Jamesy said:
True, but the cheapest you can get away with for the RRS setup is still more expensive, $290 for the medium partial-ring bracket with a non-tilting flash mount and the MPR-CL for use with non-collared lenses.
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Portrait off camera flash and catchlight question
- Thread starter sagittariansrock
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True, but the cheapest you can get away with for the RRS setup is still more expensive, $290 for the medium partial-ring bracket with a non-tilting flash mount and the MPR-CL for use with non-collared lenses.
neuroanatomist said:
I looked at the RRS a few years back and it was overkill for my needs - I don't shoot events all that often where I would need one. I threw the Vello in the cart one day on a B+H order when it was $35 - now it is $18.95 which is a no brainer for occasional use.
This thread has peaked my interest in better options than the Vello and I may very well pick up a better bracket if I shoot more events as the integrated AS mount just works - no rotation, easy to add/remove the camera, etc...
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wsheldon said:
I really like this option. It is not bulky, minimalist design, and serves the purpose well. It will also maintain the AS dovetail so I can use it on my tripod. Need to find a bit more information on this, hopefully some videos.
Jamesy said:
Actually, it won't be a problem if instead of flipping the bracket, I just connect the camera on the left arm of the L-bracket. Sure, I won't be able to switch back and forth between portrait and landscape as easily, but with a little planning, that is a non-issue.
I really like this more than the RF-Pro, which is more bulky and a lot more expensive.
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Ok, I take back what I said about both the Custom Bracket brackets. While they allow a camera with AS plates to be mounted quickly, they don't have the AS dovetails, so cannot be used on a tripod.
Do people who use this never use tripods? Why this glaring omission? I understand one can always stick an AS plate at the bottom of the bracket, but that is unnecessarily adding bulk.
The RRS of course mounts on to the lens plate (or nodal plate) so it maintains the AS dovetail. But it is a bit too pricey and bulky.
Do people who use this never use tripods? Why this glaring omission? I understand one can always stick an AS plate at the bottom of the bracket, but that is unnecessarily adding bulk.
The RRS of course mounts on to the lens plate (or nodal plate) so it maintains the AS dovetail. But it is a bit too pricey and bulky.
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If I had to get a bracket for events I'd get this http://www.promediagear.com/ not cheap, but if you factor in the camera plate etc not outrageous. It is light, fast, AC compatible, beautifully engineered, well thought out etc.
I just don't get on with brackets.
As for why the op can't get a catchlight, it is just down to angles, change the angle of your flash head or if you are pointing it up, use the catchlight panel. It has nothing o do with he modifier, just he angles of incidence and reflection.
I just don't get on with brackets.
As for why the op can't get a catchlight, it is just down to angles, change the angle of your flash head or if you are pointing it up, use the catchlight panel. It has nothing o do with he modifier, just he angles of incidence and reflection.
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privatebydesign said:
Well I did try pointing it both up and slightly forward, trying different angles- with the flashbender also tilted up, and slightly forward. It just doesn't seem to reflect enough. I even took a photo of the panel in the mirror with the flash firing and the flashbender clone wasn't lit up as much as I expected (granted, this wasn't very scientifically done).
That's why I am thinking it might be one of two things- I am using TTL- that is probably making the flash power really low. Otherwise, the material isn't reflective enough.
I need to do a bit more experimentation with this. Unfortunately, the eBayers don't sell a knock-off diffusion panel- I might go a DIY route.
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sagittariansrock said:
Post the pic to illustrate flash, mod and camera angle, but traditionally ETTL will cut the light very quickly when shooting into a mirror.
I rarely use the "softbox" attachment for my Flashbenders, I find I get nicer light by just curling the top edge towards the subject, the curl is the crucial bit, if you just fire it up you will get nothing. The "best" angle for the modifier would be 45º between the flash and subject, and then you would only get catchlights if you are the same amount lower than the eyes than the flash is higher than the eyes. The size of the cathclight will be small if you are ay distance from your subject, but you should be able to get one.
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In dynamic situations I'll use a 600EX-RT with a Flashbender and an ST-E3-RT and hold the flash away from me, camera in one hand flash in the other, ungainly but gets the separation. You can achieve the same thing with an off camera cord.
