Flash ?


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hercules

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Jul 6, 2005
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hi guys.....
i did some reading on the external flash in lumix FAQ and wonder if
any1 has ever used the suntax 328dtz or emoblitz 328 for macro photography b4?
howz the result like,any comments??
or is there any other more apporpriate flash that any1 can recomend for macro photography?
btw is the panosonic FL-28 any good at all?

Regards
 

hercules said:
hi guys.....
i did some reading on the external flash in lumix FAQ and wonder if
any1 has ever used the suntax 328dtz or emoblitz 328 for macro photography b4?
howz the result like,any comments??
or is there any other more apporpriate flash that any1 can recomend for macro photography?
btw is the panosonic FL-28 any good at all?

Regards

im using emoblitz 328 as slave flash, and its quite good, if you know how to control it. btw im using fz-5 so i cant mount it on my camera...

can look at my macro shots in the other thread for examples taken with the emoblitz 328
 

I just bought my emoblitz 328 ..but got some questions regarding it..
hope you guys will enliten me....as i'm quite cork with this..i dun really noe how to use it

1)I read that S1 is for camera emitting only 1 pulse; S2 is for camera emitting 2 pulses...but since i am using Fz-20..am i rite to say that I just need to put to 'N' since 's1' and 's2' are for slave?
but upon further reading....'firefly' said that 'hoping to use the slave to add more light for the background which is out of the internal flash range. The Emoblitz is a little short on power even at Tele setting.'
i'm kinda confuse rite now......
3)wat other settings do i have to change in the FZ-20....??
4)wats the wire that comes with the flash for?
 

I am not familiar with your flash, so cannot say much abt it, but you are not using it for slave mode.

You mention for macro, so I am talking more towards that. As macro, you are working at short distances, the flash should be adequate...I think what the fella said is for further subjects in x12 zoomed subjects.


1)First, figure out how to adjust the power of your flash. (read manual).
2)Second, try to diffuse the flash by using bounce card (any white card board will do) or a omnibounce. (see my equipment link below)

For me, there are afew things I set as default as far as possible.....F8 for greatest DOF, and lowest ISO where possible. I use MF and move camera till subject is sharp than snap. I use M mode so I control the shutter speed and not the camera which decide.

So with F8, the only parameter I change is shutter speed or flash power to control exposure.

If subject too bright: Increase shutter speed or less flash power of combi of both and vice versa.
If using bounce flash, raise the flash head so the light travels further to subject (i.e. reduce power) less harsh.

So you have 3 means to play around to control exposure.

CY
 

I'm using the Emoblitz too so I hope I can offer some help.

S1 is when u are using it as a slave flash and u want it to trigger when another flash fires off. i.e. flash the same time as the master flash.

S2 is when u turn on red-eye reduction on the master flash and u want the Emoblitz to flash when the actual shot is taken. i.e. Master flash fires once to close subject's pupils, slave does not fire. Master flash fires 2nd time to capture image, slave fires too to brighten image more.

The cable supplied with the flash is a sync cord to connect your flash to a camera that has a sync port. If you're using FZ20, u do not need that as your camera has a hotshoe.

Like tchuanye, for macro, I use a bounce card so that light is diffused & even, M mode to control aperture & shutter speed. Sometimes I use A mode and let the shutter remain at 1/60. Mostly, my aperture settings are f8.0. Sometimes I'll go down to f5.6, depending on the ambient light. I also prefer to use a full powered flash since I do not want the flash to control its own light output. I do this by taping a black tape across the flash light-sensor (the hole above the red plastic part in the front of the unit). Do note that by using full powered flash, u drain your batteries quicker.

Hope this helps?
 

Hey ...tchuanye and karnage..tanks for the priceless advice....duly noted.........

and a few more questions for this flash...

as i am helping my fren shoot his ROM this friday .....
do you all have any suggestions to take note of......?(in regards to the FZ-20 camera and flash?)

btw..i do not have any diffusers.....if i use tissue paper wrap around my flash head, can or not??
 

hercules said:
Hey ...tchuanye and karnage..tanks for the priceless advice....duly noted.........

and a few more questions for this flash...

as i am helping my fren shoot his ROM this friday .....
do you all have any suggestions to take note of......?(in regards to the FZ-20 camera and flash?)

btw..i do not have any diffusers.....if i use tissue paper wrap around my flash head, can or not??

