Yongnuo Speedlight Flash and Olympus TG4

The Old Ruminator

Well-known member
I bought the Yongnuo YN660 flash with the intention of using it for off camera lighting with my Olympus TG 4.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/YONGNUO-YN660-Speedlite-Transceiver-Integrated/dp/B01FVOP4XC/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1546111214&sr=8-10&keywords=yongnuo+flash.

Seems to work well at home but I have yet to see how the pair work in a cave. The usual way is to mask the TG4 flash with a section of 35mm  film. The Y660 will then be fired as a slave unit as long as it "sees " the camera. Then its trial and error with the flash position and setting. The flashgun has to be set to S1 on M to act as a normal slave unit. The unit can then be adjusted for power output and spread quite easily with a dial on the back. With a DSLR of course multiple flash units can be fired and adjusted by radio trigger. The Amazon pack for the 660 comes with a clip on diffuser. There are some user hints on line for the Yonguo Speedlights.
https://improvephotography.com/40894/got-yongnuo-560-speedlight-now-3-speedlight-skills-master-first/
With annoying adverts.

So has anyone got good results from a Speedlight-Compact set up and have any hints how to use them.
 

TheBitterEnd

Well-known member
I've got a YN5??? something or other and the sync with my TG4 on slave mode is hit and miss, i.e. the flash fires but is out of sync with the shutter. Also the slave mode doesn't seem to be very sensitive, OK, line of sight but if the flash is behind a rock of something then it doesn't fire, a firefly or similar trigger is still needed IME. Your 660 might be better of course
 

The Old Ruminator

Well-known member
Just been practicing in the kitchen. The Yongnuo fired every time even when off to one side . It also worked as expected with the film cover on or off the TG flash. All images were in syncro with the TG on Programme. Reading reviews there have been minor technical issues with the Speedlites but that seems to be the case with virtually every tekki thing you buy. I just need a damp dark cave to try it in now. I think the advantage over a simple firefly set up is that you can dial the flash output simply . If there is an issue with the speedlite  its the inability to get the flash head directly in line away from the sensor. It wont bend at 180 degrees away from the sensor panel.


My kitchen in Speedlite only.



With Speedlite and TG flash.



The cat acting as willing model.
 

Fulk

Well-known member
Morning TOR, when you say ?Speedlight? are you specifically asking about these (Yongnuo) units or are you using the term ?speedlight? more generically, to mean strobe or flash unit? If the former, I can?t comment, but if the latter, I have recently started to use a TG 5 with flashgun(s) fired remotely by the camera?s own flash. I built a little open-ended cardboard box that fits over the end of the camera and has a slot cut in it that I covered with a couple of layers of unexposed but developed slide film (?IR filter?). It looks pretty ?naff?, but it works.

I find that using Firefly slaves I can get quite good results on aperture priority mode; one frustrating aspect of this is that the f-stops are very limited (f/2, f/2.8 and f/8, which seems an odd choice ? why not f/2, f/4, f/8?). So I use my caving lamp to focus, and choose what seems a likely f-stop /ISO combination based on the guide number (modified by multiplying by ca. 2/3 to take account of the cave environment). If (by happy chance (?)) the picture is properly exposed, then fine; if not, I juggle with the ISO f-stop combination until I get it right.

Here?s a recent example from Gavel Pot; as you should be able to see (I hope) the flashgun in this shot was hidden from the camera, but has fired as expected:


 

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The Old Ruminator

Well-known member
Nice one Fulk. I did mean the Yongnuo flashguns as they seem popular with cavers at the moment. I like your idea of the little box type cover to mask the camera flash. I am trying to simplify the process with the TG by using my usual trial and error approach . That is keep the camera on Programme Auto and move and adjust the flashgun. It seemed to work well for a friend in Withyhill last week. Eventually I will post up some results.
 

Fulk

Well-known member
Here's a snap of the camera + box, all taped up with insulating tape:

 

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mrodoc

Well-known member
The problem I found with Yongnuo infra red slave was that it need to pick up the camera flash and that seemed to be quite directional. I was glad when I found a way of sorting out the transmitters for my Olympus although of course that only works if you have a camera hot shoe which the TG4 hasn't as it is a compact.
 

Fred

Member
Regarding covering the flash - a goodly number of years ago when I had pretensions towards cave  photography I found that covering the on camera flash with a piece of black insulating tape still allowed my borrowed Firefly slaves to work. Might be worth a try ?
 

tim.rose2

Active member
I'm No expert, but I've found the easiest way of using a compact camera & flashgun / firefly is to stick your finger (mostly) over the camera flash whilst holding it.  Obviously not an option if you're doing things properly with a tripod.  Takes a few attempt to work out the best way to position one's finger and you'll get the odd misfire but on the whole works fine.  Didn't get on with the exposed film / tape options.  I found they worked perfectly in the garage, but (I guess due to the humidity) often failed to fire underground, particularly in damp / wet caves.
 

