Off Camera Flash
#82
contrarian in fashion
#83
Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Not Las Vegas (SF Bay Area)
Age: 40
Posts: 63,248
Received 2,787 Likes
on
1,987 Posts
Why would using the flash off camera make any difference to battery life or recycle time compared to using it in the hot shoe? You obviously may have to bump the power a a stop or two if you're shooting through an umbrella or softbox but I think that's relatively insignificant for today's flashes.
BTW, while researching this very subject over the weekend I came to the complete
realization that you lose ETTL when working off camera with most light modifiers such as an umbrella or softbox.
BTW, while researching this very subject over the weekend I came to the complete
![Doh](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/doh.gif)
whereas with a traditional flash setup, they are plugged in and have consistent recycle times.
#84
Needs more Lemon Pledge
Thread Starter
Skyports are already on the shopping list. ![Big Grin](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
I don't foresee myself wanting or needing two light sources anytime soon. Not to mention I don't think the master/slave setup would even work with an umbrella or softbox. I just wanted to make certain of the EX master, EX II slave thing ahead of time so I could know up front if that was going to be another eventual expense.
What I'm trying to find now is the hardware for holding a reflector when using a single light source. Alas, I have no assistant.
![Big Grin](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
I don't foresee myself wanting or needing two light sources anytime soon. Not to mention I don't think the master/slave setup would even work with an umbrella or softbox. I just wanted to make certain of the EX master, EX II slave thing ahead of time so I could know up front if that was going to be another eventual expense.
What I'm trying to find now is the hardware for holding a reflector when using a single light source. Alas, I have no assistant.
#85
Photography Nerd
Skyports are already on the shopping list. ![Big Grin](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
I don't foresee myself wanting or needing two light sources anytime soon. Not to mention I don't think the master/slave setup would even work with an umbrella or softbox. I just wanted to make certain of the EX master, EX II slave thing ahead of time so I could know up front if that was going to be another eventual expense.
What I'm trying to find now is the hardware for holding a reflector when using a single light source. Alas, I have no assistant.
![Big Grin](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
I don't foresee myself wanting or needing two light sources anytime soon. Not to mention I don't think the master/slave setup would even work with an umbrella or softbox. I just wanted to make certain of the EX master, EX II slave thing ahead of time so I could know up front if that was going to be another eventual expense.
What I'm trying to find now is the hardware for holding a reflector when using a single light source. Alas, I have no assistant.
The skyports have worked great since I bought them. I've never had range issues and the receivers seem to last a long time between recharges. I can't say I've ever had one die on me, I just plug them in every now and then when I feel like it's been a long time, so I have no idea how long they really last. I really like the lightweight and compact design of these units because I take them everywhere with me.
My only complaints about the system are related to the design of the receivers. They have a very tiny pushbutton on top to turn them on or off. It's very easy to turn them on accidentally if they bump into something while you're carrying them in your bag. Likewise, it's easy to turn them off if you're moving light stands around.
Although the lithium batteries in the receivers last a long long time, they're not replaceable. That's a big oversight should you forget to charge them before a big shoot and find out they're dead. That's never happened to me, but it's always something I'm cautious of, especially with that small pushbutton for power. The weird thing is the transmitter takes a standard CR-2032 lithium coin cell and it has a lever switch that is much less likely to be turned on accidentally. It's like they thought it could be a problem for the transmitter but for some reason decided to go a different route with the receivers. I now keep the receivers in the nice hard case provided by Elinchrom and haven't had one turn on accidentally since.
#87
Photography Nerd
You need one skyport receiver per strobe, just like pocket wizards. You can trigger as many lights as you wish in up to 4 groups. You can decide which of the four groups fires from the transmitter or you can fire all four groups together. You can even put a camera in a group if you want to trigger it from a remote location, although you'll need a special cable to trigger a camera.
Edit: high-end studio strobes are fired from a centralized power source which may have two or more strobe heads plugged into it. You could use one skyport to trigger all the strobes connected to that power pack.
Edit: high-end studio strobes are fired from a centralized power source which may have two or more strobe heads plugged into it. You could use one skyport to trigger all the strobes connected to that power pack.
#88
Big Block go VROOOM!
