mark_allen6

<p>yes, I've done that-no go. Is anyone out there using either a multimax in intervlometer mode or a pixel device w a 5D mk3 successfully?</p>

<p>Hi all,<br>

I recently bought a 5D mk3 and thought I'd try my hands at timelapse using an intervalometer. I first tried using my PW multimax in intervalometer mode w the PW-recommended cable (CM-N3-ACC), but camera would not fire (well, it did once in 30+ tries). I've gone back & forth w PW, who are able to get their m3 to work w the multimax, but mine will not work following their instructions. My m3 will only work if I keep the shuttler pressed half-way (eg manually pre-triggered) - I shouldn't have to do that! So I just bought a dedicated intervalometer (a Pixel TC-252) - same result. No triggered photos unless I keep the shutter pressed halfway myself. I can find no info on what camera settings in my m3 might be confounding the operations of these 2 intervalometers. My Canon remote switch RS-80N3 does work to fire the camera, however.<br>

Any ideas?</p>

<p>Thanks for all your responses, they were very helpful. I will try a sample pack and will also give the Hama paper a try also.</p>

<p>Thanks Matt,<br>

So for example if I were to be printing a landscape w a lot of "texture" (eg leaves, bark, rocks etc.), then a textured paper (canvas or velvet or other matte finish) would likely be a good choice. Whereas a photo needing lots of sharpness (eg a portrait) or shiny surfaces might be better w a non-textured paper? Are the differences in Hot vs Cold press to do with how the paper is mounted for display, or is it the whiteness values?<br>

I will try a sample pack as you suggest, but I welcome any other suggestions RE the relationship between image type and paper type.</p>

<p>Hi all,<br>

I just bought an Epson R2000 and am very confused about the relative properties of the myriad of Epson specialty photo papers. I am familiar with glossy and luster papers, but not these "art" papers. The Epson website didn't offer much help. Can any of you suggest what types of images are best printed on:<br>

canvas satin vs matte<br>

vs<br>

watercolor radient white<br>

vs<br>

"hot" vs "cold" press paper<br>

vs<br>

velvet fine art vs ultrasmooth fine art<br>

Thanks!</p>

 

<p>Tom, You can use rear curtain w a 580EX if your transmitting PW is a multimax, but I assume thats not what you have. Otherwise if your camera has a pop-up and you can find an optical slave trigger for the flash (Michael Bass used to carry them) that will work, but make sure you get an optical trigger that will work, as many do not (eg a Wein peanut)</p>

<p>I am using CS4 on my new iMac and when I enlarge the brush size it goes unstable, jittering all over the screen, and is unusable. This happened some time ago on my old PC also, but I dont remember the fix. Anyone know what is going on or how to fix it?</p>

<p>This is a good place to start:<br>

<a href="http://www.bron.ch/visatec/tutorials/light-comparison/">http://www.bron.ch/visatec/tutorials/light-comparison/</a></p>

<p>I know that you are a high-class photographer and thus are not likely interested in my cheesy example, but when I went into Target after Christmas this year they had stacks of plastic cases for Christmas wreaths, at ~$10 more or less. I got a pretty red one and only had to trim off a bit of plastic for my Norman dish to fit into (but wont fit w my grid). I haven't taken it on location yet but I'm sure I will get lots of envious looks!</p>

<p>Coincidentally, yesterday I just conducted some tests to see where to place my 580EX on the softliter pole to get full coverage in the umbrella (as per Nadine's suggestion). I found that full coverage, with the 580EX wide-angle reflector down, was about 18" from the umbrella braces (where they meet the center pole) to the hotshoe for the 60" softliter. FYI, the equivalent distances for the 45" and 35" softliters were about 16" and 14", respectively.<br>

Good luck shooting outdoors w the 60"er and the 580EX - thats a little light in a big modifier (esp w the diffusion screen attached)<br>

- Mark</p>

<p>Below is the Bron light shaper comparison site:<br>

<a href="http://www.bron.ch/vt_pd_lg_sc_en/index.php">http://www.bron.ch/vt_pd_lg_sc_en/index.php</a></p>

<p>You also need to consider the type of flash you want to trigger. I bought one of the peanut slaves but found it would not trigger my hotshoe flash (a 580EX2). Probably would work fine for my studio strobes but haven't tried it (I bought an extra PW instead). If you need a small slave for a hotshoe you might try <a href="http://michaelbass.blogspot.com/2007/01/misc-custom-connections.html#CanonSoniaConnect">http://michaelbass.blogspot.com/2007/01/misc-custom-connections.html#CanonSoniaConnect</a> .</p>

<p>Michael Grecco (in his book "Lighting and the dramatic portrait") likes ring lights for fill due to their shadowless nature</p>

<p>You've gotten lots of good suggestions. Another option that seems counterintuitive is to move your flash closer to the subject (eg, just out of the field of view). This is similar to moving them away from the background, which isn't always possible in small rooms. Moving the light closer increases the relative strength of the flash on the subject in comparison to the BG, so as you properly expose for the closer light on your subject the BG goes darker. Has to with the inverse square law which someone will probably post to great detail. Good luck!</p>

