Need Help with Studio Lights


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hptay

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Dec 12, 2002
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Hi there,

recently got the 120w lights from eastgear :) and I am having some problem taking photographs with my 300d.

I am using the built in flash to trigger off the studio flash, but about 90% of the time, the shots are underexposed. I used a piece of negative to block off most of the light from the pop-up flash, leaving sufficient enough to trigger the studio flash.

Initially, I thought it was the sync speed but i reconfirmed that I set it to 1/125s and took with various F setting, but this still didnt work.

On closer examination, I realised that the 300d fires a pre-flash before the main one and this triggers of the studio flash... effective "flashing" even before my stutter opens.. ~sigh :cry: I think this is the cause... :dunno:

so (after all the above gibberish...), can someone kindly advise on the next step?

1) get a PC-sync thingee to attach to the hot-shoe and connect to the flash?... wires get in the way though...

2) get a IR trigger to attac to the hot-shoe? which IR trigger and how much is one?

3) somehow eliminate the preflash on the 300D... (ideal ..cuz no need extra $$.. and broke from buyin the lights... :bsmilie: )
 

hptay said:
Hi there,

recently got the 120w lights from eastgear :) and I am having some problem taking photographs with my 300d.

I am using the built in flash to trigger off the studio flash, but about 90% of the time, the shots are underexposed. I used a piece of negative to block off most of the light from the pop-up flash, leaving sufficient enough to trigger the studio flash.

Initially, I thought it was the sync speed but i reconfirmed that I set it to 1/125s and took with various F setting, but this still didnt work.

On closer examination, I realised that the 300d fires a pre-flash before the main one and this triggers of the studio flash... effective "flashing" even before my stutter opens.. ~sigh :cry: I think this is the cause... :dunno:

so (after all the above gibberish...), can someone kindly advise on the next step?

1) get a PC-sync thingee to attach to the hot-shoe and connect to the flash?... wires get in the way though...

2) get a IR trigger to attac to the hot-shoe? which IR trigger and how much is one?

3) somehow eliminate the preflash on the 300D... (ideal ..cuz no need extra $$.. and broke from buyin the lights... :bsmilie: )
Canon ST-E2 or something like that... IR trigger... I think that's the one you are looking for. Price: I believe around the price of 550EX or below...

Somebody correct me on this! :)
 

2 choices - (a) get one of those tiny little hanica flashes. tilt the flash head 90 degress to that it will not illuminate your object. the flash shld trigger the studio lights. cost abt $20+ from ruby. (b) get a electra IR trigger. $88 from ruby too.

i used both. prefer (b) becos more reliable.
 

alamak!

just use your $1800 camera, its a 300D isn't it?

just FEL first, hold it there, then fire away! walla!!! you got it! use also FEC is needed to get tat slight halo effect.
 

Goldwing said:
alamak!

just use your $1800 camera, its a 300D isn't it?

just FEL first, hold it there, then fire away! walla!!! you got it! use also FEC is needed to get tat slight halo effect.


Bingo! i think I like ur solution best... totally forgot about holding the FE button... hahaha.

thanks mate!
ahhhhwwwwww...

:D
 

just share my experience... i am using a sony f828, with the studio set and with a light tent, i took think almost a thousand pics with dissatisfying results... cos i used the F32x to trigger the flash even with full power on all the flash, its still under expose... den until 1 day i tried using manual to set the flash, now i end up with over exposed pics... den i tried to use a fast shutter, den i get almost a better result... still need time to perfect this.

my settings is setting the studio lights to 1/??(i forget which 1 is the least powerful... 1/8 or 1/16... den 1/32 on the F32x(think tis 1 is fastest on the F32x...) den shutter for the F828 is 3200... u din see wrong... its 3200... the highest on the F828... mayb 1 step lower.
 

nightwolf75 said:
2 choices - (a) get one of those tiny little hanica flashes. tilt the flash head 90 degress to that it will not illuminate your object. the flash shld trigger the studio lights. cost abt $20+ from ruby. (b) get a electra IR trigger. $88 from ruby too.

i used both. prefer (b) becos more reliable.

where is ruby? hmm mayb go there to let them earn some of my savings... they sell bowens stuff too rite? looking for some cool lites to add on to the studio lights...
 