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Quote is modified.
Very useful tips.
I did curl it forwards. When you say 45 degrees, do you mean turning the flashhead to the front by the 45 degree marker? I know I did 90, and then -15 (because at 90 the flash is slightly forward, and at -15 it is straight up). I didn't do a more acute angle.
Point no. 3 might be the issue. I did ask the subjects to look up, but that clearly wasn't the solution. I do need to shoot from a lower point than eye level. I heard reading it somewhere that gives a better look.
privatebydesign said:
Very useful tips.
I did curl it forwards. When you say 45 degrees, do you mean turning the flashhead to the front by the 45 degree marker? I know I did 90, and then -15 (because at 90 the flash is slightly forward, and at -15 it is straight up). I didn't do a more acute angle.
Point no. 3 might be the issue. I did ask the subjects to look up, but that clearly wasn't the solution. I do need to shoot from a lower point than eye level. I heard reading it somewhere that gives a better look.
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So, I think point # 4 was the issue.
I magnified the images and could see the catchlight after all.
But boy, it is small. Should have remembered that, like a convex mirror, the cornea reflects a much smaller image.
If that is the catchlight with the large flashbender, I wonder what the catchlight panel would do.
FYI, I was about 10 feet from the subject.
I magnified the images and could see the catchlight after all.
But boy, it is small. Should have remembered that, like a convex mirror, the cornea reflects a much smaller image.
If that is the catchlight with the large flashbender, I wonder what the catchlight panel would do.
FYI, I was about 10 feet from the subject.
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Another practical tip, rotate the head 90º so it is short edge to the subject then put the modifier on, this means you can go from landscape to portrait with just a 90º turn of the head. Very simple and quick, it is the main reason I don't use a bracket.
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privatebydesign said:
I'm using the "rotate head" method with the demb flip it, works great because it's a very quick setup - there's a description with pictures on their site: http://www.dembflashproducts.com/flipit/positions/ and http://www.dembflashproducts.com/flipit/instructions/
Btw the reason I'm using a bracket is that I can quickly move the flash quickly in the range from bottom right to left for fill and still have both hands free.
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Marsu42 said:
The flashbender is a bigger, more flexible (literally, LOL) version of the flip-it.
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sagittariansrock said:
Impressive, yours is bigger than mine :-> ...
I find the large demb version ok, but I'm open to suggestion for a new purchase if it makes a difference. How is the handling of the flexible reflector? Does more area really make a difference since the flash light cone is only so large if it's so near the flash head?
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Marsu42 said:
You saw how small it is at 10 feet (images I posted).
I have to test this with the catchlight panel- but I think that will be even smaller.
The handling is pretty good, folds flat, and I only have the cheap knock-off.
I assume the real thing will be even better made.
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sagittariansrock said:
yea there's no free lunch. I didn't see this (about the custom brackets) either as I've never used one of these. At least the Newton allows full tripod compatibility -- you just need to use their plate. if that is ok for you then really the Newton is still a viable alternative; compact, foldable etc.
and it isn't all about the catch light. Its about control of shadows too. . if you're in a situation where you don't have an assistant, you need to use ceiling bounce and/or the bounce card and you just need to rotate the camera 90 degrees and shoot, you don't always have time to fiddle. You want shadows to be diffuse, behind and slightly below the subject especially when there is a wall behind the subject. Some situations may require all of the following: (1) flash height above the lens axis (2) control of ceiling bounce (3) use of the bounce card (4) quick, as in sub 1 second, switch between portrait and landscape, and (5) quick lens changes.
If one requires tripod use (without removing some proprietary flash plate) then its fair to assume you already have a plate on the camera and you what any new apparatus to use it. Either that, or you (like the Newton) accept that the new apparatus will supply its own AS dovetail plate accommodating both itself and the tripod.
But if you have all of the above requirements AND you have an existing plate, such as an RRS or Kirk or Wimberly L plate, then options are few. there will be expense and bulk because there has to be some sort of adapter or mechanism to attach the flash apparatus to the existing plate.
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From the pictures that I've seen of the Custom Brackets offerings, it looks like most have 1/4" threaded holes on the bottom where you could easily add an AS dovetail plate if you needed.
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