On Tue, 6 Feb 2001 22:38:23 -0600, Dan Scott wrote:
>I've never used on an off camera flash. Which small TTL flash would be most
>suitable for macro work? I'm interested in assisting available light, but
>not replacing it (and ringflashes look flat to me). Any suggestions?
>
>Do I actually want TTL? I'm not %100 sure, being new at this.
Hi Dan,
I've used various flash setups and I agree with you that the ring flash
can look flat, but it's also the most easily transported flash setup.
The main reason for using flash for macro photos is to increase your
depth of field, particularly on subjects that wont be nice and sit
still for you!
Lately I have been using a 2 flash setup and this works quite well.
Depending on where I am going and what I am doing I either take 2
flashes (AF400FTZ and Sigma EF430) and use both off camera mounted on
separate stands. Yes this is a pain of a setup but it gives plenty of
light and at 7 times magnification to the film I want all the depth of
field I can get!
When I want to travel light I have actually made a double headed flash
from a Pentax AF240FT and a Mecablitz 34BCT. I simply removed the
flash tube and housing from the Mecablitz put a long cable on it and
put the flash tube in parallel with the one in the AF240. I used cable
with enough wires in it so I can add modeling lights later if I want
and I probably will. The flash I bought cheap from a list member
because the hotshoe had broken off but as I don't need it for this
setup it didn't matter. I have the AF240 connected to the camera via a
5p cable and a hotshoe adaptor F and the heads aligned vertically
(assuming landscape format pictures) on either side of the lens at
about 30 to 45 degrees of the lens axis. The whole unit is quite light
and easily transported with the camera, though you do still have to
ensure both flash heads are pointed at the subject.
>I plan on shooting flowers, bugs, assorted vermin (but nothing
>politico-sized), fish in aquariums, and various small organic things at
>magnifications from 1:4 on down to about 5:1, indoors and out.
>
>Cheap is good, BTW. I'll most likely be making my own brackets and using
>paper or cloth for reflectors.
If you have some technical skill you can try making the setup I did.
It was quite cheap, the brackets I used cost me AU$4 from a camera
fair, the Mecablitz I got for nothing because it was broken and the
AF240FT I bought along with a broken SF1n (which is now working thanks
to me having another broken one that I got for nothing) for US$50 (I'm
not sure how to figure out what each cost me). The expensive part was
the 5p cord and adaptor that I bought new about 2 years ago. I can
easily correctly expose at 1:1 at f32 with a Sigma 105 f2.8 EX using
this setup, and the lighting looks good too.
Leon
http://www.bluering.org.au
http://www.bluering.org.au/leon
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