Del_CtrlnoAlt said:
just share my experience... i am using a sony f828, with the studio set and with a light tent, i took think almost a thousand pics with dissatisfying results... cos i used the F32x to trigger the flash even with full power on all the flash, its still under expose... den until 1 day i tried using manual to set the flash, now i end up with over exposed pics... den i tried to use a fast shutter, den i get almost a better result... still need time to perfect this.

my settings is setting the studio lights to 1/??(i forget which 1 is the least powerful... 1/8 or 1/16... den 1/32 on the F32x(think tis 1 is fastest on the F32x...) den shutter for the F828 is 3200... u din see wrong... its 3200... the highest on the F828... mayb 1 step lower.


did u try to use light meter?
 

tolitz said:
did u try to use light meter?

nope... since i am just playing around... when i got enough money den i will spend on the next item as it goes on... unless someone sell me a light meter cheap... :cry:

so most of the part is by guessing, since i am into product shoot, so the thing dun get bored of posing... den i can slowly experiment... :bsmilie:
 

Del_CtrlnoAlt said:
nope... since i am just playing around... when i got enough money den i will spend on the next item as it goes on... unless someone sell me a light meter cheap... :cry:

so most of the part is by guessing, since i am into product shoot, so the thing dun get bored of posing... den i can slowly experiment... :bsmilie:

You can get an entry level lightmeter, the Polaris series is quite good and cheap.
 

AJ23 said:
You can get an entry level lightmeter, the Polaris series is quite good and cheap.

i just asked mr ho (think dat's his surname). cost abt $200+ for a basic polaris.

btw, Del_CtrlnoAlt, ruby is at peninsular hotel. just next to spinelli's. u can't miss it. they just installed a brand new sign board. ;)
 

Del_CtrlnoAlt said:
polaris is about how much? hmm... 100+ can get?

Not too sure about the exact price, $200 or there abouts? There is a few models, maybe fellow CSers who got the Polaris lightmeter can share? I don't own a Polaris though.
 

thanks nightwolf & aj, hmm 200 for a basic, i think advance would cost me an arm & leg...

i'd practise and keep a lookout for a cheap 2nd hand meter, btw how to see if a meter is not faulty?
 

Del_CtrlnoAlt said:
thanks nightwolf & aj, hmm 200 for a basic, i think advance would cost me an arm & leg...

i'd practise and keep a lookout for a cheap 2nd hand meter, btw how to see if a meter is not faulty?

Just an observation, seldom see ppl sell 2nd hand meter, unless they are upgrading, even though that's not very common. :)

Just FYI, a Minolta Autometer V F is about $500++, and Flashmeter VI is about $750.
 

HEy :D

you guys been a great help. Went on today to take some test shot of a gem stone borrowed from a friend.

All the photographs are shown are cropped straight from the cam (except for 2) Used canon 300d, 50mm macro + east gear studio lights.

The set up consisted of 2 of the strobes with softbox and the other with the snoot. Tried and tried to position the snoot to get the optimal "fire" in the gem stone but alas!! ... the best possible spot to place the snoot-strobe... is where the lens is positioned...

aint too pleased with the results :bheart: ... here are the shots.

1) Prior to studio lights... I used long exposure shoot gems with only ambient light. F16 1.16s ISO100
gem_01.jpg


Edited.. the photo is still decent..
gem_01edited.jpg


2) This is perhaps the "best" of the lot when shooting with the strobes.
F16 1/125s ISO100
gem_06.jpg
 

edited version of number 2

gem_06edited.jpg



3) This probably has the most "facets" showing but is underexposed...

gem_08.jpg


4) the actual size of the gem
gem_09.jpg
 

Del_CtrlnoAlt said:
den until 1 day i tried using manual to set the flash, now i end up with over exposed pics... den i tried to use a fast shutter, den i get almost a better result... still need time to perfect this.

my settings is setting the studio lights to 1/??(i forget which 1 is the least powerful... 1/8 or 1/16... den 1/32 on the F32x(think tis 1 is fastest on the F32x...) den shutter for the F828 is 3200... u din see wrong... its 3200... the highest on the F828... mayb 1 step lower.

Hi,

Not sure if you know this or are referring to this. You don't control the exposure of flashes with the shutter. You control it with the aperture. Talking about manual here.
Just try flashing with a fixed power and varying apertures. Later play with varying power to fill in with ambient light. Blah...

Good luck experimenting. :)

PS. Is it a light tent or umbrella? I thought EG sold it with the umbrellas.
 

2100:

i used F8 all the while... hmm your suggestions is good... i may try it out when i have the time. thanks

i have a light tent which i bought last year from EG. the square tent.
 

why not you use a dark background, black and block off all the reflections. use only one light with a snot and play with hitting at the right angles.

black background will cut all the extra reflections on the white blackground and can make your gem more contrastly.

the trick is to control the light for gems.
 

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