OK, I've had a handle on the equipment involved with off camera flash for a while now. What I haven't had my head around is exposure metering. If you're using one or two speedlights off camera with umbrellas or soft boxes, then you're presumably not going to have ETTL functionality. Or so it seems. So that leaves you with using the flash in manual mode. OK fine. So you have to manually set the flash power and zoom setting. But still, how do you know what to set them at if you don't have a dedicated flash meter? After a bit of searching, I found this post over at Strobist which finally made the application of guide number make some sense. I don't know why he doesn't include this in his Lighting 101 articles.
http://strobist.blogspot.com/2007/12...ash-meter.html
OK, so I pull out my 580EX (non-II) and start fiddling with it to find the guide number calculator like the one shown on the SB800 at Strobist. Nothing. With the flash in manual mode, all that's in the display are the power and zoom settings. No ISO or f-stop setting and the distance scale always remains blank. I then did some searching and found this article over at the Canon DLC.
http://www.usa.canon.com/dlc/control...&articleID=946
Apparently, one of the improvements made with the 580EX II is the addition of its own self-contained exposure sensor. With this new feature, you can set the II series flash to "external metering mode" which then apparently gives you a functional GN calculator. In the mean time, it appears that my > $300 580X flash doesn't offer the same convenience of a GN calculator which you can get on sub-$90 Vivitar flash designed in the 70's. It looks like I'd need to keep a copy of the table from the flash's manual in my bag.
http://strobist.blogspot.com/2007/12...ash-meter.html
OK, so I pull out my 580EX (non-II) and start fiddling with it to find the guide number calculator like the one shown on the SB800 at Strobist. Nothing. With the flash in manual mode, all that's in the display are the power and zoom settings. No ISO or f-stop setting and the distance scale always remains blank. I then did some searching and found this article over at the Canon DLC.
http://www.usa.canon.com/dlc/control...&articleID=946
Apparently, one of the improvements made with the 580EX II is the addition of its own self-contained exposure sensor. With this new feature, you can set the II series flash to "external metering mode" which then apparently gives you a functional GN calculator. In the mean time, it appears that my > $300 580X flash doesn't offer the same convenience of a GN calculator which you can get on sub-$90 Vivitar flash designed in the 70's. It looks like I'd need to keep a copy of the table from the flash's manual in my bag.
![Annoyed](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/annoyed.gif)
#89
Needs more Lemon Pledge
Thread Starter
Damn, some really good info in this thread...
#90
Big Block go VROOOM!
Very likely something worth considering should it make a stop at a city near you. I know I'll be there if it comes to Chicago.
http://www.kelbytraininglive.com/fla...aphy-tour.html
http://www.kelbytraininglive.com/fla...aphy-tour.html
#91
Needs more Lemon Pledge
Thread Starter
^I can't wait until they post dates for this one!
Come on Phoenix!! Big money big money no whammie....
Come on Phoenix!! Big money big money no whammie....
![Wish](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/wish.gif)
#92
Big Block go VROOOM!
In case anyone hasn't caught wind of the "teaser" release, PocketWizard is supposed to announce something new next Monday (2/16) on the opening day of the WPPI show. It's being mentioned in conjunction with Profoto (a studio strobe company) so the new PW goodies may only have to do with control of Profoto's products.
http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/con...id=7-9884-9899
http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/con...id=7-9884-9899
#94
Needs more Lemon Pledge
Thread Starter
Just a quick question for those of you who have used the off camera CORD with an external flash:
If you handhold the flash (no bracket), does the light source pretty much always end up "camera left" or "above the camera" since you are holding the camera in your right hand?
If you handhold the flash (no bracket), does the light source pretty much always end up "camera left" or "above the camera" since you are holding the camera in your right hand?
#96
Senior Moderator
good bump, I have had a question on my mind regarding handheld off-camera for a while. I see photogs in the club frequently holding the camera in one hand and flash in the other, and not always looking into the viewfinder, even for regular group shots. What about composition? What if you have to re-adjust and zoom? What if you have to double-check the focus? What about holding it steady so that things appear clear? It seems to me that all of these VITAL aspects of the shot are thrown out of the window with handheld off-camera shots. What has been your experience, or what you have seen, in regard to these things?
#97
is learning to moonwalk i
I can't say I have much experience but here are my guesses...
If they don't have Live View, then they are probably zoomed out enough to cover the group and may crop later if the composition is off.
