Originally posted by dugrant153 I’m thinking of getting more into higher end flash photography. (snip)
Okay, there are really only two basic options with portable strobes used off-camera as a studio setup. The first is a set of manual flash units (such as the Vivitar 285HV), optical slaves, a light meter, and your on-camera flash as the trigger. You can vary this option by using either radio or infrared slaves, but the idea is fundamentally the same. The second option is a set of Pentax wireless compatible flash units. Of course, both options require additional accessories (stands, etc) to be effective.
The first option provides manual exposures determined by the light meter. A three light setup like this, with two bounced into umbrellas and the third used as a hair or background light, offers a wide variety of lighting possibilities both in the studio and on location. The second option offers the same capabilities with the addition of P-TTL auto flash control.
I recently selected the second option. In fact, here is exactly what I purchased...
- 3x AF-540FGZ flash units.
- 3x TR Power Pack III battery packs.
- 2x silver umbrellas (
Interfit/Paterson 36" Silver).
- 3x lightweight light stands (
Bogen/Manfrotto 001B Nano).
- 1x small boom for hairlight (
Sunpak Boom Arm w/Clamp).
- 3x umbrella/flash brackets for stands (
Impact Umbrella Bracket).
- 3x better shoe mounts for brackets (
Stroboframe Mount Adapter)
- Pentax cords and hotshoes to use this as a wired setup instead of wireless when necessary.
The on-camera flash of my K10D acts as the wireless trigger (not firing during exposure) or trigger and fourth light source (firing during exposure) when desired. The AF-360FGZ flash unit could easily be used instead, but I prefer the extra power provided by the AF-540FGZ flash units. Silver umbrellas were chosen over white to offer the more directional lighting with moderate shadows I prefer (have two white umbrellas for other occasions). Recycling times with the power packs are extremely fast (±1 second) in this lighting environment (lights placed 3-8 feet from subject), with the flash units without battery packs or white umbrellas slightly slower (±1-3 seconds). Of course, the power packs last longer than the in-flash batteries, providing more consistent recycling times over much longer periods.
For more creative light control, I cut two small black plastic flaps (3.5 x 4 inch, with the longer length mounted to the flash with velcro) to act as barndoors on the sides of the hairlight flash unit. The addition of two more plastic flaps cut the width of the flash head, mounted on the top and bottom of the flash head with the barndoor flaps still mounted, act as a basic short snoot. I also cut out a longer snoot using the same black plastic material (also attached with velcro). The thick, rigid, easily cut, black plastic material used for the flaps and snoot were cut from a black
Avery-Dennison Poly Binder (flexible school binder) found at most office supply stores. In my opinion, this particular binder offers the best plastic material for this purpose. By the way, if you don't know what snoots and barndoors are, or how useful they can be for light control, search the internet for those words.
Conventional booms (w/side bracket) were not designed to be repeatedly installed and removed, while the boom above works well in this regard on stands with a top stud such as the ones listed. I cut the length of the boom arm down (hacksaw) to better fit into a case. Actually, cutting the boom shorter is not a bad idea anyway since the light stands are not strong enough to truly support a longer boom. But that's not a bad thing either since the only purpose of the boom is just to get the hairlight up and behind the subject a bit more.
The entire lighting setup fits comfortably into two small cases. The light stands, umbrellas, and boom all fit into a standard tripod bag. The flash units, battery packs, brackets, and cords, go into a foam padded case roughly the same size as a standard thick business briefcase. The tripod and light cases are not listed above since they were purchased locally and not likely available in your location. But, after measuring your equipment, you shouldn't have any problems finding a tripod bag and case either locally or off the internet.
In my opinion, the notion of an entirely portable, battery powered, wireless flash system is very appealing, offering studio-like lighting capabilities virtually anywhere. The P-TTL exposure control is simply icing on the cake. I've just started experimenting with this relatively new setup, using it a few times in the studio for model or product photography, once on a downtown street in early evening with model placed in front of a lighted fountain, and once inside a castle with model standing in front of a window overlooking the nearby river and hills. Other than occasional oddball quirks in operation or performance (all easily resolved so far), this setup has worked just fine overall.
Well, there you have it. Hopefully something here provides a few of the answers you seek.
stewart
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Last edited by stewart_photo; 12-21-2007 at 09:26 PM.