Olympus TF-22 Twin Flash Head (Needs FC-01 Flash Controller, FR-1 & SR-1)
by Olympus
(Click here)
Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: OlympusModel: 260109
Product features:
- Twin flash for macro photography
- Set at any desired angle
- Fired as a single flash or simultaneously
- Guide number of 72 feet/22 meters
- Corel PaintShop Photo Pro X3 [OLD VERSION]
- Creative Light 100843 120 cm/47-Inch Reflector (Silver/White)
- Creative Light 100870 105 cm/41-Inch Umbrella Softbox (White)
- Creative Light 100861 65 cm/ 25-Inch Umbrella (Translucent)
- PocketWizard PWP-TR 801-125 PLUS II Transceiver - Black
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Olympus TF-22 Twin Flash Head (Needs FC-01 Flash Controller, FR-1 & SR-1)
Customer Review: The TF-22 is one of two options Olympus gives you for macro flash
Summary: 5 Stars
Update 10/2010 The TF-22 has quickly become my favorite closeup flash - mainly because I can achive an infinite number of angles by rotating each head 360 degrees around the lens and 120 degrees in or out towards the subject and to top that off I can adjust each flash head's light balance by 8 bars on the light balance graph to simulate side light (i.e. the left flash is 32 times brighter than the right flash) - this is adjustable when the TF-22 is connected to the controller, but not with the ring. I've added one more photo on 10/2010 that you can't see unless you check see all pictures - it shows the modeling light on. There has been some confusion about the modeling light since I wrote this review originally. You can turn it on manually and it will turn off by a timer which you can set, or it will come on automatically when you are autofocusing as a substitute for the red lights on the 50R flash that cast a grid for the camera to focus with. It is one very versitile flash, and you can add the ring flash if you need more power later by just purchasing the ring flash by itself - all the controller functions are inside the TF-22 kit here.
Original review: Olympus manufactures two flash units, a GN36 ring flash and a GN22 twin flash system. Both use the FC-01 flash controller, however each can be angled uniquely. While the ring flash is directed out parallel to the lens, the twin flash can be adjusted over 45 degrees inward to the lens, and rotated horizontally or vertically. For hard to light scenes the twin flashes can be removed and attached to small tripods. The FC-01 controller, which must be close, can be extended using an FC-05 cable
The twin flash fits almost every lens made. On the 50mm prime lens, it does need the FR-1 adapter (as does the ring flash) - but this protects the lens focus which extends nearly 50 mm from the lens body, so it's not a bad accessory to have on such an expensive and well designed lens as the 50mm prime macro lens Olympus 50mm f/2.0 Telephoto Macro ED Lens for E1, E300 & E500 Digital SLR Cameras.
On the 50-200 mm zoom and the 14-54 mm lenses, the ring flashOlympus SRF-11 TTL Ring Flash Set for the C7070, E1, E300 & E500 Digital Cameras simply mounts to the bayonet for the sunshade mount. The twin flash kit includes a support ring that screws into the filter threads on these lenses for mounting. The ring is quicker to remove, but the twin is much more flexible in lighting hard to flash macro scenes.
One lens can not use the ring flash at all - the 11-22 mm wide angle which is a good macro lens as well. The reason is that is spreads out to a 72 mm filter thread, much larger than the normal 67 mm thread. The TF-22 CAN be used with the 11-22 mm lense because it has a double threading, with the second for the 72 mm filter thread on the 11-22 mm lens making it an exceptional wide angle macro lens.
As a result the TF-22 works on everything the Ring flash does, and one more.
The FC-01 flash controller has unique operating modes depending on which flash unit is plugged in. On the TF-22 it gives you 16 steps to balance the amount of light sent to the "A" flash and the "B" flash. This can create interesting lighting effects. When used with the Ring Flash or Twin Flash, the FC-01 MUST be used to adjust your fine tuning illumination of the scene, as the camera can not keep up at the close distances. In effect, the +/- control on the camera is deactivated using a macro flash, but the FC-01 has a +/- 3.0 adjustment on the flash itself, so you are able to get the perfect exposure. You have the option of TTL metering or using full manual control if you have gone to manual exposure on the camera.
