Need advice: Panasonic FZ35 vs Canon SX20
in [Digital Cameras]
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From: J. Clarke on 11 Dec 2009 08:57 Scott W wrote: > On Dec 10, 9:58 pm, Wolfgang Weisselberg <ozcvgt...(a)sneakemail.com> > wrote: >> Chris Malcolm <c...(a)holyrood.ed.ac.uk> wrote: >>> If the minimum flash power which will trigger the studio flashes is >>> bright enough to have any noticeable effect on a subject lit by the >>> minimum power of the studio flashes I'd demand my money back on the >>> grounds that such excessively feeble flashes with such insensitive >>> triggers were not fit for their advertised purpose! >> >> Try it with a reflective surface or shooting straight into a mirror. >> >> -Wolfgang > > So you are saying that if I am trying to take a photo of my camera by > shooting its reflection in a mirror and I happen to be using slave > strobes at the time there could be a problem? I am wondering how > often someone would want a hand held photo of themselves holding their > camera? First, whether you're using slaves or not shooting with the onboard flash in a mirror is going to cause problems. Second, Chris seems to be assuming that on a bridge camera one has control of the flash intensity--in fact the control is very limited--you can _maybe_ set it two stops down but you can't set it to the lowest level that will trigger external optical slaves. Further, I doubt that anybody who is shooting with a bridge camera is going to be using AC powered studio strobes--he's more likely to be using a cheap consumer flash for off-camera lighting. > > Scott
From: Chris Malcolm on 11 Dec 2009 09:22 Wolfgang Weisselberg <ozcvgtt02(a)sneakemail.com> wrote: > Chris Malcolm <cam(a)holyrood.ed.ac.uk> wrote: >> Ray Fischer <rfischer(a)sonic.net> wrote: >>> Chris Malcolm <cam(a)holyrood.ed.ac.uk> wrote: >>>> If the camera controls can't do that enough, >>>>stick a bit of white paper over it. >>> Seems like it'd be a lot easier to use a better camera. >> I'm glad to hear that it's much easier for you to find a few hundred >> dollars than to stick a bit of paper over a flashgun window. Some of >> us are not so fortunate. > Since in that case you rent the studio flashes anyway, you can > rent the camera as well ... Not necessarily. For example every time I've used studio flashes they've come along free with free use of a friendly local studio. There are a few local studios which will sometimes exchange modelling for a chance to play with their gear. And if my camera lacked a hot shoe I'd prefer where possible to find out how to maximise my use of it, rather than borrow someone else's camera. -- Chris Malcolm
From: Chris Malcolm on 11 Dec 2009 09:41 J. Clarke <jclarke.usenet(a)cox.net> wrote: > Scott W wrote: >> On Dec 10, 9:58 pm, Wolfgang Weisselberg <ozcvgt...(a)sneakemail.com> >> wrote: >>> Chris Malcolm <c...(a)holyrood.ed.ac.uk> wrote: >>>> If the minimum flash power which will trigger the studio flashes is >>>> bright enough to have any noticeable effect on a subject lit by the >>>> minimum power of the studio flashes I'd demand my money back on the >>>> grounds that such excessively feeble flashes with such insensitive >>>> triggers were not fit for their advertised purpose! >>> >>> Try it with a reflective surface or shooting straight into a mirror. >>> >>> -Wolfgang >> >> So you are saying that if I am trying to take a photo of my camera by >> shooting its reflection in a mirror and I happen to be using slave >> strobes at the time there could be a problem? I am wondering how >> often someone would want a hand held photo of themselves holding their >> camera? > First, whether you're using slaves or not shooting with the onboard flash in > a mirror is going to cause problems. > Second, Chris seems to be assuming that on a bridge camera one has control > of the flash intensity--in fact the control is very limited--you can _maybe_ > set it two stops down but you can't set it to the lowest level that will > trigger external optical slaves. Not only was Chris not assuming that, he didn't even seem to be assuming it, since he specifically mentioned putting a bit of paper over the flash window. > Further, I doubt that