No diffuser, can make bounce card, any white pc of cardboard will do. At ROM, if ceiling is low, better still, aim flash at ceiling and bounce it, so flash not so harsh....than no need bounce card/ diffuser....but be quick to adjust settings so that if the flash too harsh/dim can adjust accordingly.

And do not use M mode, use A mode and AF...cos its different scenario...need to focus fast etc....so adjustment is flash power only....

...and... practice before Fri to get the hang of it..
 

tchuanye said:
No diffuser, can make bounce card, any white pc of cardboard will do. At ROM, if ceiling is low, better still, aim flash at ceiling and bounce it, so flash not so harsh....than no need bounce card/ diffuser....but be quick to adjust settings so that if the flash too harsh/dim can adjust accordingly.

And do not use M mode, use A mode and AF...cos its different scenario...need to focus fast etc....so adjustment is flash power only....

...and... practice before Fri to get the hang of it..

yea.. use bounce card or point flash upwards...

u can DIY ur own bounce mah...
 

Hi! It's not difficult to make a bounce card. Like what tchuanye and k3nn3th says, just use a white cardboard or something of the likes can liao. Good advice from tchuanye, to get the hang of it first, before the actual day. Take lots of photos of people if you can, since you'll be taking pictures of people on the day.

If it were me, I would do the same: cover up the sensor so it uses full power, then adjust the aperture/shutter, whichever effect u like. This way, u know that the flash intensity is consistent and if there're anything u want to change, it's in-camera.

But that's just me. I dunno if it's what the others practise... :)
 

what do u all think about those cheaper one-point flash like suntax 9000ML or achiever 828?
 

karnage said:
I'm using the Emoblitz too so I hope I can offer some help.

S1 is when u are using it as a slave flash and u want it to trigger when another flash fires off. i.e. flash the same time as the master flash.

S2 is when u turn on red-eye reduction on the master flash and u want the Emoblitz to flash when the actual shot is taken. i.e. Master flash fires once to close subject's pupils, slave does not fire. Master flash fires 2nd time to capture image, slave fires too to brighten image more.

Er.. hope u dun mind me correcting, but you're a bit wrong..

Digital cameras when using flash, emits 2 flashes to quick for our eyes to see..
1st flash is for setting the autowhitebalance, taking exposure etc. If i'm not wrong, this is done too for the 1st flash when using red eye reduction.
2nd flash is for the actual photo with the calculated flash amount.

That's why you cannot just buy a slave off the shelves and use it.. it has to be specified for digital cameras.
Thus, in theory, we should always and only use S2 when taking photos at nite.

For the FZ5, it's got this niffy feature where if in the day (say shutter < 1/100), you open the flash as a fill in flash, the flash will fire only once just to provide a bit of light because sunlight is the dominant light and whitebalance and such is set by the dominant light source.
You will have to use S1 in such cases.

*side note*
My experience with the emoblitz is that if i'm taking someone close to me (say within 2 m), I'll use S2.. If i'm taking someone further, setting to S1 and S2 produces a mixed bag of results, where SOMETIMES S1 produces nicer photos..
 

unseen said:
Er.. hope u dun mind me correcting, but you're a bit wrong..

Digital cameras when using flash, emits 2 flashes to quick for our eyes to see..
1st flash is for setting the autowhitebalance, taking exposure etc. If i'm not wrong, this is done too for the 1st flash when using red eye reduction.
2nd flash is for the actual photo with the calculated flash amount.

That's why you cannot just buy a slave off the shelves and use it.. it has to be specified for digital cameras.
Thus, in theory, we should always and only use S2 when taking photos at nite.

For the FZ5, it's got this niffy feature where if in the day (say shutter < 1/100), you open the flash as a fill in flash, the flash will fire only once just to provide a bit of light because sunlight is the dominant light and whitebalance and such is set by the dominant light source.
You will have to use S1 in such cases.

*side note*
My experience with the emoblitz is that if i'm taking someone close to me (say within 2 m), I'll use S2.. If i'm taking someone further, setting to S1 and S2 produces a mixed bag of results, where SOMETIMES S1 produces nicer photos..
Hmm... ok. I didn't know that. But what I say is what I gather from the meagre amount of explanation in the Emoblitz manual. Haha! So... oh wells. Ok.