<p>I like the expodisc and use it a fair amount, and often wish I did when I didn't take the time to use it. It has seemed very consistent to me. Dan has good points, but I do like to use it outdoors when using flash, to ensure that the subjects skin tone is good with the mix of flash and ambient (regardless of the ambient-only BG light). It works great when you gel the flash, WB to that, and let the BG go really cold (using a warm gel) or go really warm (using a cold gel). I find it much simpler than trying to figure out what kelvin to set my WB at, and certainly faster than monkeying with it in post (which is always an option anyway). Like Dan says, get a bigger one - I have a smaller one that I do hold over my bigger lens - it works Ok but makes me nervous until I see the results. Good luck.</p>

<p>Thanks Nadine, I do shoot raw and thus can adjust (after the fact) the K temp, but of course would rather get it right in the camera, and since the Rosco info only states the change in color temp, not the final output (which depends on the original source), I was still uncertain of how to set my cameras K. <br>

Pete, thanks for the calcs, when I referred to the graphical calculator in the Rosco bulletin I came up with about 8500 (very close to your calc), but when I tried to apply my sorry algebraic mind to the bulletin's actual formula, I came up with 9500K - so your value supports my former estimate. Thanks for the backup estimate (and the simplified calculation method)!</p>

<p>I just looked in another Rosco bulletin and saw that the temp difference is not linear, so I can't just add or subtrate the same number to get a correct white balance for my subject. The brochure does include a calculator graph of sorts, but I will need to make such adjustments on the fly. I do have an expodisc, so I could just set custom WB for my subject that way, but I would rather be able to use a specific kelvin WB setting so I can warm or cool the subject at my discretion. Other than the use of the Rosco graph/calculator in the field, do any of you have any simple and convenient solutions for this issue?</p>

<p>I recently bought some CTO and CTB gels for use with my flashes. The Rosco literature describes the change in K that occurs with each gel according to their expected use, but I'm not sure if I can apply the temp difference in scenarios other than described by Rosco. For example, Rosco states that a 1/2 CTB increases the temp from 3200K (~standard tungston) to about 4100K. So, if I want to use the 1/2CTB with my strobe (say, to saturate the sunset) but balance for my foreground subject (lit by strobe) - can I just add the 900K difference (4100-3200) to my 5500oK strobe output and set my WB temp to 6400K for a natural flesh tone?</p>

<p>Nathan,<br>

I also have a Minolta IV meter, which seems to underexpose ambient shots by about 1/3 to 1/2 - but it seems to nail my flash reading right on! So now I just do as Andrew says, and set my ISO about 1/3 under my camera ISO when taking ambient shots (at least when I dont forget). I think the IV does have some kind of adjustment ability but I wasn't willing to mess with it, especially since my flash readings seemed good.</p>

<p>Check out "Mr. One-Light"'s tutorials - this one goes into high-key w one flash:<br>

<a href="http://www.zarias.com/?p=91">http://www.zarias.com/?p=91</a></p>

 

<p>If you like the octa vs a softbox because of the round catchlight, a much less expensive alternative (w much faster setup time) is the Photek softliter, available in 3 different sizes (35", 45", and 60"), each <$100. Many people on this forum swear by them (incl me) and it appears that Annie Leib also uses them quite a bit (from the photos I've seen of her setups). They are simply an umbrella with a diffusor over them, but like the Elin octas they first bounce the light then diffuse it (unlike softboxes). Check them out and spend all the money you save on other modifiers - like flags or cutters which are much more versitile than barndoors (I wish I'd gone that way myself). Good luck!</p>

<p>I've used the large nylon "ditty bags" from outdoor stores, filled with sand in a zip lock and a small metal hook attached to the drawstring to hang it on the stand or boom arm. Not quite as classy as the cut-off jeans tho!</p>

<p>Yes, its a dumb question, but I'm wondering what are some clever and simple ways of dead-heading a strobe? My pack & head system is not highly adjustable, so a quick way to cut the output of an individual head is to add extra heads to the pack to divide the power and then shoot the unwanted light outside(vs adding ND gels or xtra fabric to softboxes). This method is not too convenient when its raining or too cold to open the studio (eg garage) door. Do you just shoot the extra strobe into a cardboard box, or what? </p>

<p>I think maybe Nadine left out the last part of her explanation (correct me if I'm wrong) - which is that after measuring the flash exposure using the meter set at 1/500, set the f-stop according to the meters advice and then determine the appropriate shutter speed to record the desired amount of ambient light (by reference to the cameras LCD, histogram, or another meter reading of the ambient light based on the flash-determined f-stop).</p>

Try Joe Zeltsmans tutorials for classic posing tips

 

http://www.msnusers.com/Asktheoleproaboutphotography/joezeltsman.msnw