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What Flash is Compatible with Olympus E-P1, please?

Hi what flash would be compatible with this:
http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/76307/show.html

I don't need a super posh one, just one that will do the job.

Does it have to be olympus brand or can I get something generic?

I would be VERY grateful for any good answers :wink:

EDIT: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Olympus-FL-14-Flash/dp/B002CVTA4M/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=IM2ABH1ZA9LA0&colid=2Z2F148VXY4TK
Any chance of anything cheaper than that??

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Reply 1

username158804

If it's got a standard hot shoe it'll fit and trigger pretty much anything (things with unusual fittings like the Sony/Minolta gear excluded), it's just a case of whether it'll support automatic mode (Olympus or for-Olympus ones by other brands will) or whether you have to set the flash manually.

Reply 2

Talya

Ah, so if I buy the Olympus one then the camera will tell it when to flash? I guess I want that, being relatively new to photography? lol

EDIT: Can you link me to any that would be compatible at all? Apart from the one in my post obv.

Reply 3

username158804

It should tell any hot shoe flash that fits to flash, but it may or may not tell it how powerful the flash has to be to get the correct exposure for the settings the camera is using. If a flash physically would fit on the camera but wasn't compatible with the Olympus method of communication between the two you would have to work out and set the settings on the flash itself (or be stuck with the flash firing at full power all the time, which isn't ideal) which will require knowing what you're doing or some trial and error.

Anything marked as for Olympus, for 4/3 or for four-thirds would give you auto - but be aware that ones other than the one you linked will most likely have been made with bigger cameras in mind and will range between looking silly to being very unwieldy.

There are some four-thirds users, or at least advocates, on here so I'd wait for one of them to comment before you make any decisions - I'm more of a Canon 35mm/DSLR guy.

Reply 4

Nuffles

If I remember correctly that Oly flash you posted up takes two AAA batteries, and as such is pretty pathetic. It's a little more powerful than the built in flash of most DSLRs but not by much, and is by far less convenient. Have a look at Jessop's range of flashguns and see if they do a low end, smaller flashgun for Oly fitment. Metz are pretty good too, or maybe a second hand one from the era of Oly 35mm automatic cameras.

Reply 5

freecom2

Yeah I'd wait to see what dd1989 says on the topic, I don't know much about the development of flashes for a 4/3rds series.

Reply 6

Talya

Hows about this one: http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/47554/show.html
?

Reply 7

username158804

That's for Nikon (it says "Compatible with Nikon i-TTL" in the description). Looking at Jessops and my local shop your choice seems to be either a Metz unit for Olympus cameras or an Olympus brand one.

Reply 8

Woolcott

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-metz-36-af-4-olympus-panasonic-fit-flashgun/p1031113

This'll do the job, but it may look a little odd on the E-P1 given their respective sizes.

Reply 9

dd1989

I'd go for a Metz over an official Oly flash, the recycle times are better, although saying that the top of the range Oly flash is fantastic.

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/flashguns-olympus/b3105-m173

^ Olympus flashes, ignore the FL-20 it's not really designed for E-system cameras.

Metz flashes below, you will see the compatible ones.

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/flashguns-metz/b3105-m159

The top one is a good flash for £75 but it has no swivel head so it won't "bounce".

Reply 10

username158804

dd1989

The top one is a good flash for £75 but it has no swivel head so it won't "bounce".

This is certainly something to consider, using direct flash is awful.

Reply 11

freecom2

I never got the point of flashes that don't bounce, with flashes it's not power that I usually have a problem with, it's direction purely. Is there any other reasons aside from additional power and maybe being a slave in a lighting setup that you'd have a flash with no swivel head?

Reply 12

Talya

I have no idea what you just said.

Reply 13

username158804

If you use a flash with the head pointing at your subject (ie the silver bit towards them) you get a horrible caught-in-headlights look with blown-out faces and unattractive shadows. If you use flash properly you usually bounce it off something (a wall, a ceiling, a reflective umbrella like in a studio, a bit of white paper folded around the back of the flash when it's pointed up, etc) or fire it through something (like a soft box or a diffusing umbrella) to get a more natural look.

Cheap flashes often have the head in a fixed position, while better ones let you rotate the head side-to-side and up-and-down.

If you're happy with what you'd get from an on-camera flash it won't matter to you though.

Reply 14

Talya

Thanks, DJW. I'm just starting out so fixed will be fine for now I think.

Reply 15

dd1989

^ There's not much point in getting a fixed head flash gun, it won't offer that much more over the built in flash and within a short time frame you will be wanting for more...

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-metz-48-af-1-digital-olympus-panasonic-fit-flashgun/p1031108

This is definitely the one to go for if you save!

http://photo-tips-online.com/review/metz-mecablitz-48-af-1-flash/#conclusion

Review here.

Reply 16

Talya

dd1989

Will that one work automatically with the PEN?

Reply 17

username158804

Talya

Will that one work automatically with the PEN?

"Metz 48 AF-1 Digital Olympus/Panasonic Fit Flashgun"
So yes.

Reply 18

Nuffles

Bouncing the flash gives you much more natural light. For an example of direct flash, look at any of your friend's pictures from their night out. In comparison, I shot these two images at between midnight and 3 in the morning. The only lighting in the first one was my flashgun (I'm not quite sure why exactly the lights were off..) with my flash bounced off the yellow painted wall to my right, hence the warm tones.

This was shot in the kitchen with fluorescent lighting and my flash pointing upwards:

Both are much more visually appealing than pointing the flash straight at whoever you're taking a picture of.

Reply 19

Talya

I actually got the E-PL1 today (built in flash), has the hot shoe thing though if I feel as though I've outgrown it (will probably be a while!!) :biggrin: