Helen watching birds and basking in the winter sun at the York Golf Club.
This autumn and winter we’ve been spending quite a bit of time at the local golf course – not playing golf at all but walking in the woods at the back of the course. It is a fantastic piece of Wandoo forest with rocky out crops and steep gullies cut by water erosion. In fact that’s probably why it still exists as the land wouldn’t be fit for any commercial purpose. For us it is a wonderful place where we can walk the dog and view native flora and fauna. The other great thing is other than seeing the occasional golfer on the fairways as we drive in there is nobody around.
Frida looking in holes at the York Golf Course.
Frida our wayward and reluctant Bull Terrier loves it. There are rocky outcrops to stand on and strike a heroic pose, holes to look down and lots and lots of interesting things to smell. It is the one place where she enthusiastically jumps out of the car rather than having to be enticed out with bribes.
Me I go there to photograph flowers and animals and just generally get away from everything. I find it so peaceful and relaxing. Here are a selection of photos I’ve taken this winter.
Djakal-ngakal or pink and grey galah enjoying the last warmth of the winter’s sun as it goes down.
The early morning sun highlights the golden web of the Golden Orb Weaving Spider.
Green-veined Shell Orchid, Pterostylis scabra, growing just off the fairway in the rough.
You never know who you’ll meet in the rough. Female western grey kangaroo aka sooty kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus).
Fringed Mantis Orchid, or Green Spider Orchid, (Caladenia falcata).
Cowslip Orchid, Caladenia flava subs. flava.
Hundreds of Sugar Orchids, Ericksonella saccharata, can be seen growing in the bark and leaf litter beneath the wandoo trees.
Winter donkey orchid, Diuris brumalis.
Chapman’s Spider Orchid, Caladenia chapmanii.
A quick bite to eat.
Fridas enjoying a morning run in the bush at the York Golf Club.
No I’ve not been smoking university cigarettes. Just playing around photographing oil on water.
*Today’s song reference is of course the 1966 hit Mellow Yellow by Donovan. Contrary to popular opinion it is not a song about trying to get munted by smoking banana skins.
The past week has been very difficult in terms of feeling motivated and optimistic. The news about COVID 19 in the Eastern Staes of Australia is not good. While we are nowhere near having the deaths that other places have had the walls of fortress Australia have been well and truly breached and the virus has established a beachhead in New South Wales and is fanning out to Victoria and Queensland.
Standing Out From The Crowd. Little Pink Fairy Orchid aka the dwarf pink fairy orchid, Caladenia reptans subspecies reptans.
To make matters even worse The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released a report warning that the Earth’s temperature will have risen since industrialisation 1.5ºC within the next decade and that it was a “code red for humanity”. If that wasn’t bad enough the Australian government responded in itspredictable manner. Firstly some elements of the government dismissed the report as “fear porn”. Then our erstwhile prime minister Scott Morrison announced announced that Australia won’t be setting any goals to reduce greenhouse emissions but would rather rely on technology to solve the problem. Except that they won’t because this week it was also announced that those who have adopted solar panels to generate electricity will now be slugged with a “sun tax”. Australia “has the highest uptake of solar globally” with around 29% of homes with rooftop solar PV providing 28% of Australia’s electricity. This has placed the electricity utilities under considerable strain as the coal powered electricity stations have become unprofitable and the networks will need to be upgraded to cope with any further expansion of alternative energy generation. The choice was upgrade and reduce profitability or place a charge on solar panel owners to offset the costs. So now we have a situation where the government is impeding the uptake of technology that can reduce CO2 emissions. This isn’t the only area where our government has stepped in to make new technologies unappealing. Australia has one of the lowest uptakes of electric vehicles in the world yet according to an article on the ABC “since 2018, the proportion of Australians who would consider buying an electric vehicle as their next car has stayed at about 50 per cent” yet our government refuses to provide incentives for the purchase. This takes the form of the government refusing to adopt carbon targets for the reduction of greenhouse emissions and increase fuel efficiency standards. Morrison also ran an anti electric car campaign at the last election. The current managing director of Nissan Australia Stephen Lester has said “Clear and consistent direction from governments is a critical signal to car makers to prioritise the importation of the latest low and zero-emissions vehicles for Australian consumers.”. Volkswagen the world’s largest EV maker will not export any to Australia, their Australian general manager Michael Bartsch has said “Australia has some of the most lax environmental standards in the world …We are a Third World dumping ground in terms of automotive technology.”. So when Scott Morrison says we will do our bit globally by adopting the latest technology he is patently lying. Current government policy is just to keep the mining industry profitable so our political classes can retire onto the boards of the mining companies.
