Can I use an umbrella with a Vivitar 285?

[nikon geek]

I have been delving into the world of medium format ( a Bronica)

which I have been getting some nice results with, and have been

learning to use the Vivitar 285 flash with it. I'm wondering if

there is a way to put one of these flashes on a light stand with an

umbrella. Does anyone make a kit or outfit that would work like

this, or this there a way to make one myself? I realize that this

flash is not especially powerful, but I can't afford to get anything

more than a 285 right now... Any information would be great!!!

Thank you!

[._._z]

Here you go:

 

http://webs.lanset.com/rcochran/flash/equipment.html

[conrad]

I've used a Vivitar 285 on a light stand and umbrella before, and getting enough light from that rig is no picnic. Use lose half of your light firing into the umbrella, so your GN 120 gets cut to GN 60. You need to use at least ISO 400 film, and I've always had to add in a shoe mount flash to help it out. It's a good, powerful, show-mount flash but it ain't no monolight.

 

If I ever expect that I will be using a lightstand more than I do I would save up for this:

 

http://alienbees.com/beginnerbee.htm

 

And a second B800 for the stand I do have.

 

Until then I think I'll just rig up a bracket that lets me mount my Vivitar 285 and Sunpak 383 side-by-side and fire them both into the umbrella. And get AC adapters for both of them. Kind of a poor man's monolight.

[raymond bradlau]

Yes, or any flash with a sync/PC cord connection and an adapter<p>

 

 

The adapter just screws onto a standard threaded light stand and on the top it has a

shoe<p>

 

but before you start buying look at how much ALL the things you need will cost, this

is a low guess<p>

 

umrbella $25-$45 (32-42 inch) ,

stand $35-$100 ,

285 $40-$50 (used) ,

extension for the PC $15 ,

adaper $30-$65 <p>

 

It adds up and if you look you may be able to find a nice used "kit" or even a JTL set

up for not much more and Ill bet soon you will wish it had a modeling lamp <p>

 

I have had a cool little 2 strobe kit for my apartment because it fits better and at only

$200 well worth it (2 Britek PS 200 strobs, PC cords, AC cords, 32" umbrella)<p>

 

I am sure every one will tell you how bad they are, but I have them/use them and

think for the price for living room size and power nothing else comes close<p>

 

<p>

 

Ray

[nikon geek]

Thanks for the answers so far, but I'm wondering if there is a particular part that I need to purchase to put on a light stand that actually holds the umbrella? Thanks!

[._._z]

Nathan, the answer to that question is in the URL I gave you. Go look.

[steve_levine]

The 285 lacks sufficient power for much flash range with an umbrella.You could try a stofen omni bouncer.Indoors with close walls & low ceilings these provide nice wrap-around lighting.(Out doors they waste flash & batteries.)

[morthcam]

Go to www.photoflex.com, >products, >accessories, then the "shoe mount multi-clamp". This item attaches to the top of a light stand and you can fit a shoe-mount flash on top and an umbrella.

 

And it will work with a Vivitar 285 -- I've used a 283 with an umbrella with 400 film. Not ideal, but if your budget doesn't allow for monolights and it's a hobby, not a job, it works.

[._._z]

<i>Go to www.photoflex.com, >products, >accessories, then the "shoe mount multi-

clamp". </i><p>

 

Yes, that's the item Richard Cochran describes in the URL I provided yesterday: <p>

 

http://www.photoflex.com/photoflex/products/default.asp?product=shoemount

[raymond bradlau]

Also when using any low powerd lighting system be it strobe or a flash, using a

smaller size umbrella will not waist as much light as a larger one

[bill_mcfadden]

NiMh batteries usually gives a faster recycle time. In the long run, using these batteries saves money when compared to using Akaline batteries.

I get about F5.6 with one Vivitar 285 set at half power and bounced off a 32" white umbrella at a flash to subject distance of 5 feet. GN of 60 divided by 5 = F11. Lose 2 stops by bouncing the flash off the white umbrella gives me F5.6. Light meter confirmed this computation.