AF should get close enough even without looking (as long as the right AF points get used).
Camera shake isn't a big concern with flash photography as long as you are using reasonable exposures (~ 1/4 sec may even be okay) since the flash will "freeze" the subject even if using some ambient light. Things further in the background may not be clear, but that's not really a bid deal.
If they don't have Live View, then they are probably zoomed out enough to cover the group and may crop later if the composition is off.
AF should get close enough even without looking (as long as the right AF points get used).
Camera shake isn't a big concern with flash photography as long as you are using reasonable exposures (~ 1/4 sec may even be okay) since the flash will "freeze" the subject even if using some ambient light. Things further in the background may not be clear, but that's not really a bid deal.
#98
Senior Moderator
All true. Regarding background objects not being clear, this is subjective but to me a shot like that is "messy". There is a way to do it artistically and that is fine and leads to dramatic results, but if you have background shake due to not holding the camera steady, I think its a messy pic. Having to compose after the fact is added work. My 2 cents.
#100
Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Not Las Vegas (SF Bay Area)
Age: 40
Posts: 63,248
Received 2,787 Likes
on
1,987 Posts
Waiting for dans response
![Smile](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
#101
Senior Moderator
![Popcorn](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/popcorn.gif)
#103
Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Not Las Vegas (SF Bay Area)
Age: 40
Posts: 63,248
Received 2,787 Likes
on
1,987 Posts
#104
Senior Moderator
yea I wanna see a REAL response! haha
Zouse always instigating.
Zouse always instigating.
#105
is learning to moonwalk i
![rofl](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/rofl.gif)
Now if you ever question me about something I think I know about, then
![Kung Fu](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/kungfu.gif)
![Wink](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/wink.gif)
#106
Senior Moderator
Zouse you are an attacker
#107
Photography Nerd
![rofl](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/rofl.gif)
I've used the flash at arms length a few times and it's pretty awkward, but the results can be good. I still prefer to look through the viewfinder, but if it's just casual snaps, you can go wide angle and crop heavily if your composition is off. Live view might help in some cases, but there are a few consequences when using a flash with live view.
#108
Senior Moderator
A-ha!!
#109
is learning to moonwalk i
![rofl](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/rofl.gif)
I've used the flash at arms length a few times and it's pretty awkward, but the results can be good. I still prefer to look through the viewfinder, but if it's just casual snaps, you can go wide angle and crop heavily if your composition is off. Live view might help in some cases, but there are a few consequences when using a flash with live view.
![Repost](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/repost.gif)
![Big Grin](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
What types of consequences to using a flash with live view are you referring to?
#110
Photography Nerd
Also, if you happen to use one of the silent shooting modes in live view, the flash won't fire. More specifically, it won't fire if it's in the hotshoe or if it's being triggered by anything in the hotshoe (off-camera cord, pocket wizard, etc.). However, it will fire if you're using a sync cord or a pocket wizard that's connected via the sync port. If you use the disable the silent shooting modes and use the default live view mode, it seems to work well.
Last edited by Dan Martin; 04-23-2009 at 08:12 PM.
#112
is learning to moonwalk i
BTW, my stands and umbrellas just came from B&H yesterday. I don't know if I'll really be using them much until next month, but will be playing around with them a little.
#113
Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Not Las Vegas (SF Bay Area)
Age: 40
Posts: 63,248
Received 2,787 Likes
on
1,987 Posts
![what](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/what.gif)
![Too Cool](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/toocool.gif)
i did not know that the Nikon SC 29 - Flash synchro cable has an AF assist beam on the part that attaches to your hot shoe on the camera!
![](http://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/largeimages/300478.jpg)
#114
Yes, that's why the damn thing cost $80 or more.
#115
Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Not Las Vegas (SF Bay Area)
Age: 40
Posts: 63,248
Received 2,787 Likes
on
1,987 Posts
question, say im using my 430ex off camera attached to a light stand with a translucent shoot thru umbrella.
what setting should i set the zoom head to? 24mm? 35mm? 105mm? leave it on automatic?
what setting should i set the zoom head to? 24mm? 35mm? 105mm? leave it on automatic?
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
navtool.com
5G TLX Audio, Bluetooth, Electronics & Navigation
31
11-16-2015 08:30 PM