Hasselblad Macro Flash exposure help please

[ken davis]

Hello everyone and happy new year. Please forgive my somewhat long

post, but I'm hoping for some specific help here.

 

For Christmas this year my wife found a Hassleblad Makro Flash and

Flash Bracket in near mint condition. I've been wanting to do some

macro work with my 500c/m, and last year I bought the auto

bellows/shade but I'm still without the 135 lens so I use my 150

CF. I'm hoping that someone here has some experience with this set,

as I'm having some challenges.

 

What' I'm trying to do is some trial shots of some flowers. I'm

somewhat familiar with studio lighting and modeling, but it seems

it's very difficult to do this with this setup. For one thing, I

can't seem to get enough of a differential on output of the two

lights. I have the wide angle and grey light reducing attachments

for the flash, but they seem to have little effect. Also, I have to

shoot at F22 or greater just to reduce the exposure so the

highlights aren't washed out. I think I've done my compensation for

the bellows extension, etc. based off the handy Hasselblad Close Up

guide, but my Polariods are coming out grossly over or under

exposed. I find that I just start doing trial and error which gets

really expensive.

 

So, the questions I have are first, do the output levels on the

powerpack (1, :2, :4...:16) do anything? Does the grey attachment

really reduce the output by 2-1/2 stops? Can one use a Sekonic L-

358 flash meter for macro lighting or should I invest in a 503cx

with TTL flash metering?

 

Thanks to all for your help over the years. I hope I can return the

favor.

 

Happy 2005

 

Ken

[q.g._de_bakker]

Ken,<br><br>Yes, the output levels on the powerpack reduce the output. But only when using the unit in non-dedicated mode.<br>The gray filters do indeed reduce the output by the amount (in stops) indicated on them.<br>You can use your Sekonic, yes. Either put it in place of the subject and meter, or point the entire setup (after focussing and arranging the lights) to the meter (without changing anything), move back and forth until the dome appears sharp, and meter then.<br><br>TTL-control can be easier to use, but not always is. It always measures the central spot of the image, and your (main) subject may not be there.<br><br>Another way (my preferred way) is to use a hand held spot meter capable of flash metering, with close-up lens (diopter) attached. Unlike a "regular" incident light mode flash meter, a spot meter doesn't have to be in the same position as your subject, so no replacing meter for subject and back again, or moving the setup to meter.<br><br>When working real close, differential output (and "fine adjustment") can be achieved by moving either flash in or out. At close distances, moving a bit means a lot.

[ken davis]

Hi Q.G. Thanks for the reply. I can always count on your knowledge and experience. Please forgive me for not replying sooner, but I've been occupied elsewhere.

 

I'm used to studio lighting from an advanced amateur perspective, so I'm trying to apply similar rules.

 

In my experiment, I was shooting a cactus blossom on my dining table. I was using a Hasselblad 150mm CF lens, with the bellows extension at about 24mm, and lens to subject distance was about 14mm. I could be off on these measurements as it's been a couple of weeks and I'm working from memory.

 

I tried changing the angle of the lights, adding the reducers, etc, and still wound up with the same effect. It seems like good, even lighting, but I'm not getting the modeling I expected.

 

My exposure, on Provia 100, was 1/125 @ F22 as given by the handy exposure charts in the manual and a close up accessory guide which provides for adjustment for bellows extension. I used the power pack at all settings from :16 to :1, and there did not seem to be a great change in the exposure except, as expected, :16 was noticeably less exposed with everything else remaining constant.

 

I hope this clarifies my situation, and I do appreciate your feedback. I will continue to evaluate my results with greater scrutiny.

 

With much thanks,

Ken

[james_schoster]

Hi Ken,

 

Ken, if you are ever interesting in selling the macro flash system let me know.

 

Jim

jschoster@comcast.net