In all cases, with all flashes, you have modeling lights that can be activated by a button on the FC-01. I find the best use for these is to predict where your image of the flash will appear in the final photo by looking for the modeling lights in the viewfinder prior to the exposure. The twin flash gives you the ability to angle the lights in such a way as to keep the glare out of the lens and keep spots out of your final picture. With the ring flash you end up moving the whole camera.
Note - Due to the angles possible on the twin flash you MUST have clean filter glass or else every spec of dust will show up in your photo, expecially with the 11-22 mm lens due to its depth of field at high f stops.
ORDERING:
I can not stress this enough: You only need ONE FC-01 flash controller for macro flashes, so olympus setup their ring/twin flash systems into both KITS and add-ons. If you buy the ring flash KIT (SRF-01) you can add on the twin flash later (TF-22) and have both options. If you buy the twin flash kit to begin with (STF-22) you can buy the ring flash add on later (RF-01) and have the same kit! Unless your FC-01 breaks, or you feel the need to have two macro flashes ready at all times on two bodies, then don't buy two kits (beginning with S in the model number) or else you will double up on your flash controllers. The FC-01 can also be purchased separately.
As for compatibility, the FC-01 is a copy of the FL-50 and uses the same high voltage generators, such as the SHV-01 and the FP-01. In fact, you can combine the AA NiMH cells in the flash, the FP-01, and the SHV-01 all 3 at the same time to get sub 1 second cycle times with full flash intensity. Compared to the 7-9 seconds on the FL-50, sub second recharge times are great for sequence shooting. UPDATE: 2010 I've moved this to the E3 body and the flash is controllable from the camera for spreads of lighting intensity over a range, something we could not do on the E300.
In summary
- Macro Flashes are good from 6 cm to 6 meters
- Ring flash is brighter than the Twin Flash
- Twin flash is more controllable than the ring flash for extreme closeups
- any product beginning with (S) (SRF-01, STF-22, SHV-01, etc) is a complete kit
- The macro flash kits are in keeping with the long distance FL-50(R) flashes and make use of the same high voltage rapid flash supplies Olympus SHV-01 High Voltage Flash Power Pack (for FL-50, SRF11, STF22 & FC01).
Description of Olympus TF-22 Twin Flash Head (Needs FC-01 Flash Controller, FR-1 & SR-1)
Olympus FLASH HEAD TWIN FLASH TF-22. Replacement or Optional Flash Head included with STF-22 Set needs FC-01.Accessories
Digital Cameras & Photo Categories
Bestsellers in Accessories
Olympus 200-517 NI-MH Batteries and ChargerOlympus; Digital Camera
Price in other shops:
Olympus 200-523 Accessory Kit for D340ROlympus; Digital Camera
Price in other shops:
TDK XP Super Pro ST-120 VHS CassetteTDK; CE
Best price: $29.99
Kodak DC200 Accessory Kit for CamerasKodak; Digital Camera
Price in other shops:
Canon NB-5H NiMH Battery Pack for Canon S10, S20, A50, A5 Zoom and A5 Digital CamerasCanon Cameras US; Digital Camera
Price in other shops:
Ambico Video Luggage: Signature Series leather, Mini Size, VHS-C/ 8mmAmbico; Digital Camera
RCA VHS-C Cassette AdapterRCA; Digital Camera
Best price: $77.98
EN-EL11 Charger For Nikon Coolpix S550 500 S560 S660EconMax; Digital Camera
Best price: $0.08
Price in other shops:
KLIC-8000 Rechargeable Li-ion Battery Charger For KodakEconMax; Digital Camera
Best price: $3.26
Price in other shops:
Tutorial DVD, Learn to Critique PhotographyAdorama; Digital Camera