anybody who is shooting with a bridge camera is going > to be using AC powered studio strobes--he's more likely to be using a cheap > consumer flash for off-camera lighting. Unlikely as it may be, it is actually the case that is under discussion here. Last time I attended a session where a local studio invited local photographers to swop modelling for a go with their studio lighting, at least two were using cameras without hot shoes. The studio assistants were very helpful in finding ways in which their cameras could trigger the studio strobes, and discussed this very question with them. And the last time I attended a strobist portrait meeting of local photographers, one of them brought along a portable battery powered studio strobe and helped those without hot shoes to use it. And once again discussed this question with them. So while these scenarios may be unlikely, it's certainly not difficult to encounter them in some local photographic circles. -- Chris Malcolm
From: J. Clarke on 11 Dec 2009 09:41 Chris Malcolm wrote: > Wolfgang Weisselberg <ozcvgtt02(a)sneakemail.com> wrote: >> Chris Malcolm <cam(a)holyrood.ed.ac.uk> wrote: >>> Ray Fischer <rfischer(a)sonic.net> wrote: >>>> Chris Malcolm <cam(a)holyrood.ed.ac.uk> wrote: > >>>>> If the camera controls can't do that enough, >>>>> stick a bit of white paper over it. > >>>> Seems like it'd be a lot easier to use a better camera. > >>> I'm glad to hear that it's much easier for you to find a few hundred >>> dollars than to stick a bit of paper over a flashgun window. Some of >>> us are not so fortunate. > >> Since in that case you rent the studio flashes anyway, you can >> rent the camera as well ... > > Not necessarily. For example every time I've used studio flashes > they've come along free with free use of a friendly local > studio. There are a few local studios which will sometimes exchange > modelling for a chance to play with their gear. And if my camera > lacked a hot shoe I'd prefer where possible to find out how to > maximise my use of it, rather than borrow someone else's camera. Don't know how things are in the UK but there's not much publicly accessible studio space available in the US. Around here there's only one that I know of and it has a store stocked with the latest and greatest Nikon and Canon products attached--using a better camera than a point and shoot there is a non-issue--just tell them what you want to use.
From: Hank H on 11 Dec 2009 14:59
On Fri, 11 Dec 2009 08:57:07 -0500, "J. Clarke" <jclarke.usenet(a)cox.net> wrote: >Scott W wrote: >> On Dec 10, 9:58 pm, Wolfgang Weisselberg <ozcvgt...(a)sneakemail.com> >> wrote: >>> Chris Malcolm <c...(a)holyrood.ed.ac.uk> wrote: >>>> If the minimum flash power which will trigger the studio flashes is >>>> bright enough to have any noticeable effect on a subject lit by the >>>> minimum power of the studio flashes I'd demand my money back on the >>>> grounds that such excessively feeble flashes with such insensitive >>>> triggers were not fit for their advertised purpose! >>> >>> Try it with a reflective surface or shooting straight into a mirror. >>> >>> -Wolfgang >> >> So you are saying that if I am trying to take a photo of my camera by >> shooting its reflection in a mirror and I happen to be using slave >> strobes at the time there could be a problem? I am wondering how >> often someone would want a hand held photo of themselves holding their >> camera? > >First, whether you're using slaves or not shooting with the onboard flash in >a mirror is going to cause problems. > >Second, Chris seems to be assuming that on a bridge camera one has control >of the flash intensity--in fact the control is very limited--you can _maybe_ >set it two stops down but you can't set it to the lowest level that will >trigger external optical slaves. If only you people had any experience at all with the equipment you incessantly want to give advice about, the world would stop seeing you for the total fools that you are. > >Further, I doubt that anybody who is shooting with a bridge camera is going >to be using AC powered studio strobes--he's more likely to be using a cheap >consumer flash for off-camera lighting. > >> >> Scott |