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leighgion

leighgion

Member Since 12 Sep 2016
Offline Last Active Aug 21 2021 04:43 PM
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In Topic: Light stands, umbrellas and softboxes, oh my!

11 January 2019 - 04:44 PM

Well, it took seven months and the birth of my second, but a family member's Christmas cash has bought me a pair of Manfrotto 5001B light stands, a couple cheap shoot-through umbrellas, a mounting clamp and a flash sale-priced dumb slave flash. Time to make my girls look dramatic. 


In Topic: Random Things I’m Learning about Speedlights

25 July 2018 - 04:07 AM

The old system (TTL) also worked great in shade (or dappled light). I shot an outdoor carnival that was set up in a tree lined area of otherwise bright sunlight with my N90s and SB-28 and every image was perfectly exposed. I was gobsmacked! I'm struggling to remember the specifics now but I believe I switched from my favorite metering mode (center weighted averaging) and used Matrix mode.

I don't know what metering mode you use but maybe switching to matrix mode will help. The only other thing I can think of that might help is to be aware of the bright spots in your viewfinder and try to minimize them as much as possible. Or maybe this is one of those times when high speed sync is the solution.

--Ron


Basically always in matrix metering mode. I think this is probably just a case of the light meter being a light meter and not a human being with understanding of aesthetics.


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In Topic: International Travel

16 July 2018 - 10:51 AM

I would consider seriously culling the amount of gear you're planning to bring for several reason.

 

1. Pure weight and volume. Even if you plan to mostly be moving from plane to car, to house, every extra ounce is a burden when you're traveling internationally and if it's ounces of valuable hardware, the burden is increased even more. 

 

2. Options can be negative. Full disclosure, I've done what you've done and carried the majority of my camera gear with me when visiting my sister in Germany. The burden didn't end at my sister's door. Because I'd brought so many options, I didn't really want to leave them at home, so I was going out with a heavily loaded sling bag. Did I get some good pics? Yes, but I don't know that it was worth all the extra sweating and time that I burnt thinking about choices of hardware. Walking around Heidelberg would've been a lot more pleasant if I'd only had a point & shoot instead of hauling my D300 plus 17-55mm f/2.8, and more options with it.

 

3. Airport security. In recent years, I've had to take every lens out of my camera bag and put in the tubs to pass security AND tended to get flagged for extra checks. Royal PITA and a high risk with all that gear just sitting out.

 

My suggestion to you would be to leave the K-3 at home, take the D750, 24-120mm f4 for general use, if you really feel you must, take the 70-200mm f/2.8 and take the 50mm f/1.8. One of your flashes might be worth bringing depending on if you plan to do much human photography. 


In Topic: Random Things I’m Learning about Speedlights

16 July 2018 - 03:54 AM

I don't shoot much daylight fill these days. However, in my old film days, when I first discovered TTL and used it for daylight fill I thought that I had died and gone straight to the pearly gates. In fact, Nikon's original TTL was a lifesaver both indoors and out.

--Ron


If my subject is under direct sunlight then it works great, even with the pop up flash. The problem is when the subject is mostly in the shade, but there’s sections of the frame that are sunlit that I want to balance.



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In Topic: Any Recommendations For A Nikon SS 400 Speedlight?

08 July 2018 - 01:14 AM

If sticking with Nikon is a must and you’re on a budget, then the SB600 is the way to go, yeah. I’ve got one. Its shortcomings are small. It’s come to my rescue as recently as a few months ago.


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