Flashpoint Zoom Li-on X R2 TTL Round Flash Speedlight For Pentax (V1)

mom2mny · 02-08-2021, 06:34 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Des

Very helpful to all of those except landscape (and even with landscape it is possible to make creative use of flash, especially off-camera).

Flash is surprisingly useful outdoors. This was a revelation to me - I got this tip from a member here. The main use outdoors is for "fill" - that is, to supplement the ambient light - rather than as the main source. It helps to bring out detail and colour in birds ...

... animals

... flowers

... insects

... and spiders

The main thing here is not to overdo it. You can adjust the flash exposure; I generally set it so that the flash adds no more than say 0.7-1.5 stops to the exposure. The ideal is that you can't tell that the photo was taken with a flash, except perhaps for a nice catchlight in the eye of the subject.

Fill is helpful when shooting with backlighting, to even up the exposure ...

Of course you may need it for the main light, rather than fill, for nocturnal animals.

The key in this situation is to get the flash off the camera, to avoid the "deer-in-the-headlights" look. This was with the compact, lightweight and inexpensive Godox TT350P ( held at arm's length in my left hand, triggered by an on-camera Godox XPro-P (another TT350P or other Godox TTL flash like the V1 could also do this). (I used this technique for some of the photos above too, such as the insect shot and the flower shot, in which I also used a cheap diffuser to soften the flash beam.)

The TT350P has been mentioned earlier - it is also sold by Adorama rebranded as Flashpoint: https://www.adorama.com/fplfsmminip.html?

With photos indoors, your shots can be transformed by good use of flash. This usually involves diffusing the flash - that is, using the flash on-camera and bouncing the beam off walls, ceilings, reflectors, etc or using it off-camera with the light spread by a softbox, flash umbrella or the like.

Starting with on-camera, there is a lot of information about how to use bounce flash effectively, but Neil van Niekerk is a good place to start:
Bounce flash photography tutorial
How to bounce your flash
You will see that he often uses a piece of black material (his home-made "black foamie thing") to direct the flash to bounce off a wall or something, so that no flash hits the subject directly:
Video tutorial - Using the 'black foamie thing'
This is not just for pros. "Flagging" a flash like this can work well in everyday domestic situations, as @mcgregni has shown here:
Indoor Exposure Mixing - PentaxForums.com
Little Fairy - PentaxForums.com Flashes, A Flag and Domestic Portraits
Flashes, A Flag and Domestic Portraits

Thank you for the information Des. I enjoyed your pictures also.

gatorguy · 02-09-2021, 04:14 AM

Originally posted by Des

You're welcome! As Nigel has shown, you don't need a "black foamie thing" specifically - any of the cheap ebay flags with a velcro attachment can do the job.

I've been overthinking it. More softbox instead of dumbing it down.

**Des** · 02-09-2021, 01:58 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by gatorguy

It would simplify so many portrait setups for me, particularly those kinda fast-faced ones.

Originally posted by gatorguy

I've been overthinking it. More softbox instead of dumbing it down.

I've never used a proper softbox, but they must kill any informality with family and friends. Plus you would always be tagged as a kind of camera nerd.

**UncleVanya** · 02-09-2021, 02:02 PM

Originally posted by gatorguy

I've been overthinking it. More softbox instead of dumbing it down.

I have a portable soft box attachment for my flash but it assumes a rectangular head.

gatorguy · 02-09-2021, 02:12 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by UncleVanya

I have a portable soft box attachment for my flash but it assumes a rectangular head.

In fairness most of my softboxes are intended for the studio, but in recent months I've been carrying one or two on remote/location portrait shoots. I realized after browsing the links Des offered, and thinking about where I've been needing to augment light, I really don't need to carry a couple of AD200's plus speedlights and softboxes and lightstands most of the time. An on-camera flash, plus a cord and a very small diffuser "in case" is really all I require.

As I said, I believe I've been overthinking it.

