oly e500 flashgun

[panny300]

i am about to buy a flash for my e500 and would like any input from owners of these guns? i am leaning towards the fl-36 which is about 130 quid,but i have read that the two AA batteries it takes soon loose power and recycle times are longish after short usage.
Or is the fl-50 worth paying double the price? i understand that they are exactly the same function wise, only the batteries (4) and the guide number (50) are different.
Or are any of the independants worth a look?
I will be using it for general photography,with maybe the very odd occasion needing the extra power.

[Juliesinar]

I have the Fl-36 which I use with my E1, and I would not recommend it based on my own experience.

The reason I bought it over the Fl-50 was because it was smaller, and I thought the GN difference would not be as large as it appears to be in use, however, I find the recycle times are poor, and whilst it is OK in most situations when used directly, when bounced it seems very underpowered. I also find the flash exposures sometimes inconsistent.

I can't compare it directly to the Fl-50 as I have not used it. I used to have a Canon 10D which I used with the Speedlite 550ex, which was brilliant, very powerfull, quick to recharge and very accurate. I would not buy an Fl-36 again, and would probably try the Fl-50, however I suppose it really depends what you want to use it for, and what your expectations are.

If you can you should find a shop that has both and try them for yourself

[panny300]

thanks julisinar,what sort of distances is the fl 36 good for in actual use.