yet another q. about location lighting..

mikeyt

mikeyt

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Most of my lighting is currently for weddings, with [canon] flashguns either on camera or occasionally on stands and fired using ETTL Phottix Odin triggers. But when they're on stands I get frustrated by lack of power to cover a reception halls, long recycle times and battery issues.

I like the flexiblity of ETTL and like using the Odin triggers and i need to get braver about using lights outside and on location for corporate work.

I see Phottix are bringing out a new battery powered studio light (http://journal.phottix.com/company-news/phottix-unleashes-power-indra500-ttl-studio-light/) which looks great and will probably be about a grand each. I dont mind paying up to this for something fairly portable, easy to use and reliable.

The lencarta safari or atom systems were favourite until I saw the phottix, and the lure of using ettl is quite strong - but should I just man up and practice using a manual setup?

any thoughts?
 
The Indra500 looks very interesting, but isn't on sale yet.

But either way, you need to get to grips with using flash properly, and that includes manual. Auto-TTL is great when you have a fluid situation with flash-to-camera distance changing and no time to faff around in-between shots. But in more static situations when you have both more time and control, then manual is the better way (ie, the exposure will not change). The fact that you have flashes on stands suggests a more controlled situation where manual might be better. Another good combo is static background flashes on manual, with auto-TTL on-camera.
 
mike weeks said:
I think over the next 12 to 18 months we will be seeing a lot more of ttl versions of such lights, even seen discussion about a ttl version of the OEM version of the Safari 2, now that would be awesome.

Mike
Click to expand...

Yes, lots of new stuff in that sector. But TTL only works with IGBT controlled flash, and Safari-2 is not IGBT.
 
HoppyUK said:
Yes, lots of new stuff in that sector. But TTL only works with IGBT controlled flash, and Safari-2 is not IGBT.
Click to expand...

Sorry, bit tired after a very late night, not the Safari 2 but the Atom's, some thought they would have seen them at Photokina, already got the http://flashhavoc.com/godox-v860n-for-nikon-now-available/ for Nikon and the Canon version has been around for a while, so if they can do that they should be able to migrate the technology.

Mike
 
Different people have different ways of working, there are no rights or wrongs. IMO TTL is totally useless when used in a studio situation, but event photographers might disagree...

TTL can certainly be useful for press and wedding photography, where things change quickly, but all that it can ever do is to produce 'correct' exposure and bland lighting. My view is that the massive computer that we all have in our head does a far better job of calculating these things than the tiny fuzzy logic computer built into lights and cameras, and nearly as quickly. Most people I know think that TTL is the dogs whatsits until they gain experience, and then switch to manual.

mike weeks said:
I think over the next 12 to 18 months we will be seeing a lot more of ttl versions of such lights, even seen discussion about a ttl version of the OEM version of the Safari 2, now that would be awesome.

Mike
Click to expand...
Yes, I know about that, and have been in discussions with the factory about it. Real discussion trumps rumours:)
It would involve a total revamp, moving over to IGBT technology and it isn't something that we see any advantages to, other than faster recycling at low power settings. Yes, it would allow TTL but that would be a small benefit, if any, and it would produce very short flash durations at very low power, but the benefit of those short flash durations would be non-existent where there was any meaningful level of ambient light.
 
mike weeks said:
Sorry, bit tired after a very late night, not the Safari 2 but the Atom's, some thought they would have seen them at Photokina, already got the http://flashhavoc.com/godox-v860n-for-nikon-now-available/ for Nikon and the Canon version has been around for a while, so if they can do that they should be able to migrate the technology.

Mike
Click to expand...
Well, that may happen with the Atom, the added technology is simple and pretty low cost. It may happen because the Atom isn't exclusive to us, even though we are by far the largest customer for them
 
IMHO, the bigger opportunity with high powered IGBT flash units is rather less auto-TTL, but more proper high-speed sync. I think the interest in the tail-sync hack that simulates HSS in a crude way proves that.
 
with e-ttl you still have some useful bits of control i.e. such as flash exposure compensation so I can definitely see it being useful in on the fly situations. If your shooting in studios or have controlled environments then I suppose its less useful. But the new systems have other advantages too - it stands to reason if it can do TTL, it can also be manually controlled remotely too. Its all about shooting quick with TTL
 
yeah, that's why i want ettl, so i can react to quickly changing subject or when i have to set up and get started in about 30 seconds!

some good input in the thread, thanks to all!
 
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