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Ash
2-May-2009, 15:33
Sorry but I've not had the chance to use this with large format yet, so bear with me for the digital shots!

Basically it's a cheap chinese RF Transceiver kit, four receivers and a trigger (turns out the trigger and receiver I already had works on the same frequency so make that 2 triggers and 5 receivers).

Having soldered PC Synch cables onto two old Flashmate/XtraFlash units, which are really compact low guide number fill flashes. They working on the principle of a photocell triggering the flash by detecting another one nearby. Now they work with rf receivers too ;)

Using hotshoe-to-pc adapters I bought two Olympus T20 flashes... I'd like to find two/three/four more at low prices to replace the cheapo flashes so the whole kit runs on slightly more powerful and compact units.

The kit - http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/lfpf/setup_MG_5239.jpg

Living Room
One light http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/lfpf/a1-flash-livingroom_MG_5229.jpg
Four lights http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/lfpf/a4-flash-livingroom_MG_5226.jpg

Mantle
One light http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/lfpf/1flash-mantle_MG_5233.jpg
Four lights http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/lfpf/4flash-mantle_MG_5236.jpg

Dolls House
Four lights http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/lfpf/dollshouse4-1.jpg


This is a flippant remark on the abandoned buildings photo's I've been taking of late http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/lfpf/dollhousedoor.jpg

Ash
3-May-2009, 15:56
A couple super quick tests in-store this afternoon..

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/lfpf/IMG_0130-1.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/lfpf/IMG_0128.jpg


Can't wait to try these out on 5x4

Gordon Moat
3-May-2009, 16:32
I do something similar with a pack of Nikon Speedlights. The SB-26 is great, since it is high powered and has a sync sensor on the front. Nikon also make lots of cables and a neat little SU-4.

My great little add-on to this is A clamps from a hardware store. To those I have fitted a cold shoe to hold a flash anywhere it can be clamped. Cheap, strong, and effective.

One trick I did with my 4x5 was to use a regular coiled sync cord to one strobe. I set the strobe on lowest power, which allows it to be used as a trigger. This is an alternative to the radio strobes, though it creates a line of sight set-up to the other strobes.

I notice the radio strobes are abundant on EBAY. These have become very popular with many Strobist shooters. I have hesitated on getting cheap radio triggers, but I question their reliability. Curious to see how you fair with this set-up over time.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography (http://www.gordonmoat.com)

Ash
4-May-2009, 12:40
Hey Gordon, I wanted Nikon flashes but they weren't cheap enough. Nor were/are Metz, so what I'm using is clocking in cheaper and just as effective. The costs do mount up.

Quickie self portraits using the setup in slightly altering positions, right with my back up against a wall.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/flashgun-test/7_MG_7546.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/flashgun-test/5_MG_7548.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/flashgun-test/1_MG_7563.jpg

The cheapo units aren't awesome. I'll post a photo of their quality control when I upload the photos to my mac. Soldering definitely isn't as precise as it should be.

Brian Stein
4-May-2009, 19:20
Have a look at http://strobist.blogspot.com/ ; he is very big on using small off camera strobes in the way you describe and also reviews a couple of chinese knockoff of the vivitar 285 that seem ok

Ash
5-May-2009, 03:40
Hi Brian, I know of Strobist ;)

I added an antenna to the trigger thanks to all the strobist/strobistalike pages available.

Ash
5-May-2009, 11:49
Quick trip into town and bought a Nikon SB-27 flash, as-new and pretty cheap. Also purchased a slightly shorter lighting stand, and a very tall one also. The tall one will probably stay at home for the time being, as I haven't fixed the foot of my Vivitar-285 that would be placed on it.

So far I'm waiting for some Hama Flash Bracket jobbies that attach to the lighting stands and allow pivot for shoe-mounted flashguns, and attachment of a brolly. They are on order and should arrive in a few days. Until then I'm using a basic plastic shoe/tripod mount, a hotshoe-to-PC-Sync adapter with tripod mount, a Leica-barnack flash bracket, a benbo ball head, and a super-cheap pivoting shoe head. I don't trust the weight of the SB-27 on top of the cheapo pivot mount, so it's being used in conjunction with the Leica bracket. Once the Hama brackets arrive I'll have three 'proper' heads to to lighting stands to sit the two Olympus T-20's, and the Nikon SB-27.

Next job is to buy a replacement foot for the Vivitar-285 and return that to working order. I'll need to buy *another* Hama bracket then (four brackets, four stands, two adjustable flashes, two slave flashes)

Here's the kit so far...

whole lot fits into two small bags and a 70cm tripod bag.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/lfpf/_MG_7595copy.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/lfpf/_MG_7600copy.jpg

Pictured:
3x stands
1x 70cm tripod bag
2x Olympus T20
1x Benbo ball head
2x Hotshoe-to-pc sync
1x Barnack Leica flash bracket
4x Chinese rf receivers (jack cable removed)
1x Chinese rf transmitter (external antenna attached)
1x Nikon SB-27
1x Nikon SB-27 bag
2x Pentax XtraFlash (modified with PC sync cable)
1x Ricoh bag - for Pentax flashes

EDIT: Not pictured - 1x 32" white diffuser brolly, also fits in the tripod bag

Struan Gray
5-May-2009, 12:57
Ash, if you're going to play with brollies you might see if you can find some of the wide angle and telephoto Fresnel attachments (or make some with page magnifiers). With a shoot-through brolly they are an effective way to fine-tune the softness of the light by 'filling' it to a greater or lesser extent.

If you want more Pentax gear, the AF280T is a nice older unit with a useful guide number (35 in meters) and a trustworthy auto sensor. Some sellers want stupid money, but they often go for a very little. The battery door latch is the only bad weak point.