Light Quality and Size

[hugebob]

Hi All,

 

I have a question about light quality. I'd like to rent several

speedlights and mount them on a flash bar. Is light quality

improved if some of the speedlights are mounted above

the bar and some below or is there no difference if they're

all mounted on top?

 

Thanks.

[ellis_vener_photography]

What are you photographing and can you describe this"flash bar"?

[hugebob]

<p>Hi Ellis,<br>

<br />This is the <strong><a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/851203-REG/impact_lb_430l_lightbar_tilt_brackt_with.html">item</a></strong> I was looking at. I'm going to experiment with outdoor portraits and killing the sun.</p>

[paul_k1664875007]

<p>Placing several speedlights alongside on a bar will not improve the quality of the light, only the quantity which will translate in a faster recycle time between shots, or being able to use a higher f stop.<br>

The effect will still remain that of a pointed lightsource, sharp and harsh, even if coming from a physically wider source</p>

<p>If you really want to improve the quality of your light, I would consider not only putting several speedlights on a bar, but also add some type of modifier to change the character of the light<br />.<br>

Maybe this video from Joe Mcnally will help

[hugebob]

<p>Thanks Paul. I was going to take along a shoot-through umbrella along with some gels for mimicking the light at sunrise and sunset. I thought that having a "bigger" light would improve things a bit. That's what I meant by "quality". But, yeah, have fun in Europe! #jealous</p>

[craig_shearman1]

<p>Just to be clear, a light bar like this has to be used with an umbrella or softbox. it's really not an option. If you simply lined up two or three or four speedlights without any diffusion it does absolutely nothing to soften the light or improve it's quality. It would be just harsh, straight-on flash the same as a single flash, just brighter.<br /><br />The purpose of these is to get more light output when using speedlights in an umbrella or softbox. It makes no real difference whether you put them above or below the bar as long as all are pointed to the center of the umbrella. There are other bars/adaptors that arrange four flash units in a square.<br /><br />By way of history, back in the 50s and 60s essentially the same bars were sold as movie lights, with a light bulb socket mounted at each spot where these have a flash shoe. Reflector photoflood bulbs were screwed into each socket, and the whole thing mounted on top of the movie camera. That was pretty much the standard for amateur home movies for decades until sealed beam movie lights came along. The results were horrible, deer in the headlights style. Even though they're spaced close together, the multiple light sources can create multiple shadows, another big no-no.<br /><br />As far as killing the ambient outdoors, you don't usually need four speedlights, just one. Go to <a href="http://www.strobist.com">www.strobist.com</a> and read through his Lighting 101 lessons and some of his examples.</p>

[ellis_vener_photography]

Honestly? I'd budget a couple of hundred more and get a 30" or 48" FourSquare system (mounting block and square-

faced softbox) from http://www.lightwaredirect.com

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>Of course the quality of light will change using an array of 4 flashes. How can it not? 4 flashes set 1 foot apart would create a 3ft wide source. So it definitely won't look the same as one single flash. The light source will be spread and so will the shadows, but only in one direction.</p>

<p>It also won't look the same as a striplight or stripbox either, because there will be gaps between the discrete sources. This will give multiple shadows similar to what you get from the individual panels of a silver umbrella. The effect will look weird IMO, but <em>not</em> the same as a single flash. The picture might even look a bit like a multiple exposure, with the multi-shadows blurring the outline of the subject.</p>

<p>Multiple shadows are why I'm not keen on using silver brollies, but don't let that stop you Robert. Somebody's got to try it! Surely it can't be as bad as a single flash perched in a hotshoe.</p>

[michaelmowery]

<p>Plus 1 for Rodeo Joe's response</p>

[pete_s.]

<p>It will work fine if you use a shoot through umbrella. You will not see multiple shadows. I usually gang up two to increase output/decrease recycle speed. Two speedlights means one stop more power, four means two stops more power.</p>

<p>On how to get good results check out Joe McNally, he's the master of multiple speedlights.</p>

<p>For instance, http://www.adorama.com/alc/0014583/article/multiple-speedlights-for-a-portrait<br>

or this: http://blog.joemcnally.com/2008/05/19/david-of-the-desert/<br>

There is a ton of info on the net if you search for: Joe McNally multiple speedlights.</p>

<p> </p>

[bob_bill]

<p>Here's what I use to gang speedlights. Only requires one trigger and arranges them in a circle. It holds an umbrella as well. http://scottrobertla.com/2014/01/28/scott-robert-triple-mount-with-sync-and-umbrella-mount/. 3 speed lights gives about 240 ws and may enable faster recycle if you are able to shoot at lower power. </p>

[fotografz]

<blockquote>

<p>I'd like to rent several speedlights and mount them on a flash bar. </p>

</blockquote>

<p>If you're renting, why not rent a proper strobe? Better quality of light, better ways to modify it, faster recycle, higher power available, no rapid fire thermal shut-down in challenging available light.</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>I'm going to experiment with outdoor portraits and killing the sun.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Contrary to popular belief (propagated by people selling speed-lights), the sun is not always so easily "killed".</p>

<p>Most demonstrations show lower ambient situations like sunset at the beach, etc. However, there are a lot of other beautiful ambient opportunities that would require more light than a gang of speed-lights could muster even all set to full manual power. </p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>As far as killing the ambient outdoors, you don't usually need four speedlights, just one.</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>As mentioned above, in lower ambient you are probably correct. Otherwise you aren't.<br>

<br>

Why people insist on a complex ganging of expensive speed-lights, on a flimsy holder, using up to 16 AA batteries which have to all be charged and loaded/reloaded (or multiple power packs), with limited ability to creatively modify the light … baffles me. There are so many choices these days.<br>

<br>

We are experiencing a bit of a revolution in portable strobe lights thanks to ever improving lithium battery technology.<br>

<br>

For example, I just read a positive review of the newer Dynalite Baja B4 Mono-light: 400 W/s (approx. the same as 5 to 6 speed-lights ganged together) … 400 Ws, except for the most extreme bright ambient conditions, will provide that control of the sun you mentioned. <br>

<br>

It has a proper glass dome to disperse light in modifiers … almost any kind of modifier you could dream of … using the common Bowens mount; features a radio sender that sits in the camera's hot shoe and allows you to adjust the power levels right from the camera = simple control while shooting. It also has a limited modeling light for those times you are shooting in very low ambient. 550 full pops per charge.<br>

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1084510-REG/dynalite_b4_400_baja_b4_battery_powered_monolight.html<br>

<br>

Just a thought.<br>

<br>

- Marc<br>

</p>

[hugebob]

<p>Oh Marc, if you only knew, LOL. I have been researching monolights which are priced pretty darn well. The "portable" battery powered ones (BPM), however, always seem to lack a powerful enough modeling light. I'd want the monolight I finally select to serve dual purpose (indoor and out). I'm going on sort of a last minute mini vacation and only had time to get the additional speedlights. Not liking the BPM's I've seen and not having the cash for monolight and sine wave inverter, the speedlights, I thought, were a bargain for extra light. But, trust me, the monolights are really my first choice.</p>