Eastern Curly-locks, Thelymitra maculata.
So after all this I wasn’t in the best frame of mind and I decided to out go to a local reserve and look for some orchids and just generally hang out in nature and recharge. Unfortunately when I got there the ground had been all churned up by 4WDs and the signs and fence posts had been used for a bonfire. At this point despair well and truly took over and I felt there was little point to anything because it seemed that if COVID didn’t get you then climate change certainly would and the behaviour of people would only accelerate this. I have been environmentally aware and trying my best to reduce my carbon foot print since the early 1980’s but it now seemed all in vain and that we’re going backwards. I walked around the Wandoo woodland for a couple of hours just thinking everything is futile.
After 14 years of looking I found it! Eastern Curly-locks, Thelymitra maculata.
Come Friday I went out to another reserve, one that is harder to access. It was just marvellous. Within minutes of getting out of the car I found a hard to find orchid that I’d been looking for over the past 14 years. That certainly improved my mood. I followed a Kangaroo trail for a couple of hundred metres and found an incredible display of little pink fairy and cowslip orchids. A close encounter with a bob tailed lizard sunning itself and then an echidna only further enhanced my mood. Since then I realised that the natural world is spectacular and being out in it can restore the psyche. The environment is not yet dead as I had just experienced. Give it a chance and it will continue to support and amaze us. We, that is everyone, just have to give it a helping hand.
A hybrid of Cowslip Orchid (Caladenia flava subs. flava) and the little pink fairy orchid (Caladenia reptans subspecies reptans).
Apparently according to the Australia Talks National Survey 72% of Australians say climate change is a big concern but this doesn’t change the way we vote. It seems that we’d all much rather vote for a tax break rather a better environmental policy. If we think about the Earth as our home it seems that we would rather vote for someone who promised an extra $5 a week but would bulldoze our house rather than vote for someone who’d protect our home but make us pay and extra $5 a week in tax. At this stage you probably think I’m just anti the current Liberal Nationals Coalition Government, but the truth is Labour are no better. Both parties fudge the issue of climate change and don’t offer any practical solutions. So if elections aren’t the answer what is?
Winter Donkey Orchid, Diuris brumalis.
Mahatma Gandhi famously said “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” So the change stars with us. Our actions no matter how small and insignificant they may appear magnify exponentially when we all do them. If you want some help on things to do to make the world a better place then I suggest the The Lazy Person’s Guide to Saving the World from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Another good place to start is the #youneedtoknow 170 actions to transform our world. You don’t have to do them all just pick a couple of suggestions at first and see how you go. As you do this make sure you spend some time in the natural environment. Firstly because it will make you feel better, calmer and more relaxed. Secondly to experience and see what you’re hoping to save.
Little Pink Fairy Orchid aka the dwarf pink fairy orchid, Caladenia reptans subspecies reptans.
The Olympus FC-WR flash controller mounted on an Olympus OMD EM1 mark 2 and the FR-WR connected to an Olympus FL-600R speedlight.
When Olympus launched their wireless radio controlled flash system there were howls of derision from the combined blogosphere and photographic forums. Mainly it went along the lines of Olympus had lost the plot in charging so much for something that others were offering so cheaply.If all you want to do is take portraits with a couple of off camera speedlights then there maybe something to this argument. Let’s make a quick comparison.
So that is quite some difference – $794 AUD is a lot of money. Then the Godox fans will tell that the system is much more flexible because if you change camera system all you have to do is change the wireless trigger to one that is dedicated to your new system and you can keep using your existing speedlights. On the face of it it this quite a compelling argument. But this really doesn’t tell the whole story as it assumes that you have no existing flash equipment and that all you want to do is shoot basic lighting set ups with either TTL or full manual control. Now a lot of people who are attracted to Olympus cameras aren’t just attracted by the small size of micro four thirds but also by the advanced features that the cameras have such as focus stacking, keystone compensation, High Res Shot Mode, Live Bulb, Live Time, Live Composite, multi exposure, art filters, picture modes, and interval shooting. Plus Godox doesn’t offer a TTL enabled flash such as the Olympus Twin Flash STF-8 for macro and close up photography.