(Using 32" Silver umbrella gives one more stop, so I get F8.0 with it.) Recycle time is 2 to 4 seconds. The Vivitar 285 with my Stofen Ominbouce gave F5.6, using ISO 400 film and 5' distance.

Shooting through a tranparent 30" umbrella gave me F8.0 in the center of the subject area and F5.6 on the edges of the subject area. I figure one flash will allow me to shoot groups of up to but not past five people. still expermenting...

I now have three Vivitar 283/285 series flashes (each with a Flash One foot) and one Sunpak 383, so I doubt I'll continue to experiment with just one Vivitar 285. FYI, I use a 35mm system. My next plan is 2 Vivitar flashs set at 1/4 power 5' feet from subject area, ISO 400 film. I mentioned this in case you want approximate results of my 2 light experiment. As you can tell by now, photography is my hobby.

Subject is stuffed animal on a small sofa. Stuffed animals don't charge money and cannot complain about results when I'm in testing mode. (I also shot myself, with a camera, at least at this point!)

[timberwolf1]

I would illuminate an umbrella with a Vivitar 285 if the 285 were on a separate stand.

This will allow the 285 to fill the umbrella. It will not create a hot spot in the

umbrella, as a result.

 

Simplying finding a way to make the umbrella and 285 all-in-one makes for more

harsh light. By using distance to your advantage, you won't have to use wide angle

adapters which filter down light intensity.

 

The umbrella bounce function will always take 1-2 stops of light from any setup,

Viviter or not.

 

Try bouncing light from a straight white bedsheet. I think you will find this light is

even softer than the umbrella.

 

So, the kit will emulate what the big units will do, but the quality of soft light will not.

This is due to the hotspot the Vivitar will bore into the umbrella. This is remedied,

again, by placing the vivitar some distance, maybe 5-6 feet from the umbrella. I am

not kidding.

 

Timber Borcherding

[bill_mcfadden]

After reading my earlier, lengthly comments, I realize I was not clear. I tried 3 different set-ups. The Vivitar 285 was mounted on a Bogen 3373 light stand. In each case, the flash was located 5" away from the subject. I selected this distance after reviewing numerous postings on this website. (By the way, Timber's comments on this site have been a gold mine for a relative novice like me. Equally informative have been some of the responses given to his info.)

Anyway, in the first set-up, I used bounced the flash off of a Photek 32" white umbrella. The second set-up, I bounced the flash off a Photek silver umbrella. As Timber noted, in both cases, since I bounced the flash off an umbrella, the light was spread evenly across the subject area.

I created a "hot spot" situation be shooting the Vivitar 285 through a transparent (economy white) umbrella. I traded in my Sunpak 544 and Sunpak 522 flashes because I wanted the capability to use a shoot through umbrella set-up.

Timber, I've seen info regarding using white poster board as a reflector for fill flash. What is your advice on this low cost option. Does it work?

[timberwolf1]

White board will allow you to construct an even larger umbrella. But I want to tell you

something, try a plain white bedsheet. The threads in the bedsheet create even more

diffusion, and the softness output is like flourescent light: very, very soft. A bedsheet can

be rolled up, too. You could suspend the white bedsheet between 2 stands. Just clip it to

each stand. You can also put a hole in the bedsheet to do really flat light portraits such as

you would see in fashion. The bedsheet can be huge. You can also put a pole between

the 2 stands and just throw the bedsheet over the pole.

 

A board can glisten, and provide a more harsh light (but never really reallly harsh) than

compared to the bedsheet. The board can have "sheen", but the bedsheet will never have

sheen.

 

With a 2 f stop loss expected in any white surface bounce procedure, you might move up

to ASA 400 film.

[richard_hale1]

I'm testing Weston Umbrellas with Silver Lining and have experienced minimal light loss (a stop or less). Have not validated the temp (at a pro shop yet) but it appears to be around 6500K which on white satin (bridezilla) is known to have a blue cast that is typically compensated for with a skylight filter. With the Lumedyne Silver insert there is also very little light loss (but can be blinding

coming from such a small surface area).