Better Beamer Flash Extender for wildlife...

<p>I was wondering, how many of yall own and actually use a better beamer flash extender? Do yall see a notable difference in your photos when you use it? Bottom line is, do yall like it and would yall recomend it?</p>

<p>I don't own the Better Beamer although it is on my wish list, but check out the free online Photography TV show <a href="http://www.wildphotoadventures.com/watch.html">Wild Photo Adventures</a> (I own the DVDs). Episode 2 is all about photographing songbirds, and they use and talk about the Better Beamer. Also search the archives at <a href="http://www.birdsasart.com/bn.html">Birds as Ar</a> t. They make several refences to using it and they have some of the most amazing wildlife photography I've seen.</p>

<p>Colton:</p>

<p>It works as advertised. It's a fresnel lens that focuses your flash beam tighter so it is effective at longer distances. I've never used it as the sole source of light, but rather just to kick in a bit of fill flash.</p>

<p>Eric</p>

<p>The goal of fill flash for wildlife is not to use flash as the primary source of illumination for the subject; rather, to put some light in the shadows and manage the contrast. The main advantage of the better beamer is to shorten recycle time and lengthen battery life, not to put more light on the subject.</p>

<p>It works and for the price it is a must-have if you do any long range fill-flash type of work. </p>

<p>Colton, I think the better beamer works to add a touch of fill and a catch light to the eyes of the subject. Its is very useful in shady conditions this way. Some of this can be overcome in Photo Shop. I bought the Wimberly s Shape Shifter to mount mine on to put distance between the lens and the flash and avoid red reflex in the eyes though you can mount on the camera. Good hunting. Andy</p>

<p><strong>I was wondering, how many of yall own and actually use a better beamer flash extender? </strong><br>

I own one, and ever after using it, I almost never take a telephoto shot without it.<br>

<strong>Do yall see a notable difference in your photos when you use it? </strong><br>

Yes, adds all important fill (my flash compensation is usually set to -2.7ev), lifts the shadows; lowering the dynamic range so makes capture easier.<br>

<strong>Bottom line is, do yall like it and would yall recomend it?</strong><br>

Love it, absolutely recommended.</p>

<p>1) Sorry Canon User, the Beamer has nothing to do with recycle time or battery life. Buy a Quantum Battery and shoot all day.<br>

2) Alvin is correct. Learn to use it and the flash stays on forever. The catch-lights are awesome, the fill lets you shoot 1-3 hours longer after sunrise without blown contrast, and earlier before sunset.<br>

3) People use it bass-ackwards. It is not illumination, it is fill. So, keep your flash output dialed down in low light. Use all of your other resources for exposure. As incipient light increases, then up your flash output. On a wildlife shoot at 10 a.m., I am at +3 on the flash. More light, more flash (fills the chin/beak shadows). Less light, less flash (gets rid of the electric koolaid effects). Caveat: if you are skilled enough to get super close (less than 3-4 meters from a critter), dial it down no matter what the light. It is potent. It is always sad to push the button and see a puff of smoke where the subject was.<br>

4) Turn the damned thing down for brown mammals- the oil in their pelts is over-reflective. Be subtle. Don't be too proud to chimp your shots. You can ruin a shoot with this as well. It is not "set and forget".<br>

5) Always use an extension arm to get it above the camera to eliminate whatever-the-color-eye. I use the Wimberley arm with an extra extention.<br>

6) The fresnel lens is dangerous. Pointed into the sun, it focuses the sun right on your $600 flash and melts it. I set a combi on fire with it in Namibia two years ago. I have put holes in my favorite camos, and my leg below, while waiting for action. And, while negotiating with an Audubon docent as to why my presence was helping his cause, popped a pontoon in my inflatable kayak. Had to spend 8 more hours on site while my repair cured. Oh well.<br>

7) Anything between you and the subject in the foreground will get blown out to the point of seeing smoke as well. You can't use this with tight framing through, say, a bush. Or through blades of grass at ground level. Hire an assistant to hold remote flashes for these shots. Or bring your mom!<br>

Cheers!</p>

<p>But for the weight, it would stay on all the time. The weight being the flash.</p>

<p>Just a follow up post. By concentrating the flash beam (thus less wasted light falling outside of your field of view), the better beamer actually allows you to use less flash power. So long as you are not already shooting at max power, using a beamer will in fact extend your battery life and cut your recycle time.</p>

<p>Also while all flavors of e-ttl work with the better beamer, performance can be erratic depending on ambient lighting conditions and your subject. Don't be afraid to chimp, it can be a beast to get things dialed in just right. I've found that there is no magic value that gets me the fill I need and I "bracket" critical shots. </p>

<p>Finally, there is no reason why you cannot use the flash/beamer combo for more than just simple fill (i.e. shadows). I've had great success using the combo where the subject was 2-3 EV less than the background. Your mileage will vary of course.</p>

<p>How well does it impart of stop action effect? Like people shooting humming birds in day light (strong light) use a flash to stop the action of the wings, etc. . . Or shooting in low light indoor situation when one bounces the flash off the back wall with only a tiny percentage (1/16th) hitting the subject at a slower shutter speed and eliminating the blur often associated with low light slow shutter.</p>

<p>Does anybody have any experience shooting a 500 or 600mm lens and using this flash accessory for that purpose?</p>