9 replies to this topic

[Wired]

I've been looking for a field flash solution for a while. I was just about to splurge on some Elinchrom Quantums with battery packs, but really... if I'm in the field and setting up outside I've decied I want something even more portable than that. It's a lot of money and weight for something I just may not want to use.

 

Often when I'm shooting on location I'm taking my clients walking more than a few meters from the car, were going out into fields, down walking paths, getting to those spots where hauling a huge pair of battery pack flashes are going to be murder. Right now I've been happy with the portability and weight of my pair of Sb700's, but not with the performance.

 

I run one as a rim light and one with a shoot through umbrella. I'm getting decent light, but I'm running into a few issues.

 

using the SB700 without any light modifiers is not producing enough power for a proper rim effect. It's almost there....I'm thikning if it just had a full stop more power it would get there. Now I could also try a beauty dish to try and spread and amplify the light a bit more...

 

Anyways, I'd consider any battery powered strobe that is portable that I can hook up to my wireless triggers (right now Elinchrom Universal Skyport...but thinking of moving over to Pocketwiz in the future). I know at this point if I'm not going with Nikon I will loose the CLS advantage (Which I love), but at the end of the day line of sight is usually blocked with a rim light anyways.

 

What would be ideal is to add one more flashgun/strobe to my collection that I could use as a rim light that throws more light and I can add a radio trigger system too that will still allow me to use CLS. Then still use CLS on the pair of SB700's and use a two light setup to light the front/side of my subjects. So manual power control on the rim light, and full CLS on the SB's

 

Camera is a D800.

 

 

[Merco_61]

A SB-800 is a bit over 2/3 stop more powerful than the SB-700, a SB 910 a bit less than 2/3 stop. A Quantum T5dR gives about a stop more and a Metz 76 about a stop and a half.

To get more than that you would need to step up to studio flashes but they are, as you say, not lightweight. My Broncolor Verso system is about 21 kg with the battery pack and three heads but gives lots of options.

[Wired]

| McBain Camera

Found this one online. Gonna go take a peek tomorrow along with a cactus v6

 

That being said, the Metz could be a good option too.

[Ron]

I think I'd go with another speedlight... either the SB-800 or an SB-910. I think that would give you what you need without adding too much extra equipment. If you need a modifier for the extra speedlight I can recommend the Westcott Rapid Box. I use the 20" model with the optional deflector plate. The light produced is very good for portraits and plant photography (which is what I do most often). It's also very compact when folded. The whole thing except for the light stand fits in a very small case which is included with the unit. 

 

--Ron

[Wired]

I think I'd go with another speedlight... either the SB-800 or an SB-910. I think that would give you what you need without adding too much extra equipment. If you need a modifier for the extra speedlight I can recommend the Westcott Rapid Box. I use the 20" model with the optional deflector plate. The light produced is very good for portraits and plant photography (which is what I do most often). It's also very compact when folded. The whole thing except for the light stand fits in a very small case which is included with the unit. 

 

--Ron

 

It's an option for sure, I wouldn't rule it out. However to be used as a rim light, line of sight is blocked, meaning CLS won't trigger the rim light flash. so I have to add triggers. Cactus V6 looks like a good option for adjusting power manually without having to go over to the lights all the time.

[Kenafein]

Yongnuo has a new studio light, with TTL.  Right now it's only available for Canon, but I'll be keeping my eye out for the Nikon release.  http://www.hkyongnuo...tail.php?ID=347.  I know that doesn't help you now.  

[Ron]

It's an option for sure, I wouldn't rule it out. However to be used as a rim light, line of sight is blocked, meaning CLS won't trigger the rim light flash. so I have to add triggers. Cactus V6 looks like a good option for adjusting power manually without having to go over to the lights all the time.

 

I was thinking more along the lines of you using the more powerful flash as your main light source and one of the less powerful speedlights as your rim light. But you're right about the CLS problem and until Nikon brings out a radio controlled flash system, it will continue to be a problem... especially if you're working outside. I use manual flash only with radio slave triggers. As far as I'm concerned it's the only way to fly. However, I realize that's not the preferred option for everyone. 

 

--Ron

[Wired]

I was thinking more along the lines of you using the more powerful flash as your main light source and one of the less powerful speedlights as your rim light. But you're right about the CLS problem and until Nikon brings out a radio controlled flash system, it will continue to be a problem... especially if you're working outside. I use manual flash only with radio slave triggers. As far as I'm concerned it's the only way to fly. However, I realize that's not the preferred option for everyone. 

 

--Ron

 

thats how I worked for a very long time, mostly because I was using Pentax and their idea of CLS is incredibly inferior than that of Nikon's, especially since the end functionality is supposed to be the same with pre-flash, operating banks, controlling exposure compensation and all that jazz. What got me on CLS was how easy it is to use and adjust the power output from the camera. It's so simple that when you set it up and go to test it you think you must have missed something because theres no way it should be that simple...but really it works, and it works so incredibly well it's not even funny.

 

Going back to manual with a trigger control system that I can remotely control power output (ie: Cactus V6) would be a very good compromise

[Ron]

thats how I worked for a very long time, mostly because I was using Pentax and their idea of CLS is incredibly inferior than that of Nikon's, especially since the end functionality is supposed to be the same with pre-flash, operating banks, controlling exposure compensation and all that jazz. What got me on CLS was how easy it is to use and adjust the power output from the camera. It's so simple that when you set it up and go to test it you think you must have missed something because theres no way it should be that simple...but really it works, and it works so incredibly well it's not even funny.

 

Going back to manual with a trigger control system that I can remotely control power output (ie: Cactus V6) would be a very good compromise

 

That reminds me of the first time I used TTL with my N90s film camera. I was doing some impromptu indoor portraits and didn't have all the stuff I usually used for that. Just my camera and an SB-28. I decided to give it a go and see what happens. The exposures were beyond perfect! The flash/camera combo worked like a charm. I was hooked from that moment on and, for awhile anyway, became a daylight fill flash junkie. Simply amazing technology!

 

--Ron 

[OTRTexan]

I am by no means a lighting specialist, but when I decided to buy my first speedlight, I found the Photix Mitros+ system. The kit I got came with a 910 equivalent speedlight, an on camera radio controller, light stand, diffuser, shoot through umbrella, and storage bags for the set. For 500 bucks, admittedly I was a bit skeptical, and figured I may be returning the whole thing within the 7 day refund period. However, it worked fantastic. Online reviews I read were very encouraging as well. The speedlight itself also has a radio transmitter built in so can be used as the master controller as well if you need one on camera vs using the Odin radio controller. Might be something you can look into.