Portrait Session

My friend asked me to take her portrait and I was glad to oblige.  We took a series of shots in different styles and this is probably one of my favorite shots from the day.  Although most of the shots had a white background (the safer choice due to her dark hair), we did take a few shots with a black background and I actually liked them even better.



For my key light, I chose a light source that was not super-soft in order to show off her facial features a little better.  I decided on a Quantum Qflash X2 with a Fotodiox 18" Beauty Dish.  The beauty dish was mounted on a light stand above the subject via a CowboyStudio Speedlight Bracket.

To maintain a bright "feel", I wanted to have a low highlight/shadow ratio.  I used an AlienBees B1600 firing through a 60" Westcott convertible umbrella in shoot-through mode as on-axis fill.

To give the shot a fashion magazine look, I used a silver/white Lastolite reflector below her and fired a bare Nikon SB-26 at it.  The SB-26 was triggered optically.  The three lights (key, fill, and reflector) can be seen in the catchlights.  Although some photographers prefer to have a single rectangular or round catchlight, I opted to keep the catchlights as is.  I think they make her eyes look more lively.

Finally, to create separation between her hair and the black background, I used a Nikon SB-800 as backlight, also triggered optically.  The backlight really helped make the shot work, making her hair appear like a glowing aura of energy, reflecting my friend's bubbly personality.

Look for upcoming reviews of the Fotodiox Beauty Dish, 60" Westcott convertible umbrella, and the Fotodiox popup background.  Use our RSS Feed, subscribe anonymously on Google Reader, or follow us on Twitter (@betterfamilypix) to keep updated!

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Sigma 50-150 OS or Non-OS?

It's taking a bit longer than expected for Sigma's 50-150 OS (optically stabilized) lens to come out.  Meanwhile you may be wondering whether to get the 50-150 OS, the 50-150 without OS, or a 70-200 OS (or similar lens).
As a 50-150 non-OS user, here are my thoughts:

As Jim commented, the choice should not be based on the release date but on how you use the lens.  Yeah, it's annoying Sigma keeps pushing back the release date for this lens.  On the other hand, if the OS lens is what you really need, and you get the non-OS version now, then once the OS version is released, you may feel pangs of regret for the rest of the life of the lens.  Besides, you'll be using the lens for many years, so a few months' delay is not significant compared to the utility of the lens over its life.

Based on my usage of the 50-150 non-OS, I do think having OS would be helpful and would make the 50-150 lens much more useful.  However, sometimes I don't need OS: 

• One example that Jim has pointed out is if your subject is fast-moving, and you want the subject to stay sharp, you'll need a fast shutter speed anyway and despite having OS, you won't be able to shoot at a slower shutter speed.
• In moderately bright ambient light, OS isn't a necessity.  In the morning or afternoon, with an ISO of 400 or 800, I can usually get shutter speeds of 1/500 or 1/1000 or faster.  At those speeds, my images are as sharp as my lens will allow and camera shake isn't a significant factor for me.  See: Why I love my Sigma 50-150.
• In dim ambient light when I can use flash, OS isn't critical either.  The flash duration (which is 1/1000 or faster) becomes my effective shutter speed.
• At high ISOs, you may be able to get high enough shutter speeds in somewhat dim light.  Please note: I'm not afraid to use high ISOs.  I often use ISO 1600 with my D70 and use ISO 3200 with my D300 when I have to.  It helps that I use Lightroom 3 which has pretty good noise reduction capabilities.  In the end though, I'm just not a pixel peeper.  I don't mind luminance noise, and LR3 does a pretty good job of getting rid of unsightly chroma noise.  Yes, some details do get lost with high ISO and noise reduction but my audience doesn't make large prints.  They look at images on a computer monitor at up to 1600 pixels on the long edge -- that's like a 2-megapixel camera resolution. So I personally don't have a strong need for very crisp and detailed images.

Notwithstanding the counter-arguments I discussed above, I am still tempted by the 50-150 OS:

• Dim ambient light.  Sometimes, raising my ISO isn't good enough and flash is not an option.
• Dim ambient light even with flash.  Even when I can use flash to freeze the subject, I still need a slow shutter speed to allow the background to "burn in".  If you don't have OS, then the background will be somewhat blurry due to camera shake.  If you prefer a sharp background, then OS would be needed even with flash.
• The new lens is a total overhaul of the 50-150 non-OS.  The new lens has 21 elements in 15 groups, compared to the non-OS lens which has 18 elements in 14 groups.  The new lens also has a huge filter size of 77mm compared to the 67mm of the old lens.  I'm guessing that Sigma didn't just simply add OS to its old lens and instead tried to improve on image quality.  I would not at all be surprised if the new lens turns out to be significantly sharper than its predecessor.

One comment that I sometimes hear from prospective buyers of the 50-150 is that you may as well buy a 70-200, particularly if you're going full frame.  I'm one of those folks who are thinking of possibly getting a full frame camera in the future.  However, if I had the choice of a crop-sensor body with the 50-150 or a full-frame body with a 70-200, with all factors being equal (e.g. image quality, sensor noise, etc.) I think I would go with the 50-150 because of the depth of field.   With my 50-150 on my crop-sensor body, the depth of field is just enough to render the subject sharp from nose to ear while still having a blurred background.  See: Why I love my Sigma 50-150.  I don't have personal experience with a 70-200 on a full-frame camera but I have seen some professional photographers whose 70-200 images (on full frame cameras) had insufficient depth of field.  It's just something to think about...

If you ask me if I plan to upgrade to the OS version, the answer is probably not.  The reasons?

