second 20D dies...

"John McWilliams" wrote in message
news:QoYyd.283966$HA.154299@attbi_s01...
Ryadia wrote:


I use only the internal camera battery, keep two others charged and in
reach, and seldom have to go to the first one. I have a 550 EX, and
either I suck real bad at flash, or something's wrong with the camera or
flash, or the Lumiquest tiny soft box is screwing things up.
--
John McWilliams
---------------------
I have a Lumiquest mini soft box myself and the documentation specifically
states you will lose 1 to 1.5 stops with their diffuser. Their prediction is
spot on, too. One alternative you might like to try and still retain a soft
flash is to use some gauze over the flash. I hold a tissue on with a rubber
band when the need arrises. There is a difference between the soft box and a
fabric diffuser.

Sometimes I use a white candy bag over the flash with great success in
shots inside. Another cheap and useful flash softener is a stainless steel
salad bowel (small size) with a aluminium frame riveted and bent to accept
the flash with the head turned 180 degrees so it fires into the bowel. Of
course an extension lead is needed but this provides an exceptionally soft
light.

I take advantage of the softbox outside as fill flash. You'd hardly know the
portrait was flashed at all and really, this is what we aim for. Full tonal
range. Working inside it's either a Sto-fen cover over the flash or a fabric
diffuser. One thing I have found with nearly all camera mounted flashes is
that they will show the ready light before the capacitor is fully charged.
As the batteries exhaust, the lag will grow. The Internal flash on the 20D
doesn't do this anywhere near as much so when we shoot and print (like at
Santa's) the Internal flash assures evenly flashed shots all the time. This
may be the lithium camera batteries. I intend to try lithium's in the flash
and see how that theory pans out.

Merry Christmas.

Doug

Ryadia wrote:

"John McWilliams" wrote in message
news:QoYyd.283966$HA.154299@attbi_s01...

Ryadia wrote:


I use only the internal camera battery, keep two others charged and in
reach, and seldom have to go to the first one. I have a 550 EX, and
either I suck real bad at flash, or something's wrong with the camera or
flash, or the Lumiquest tiny soft box is screwing things up.
--
John McWilliams

---------------------
I have a Lumiquest mini soft box myself and the documentation specifically
states you will lose 1 to 1.5 stops with their diffuser. Their prediction is
spot on, too. One alternative you might like to try and still retain a soft
flash is to use some gauze over the flash. I hold a tissue on with a rubber
band when the need arrises. There is a difference between the soft box and a
fabric diffuser.

Sometimes I use a white candy bag over the flash with great success in
shots inside. Another cheap and useful flash softener is a stainless steel
salad bowel (small size) with a aluminium frame riveted and bent to accept
the flash with the head turned 180 degrees so it fires into the bowel. Of
course an extension lead is needed but this provides an exceptionally soft
light.

I take advantage of the softbox outside as fill flash. You'd hardly know the
portrait was flashed at all and really, this is what we aim for. Full tonal
range. Working inside it's either a Sto-fen cover over the flash or a fabric
diffuser. One thing I have found with nearly all camera mounted flashes is
that they will show the ready light before the capacitor is fully charged.
As the batteries exhaust, the lag will grow. The Internal flash on the 20D
doesn't do this anywhere near as much so when we shoot and print (like at
Santa's) the Internal flash assures evenly flashed shots all the time. This
may be the lithium camera batteries. I intend to try lithium's in the flash
and see how that theory pans out.

Merry Christmas.

It all makes some sense now. Somehow I didn't question the camera guy as
we stood testing the flash with the soft box and the exposures appeared
fine. He said the camera adjusted the output of the flash to compensate
for the diffusion and damping of the softbox, and seeing that the
apparent results confirmed this, I didn't question it enough. Duh on me.

And a very Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

--
John McWilliams