johnfantastic

wow. this thread has been updated a lot since my last visit.

the photo diagram is very much helpful for us, thank you for this John. I also noticed that you added your camera settings to the diagram, another excellent and very helpful idea!

 

how do you trigger your CPFlash using a DSLR camera?

James the CPFlash 550W System comes with a hot shoe trigger for your DSLR and mirrorless cameras. :)

I do not recommend the CPFlash 550W if you are using it to overpower a bright sunny day. It has similar power rating as a standard speedlight like the Canon 600 EX or the Nikon SB900 or equivalent from Sony, Godox and Yongnou which is not adequate for a bright hot sunny day. It can be used for fill in flash applications but under a bright sun, I recommend locating the CPFLash 550W about 1.5 meters away or less. But in shaded area or indoors the CPFLash is perfect for on location shooting because of its portability and power that is more than enough.

Here is a photo taken under shade of a screened barn during a bright sunny day. :)

The photo was intentionally under exposed by my estimate by more than 4 stops or else the background will all be wash out. To get details in the foreground specially the chickens, I placed a cpflash in front and set its power to just 2 % . Just to get the detail of the chickens. Here is the photo diagram of the picture. :)

Okay As promised I will discussed the shot above and how it was taken. So here is the shot. The concept that I want to convey in this Shot is about a girl discovering a horde or treasure from Grandma's Treasure Chest in the stock room. :)

This shot was taken with all artificial lights. No natural light was utilized in this shot. Here is a shot without triggering the CPFlash, It was almost completely dark.

And here is the photo diagram of the shoot. The exposure details are also included in the photo diagram.

From the diagram you can see that I used 4 CPFlash 550W. The master CPFlash located at the left side of the photo was used to light the hair of the model. because a snoot drastically reduces the power output of any speedlight connected to it, I have to increase the power of the CPFlash to 50%. The snoot also makes the output limited to a very small portion, if i don't use the snoot, it will light up the whole image. The snoot makes selective lighting possible.

Slave number 1 is placed inside the treasure chest and to emphasize the subject and light the face of the model. :)

It is set at 10% power. anything from 5% to 15% would have been acceptable and depends on the photographer.

Slave number 2 was positioned outside the window and add mood the photo. The use of a double blue filter reduced the output a little bit but it increased the mood and the color of the photo. It also conveys the message that it is night time. I have to increased the power of this light to 100% or full power.

Slave number 3 was added to put front detail as there was almost no detail on the pile of junk on the right side which sends the message that this might be an old stockroom with a lot of household junk. It also give detail to the legs of the model as it was very dark it that area. It ws set at very little power of 2% just to give a minute amount of light on the photo.

BTW If you have any questions on off camera flash photography, not necessarily with a smartphone, I will be very happy to answer it to the best of my ability. :)

Finally I found time to shoot after a 2 months hiatus. I will be updating this thread in the next few days. I will prepare the tutorial and explanation for the shots I took.

here is a teaser. Would anybody dare to guess how many CPFlash 550W I used to achieve this shot? :)

Hi I would like to get this look on my camera phone ?

 

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I love the look/style of the pictures ? Do you know what filter this is, i have tried several ? I tried to contact the photographer. But didn't get a reply.

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

Hello Steve,

Try reducing the saturation of the image and lower your contrast. :)

Hidden in a shoebox: vintage Edinburgh shots that were nearly lost – in pictures

 

As an archaeologist I find such pictures of another era fascinating.

 

Will someone, someday find your old snapshots on a thumb drive in an attic? Will you become another posthumous Disfarmer?

Beautiful pictures, I always enjoy looking at pictures of the past, specially if they are with captions. Thank you for sharing JD :)

Is it a IIIc or IIIC ?

hello conrad, can you tell me the difference of a IIIc and a IIIC? I would like to know? :)

I haven't posted in a while. Anyway I am planning to purchase 2 cameras a month until my collection of 50 classic manual cameras are complete. :)

So for February, here is what I purchased.

A Nikon F3 in very good condition with a 50mm pancake lens. I bought it for 200$.

Now since I have an F and an F3, It is imperative that I buy a an F2. :)

Funny, but I cant seem to find very good Canon Cameras with lens with a good price, Well I have a lot time to buy 1. 2 years at least.

My first camera was a 126 instamatic that accepts magic cubes for flash. I joined our high school photography club and We were required to have a camera. We were poor and My mother can only afford to buy me an instamatic. My Aunt who was a sewer made me a leather camera case that has a bulge in front. It looks like an SLR because of that bulge.

The first camera I bought was a Canon T70. I wanted a Canon A1 or an Nikon FA but my salary was enough only to afford me to buy a T70. :)

This photo has been criticised on another site because the critic said there was too much white space in the middle. She would prefer the path to be to one side (with the angle of view shifted to the left). I understand the rule of thirds, which was driving the criticism, but I'm not sure it's always necessary, particularly in a square format like this. What do people think?