Anyways, unseen, u using FZ5 is it? Coz I tried (accidentally) switching to S1 and firing my FZ20 but the flash doesn't light up at all. According to the Emoblitz manual, S1 & S2 are 2 modes of slave flashes. I tried S1 before and it works with the normal no-eye-reduction flash. Never tried S2 yet... haha! :bsmilie:
 

I USED to use a FZ5..
hmmm try both lar.. LOL it'll depend on ambient light.. LOL if it's bright enough, it may not look like it flashed but it did.. I used to suspect that it wasn't firing.. so i did the simplest thing..

i looked at the flash and then took a snap..
my eyes usually go blind a while after that...

Anyway S1 and S2 will always work... but the split second timing will work out to be either the flash was captured in the photo or not.. LOL don't be too happy just caused it flashed..

do a test:
take a photo with S1, then take a photo with the flash off...
LOL if u see no difference, that's coz the S1 fired off too fast and was not in the photo..
Happened to me for a while until i realised that there was no difference... then I used S2 and I saw a HUGE difference..
 

tchuanye said:
I am not familiar with your flash, so cannot say much abt it, but you are not using it for slave mode.

You mention for macro, so I am talking more towards that. As macro, you are working at short distances, the flash should be adequate...I think what the fella said is for further subjects in x12 zoomed subjects.


1)First, figure out how to adjust the power of your flash. (read manual).
2)Second, try to diffuse the flash by using bounce card (any white card board will do) or a omnibounce. (see my equipment link below)

For me, there are afew things I set as default as far as possible.....F8 for greatest DOF, and lowest ISO where possible. I use MF and move camera till subject is sharp than snap. I use M mode so I control the shutter speed and not the camera which decide.

So with F8, the only parameter I change is shutter speed or flash power to control exposure.

If subject too bright: Increase shutter speed or less flash power of combi of both and vice versa.
If using bounce flash, raise the flash head so the light travels further to subject (i.e. reduce power) less harsh.

So you have 3 means to play around to control exposure.

CY

Do you owned the FL-28??? I'm from Malaysia, looking for this FL-28 but difficult around here. Even at B&H this item is out of stock. Can you recommend me where can I buy this FL-28???
 

diadem said:
Do you owned the FL-28??? I'm from Malaysia, looking for this FL-28 but difficult around here. Even at B&H this item is out of stock. Can you recommend me where can I buy this FL-28???

Yes I do, but I got it 2nd hand from another Cser ....not sure which shop to buy it though....
 

Yeah, I've got the .75mm white plastic sheet from Art Friend, cut to desired size. Then velco strips from Spotlight, tape round the flash and a strip on the white plastic. Ta-daa! Done!

Haven't got the chance to really test it tho'

tchuanye said:
No diffuser, can make bounce card, any white pc of cardboard will do. At ROM, if ceiling is low, better still, aim flash at ceiling and bounce it, so flash not so harsh....than no need bounce card/ diffuser....but be quick to adjust settings so that if the flash too harsh/dim can adjust accordingly.

And do not use M mode, use A mode and AF...cos its different scenario...need to focus fast etc....so adjustment is flash power only....

...and... practice before Fri to get the hang of it..
 

lol that's the de facto DIY bounce card that alot of us has.. haha it's the same material as the $20 one that they sell i feel...
 

unseen said:
lol that's the de facto DIY bounce card that alot of us has.. haha it's the same material as the $20 one that they sell i feel...
Really? Haha! I bought this gold card then cut out the size I want, then went to laminate it... then paste velcro strips... Sometimes it doesn't work as well as I'd like it to. Is the acrylic sheet thing better?
 

yupz.. the acrylic sheet bounces light quite well.. but I've not fully learnt how to use it yet.. I'm still working on my flash photography.. bleah it's hard.

LOL hmmm I bought this silver reflective paper to use.. haven't tried yet..
Silver is supposed to make it colder, gold is supposed to make it warmer..
My sigma 18-50 already gives warm colour, so I thought it'll be good to have.. but buy so long le.. I'm not even very sure where it is now..
 

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