Using the Olympus STF-8 close up flash as part of a multi flash set up controlled by the Olympus FR-WR and FC-WR.
Regular readers will know that I do a lot of wildflower photography, product shots and the occasional portrait all using flash. I realised I wanted to use more complex lighting arrangements and so I decided to put together a system based around the existing flash units I already had – an Olympus FL-600R, an Olympus STF-8, 2 Metz 44AF-1’s, and a Metz 64AF-1. To that end I bought an Olympus FC-WR wireless commander and three Olympus FR-WR Wireless Radio Flash Receivers ($285 AUD each). Still not a super cheap option, but one that gives me a lot of scope. Now when I started this because the system was not well received there were next to no reviews of it and I didn’t know if everything I had, particularly the Metz units would work. Also I wanted to know whether they would also work with my Panasonic G85. So this was a real voyage of discovery
As I progressed with this I realised that I didn’t just want to write a review, but that I’d also say how to use the equipment in various modes across both Olympus and Panasonic cameras using third party flashguns so that prospective users can find all this information out without having to take a punt like I did. As usual I’ve provided the information in both video and written formats.
So with all that preliminary guff stated (phew!!) lets dig in by looking at the Commander and Receivers themselves first.
FC-WR Commander
Specifications
Maximum communication distance
Approx. 30 m
Frequency
2.4 GHz band
Number of channels
15 (in the commander mode; with automatic channel setting function)
Number of groups
3; maximum number of flash units; unlimited
Flash control modes
TTL / MANUAL / FP TTL / FP MANUAL / Off
Flash compensation
±5 EV (Increment: 1/3 EV or 1/2 EV)
Manual flash power settings
From 1/1 to 1/128 (Increment: 1/3 EV or 1/2 EV)
Power supply
AAA alkaline dry-cell batteries x 2 / AAA NiMH batteries x 2
Continuous usage duration
Approx. 6.4 hours (when using AAA alkaline dry-cell batteries)
Operable temperature / humidity
From -10 to 40℃ (14 to 104°F) / From 30 to 90%
Dimensions
Approx. 59.5 (W) x 51.0 (H) x 67.4 (D) mm
Weight
Approx. 73 g (excluding batteries)
Firstly the WR in designation is Olympus speak for the fact that the commander has a degree of weather resistance. This is a huge positive for me as I shoot a lot of stuff outside in all weathers. Olympus doesn’t specify the degree of water resistance, but says the unit will operate in temperatures ranging from -10 to 40ºC and humidity up to 90%. I didn’t throw it in a bucket of water but I have used it out in the rain on several occasions with no functional problems, and when I opened up the battery compartment it was dry so that’s all good.
The FC-WR uses AAA batteries. This was a bit of a disappointment and I would have liked AA as it means I only have to carry one type of battery and AAs last longer. However in practice I’m still using the first set of AAAs, and I suppose the use of them keeps the size down.
Olympus FC-WR, showing the information panel and the various controls.
Physically the FC-WR is made of sturdy plastic which doesn’t creak or flex if you give it a squeeze. The door to the batter compartment is on a sprung hinge and slides to lock and open. It fits well and there is some initial resistance to moving so there won’t be any accidental opening. On the base is a locking hotshot with the standard m4/3 pins providing electrical contact. On the to is a large LCD screen which gives all the necessary info and is backlit.Underneath that are three buttons – one each for the the three groups. Then there is a mode button, a test button, a dial and rocker switch surrounding the OK button and finally the on/off button. A nice touch is that if you turn off your camera the FC-WR automatically switches off, and if you restart your camera within 10 minutes it will automatically switch back on. Any longer and you have to press the on/off button.
To use it is simplicity itself. First select the group or flashgun you want to control, press the button followed by the mode button. Select between TTL, manual or off. Use the right side rocker switch to move to the +/- ratio to select either flash compensation for TTL mode or the power levels for manual mode. Another press of the rocker switch and you can select whether you want high speed flash sync or FP mode in Olympus speak. A final press of the rocker switch lets you select the channel that you want all this to occur on.
AAA alkaline dry-cell batteries x 2 / AAA NiMH batteries x 2
Continuous usage duration
Approx. 6.4 hours (when using AAA alkaline dry-cell batteries)
Operable temperature / humidity
From -10 to 40℃ (14 to 104°F) / From 30 to 90%
Dimensions
Approx. 59.1 (W) x 46.1 (H) x 51.0 (D) mm
Weight
Approx. 75 g (excluding batteries)
Olympus FR-WR showing the controls on the rear of the unit.
