter switch needs to be in the Auto position. Set a f-stop to get a shutter speed of 1/60th sec. or longer.

 

[PeteD]

Hi Guys.

Camera is set on Auto and I set it to get a 1/15th sec shutter speed if I'm reading the above post correctly and still no flickering light to indicate correct exposure.. I must be doing something wrong somewhere.

Pete

 

[MattKing]

Do you have film in the camera? If not, the OTF ("Off The Film") flash metering doesn't work properly.

 

[mopar_guy]

I have had the most consistent results as follows:
Camera in auto mode,
Flash with blank side out (Auto mode),
Set an aperture that would give about 1/30th sec. exposure (that means 1 stop away from 1/60th sec.).

I get a better balance of ambient light and flash and it is more likely that the flash will not be "underpowered".

 

[George S.]

Excuse the simple question here please, but are you focused on your subject when you get the 1/15th indicated shutter speed? Sometimes we don't realize we aim at something and then recompose for the shot. Remember, on AUTO, it doesn't matter what the indicated shutter speed is before the shot, the camera decides to fire the flash or not only at the moment of exposure. If you were to take a flash shot in a mode different from AUTO, do you then get a 'correct exposure' indication? Have you gotten any results back yet? Your shots may be correctly exposed without an indication. Also, since the charge indicator wasn't coming on before, make sure you have fresh, strong batteries in the camera and the flash. Maybe change them.

 

[PeteD]

Well Folks. It would seem that both Hot shoes already fitted to my OM1n/2n may have been at fault. I picked up another pair via Ebay for use as spares and upon trying them out found that things were working ok. All lights flashing etc as they should have.

Pete

 

[George S.]

IDK how much there is in a hot shoe to make them go bad, sounds like light corrosion at the connection points and when you removed one and inserted another you may have cleaned the contact point. I'll bet there's an even chance your old 'bad' ones will work again.