Remote Flash Cable FL-CB05 or equivalent

[Loup Garou]

Now that I am getting the EM5 MkII (tomorrow!), I have decided to 'transfer' use of the FL-600R to the new camera. But I am going to encounter the same problem as I did with the original EM5 - when the FL600R is mounted on the camera's hotshoe, it makes the ensemble rather cumbersome to handle. On the older EM5 I sometimes solved this problem by mounting the FL-600R on a bracket (I have a robust Kaiser with an insulated hotshoe) and trigger it with the little FL-LM2 flash.

I can do the same thing with the EM5 Mk II of course, but I am thinking of getting Olympus' remote flash cable FL-CB05, stiil available if one shops around. I have two questions about this:

1. Is there any advantage in using this cable to trigger the FL-600R instead of doing it wirelessly with the FL-LM2?

2. Are the FL-CB05 'alternatives' made by JJC or others as good as the original?

[Graham_of_Rainham]

Re: Remote Flash Cable FL-CB05 or equivalent

The FL-CB05 is literally an extension to the hot shoe, so all the functionality of the flash is maintained. I use it when I want a flash attached to the camera with full function, but able to be positioned so as to avoid the classic "on camera flash" problems.

I have read that Jessops have one that is a copy of the Canon "Off Cord 2" that works, but I've not tried it.

[Harold Gough]

Re: Remote Flash Cable FL-CB05 or equivalent

The problem with the FL-LM2 is that, especially in macro, it is easily knocked into the down position, switching it off. Even so, having experimented with such cables, I prefer to use the LM2.

Harold

[Ralph Harwood]

Re: Remote Flash Cable FL-CB05 or equivalent

Hi there Loup Garou!

I have the cheap copy of the olympus CB05 made by Mieke, and have had mixed results with it - the pins on the camera end don't seem to be quite long enough, so that when the locking mechanism is used it actually lifts the pins off their contacts (but not every time, just often enough to cause trouble and miss that important shot!)

I have got around this by simply not locking the cable down, and also giving all the pins a good lubricate with WD40, however I think that this is why the cable was a lot cheaper than the olympus cable - you get what you pay for.

Because of the above problems I couldn't recommend the Mieke version, but then again it wasn't bad enough for me to send it back for replacement either, so I suppose that is an endorsement of sorts.

Cheers,

Ralph.

[alfbranch]

https://www.parkcameras.com/p/J356797J/other-studio-accessories/lastolite/off-camera-flash-cords-olympus?utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=pricecomp&utm_campaign=GoogleShopping&gclid=CjwKEAiAp_WyBRD37bGB_ZO9qAYSJAA72IkgEuJL8FE9IRyiNX-vbv75Bunijo95ftuezycjPsCJKBoCTwLw_wcB

[Loup Garou]

Re: Remote Flash Cable FL-CB05 or equivalent

Thanks people. For the time being I took a chance and ordered the JJC one and first impressions seem good. The contacts at both ends seem OK and the flash end mounted quite firmly on my Kaiser bracket. I fired the FL-600R 10 times using this ensemble and it worked every time.

The only complaint I have is that I wish the camera end was designed so that the cable came out of the rear rather than the front. The cable itself is a coiled 1 metre, which is what I wanted.

For Olympus at least, JJC products seem to be the most decent 'independent' accessories.