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#1
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Slave flash and digital camera
"Bill Again" wrote in message ...
With my old film SLR I sometimes used a couple of slave flashes to light up a distant part of the scene. I cannot find a digital camera that can cope with this. In the last few years I have worked my way through 7 or 8 digital cameras, including a couple of Olympus models, a Casio and one of the original old timers (circa '97)- a black and white Logitech that produced blocky postage stamp size images. Currently I am using a Lumix FZ10 and this gives me some very strange results that I haven't been able to puzzle out yet. The slave flash is triggered when it "sees" the built in flash of the Lumix but this is not recorded in the picture. In fact a picture taken with the slave firing in the background also doesn't register the light from the built in flash and is under illuminated. If I leave the set up as it was but turn off the slave then the picture is fine, although of course the distant field is dark. Turn the slave on again and once more the whole picture is dark, i.e. no sign of either the light from the slave flash or the built in flash. Does anyone have any ideas? Has anyone else tried using slaves with a digital? If so, to what effect? And with what settings? The problem with the slaves flashes is that they need to be triggered by the flash from your camera, and they can screw up the exposure because the metering system does not know about the slave. It is always best to use a dedicated hot flash, made by the same manufacturer as your camera, if possible. |
#2
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"Lukas Varossieau" wrote in message om... "Bill Again" wrote in message ... With my old film SLR I sometimes used a couple of slave flashes to light up a distant part of the scene. I cannot find a digital camera that can cope with this. In the last few years I have worked my way through 7 or 8 digital cameras, including a couple of Olympus models, a Casio and one of the original old timers (circa '97)- a black and white Logitech that produced blocky postage stamp size images. Currently I am using a Lumix FZ10 and this gives me some very strange results that I haven't been able to puzzle out yet. The slave flash is triggered when it "sees" the built in flash of the Lumix but this is not recorded in the picture. In fact a picture taken with the slave firing in the background also doesn't register the light from the built in flash and is under illuminated. If I leave the set up as it was but turn off the slave then the picture is fine, although of course the distant field is dark. Turn the slave on again and once more the whole picture is dark, i.e. no sign of either the light from the slave flash or the built in flash. Does anyone have any ideas? Has anyone else tried using slaves with a digital? If so, to what effect? And with what settings? The problem with the slaves flashes is that they need to be triggered by the flash from your camera, and they can screw up the exposure because the metering system does not know about the slave. It is always best to use a dedicated hot flash, made by the same manufacturer as your camera, if possible. Not in all circumstances. I want to use the slave flash(es) at a distant (10 to 15 metre) position. Can I use a long cable? Well if I can then it ties me down, and this is why I have always found (with film) that slaves were very useful and offered me lots of freedom and so on. Anyway, I have, thanks to advice from this NG and from a specialist photo retailer (Neithold - thoroughly recommended) ordered a Metz slave that "learns" the flash characteristics of the camera that is triggering it. If nothing else this should be an interesting exercise. :-) Robert R. |
#3
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"Bill Again" writes:
Not in all circumstances. I want to use the slave flash(es) at a distant (10 to 15 metre) position. Can I use a long cable? Well if I can then it ties me down, and this is why I have always found (with film) that slaves were very useful and offered me lots of freedom and so on. There are wireless triggers and receivers that can be used in this case. The higher end models like PocketWizard have selectable channels so that if you are in an area with other photographers (such as a wedding for instance) your slave isn't set off by the other guy's gear. -- Michael Meissner email: http://www.the-meissners.org |
#4
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"Michael Meissner" wrote in message ... "Bill Again" writes: Not in all circumstances. I want to use the slave flash(es) at a distant (10 to 15 metre) position. Can I use a long cable? Well if I can then it ties me down, and this is why I have always found (with film) that slaves were very useful and offered me lots of freedom and so on. There are wireless triggers and receivers that can be used in this case. The higher end models like PocketWizard have selectable channels so that if you are in an area with other photographers (such as a wedding for instance) your slave isn't set off by the other guy's gear. -- Michael Meissner email: http://www.the-meissners.org Very neat. Looks like there is lots to play with in this area. :-) Robert R. |
#5
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"Bill Again" wrote in message ...
