ethan Posted December 21, 2003 Share Posted December 21, 2003 I'm interested in taking candid portraits indoors with my family and friends, with a 4x5. This of course will require the purchase of a strobe of some sort. I need portability and can't really use stands at all because of children. I would like to bounce the flash off the ceiling to soften the light. Any suggestions as to the most reliable system, best output, etc... would be great! Thanks! Ethan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul moshay Posted December 22, 2003 Share Posted December 22, 2003 The Vivitar 283 first comes to mind. Easy and cheap and auto function. Next I have used a Norman 200B. Not auto exposure but more powerful. Then comes a Metz. They have several models and have auto exposure. Any one would work fine indoors. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay_de_fehr Posted December 22, 2003 Share Posted December 22, 2003 If you're shooting a graphic press type camera, the flash guns and bulbs for them work well. I don't know about bouncing them, but they're plenty powerful, and a lot more fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott_holt2 Posted December 22, 2003 Share Posted December 22, 2003 Someone mentioned using the Vivitar 283. While this is a great flash, its probably not the best for this application. Consider the following: Aperatures used when shoot LF are typically smaller than when shooting 35mm. If shooting candids, you'll most likely be focusing hyperfocally or with a range finder. In either case, you want to use a relatively small aperature to minimize focus error (f22?) The 283 has the power to give a long range when shooting between f4 and f8... a range of aperatures more than appropriate for 35mm, but possibly inadequate for 4x5. When you start modifying light by bouncing (or using difusers or kickers), the light loss will be significant and the flash range falls off quickly. Even when shooting 400 speed film, you'll find the range of the Vivtar flash quite limited when shotting at the smaller aperatures required by 4x5. A better choice would be a handle mounted flash such as those made by Metz or Sunpak. Eat your Wheaties as this will be a heavy setup to carry around. Another thing to consider is what type of flash sync you have. Every non-dedicated flash today is going to use X-Sync with a PC connector. However, many older LF shutters will not support this. Some will support X sync, but with a different style of connector, others may provide M sync (for flash bulbs)... still others may provided no sync at all. The connector problem can often be solved easily... the others cannot. Lastly, when comparing flash specs, take the guide numbers with a grain of salt. They are really only valid for comparison within a product line. There don't appear to be any standards for units of measure: some manufacturers base them on meters (I *think* Metz does this) while others base them on feet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ethan Posted December 22, 2003 Author Share Posted December 22, 2003 I should probably clarify. I already have a Nikon SB-28 and am finding it to be insufficient. I'm not too concerned about weight and don't mind carrying a battery pack such as with a lumedyne. My lenses are all PC sync. I'm shooting 400 speed film but usually pull it one stop to ISO 200. I'm looking to get in the area of 1/125 at 5-10 ft and I'll mostly be shooting with a 90mm lens. Of course I'd rather have more power than I need on a regular basis just in case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne_crider4 Posted December 22, 2003 Share Posted December 22, 2003 Ethan I picked up a Sunpak 120J used and see it as a very viable flash for 4x5; It's also reasonably priced. It operates with 4 AA's or their battery pack for very quick operation. The head swivels and raises for bounce operation. Look into it and see if it will work for you. I'm using it for 35mm and MF but don't see any problems with using it with my 4x5 Graphic as well. The round reflector is a nice plus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thirteenthumbs Posted December 22, 2003 Share Posted December 22, 2003 I use a Metz 45CL-5 that I picked up used, auto thrystor variable power, tilt/swivel head and small fill light that can be turned on when when wanted. Any of the Metz 45C series as well as Sunpak's handle mount flashes will be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin_pistor Posted December 23, 2003 Share Posted December 23, 2003 Hi Ethan, finding the SB28 insuficient narrows the field. A Metz 45 gives a little more, if you want really more take the 60. My major rec would be to choose one with manual control. When you are tired of ceiling bouncing or when the ceiling is not usable (or there at all) you'll switch immediately to the old calculation method. Maybe with some softbox or diffusor. Then it's great, if your flash has at least two stops down manually instead of the "computer-stops". The SB28 does down to 6 stops! What type of camera do you use anyway? Sounds like you are the ideal victim for William Littman ;-) Cheers Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igor_johanson Posted December 27, 2003 Share Posted December 27, 2003 Try RTF540 by Contax/Yashica if you can get a used one on ebay. The guide no. is 40 m, the 510V battery 50$ at B&H, but there are also 2 other power supply possibilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_haynes Posted December 28, 2003 Share Posted December 28, 2003 For me, the combo of a rangefinder Super Speed Graphic with 135 Rodenstock plus my trusty Metz 60-CT1 made a great indoor bounce flash system. The head tilts up to 90 degrees and rotates 360 degrees. The flash AE sensor is usually accurate and unless shooting in a very large room you should be able to shoot at f/8 with ISO 400 film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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