Flashes for Olympus

Olympus flashes: Which flash is suitable for your Olympus camera?

Most digital cameras have a built-in flash. This is also practical, but quickly reaches its limits in photographic practice. If you use the internal flash often, you will notice after a short time that it cannot illuminate the scene to be photographed evenly and completely. Often the centre of the picture is too bright and the peripheral areas are rather dark. The flash light cannot penetrate deep enough, which is why all subjects that are not close enough in front of the lens remain too dark and may not be recognisable at all. Internal camera flashes can also only ever illuminate the scene directly, creating disturbing, harsh drop shadows. In addition, the eyes of the person being photographed often glow red.

All these disadvantages can be overcome with an external flash unit. In the meantime, flash units are equipped with good automatic functions, so that you do not have to be an expert to use them and still achieve good results. There are also a variety of compatible flash systems for Olympus cameras, offered by Olympus itself as well as by third-party manufacturers. However, you should know that not every flash can solve the above problems equally well. There are many differences between the individual units. Find out in the lower section of the website what you should look out for when buying a new flash unit for your Olympus camera.

An overview of different types

With external flash units, different designs can be distinguished, which also results in several purposes. For most amateur photographers, the clip-on flash is probably the best choice. It is also called a system flash. You simply slide it onto the designated slot on the camera, which is called the hot shoe. This contains the contacts necessary for the camera to exchange information with the flash unit.

A ring flash, on the other hand, is mounted around the lens and connected to the hot shoe by a cable. This flash ensures that the lens cannot cast a shadow on the photo. Ring flashes are often used especially for macro photography because the subjects are then only a short distance from the lens. For this reason, these flash units are also called macro flashes.

The baton flash is attached to the camera by a separate holding frame. It is therefore also a clip-on flash, except that it is further away from the camera and usually has a greater output. The holding frame can often also be used as a handle for the camera. More rechargeable batteries and batteries can be inserted there so that the baton flash has more power available. This has the advantage that it can charge more quickly than a normal clip-on flash, which is very practical, especially when taking continuous pictures.

In principle, other flashes can be used in addition to all the above-mentioned types in order to increase the luminosity even more and to ensure more even illumination of the scene from different angles. The main flash is always the master of the second flash, which is why this flash system is also called a master-slave system. For a flash to be used as a slave, it must have a sensor that detects whether another flash is firing nearby. If this is the case, it fires almost simultaneously.

Which flash units are available for Olympus cameras?

For Olympus cameras there are clip-on flashes from various manufacturers such as Metz, Voking and Nissin. But Olympus itself has also developed various flash units especially for its own cameras, which you can find in our online shop. In addition, there is a special macro flash as well as an underwater flash, so that you are well prepared for every area of use.

Flash units for Olympus cameras provide better illumination

The biggest advantage of an external flash unit is obvious: it provides more light when taking photos. But how can you tell how much light a flash can produce? That's what the so-called guide number is for. A guide number of twelve means that the flash can still illuminate objects at a maximum distance of twelve metres.

However, the guide number can also be misleading because the figure is based on an aperture of f/1, which in reality is hardly possible with any lens. Therefore, you must always divide the guide number by the f-number you are currently using. With an aperture of f/4, the maximum distance at the guide number of 12 is therefore reduced to three metres. At an aperture of f/9, it is only 1.33 metres.

In addition, the guide number is given at an image sensitivity of ISO 100. If you choose a higher light sensitivity, the luminosity of the flash can be improved a little. Before buying, also check for which focal length the manufacturer specifies the guide number. Normally, 50 millimetres is common. If a manufacturer refers to a different focal length with the guide number, you first have to convert the values. The guide number you need depends in particular on your intended use. For everyday, all-round use, a guide number of at least 35 is recommended.

External flashes often offer the option of indirect flash

Most simple clip-on flashes can only light the scene you want to photograph from the front. This creates harsh shadows and sometimes results in overexposure. The picture has large light-dark contrasts and looks anything but natural. If you want to avoid this, you should choose an Olympus flash unit that has a movable flash head. Then indirect lighting is also possible. The flashes are equipped with a joint with which you can swivel the flash head upwards and often also to the side - i.e. vertically and horizontally. This reduces the direct irradiation. The flash can be thrown onto the wall or ceiling and only hits the scene to be photographed when reflected. As a result, the lighting appears less harsh, less obtrusive and much more natural.

When buying, pay attention to the connection

In this category of our shop, you will only find flash units that are compatible with Olympus cameras. This is important because the contacts of the camera manufacturers differ and therefore not all flash units can be used on every camera. However, if you own an Olympus camera, you are well advised to use the units in this category: The external flash is connected to the camera via the hot shoe. Alternatively, you can also attach a flash cable to the flash shoe.