ringflash Weegee style on hand-held 4X5?

[Henry Carter]

I would like to try ringflash lighting for portraits with my hand-held 4X5 camera, used Weegee style.

It would be somewhat difficult for me to place the lens through the centre of the ringflash, but I could place the ringflash right next to the lens, like an on camera-strobe. Would this still give the desired lighting effect even though it is off axis? Has anyone tried this?

I have a Broncolor Mobil system which can accomodate the powerful Broncolor ringflash.

I use a Linhof 4X5 Technika often hand-held (or with a monopod). For head and shoulder portraits with rangefinder focusing I use coupled 210 or 250 mm lenses.

The Broncolor ringflash has a diameter of 200 mm, and though attaching it to the Technika would not be a problem for ground-glass focusing, the ringflash would partly cover the rangefinder. This is why I was thinking of using the ringflash off the optical axis of the lens, mounted on the side of the Technika like a flashgun, where it would not impede the use of the rangefinder.

On the other hand, if the ringflash can be mounted a little below and to the left of the centre of the lens axis, the rangefinder would not be obscured and the ringflash would be surrounding the lens...

[Ed Richards]

WeeGee used a flashbulb - a straight strobe would be more appropriate, and off to the side of the camera for some modeling, which WeeGee got.

[Henry Carter]

Hi Ed,

I'm not trying to reproduce the Weegee look, just using him as an example of hand held large format shooting with an artificial light source attached to the 4X5.

Just trying to get people to think "press photography" and not rocks and trees on the slopes of Mount Saint Ansel.

[Ed Richards]

I understand - I just used my old Technika with a cammed 90 and Tmax 400 to do a local folk festival. I also use it with tripod when I need to work fast and may not want to be under a darkcloth. I have done about 50 4x5 black and white shots of flood damage in New Orleans, mostly with the rangefinder. I have also been looking at using a flash, but in the traditional location. I will confess that I do not like the ringflash look.

[Tadge Dryja]

Sorry to say, but the ringflash must be positioned around the lens, on axis. Otherwise it won't look like a 'ringflash' at all, it'll just look like any regular on-camera flash. Which, actually, will give you the 'Weegee' look (at least lighting wise).

[Henry Carter]

I agree Ed, one of the great features of the Technika is to be able to rapidly take pictures with rangefinder focusing, either hand-held or on a tripod.

Thanks Tadge, that is the info I needed- that the ringflash must be surrounding the lens, on axis.

[Henry Carter]

My local Broncolor dealer has told me that the ringflash will be available by January 2006, and that they will have a rental unit available as well.