Slik Pistol Grip Head AF-2100 Review
I have had two of these Slik Pistol Grip heads for many years – at least 15 years. Simply, they are excellent. I have often had my Canon EOS 7D with the Canon 100mm-400mm lens attached, sitting on one of these atop a tripod when shooting hummers remotely. This is probably one of the oldest [...]
Hummingbird Photography the easy way…..
In my post yesterday, I mentioned the prototype sensor I have been field testing for Cognisys Inc. I have used it for mammals, rodents, birds, and as shown in this post, hummingbirds. I have spent thousands of hours behind a camera photographing hummingbirds, and I have even pulled off a few good images. In the [...]
Flash Support Systems Part 2
Further to the previous post on flash support systems, this one covers hotshoes, coldshoes, and a few things in between. Share this:FacebookStumbleUponReddit
Flash support systems Part 1
A common question from my workshops is “What do you use to support the multiple flashes that you use in your setups?”. Indeed, many students note down the names of the clamps, stands, tripods, heads and arms that I incorporate into the workshop setups. This and subsequent posts will include descriptions and images of a [...]
Fotronix StopLights
Roy used to run a company on the East Coast – Fotronix Inc., which was responsible for producing a range of HSF units known as StopLights. The principal product was the StopLight SL-80, which was sold internationally to many photographers, most of whom are still using the system today with great results. Share this:FacebookStumbleUponReddit
An Unsung Hero….
The Cokin Creative Macro Flash system The Cokin Creative Macro Flash was developed and sold in the 80′s by Cokin – the French company still best known for its wide range of filters and accessories. Staggeringly flexible, powerful and innovative, they were a well-kept secret in the macro photography fraternity of that era. I bought [...]
Hints for using the Canon MT-24EX Macro TwinLite
One thing to know about the Canon MT-24EX flash – the lighting it produces is very harsh. Even though the size of the reflectors is relatively large when shooting high magnifications, they still produce hotspots and specular highlights that are not very aesthetic. I diffuse mine whenever I am using it, with a custom modification [...]
The Olson High Speed Flash Systems
A. Kenneth Olsen was an electronic engineer from Minnesota who produced high speed flash units on a custom basis from the 1970’s to the early 90’s. He was tragically killed in a car accident in 1993, I believe. He produced two lines of units, a standard, or ‘Lightweight’ version and an ‘Ultra’ version. The standard [...]
SPOT Flash
The Microflash has recently been superceded by Dr Robert Root of Prism Science Works. He produces a unit called a SPOT flash, which boasts pretty much the same specs as the Microflash, with a couple of very noteworthy improvements: First, it is an integral unit, with the power supply and flash being in the same [...]
EG&G Microflash
The EG&G Microflash was manufactured (I believe) from the early 60′s through to the early 80′s. Designed by Harold “Doc” Edgerton and his team, it was the original commercially available high speed flash unit. It cost thousands of dollars new, and boasted a 0.5 microsecond flash duration. In fact, the flash was an air-gap spark, [...]
The Very High Speed Flash System (VHSF), by Yoric Inc.
This is a custom system I designed for a client a few years ago, and finally got around to replicating for myself. It comprises of a main power supply, with remote heads. The heads are attached to the supply via 10ft cables, also custom designed, with high-voltage and high-current connectors. The flash duration is around [...]
Macro? It’s so easy now…..
This image of the pedipalps (sex organs) of a male Latrodectus hesperus (Black Widow Spider) was taken in just a couple of minutes with a Canon MP-E 65mm Macro 1-5X zoom lens, and a Canon Macro Twinlite MT-24EX. The quality and convenience of the MP-E 1-5X zoom macro lens, when coupled with the Canon Macro Twinlite MT-24EX cannot [...]
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