 

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Tell them that your plan is to add a human element maybe a lady in red in the trail to be cropped later and I'm sure they will nod in agreement. :)

3 weeks ago I had an opportunity to take some action shots with a ballerina. :)

Huawei P30 , 1/1600 sec. f/1.6 5.56mm (27mm 35mm equivalent) ISO200

Huawei P30 , 1/1600 sec. f/1.6 5.56mm (27mm 35mm equivalent) ISO200

Lighting set-up is basically the same for the shoot. 2 CPFlash 550W on the left and on the right of the model at full power located about 15 feet away from the model. :)

John, those schematics are excellent and very helpful. It’s generous of you to include them.

You are welcome Ludmilla. I really like to teach and my measure of success in teaching is when people knows how to do it and they can do it better that I can. I am looking at teaching for free when I retire 5 years from now. I think I have saved enough in y 401K for me and my wife to survive until we are age 100 years old. :)

You can actually try off camera flash photography. Your Ricoh is a very capable camera and you can try its features. You have a choice of using xenon bulb flash or the CPFlash 550W, both ways you should be able to achieve the same results.

The shots are formulatic and follows a basic template and you can experiment on your own . The results are .. at the very least different and cannot be achieve with any camera without the off camera flashes. Not unless you spend days or weeks editing your photo to achieve the same results.

Here is another formula shot. following the basic template. :)

Huawei P30 smartphone 1/250 sec. f/1.6 5.56mm (27mm 35mm equivalent ) ISO 100

Here is the photodiagram. The correct location of the main flash should be in the left of the model. :)

BTW I made a mistake in the diagram. The main flash should be on the left side of the model. I just noticed it right now. :)

The diagrams are outstanding and very helpful. Thank you for including them.

With the CPFlash, you can control all 4 of them with the just the app? That would make taking photos really easy and convenient. If we use a lot and have them positioned far from each other it will be very tiring to change the power because you need to go to each of them and if you're using a lightstand you need to lower it then raise it again. Using an app is a very brilliant idea!

Yes gogoshane you can control all the flash power output level and flash duration from from your smartphone. Makes it fast and easy and convenient. :)

I took a screen shot of the flash duration and power controls. You don't need to go out of the native camera app to be able to adjust controls. This is with android with iOS its different but workable too. :)

now I'm thinking of buying Huawei P30 Pro too :)

This are really great photos. Do you have any tips about positioning of your lights? like where do I need to put the lights to create dramatic effects like your photos.

 

Thank you for creating this thread John. really really helpful

James, Its not actually hard. Its just like following a template. :)

If you have been following this thread, it would be obvious by now, that there are some type of photography that you just can't achieve without off camera flash not unless you are a computer expert and spend days or weeks editing the photo too look like it was taken with an off camera flash.

One of the basic shot that I usually do with a high degree of acceptable images is to position a main flash and place multiple off camera flashes behind or beside the model . Its actually a template formula shot.

Usually this multiple off camera flash, is set at low power. Of course you have to experiment on the power output levels that you eventually like.

The app of the CPFlash 550W allows you to set the flash duration and output levels of your main flash and your slave flashes without getting out of the camera app. All of these are done via radio, making it very convenient and fast to do so.

You should try it James , if you have some off camera flash Speedlight's, its not actually hard, and using small off camera flashes will add some drama in the image, that a straight camera shot without flashes would not be able to achieve. Its even much easier to achieve with your smartphone and the CPFlash. I suggest that you try it with your DSLR/Mirrorless or a smartphone. An off camera flash like the CPFlash 550W for your smartphone/DSLR/Mirrorless or a Canon/Nikon/Godox/Yongnou Speedlight for your DSLR/Mirrorless camera (Xenon Flash won't work with your phone camera).

You will probably be amazed with the results and would probably be addicted to it. The nice thing about the CPFlash 550W is it comes with many extras like 6 magnetic filters and DSLR hot shoe trigger and Phone Camera trigger.

Here is another example of a shot based on a proven template. :)

Huawei P30 , 1/100 sec. f/1.6 5.56mm (27mm 35mm equivalent) ISO400

Same trip, but South at Mammoth Lakes. This is Barney lake looking up into Duck Pass. Again, no post of any kind.

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Beautiful!!! :)

Hope you are not going to disappear into oblivion John Fantastic

Hahahahahaha , Thank you Allen Herbert and I am very glad you liked the photos. :)

5 Years ago, I was diagnosed with scoliosis and my doctor prohibited from carrying anything heavier that 20 lbs. And my Photography suffered.

I can no longer carry heavy gear specially when travelling to the countryside. My style of photography involves the use of multiple low power off camera flash.

During my DSLR days I usually use Yongnou, with radio transmitters and my trusty DSLR.

