Evolt E-500 Problems

[cbear]

Hello everyone,

I am new to the DSLR and was hoping someone could answer a few questions for me before I give up completely. Until this camera, I have always used Olympus, but P&S.

Now I am by no means a professional photographer, just a guy who enjoys to take pictures and play in photoshop for fun. So be kind if these are real basic things everyone should know :-)

I purchased the Evolt in December and I have had an ongoing issue since day one. When shooting pictures (indoor / outdoor all different light situations) the flash will flicker 3, 4 and sometimes even 5 times before the shot is taken. Is this normal or is there a setting somewhere? I have the flash set to Auto. I keep missing shots as well as driving the people around me nuts!!

As well, when I press the shutter release halfway to lock the focus the flash flickers everytime. Again, maybe this is normal but I find it to be very annoying, not to mention hard on the eyes ;-)

Any advice on how to fix this problem would be wonderful as I am beginning to think I have a defective camera (or I am a defective photographer - LOL)

Please keep in mind that no settings have been changed - all factory default.

Thanks.

Chris.

[Norm in Fujino]

The E-500 uses the flash to provide extra illumination to assist the focus mechanism when shooting in dim or back-lit lighting. Unfortunately, it is obnoxious to a lot of people. Possible solutions are:

1. Learn to use your camera in a non-AUTO mode. Turn off the auto flash popup (see page 126 in the manual), and also try turning off the AF ILLUMINATOR function (p. 75); set the camera to P or another mode.
Learn how to focus under dim lighting by placing the focus mark on an area of contrast in the image and holding the camera still. Remember that most dSLRs (and other cameras as well) are limited in their ability to focus under very dim lighting situations. Alternately, focus manually.

2. Get an Olympus flash (FL-36 or FL-50) that has a built-in focus-assist lamp. The focus-assist lamps are red and don't distract the subject so much.

Don't be discouraged, and remember that this isn't a toy; photography is a craft and you're trying to do something that involves a definite learning curve. Study a bit more about photography and your camera manual to learn how to use it. Good luck.

[cbear]

Thank you very much! I turned off the AF Iluuminator function and those annoying flashes are gone. I have found a great website that goes in detail on how to use the E500 so I have been doing some reading up as well. I also found a photographer in town that teaches private lessons so I have emailed her as well. I am real excited to master this camera and I hope I am on my way now.

Chris.

[Gary24]

Thank you very much! I turned off the AF Iluuminator function and those annoying flashes are gone. I have found a great website that goes in detail on how to use the E500 so I have been doing some reading up as well. I also found a photographer in town that teaches private lessons so I have emailed her as well. I am real excited to master this camera and I hope I am on my way now.

Chris.

Cbear...can you provide a line to that site?

[Riley]

Gary it would be

http://www.wrotniak.net/photo/oly-e/index.html

or specifically for E-500

http://www.wrotniak.net/photo/oly-e/e500-rev.html

[cbear]

Riley beat me to it! That is the link I was talking about.

[SpecialK]

Thank you very much! I turned off the AF Iluuminator function and those annoying flashes are gone. I have found a great website that goes in detail on how to use the E500 so I have been doing some reading up as well. I also found a photographer in town that teaches private lessons so I have emailed her as well. I am real excited to master this camera and I hope I am on my way now.

Chris.

Odd that it happened in daylight, too (?), but good luck and happy shootiing.