My (really) basic setup.

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Roadwart
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Joined: Mon Mar 30, 2009 1:49 am
Location: East Sussex UK

My (really) basic setup.

Post by Roadwart »

This is a response to a request made by elf in this thread on the beginners forum.

Pics as requested. I know its a cheap & nasty fudged system but its all I can afford at the moment.


Image

This shows the flash mounted via hotshoe. The fibre optics are flexible, allowing me a bit of adjustment. The pics were taken with it unconnected to the cam with a 1s shutter speed which allowed me to fire the flash manually as my off cam cord is a little "touchy" as to whether its going to fire or not. It doesn`t help that the flash is just s generic type from jessops. I have been experimenting with using my nikon SB-20 as a light source as its much more configurable so I can change the power manually down to 1/16th.

Image

This shows the old pair of cheap bins I`m using to move the subject. For the shots above, I was moving the subject 2 ridges on the focus wheel at a time.

elf
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Joined: Sun Nov 18, 2007 12:10 pm

Post by elf »

That's an interesting way to build a stage. I'm using one of these as a tempory solution: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... number=319

The fiber optic flash looks like it works pretty well and results are much more important than looks :) If you wanted to beautify it, cover it with a cloth tube. I'd put the fibers in two (or three) bundles for different lighting effects.

Here's a similar setup that I did a while ago: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/ ... CN5328.jpg

Roadwart
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Mar 30, 2009 1:49 am
Location: East Sussex UK

Post by Roadwart »

Cheers for the pic elf. I was thinking of doing the same sort of thing with my fibres. Just not had the time lately to take it any further. I don`t really care what it looks like. Most of the time its only me thats gonna see it anyway :)

Aynia
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Post by Aynia »

It looks like an elephant trunk or ant eater or something.!! 8)

Which is great. As long as it works.

I'd love to see an article on the main page about these diy macro flashes... I think a few of them (threads) could be turned into one great article. And then I'd be able to find it.

I have no ring flash or macro flash and I always look at people's set ups... with a view to one day getting off my bottom and doing something creative about it.

rjlittlefield
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Post by rjlittlefield »

Several joking posts have been removed from this thread, because of concern that they might be misunderstood. Many thanks to the posters for pointing out this issue!

--Rik

Aynia
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Post by Aynia »

I shall choose my words more carefully next time :D No harm done guys. :D :wink: I didn't see the posts. :lol:

NikonUser
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Post by NikonUser »

Glad you didn't see it. I do apologize. It was an immediate reaction on my part when I read your post. I should count to 100 before I make any more comments. I did request that my post, and others, be deleted.
NU.
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.

Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives

puzzledpaul
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Post by puzzledpaul »

Minor / prob insignificant comment about attaching stuff to flash heads ...

These days, the first thing I do is make a cardboard sleeve (usually cereal packet material) to wrap around the head.

Wrap it round (tight sliding fit), cut the ends so they just butt join, rather than overlap, and fix with a bit of sellotape or similar.

Then attach whatever I'm experimenting with to this sleeve, rather than direct to the head ... I just got fed up with getting rid of adhesive residue / blu tack etc :)

Makes it a bit easier to swap things around when comparing different setups, too.

pp
Boxes, bottlebottoms, bits, bobs.

AndrewC
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Post by AndrewC »

If you like experimenting, there are a few easy ways to attach flash "mods":

1) fit some velcro patches on the side of the flash. Use the self adhesive patches and stick the fuzzy side to the flash

2) Get some velcro plant ties or cable ties (basically a strip of velcro with a D loop on one end you double it back through). If you are lucky you might even find some stretchy ones. Just cinch the cardboard onto the flash.

3) Get some large diameter heatshrink tubing. Shrink a short section onto the strobe and a toilet roll core. Gives you a great custom fit adapter. If you can not get the heatshrink, wrap some baking paper around the flash and then bundle it with duct tape.

4) Get yourself to a craft shop or picture framers and snag some foam backing board - the kind I've got it is soft and stretchy enough to grab onto the flash head and still be easy enough to slide on and off.

Enjoy :)

Andrew

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