The Old Ruminator

Well-known member
Have made a flash exclusion box out of an old 2 stroke mixing can.





The black tape in the image is to hold the film in place while the glue dries.

I can tape the camera in place in the box which might help to keep it clean in use. All the camera controls will be accessible. Of course it all works perfectly in the garage and I may well try the cave tomorrow.
 

The Old Ruminator

Well-known member
Well the " naff " bit of kit worked well today. Took the old TG2 and the Yongnuo gun into Chain Chamber in Reservoir Hole. A really damp and gloomy spot so ideal to test things out. All done in a rush as it was a digging trip and my model Mr O' Doc got bored and pushed off. I tried both the flash excluder box and twin flash. Cant remember which in the images below. Had the flashgun on max width beam as it is a wide passage. Intensity is just dial until it looks OK. Certainly the single flash alone on the TG would have been written off with back scatter. For that reason the Yongnuo worked well. Watch for unwanted shadows and take spare batteries as cheap ones only last about 25 flashes in the gun. Mr O'Doc wondered if a space blanket for reflection on the wall somewhere would assist in firing the Youngnuo if out of sight. I will have to try that next. All in all a reasonable success.

P1080018 by Nicholas Chipchase, on Flickr

P1080031 by Nicholas Chipchase, on Flickr

P1080033 by Nicholas Chipchase, on Flickr

P1080054 by Nicholas Chipchase, on Flickr

P1080064 by Nicholas Chipchase, on Flickr
 

Antwan

Member
For reference using the YN600EX  on camera I get about 60 full power flashes before I notice any drop off in recharge time or power under usually 200+ shots on TTL shooting functions with a set of 1900mAh eneloops and the 560's (which I use underground) off camera with the radio triggers usually give somewhere between 170 and 250 varying between half to quarter power.

Good effort with your housing, a bit of 3d printing wizardry and you could be flogging them on Kickstarter
 

The Old Ruminator

Well-known member
The last two images are twin flash. You can still get the odd back scatter " blob " but these are easily cloned out.  A bit of cropping helps as well. The gun wont work if the sensor is out of sight with the camera thats why we thought a reflection might fire it. The most successful aspect of the trip was that I can get all the kit plus a Ginster's steak slice packed away in my little peli box.
 

Fulk

Well-known member
TOR :
The gun wont work if the sensor is out of sight with the camera

Interesting . . . I find that my Firefly slaves will (often) work when not in direct line of sight of the triggering flash.
 

beardedboy

Member
Antwan said:
a bit of 3d printing wizardry and you could be flogging them on Kickstarter

I'm on it!

I pushed go on a TG-5 yesterday after mulling over my options for a while. Thanks to everyone on here for persuading me to take that route. When it arrives I intend to design and print a lens cover which can hinge out to obstruct the flash. I'll document my results here if people are interested.

I don't think that this will make my millions, so I'll be avoiding a full on Kickstarter campaign, but i'm sure that if it works I will be able to abuse my works printers to churn out a few for fellow UKC cavers for the cost of a bit of material.
 

JTebbutt02

New member
beardedboy said:
Antwan said:
a bit of 3d printing wizardry and you could be flogging them on Kickstarter

I'm on it!

I pushed go on a TG-5 yesterday after mulling over my options for a while. Thanks to everyone on here for persuading me to take that route. When it arrives I intend to design and print a lens cover which can hinge out to obstruct the flash. I'll document my results here if people are interested.


I don't think that this will make my millions, so I'll be avoiding a full on Kickstarter campaign, but i'm sure that if it works I will be able to abuse my works printers to churn out a few for fellow UKC cavers for the cost of a bit of material.



sounds good  (y)
 

The Old Ruminator

Well-known member
Fulk said:
TOR :
The gun wont work if the sensor is out of sight with the camera

Interesting . . . I find that my Firefly slaves will (often) work when not in direct line of sight of the triggering flash.

Yes. That will be the case. I just find the Yongnuo more useful in that I can adjust the flash range and intensity . I suppose there are other such flashguns on the market that can work with a Firefly. Of course you also have the onward progression of using radio triggered multiple Youngnuos with a DSLR. Suggest in all cases decent batteries are used not my 12 for a quid in Poundland. The Yongnuo can be hand held just off centre to eliminate back scatter with the TG flash masked. Use headlamp for focusing though.
 
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