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georgekushstanza
10-Jun-2016, 05:52
Was looking for suggestions on flashes that would suffice for indoor/low lighting situations. I'm trying to keep my setup light and portable so I would prefer it be an on camera flash that could mount to my cold shoe and require no stands or battery packs.

jnantz
10-Jun-2016, 06:08
not many 4x5 cameras have a cold shoe. that said
i have used a sunpack thyristor on occasion with a press camera
(speed graphic ) and i have also used a lumedyne 244 with single head
on a speed graphic for portrait and editorial work since 1988. they both
put out a bunch of light, and the lumedyne has a choke/thyristor available
if you like that sort of stuff ( with the lumedyne, you can adjust the light with trim down to 2 ws to 400 depending on the battery )
i have a bachrach bracket the lumedyne can be attached to, and a stroboframe either the sunpack or lumedyne
can mount to. speed graphics have 2 tripod mounts that the frame/bracket can attach to ... but it makes a
very large unwieldy contraption. i tend to stick the camera on a tripod and use a pc cord and have the flash off-camera
for me at least, it makes for a better lighting situation.

goodluck !

georgekushstanza
10-Jun-2016, 06:28
I'm currently stuck in between the horseman 45fa or toyoview 45cf but regardless of which one I get I believe both have a cold shoe. Anyways thank you for your suggestions! I like the looks of the thrysitor.

Edit: do you know of anything similar to the thrysitor that would be able to mount onto the cold shoe and not required the use of an extra brackets?

rbultman
10-Jun-2016, 08:03
Metz 45 series. They won't mount to the cold shoe, but the bottom bracket screws into the tripod mount on the bottom of the camera. The handle flash then becomes another handle. It makes for a fairly compact setup and is IMO less unwieldy than a standard flash connected to the cold shoe.

151644

David Beal
10-Jun-2016, 12:59
A second on the Metz 45 series. The newer models are kinder to the shutter contacts (trigger voltage much lower) and they put out a lot of light.

Besides which, they can make you a celebrity. I used one on a Crown Graphic at a community parade and two lovely ladies asked me if I worked for the local paper.

Of course, there was the young man who marveled at what a big digital camera I had. When I showed him a film holder (and emphasized the word "film" he walked away in a daze.

Sometimes it's fun to be old ...

Jac@stafford.net
10-Jun-2016, 13:02
Besides which, they can make you a celebrity. I used one on a Crown Graphic at a community parade and two lovely ladies asked me if I worked for the local paper.

Of course, there was the young man who marveled at what a big digital camera I had. When I showed him a film holder (and emphasized the word "film" he walked away in a daze.

Next time you do that, let me loan you a graflex flashbulb unit, and some big bulbs. :)
.

Corran
11-Jun-2016, 08:21
Metz 45 is indeed great, wish mine didn't up and die a few months ago. Need to find another...

choiliefan
11-Jun-2016, 09:58
Vivitar Thyristor 283 or 285 would work nicely and are easy to find. Later HV models will protect your shutter contacts.

georgekushstanza
10-Sep-2016, 20:11
Vivitar Thyristor 283 or 285 would work nicely and are easy to find. Later HV models will protect your shutter contacts.

i've read that they are not powerful enough for large format. i have a cold shoe on my camera and would like to know of an on camera flash that will be powerful enough. i'll be shooting indoors, 400 color film, 5.6 lens. i also already have a flash meter if needed.

CantikFotos
10-Sep-2016, 20:39
Check out the Yongnuo 560III or 560IV. They're cheap and powerful.

georgekushstanza
11-Sep-2016, 07:51
Check out the Yongnuo 560III or 560IV. They're cheap and powerful.

have you ever used one?

Ari
11-Sep-2016, 08:30
have you ever used one?

It's hit-and-miss with those units; I bought one from B&H, they were $60, and the specs were very good on paper; I figured I could use it as a portable accent light, triggered by my monolights.
The only problem was after about an hour of running it, the power stuck on maximum, and wouldn't budge.
I found out this was a common problem with these flashes, so I sent it back.

pierre506
11-Sep-2016, 08:41
Metz 45 is indeed great, wish mine didn't up and die a few months ago. Need to find another...
Metz 50, 70 or 76 MZ~

通过我的 VIE-AL10 上的 Tapatalk发言

Neal Chaves
11-Sep-2016, 11:44
Here's my answer to puny on-camera flashes. Total cost of parts on Ebay about $40. Of course you need AC for outdoor locations, but I have an inverter in my vehicle. This is the Larson Soft Shoulder rig designed by Peter Gowland and no longer in production. It works great with hand held cameras of all kinds and can be set up left or right, horizontal and vertical. With a little re-working, I mounted a Norman LH2000 flash head and umbrella reflector for outputs of 50-2400WS from my Norman 24/24 power pack. I use a 50W modeling lamp bulb instead of the usual 150-250W.154860154861154862

CantikFotos
11-Sep-2016, 13:49
have you ever used one?


Yes, that's what I use now. Never had a problem. Friend of mine in Shanghai brought a couple over for $40US each. My Metz 58 died and they told me the didn't know what the problem was. So......

georgekushstanza
21-Sep-2016, 20:19
Yes, that's what I use now. Never had a problem. Friend of mine in Shanghai brought a couple over for $40US each. My Metz 58 died and they told me the didn't know what the problem was. So......

what camera, lens, and film were you shooting with?

could i get a shoe adapter to hold 2 flashes? just a pc sync cable splitter would be needed right?

Two23
21-Sep-2016, 20:41
I'm going to give you an oddball solution that I've tried myself and it works quite well. The goal of flash is to get it OFF the camera, to reduce red eye and also avoid the "flat" light look. Buy a pair of small flash triggers (I use Cybersyncs. Attach the trigger to the post on the Copal shutter. Attach the receiver to the flash. Attach the flash to your hat, using velcro. Yes, this works quite well.


Kent in SD