I have been waiting for an off camera flash for smartphones and it came last year when Innovatronix introduced the CPFlash 550W. So I bought 4 of them as replacements for my Yongnou. Now I can create images that I used to do with my DSLR. I have printed them in A3+ (13"x19") paper and so far I am happy with the resolution of my smartphone. Virtually indistinguishable with my DSLR shots at 13"x19" not unless you pixel peep. more so if your final output is for social media where resolution does not really matter much. Now my photo bag consists of my smartphone and 4 CPFlash 550W and weight less than 10 lbs. and my doctor is very happy.

You should try it Allen Herbert, if you have some off camera flash Speedlight's, its not actually hard and using small off camera flashes will add some drama in the image, that a straight camera shot without flashes would not be able to achieve. Its even much easier to achieve with your smartphone .:)

Here are some shots I took with my DSLR.

Canon 1000D 1/60Second , f/4, ISO 800, 17mm lens shot with 4 Yongnou Flash.

Here is another photo. When my photography friends saw this picture they jokingly said the title should be "Parade of the Yongnou"

Canon 600D ,1/125 second, f/8, ISO200, 28mm lense shot with 7 Yongnou Flash

Now here are some shots I took very recently with my Huawei P30.

Huawei P30 , 1/1600 sec. f/1.6 5.56mm (27mm 35mm equivalent) ISO 200.

Huawei P30, 1/250 sec., f/1.6, 5.56mm (27mm 35mm equivalent), ISO100

Huawei P30 , 1/200 sec., f/1.6, 5.56mm (27mm 35mm equivalent) ISO50

I have started using a smartphone as my main camera of choice and so far except for Bird and Sports action photography , I can do things that I use to do with my DSLR. :)

Here are some images I recently took with my smartphone (Huawei P30) and an off camera flash.

It is nice.

 

I have only a Retina 1, which needs a little cleaning and tender care.

 

here's some original Kodak advertising on the early models. ( always love these old ads even though this leaflet is auf Deutsch*). Talk about your miracles of post-war production!

 

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I've always wanted to Meisterhaft knipsen

________

*The Retinas were made in Stuttgart-Wangen by the Kodak AG Dr. Nagel Werk

JDMvW, I love your old brochures, I love old brochures of any kind, and love to read them and try to understand the marketing concepts and strategies of the era. :)

I was unfamiliar with Etsey before reading the posting below, so I looked it up. The first thing that I noticed is this listing for a set of three printable landscape photographs at,

Set of 3 Green Mountain Forest Landscape Prints. Scandinavian | Etsy

 

The price of $5.87 seems rather low unless you sell a ton of them, which the seller apparently does. Selling printable photographs rather than prints is concept that I had not previously considered. Does anyone here have experience with selling printable photographs?

Same with you, first time I have heard of it. But I think it would have a market among home owners who would like to decorate their homes with pictures that uplift their spirit, usually landscape photos. I think there would be a market for it and if the world is your market then it could probably be quite huge. :)

Love my Nikkormats, but afraid I fall in with those that prefer the FTn (and later) over the original FT. It isn't just that the ASA setting is a bit weird: every FT thats come my way had either a dead meter or major issues with the ASA ring resistor. My luck's been much better with post-FT variants. Of the couple dozen I've owned (most bought for the lenses on them), the sweet spot in price/condition/practicality was the FT2: the meters usually still work well and they take modern S76 batteries. Despite this, my personal preference is FTn (for the prism styling) and scarce FT3 (for the convenient battery and AI features).

 

This is my little family of "keeper" Nikkormats: FTn (1st version), FT3, and two FTn "Apollo" versions. Each sports a different variant of of fast-aperture 35mm Nikkor lens. Out of boredom, I was doing a bokeh comparison at close distances yesterday to see how well each 35 tracks with their historical reputation. Under controlled conditions, the reps match my own general experience of each. Bokeh of the 35/2 is best with the scallop-ring Pre-AI O and OC, followed closely by the AI/K, with the AIS being slightly harsher. Minimal differences in real-world use, but the bokeh-obsessed will prefer pre-AI. The 35/1.4 AIS bokeh tracks very close to the 35/2 AIS at the same apertures, but is harsher/busier close up due to the floating element correction.

 

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Wow!!! @orsetto , they look like brand new. :)

Howdy!!

 

I bought me a new "used" classic camera...the fully manual Kodak Retina IIIc (Type 21). I performed dry-run shutter and aperture tests and for a 67-year old camera, it performs, sounds and looks great. The real test will be when I run some test film through it this weekend (hopefully). I cleaned the 35mm and 80mm lenses--amazingly, they look great for being so old and they were well-cared for previously. The filter kit was a pleasant surprise as well--they looked great too. It should be fun using this l'il gem.

 

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I probably should have it CLA'ed for good measure to ensure its longevity. Apart from the international Retina master, Mr. Sherwood in New Zealand, is there another person or camera shop in the USA that could perform great CLA work on it? I live in Texas...but I will not mind shipping it anywhere in the Lower-48.

Beautiful Camera @alfonsomartinez . :) May I know how much you paid for it?