**tncowdaddy** · 02-09-2021, 02:14 PM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by Des

I've never used a proper softbox, but they must kill any informality with family and friends. Plus you would always be tagged as a kind of camera nerd.

Depends on how much they like the pictures you share with them after the event. I started shooting my family's events a few years back and have gotten to the point that I set up speed lights on stands with umbrellas and shot portraits for everyone. They probably do think I'm a nerd, but they love the pictures and keep asking me to do it!

**Des** · 02-09-2021, 04:37 PM

Originally posted by UncleVanya

I have a portable soft box attachment for my flash but it assumes a rectangular head.

Fstoppers remarked on this issue in their review of the V1: Round Heads are All the Rage: Fstoppers Reviews the Godox V1 | Fstoppers The reviewer does say that it works well with a shoot-through umbrella.

A quick search brought up some softboxes that will work with round-headed flashes like the V1, e.g Lifefoto KU-8. There also seem to be brackets for Bowens/S type mounts for the V1.

Not much use if you have modifiers that only fit rectangular heads (e.g. my Magmod flash extender).

Last edited by Des; 02-09-2021 at 04:43 PM.

**tncowdaddy** · 02-09-2021, 06:08 PM - **1 Like**

Adorama sells an s-type Bowens mount that fits a round head flash or 2 rectangular ones side by side.

https://www.adorama.com/glbdsm02pro.html?

Also they have a line of MagMod type modifiers specifically for the roundhead flashes.

https://www.adorama.com/fplfxsr1k.html

02-09-2021, 06:08 PM - 1 Like	#23
tncowdaddy Site Supporter Join Date: May 2016 Location: Bristol, Tennessee Posts: 369	Adorama sells an s-type Bowens mount that fits a round head flash or 2 rectangular ones side by side. https://www.adorama.com/glbdsm02pro.html? Also they have a line of MagMod type modifiers specifically for the roundhead flashes. https://www.adorama.com/fplfxsr1k.html Last edited by tncowdaddy; 02-09-2021 at 08:42 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Godox V1/Flashpoint R2 at Adorama $140 off	gatorguy	Pentax Price Watch	9	12-07-2020 02:09 AM
Flashpoint R2 Trigger (Pentax) Work with Flashpoint R2 Flash (Nikon)?	Colorado CJ	Flashes, Lighting, and Studio	6	09-18-2019 07:11 PM
Flashpoint R2 TTL 2.4G Wireless Remote System For Pentax - Discontinued	fwbigd	Flashes, Lighting, and Studio	12	11-01-2016 02:24 AM

02-08-2021, 06:34 PM - 1 Like	#16
mom2mny Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 50 Original Poster	Originally posted by Des Very helpful to all of those except landscape (and even with landscape it is possible to make creative use of flash, especially off-camera). Flash is surprisingly useful outdoors. This was a revelation to me - I got this tip from a member here. The main use outdoors is for "fill" - that is, to supplement the ambient light - rather than as the main source. It helps to bring out detail and colour in birds ... ... animals ... flowers ... insects ... and spiders The main thing here is not to overdo it. You can adjust the flash exposure; I generally set it so that the flash adds no more than say 0.7-1.5 stops to the exposure. The ideal is that you can't tell that the photo was taken with a flash, except perhaps for a nice catchlight in the eye of the subject. Fill is helpful when shooting with backlighting, to even up the exposure ... Of course you may need it for the main light, rather than fill, for nocturnal animals. The key in this situation is to get the flash off the camera, to avoid the "deer-in-the-headlights" look. This was with the compact, lightweight and inexpensive Godox TT350P ( held at arm's length in my left hand, triggered by an on-camera Godox XPro-P (another TT350P or other Godox TTL flash like the V1 could also do this). (I used this technique for some of the photos above too, such as the insect shot and the flower shot, in which I also used a cheap diffuser to soften the flash beam.) The TT350P has been mentioned earlier - it is also sold by Adorama rebranded as Flashpoint: https://www.adorama.com/fplfsmminip.html? With photos indoors, your shots can be transformed by good use of flash. This usually involves diffusing the flash - that is, using the flash on-camera and bouncing the beam off walls, ceilings, reflectors, etc or using it off-camera with the light spread by a softbox, flash umbrella or the like. Starting with on-camera, there is a lot of information about how to use bounce flash effectively, but Neil van Niekerk is a good place to start: Bounce flash photography tutorial How to bounce your flash You will see that he often uses a piece of black material (his home-made "black foamie thing") to direct the flash to bounce off a wall or something, so that no flash hits the subject directly: Video tutorial - Using the 'black foamie thing' This is not just for pros. "Flagging" a flash like this can work well in everyday domestic situations, as @mcgregni has shown here: Indoor Exposure Mixing - PentaxForums.com Little Fairy - PentaxForums.com Flashes, A Flag and Domestic Portraits Flashes, A Flag and Domestic Portraits Thank you for the information Des. I enjoyed your pictures also.