"Lukas Varossieau" wrote in message om... "Bill Again" wrote in message ... With my old film SLR I sometimes used a couple of slave flashes to light up a distant part of the scene. I cannot find a digital camera that can cope with this. In the last few years I have worked my way through 7 or 8 digital cameras, including a couple of Olympus models, a Casio and one of the original old timers (circa '97)- a black and white Logitech that produced blocky postage stamp size images. Currently I am using a Lumix FZ10 and this gives me some very strange results that I haven't been able to puzzle out yet. The slave flash is triggered when it "sees" the built in flash of the Lumix but this is not recorded in the picture. In fact a picture taken with the slave firing in the background also doesn't register the light from the built in flash and is under illuminated. If I leave the set up as it was but turn off the slave then the picture is fine, although of course the distant field is dark. Turn the slave on again and once more the whole picture is dark, i.e. no sign of either the light from the slave flash or the built in flash. Does anyone have any ideas? Has anyone else tried using slaves with a digital? If so, to what effect? And with what settings? The problem with the slaves flashes is that they need to be triggered by the flash from your camera, and they can screw up the exposure because the metering system does not know about the slave. It is always best to use a dedicated hot flash, made by the same manufacturer as your camera, if possible. Not in all circumstances. I want to use the slave flash(es) at a distant (10 to 15 metre) position. Can I use a long cable? Well if I can then it ties me down, and this is why I have always found (with film) that slaves were very useful and offered me lots of freedom and so on. Anyway, I have, thanks to advice from this NG and from a specialist photo retailer (Neithold - thoroughly recommended) ordered a Metz slave that "learns" the flash characteristics of the camera that is triggering it. If nothing else this should be an interesting exercise. :-) I stand corrected. |
#6
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"Lukas Varossieau" wrote in message om... "Bill Again" wrote in message ... "Lukas Varossieau" wrote in message om... "Bill Again" wrote in message ... snipped The problem with the slaves flashes is that they need to be triggered by the flash from your camera, and they can screw up the exposure because the metering system does not know about the slave. It is always best to use a dedicated hot flash, made by the same manufacturer as your camera, if possible. Not in all circumstances. I want to use the slave flash(es) at a distant (10 to 15 metre) position. Can I use a long cable? Well if I can then it ties me down, and this is why I have always found (with film) that slaves were very useful and offered me lots of freedom and so on. Anyway, I have, thanks to advice from this NG and from a specialist photo retailer (Neithold - thoroughly recommended) ordered a Metz slave that "learns" the flash characteristics of the camera that is triggering it. If nothing else this should be an interesting exercise. :-) I stand corrected. Not at all! All input is useful, and I thank you for it. You never know when an idea can be just that bit of information that someone hasn't yet chanced upon by themselves. Robert R. |
#7
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"Bill Again" wrote in
: Anyway, I have, thanks to advice from this NG and from a specialist photo retailer (Neithold - thoroughly recommended) ordered a Metz slave that "learns" the flash characteristics of the camera that is triggering it. Cool. What is the model and guide number? I am also looking into a slave flash. I know there are a few inexpensive Sunpak models for around $30 or so, but I wonder how useful they could possibly be. They too have the ability to ignore the pre-flash..a must for a digital slave. -- Bill |
#8
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"Woodchuck Bill" wrote in message ... "Bill Again" wrote in : Anyway, I have, thanks to advice from this NG and from a specialist photo retailer (Neithold - thoroughly recommended) ordered a Metz slave that "learns" the flash characteristics of the camera that is triggering it. Cool. What is the model and guide number? I am also looking into a slave flash. I know there are a few inexpensive Sunpak models for around $30 or so, but I wonder how useful they could possibly be. They too have the ability to ignore the pre-flash..a must for a digital slave. -- Bill Well I thought that I would first try the Metz 28 CS2 digital as a benchmark. You can see the details at the link here. http://www.metz.de/en/photo_electron...gital.225.html In Germany it costs 129 Euros ($168) br Robert R. |
#9
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Woodchuck Bill wrote:
"Bill Again" wrote in : Anyway, I have, thanks to advice from this NG and from a specialist photo retailer (Neithold - thoroughly recommended) ordered a Metz slave that "learns" the flash characteristics of the camera that is triggering it. Cool. What is the model and guide number? I am also looking into a slave flash. I know there are a few inexpensive Sunpak models for around $30 or so, but I wonder how useful they could possibly be. They too have the ability to ignore the pre-flash..a must for a digital slave. I have the VIVITAR DF200 Digital Flash, $69.95 from BnH. GN 92 @ 28, 28 @ 50. It "learns" as advertised, but: No "Test" button! In spit of what the manufacturer's pdf specs sheet says. Or mayby I just can't find it. It forgets what it learned, so every session requires at least one flash to teach it. Someone else mentioned another shortcoming, but I have forgotten what it was, and can't find the post. -- Frank ess |
#10
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"Frank ess" wrote in news:zamdnWVUMqWvtgPcRVn-
: I have the VIVITAR DF200 Digital Flash, $69.95 from BnH. GN 92 @ 28, 28 @ 50. It "learns" as advertised, but: That's the other one I was thinking of! Thanks. -- Bill |
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