In terms of construction what I said about the the commander applies here. On top of the receiver is a standard four thirds protocol hot shoe. On the base there is a locking cold shoe with 1/4 20 mount. On the left side (looking from the front) is a pc sync socket – does anyone actually use these any more? – which would allow you to tigger a studio mono block or power pack. On the other side is the battery compartment which takes two AA cells.On the back panel is a dial that enables you to select channels (1-15) and beside it another dial for selecting channels. Then there are three buttons which are from the bottom the on/off switch. The neat little touch with this is if you are using an Olympus brand flash then switching off the receiver will switch off the flash. In the middle is a button for switching the beep on and off. I leave it on as it gives me an audible indication of when everything has recharged. Finally at the top is the X-RCV button. This allows you to either control the flash from the commander unit or from the flash itself. I choose to control the flash via the commander unit as I find that more convenient.
Usage Scenarios
Standard Mode
The Radio triggers work with both Olympus and Panasonic cameras and with third party flashes. It also works with the Olympus ST-F8 as part of a multi flash set up, but you will have to cobble together something to hold the FR-WR and ST-F8 body off of the camera.
Using the Olympus STF-8 close up flash as part of a multi flash set up controlled by the Olympus FR-WR and FC-WR.
FP Mode or High Speed Sync
FP mode or high speed sync is a function of the flashgun and not the camera. So if your flash supports it it you can use it. I got it work with the Metz 64AF-1 and the Olympus FL 600-R using both Panasonic and Olympus cameras.
Focus Stacking or Bracketing
The focus stacking feature found on Olympus cameras imposes certain operating restrictions:
Uses the electronic shutter
The flash sync speed is 1/50th sec or longer
You can’t use TTL flash you have to manually adjust the power settings of the flash to get correct exposure
When you set operating parameters for focus stacking in the camera menu remember to allow a a delay between shots that allows for the flash to recycle. I’ve found four seconds to be sufficient. Having set that up switch on the FC-WR and it automatically selects manual flash mode and the camera selects the the flash sync speed. This worked with both the Olympus and Metz flashes on only the Olympus cameras. Panasonic’s focus stacking function is video based (4K capture) and not stills like that of the Olympus.
The original shot with no focus stacking.The end result of the in camera focus stacking. Twelve shots taken at a different focusing distance and then merged in camera. The camera always applies a slight crop when doing this.
High Res Mode
In many ways this is similar to the focus stacking mode mentioned previously.It requires an electronic shutter set at 1/50th sec or longer and the flash to be set manually. This worked well with both the Olympus and Metz flash guns. I didn’t test this with a Panasonic camera as my G85 doesn’t have this function.
Conclusion
The Olympus FC-WR flash controller mounted on an Olympus OMD EM1 mark 2 and the FR-WR connected to an Olympus FL-600R speedlight.
Lets get the niggly issue out of the way first. Yes the system is expensive and I wish that it was a little cheaper. Having said that you get rock solid dependability. I found that the Godox units were somewhat flaky at times – occasional misfires where the flash didn’t go off. I like dependability and I’m prepared to spend a little more to get it.
The good stuff. I like the fact that the operation of the constituent parts is seamless even when using the advanced Olympus camera features. The build quality and the weather resistance is excellent, Olympus do a really good job in making small equipment that can handle all the vagaries that life can dish out. The fact that this works with Panasonic cameras is great. Cross compatibility was another factor that brought me into the micro four thirds system. If you want full frame these should work with Panasonic’s full frame offerings as they also share the m4/3 protocols for flash. I say “should” as I’ve not tested it and cannot find anything online to confirm one way or the other. The fact that you can use it with third party speedlights is a huge bonus.
If you are a micro four thirds user and want a rock solid off camera flash solution that gives you access to multi-flash set ups even with specialist close-up equipment using the specialist in camera features such as focus stacking or high res mode then I think its worth spending the cash.
I have written and made videos about several aspects of the Olympus flash system and these are:
Grand Master Flash : using Hahnel Captur manual radio triggers on Olympus m4/3 cameras. Probably made redundant by this article, but still relevant if you want a reliable affordable system and are willing to forego TTL control.
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