02-09-2021, 04:14 AM	#17
gatorguy Moderator Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Central Florida Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,092	Originally posted by Des You're welcome! As Nigel has shown, you don't need a "black foamie thing" specifically - any of the cheap ebay flags with a velcro attachment can do the job. I've been overthinking it. More softbox instead of dumbing it down.

02-09-2021, 01:58 PM - 1 Like	#18
Des Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Victoria Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 6,423	Originally posted by gatorguy It would simplify so many portrait setups for me, particularly those kinda fast-faced ones. Originally posted by gatorguy I've been overthinking it. More softbox instead of dumbing it down. I've never used a proper softbox, but they must kill any informality with family and friends. Plus you would always be tagged as a kind of camera nerd.

02-09-2021, 02:02 PM	#19
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,401	Originally posted by gatorguy I've been overthinking it. More softbox instead of dumbing it down. I have a portable soft box attachment for my flash but it assumes a rectangular head.

02-09-2021, 02:12 PM - 1 Like	#20
gatorguy Moderator Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Central Florida Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,092	Originally posted by UncleVanya I have a portable soft box attachment for my flash but it assumes a rectangular head. In fairness most of my softboxes are intended for the studio, but in recent months I've been carrying one or two on remote/location portrait shoots. I realized after browsing the links Des offered, and thinking about where I've been needing to augment light, I really don't need to carry a couple of AD200's plus speedlights and softboxes and lightstands most of the time. An on-camera flash, plus a cord and a very small diffuser "in case" is really all I require. As I said, I believe I've been overthinking it.

02-09-2021, 02:14 PM - 2 Likes	#21
tncowdaddy Site Supporter Join Date: May 2016 Location: Bristol, Tennessee Posts: 369	Originally posted by Des I've never used a proper softbox, but they must kill any informality with family and friends. Plus you would always be tagged as a kind of camera nerd. Depends on how much they like the pictures you share with them after the event. I started shooting my family's events a few years back and have gotten to the point that I set up speed lights on stands with umbrellas and shot portraits for everyone. They probably do think I'm a nerd, but they love the pictures and keep asking me to do it!

02-09-2021, 04:37 PM	#22
Des Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Victoria Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 6,423	Originally posted by UncleVanya I have a portable soft box attachment for my flash but it assumes a rectangular head. Fstoppers remarked on this issue in their review of the V1: Round Heads are All the Rage: Fstoppers Reviews the Godox V1 \| Fstoppers The reviewer does say that it works well with a shoot-through umbrella. A quick search brought up some softboxes that will work with round-headed flashes like the V1, e.g Lifefoto KU-8. There also seem to be brackets for Bowens/S type mounts for the V1. Not much use if you have modifiers that only fit rectangular heads (e.g. my Magmod flash extender). Last edited by Des; 02-09-2021 at 04:43 PM.