First is the size of the new lens.  It's about the same size as the 70-200 OS (7.8 inches long) compared to the current 50-150 (5.5 inches long).  It would be inconvenient to bring it around, and if it's inconvenient, I probably won't use it as much my current lens.

Second is the cost.  To get the new lens, I would need to sell my 50-150 (probably take a $50-100 hit), then put in additional funds to buy the OS lens (probably another $500 hit).

In my opinion, the new lens would have to be really amazing for me to upgrade. YMMV.

Summary:

If the most important factor for you is image quality and you want the best image quality possible from your crop-sensor camera at this focal length range, then you probably should wait for the 50-150 OS.

If you are an aspiring pro or may be getting a full frame camera in the future, you *may* want to consider getting a 70-200 OS instead.  Meanwhile, to cover the 50-70 gap, you may want to use a 24-70, 16-85, or the Sigma 17-70 for your standard zoom.  But note that the depth of field may be shallower.

If you are care about things like convenience and portability along with image quality, then you might not be a pixel peeper, in which case the compact 50-150 non-OS may meet your needs better than the 50-150 OS.

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Sigma 50-150 OS update: now on Sigma's website

The Sigma 50-150 OS now has a page on Sigma's website:

http://www.sigmaphoto.com/shop/50-150mm-f28-ex-dc-os-hsm-sigma

 

The dimensions (3.4in.× 7.8 in.) are similar to that of a 70-200 OS (i.e. much larger than the non-OS 50-150).  No pricing posted yet.

 

 

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One Speedring to Rule Them All: One Set of Modifiers for Speedlights and Strobes

[OK, if you're a longtime reader of this blog you know I've used that headline before.  It was just too tempting... :) ]

Are you new to studio strobes or are thinking of getting strobes in the future?  One of the issues with moving up to studio strobes is the modifiers.  You may already have modifiers for speedlights.  Do you really need to buy a whole new set of modifiers for a studio strobe?  Not if you plan ahead.  Details after the jump.

BTW, this post is part of a series called Toys for Big Kids, where we discuss modifiers for setup shots, when considerations of time, convenience, and/or cost take a backseat to emphasis on control and getting the best result possible.



Except perhaps for umbrellas, modifiers for speedlights usually differ slightly from modifiers made for studio strobes.  However, there are modifiers out there that can be used with studio strobes, speedlights and even some battery-powered strobes (Quantum, Sunpak, and Armatars).  This can not only save you some money, but it will also make it easier to haul around just one set of modifiers.

HOW IT WORKS:
The key to making this work is this flat type of speedring:

"Flat" speedrings (AlienBees and Bowens mounts shown)

At a minimum, you'll need a Bowens-type flat speedring, another flat speedring for your studio strobe, and a CowboyStudio bracket (see #1 in the list below).

1. CowboyStudio Bracket
This bracket for your speedlight will allow you to use modifiers for strobes.  See our review here.  So far I've only seen a bracket for Bowens modifiers but that's going to be fine even if your strobe is not Bowens, because you'll be using this bracket for your speedlights, Quantum, Sunpak or Armatar.

2. flat Bowens speedring
To get a flat Bowens speedring, you can get the Lastolite EZybox Bowens adapter.  Alternatively, you can buy one of the modifiers below that uses a flat speedring, and choose the version that's made for Bowens.

CowboyStudio bracket with flat Bowens speedring

3. flat speedring for your strobe
Lastolite makes flat speedrings for several strobes.  Again, you can instead get one of the modifiers below with a flat speedring, and select the type for your strobe.

AlienBee with flat speedring

THE LIST:
Once you have the minimum gear, you can choose among these modifiers that will be compatible with your speedlights and strobes.

1. Speedlight Softbox (Foldable)
These softboxes are made for speedlights.  They fold flat and popup easily when you're ready to use them.  See the Softbox review.
Usually, these softboxes come with their own speedring and bracket.  However, they also work with flat speedrings:

24" speedlight softbox with original speedring

24" softbox with flat speedring (AlienBees mount)

2. Traditional or octagon softbox: EZ-Pro
Unlike the foldable softbox, traditional softboxes have curved sides (instead of the straight sides on foldable softboxes).  Traditional softboxes usually have speedrings, to which you attach tension rods that hold the assembly together.  See this youtube video of a typical softbox being assembled:

An octagon softbox takes even longer to assemble because it has 8 rods.

The EZ-Pro is a newer type of softbox that instead opens up like an umbrella.  Here's a video of one being setup (octagon softbox shown, but the concept is the same for a rectangular EZ-Pro softbox):


The cool thing for our purposes is that the EZ-Pro softboxes use flat speedrings.  The EZ-Pro does cost significantly more than traditional softboxes but at least you won't need separate softboxes for your speedlight and strobe.  Plus it deploys much more quickly.

(BTW, we will be reviewing the EZ-Pro on this blog.)

3. Beauty Dish: Fotodiox
Many entry-level (i.e. cheaper) beauty dishes have interchangeable speedrings.  However, not all of the speedrings can be used as flat speedrings.  A couple of beauty dishes I found to have such a flat speedring are the Fotodiox 18" and the Fotodiox 28".  (Note: gridded versions are also available)

Left: a speedring used in some beauty dishes; right: a flat speedring used with the Fotodiox 18" beauty dish. Note the wider lip of the flat speedring

The speedring used in other beauty dishes won't necessarily be compatible with modifiers that use flat speedrings

PUTTING IT TOGETHER:
To use a modifier with your speedlight, Quantum, Sunpak or Armatar, just use the CowboyStudio bracket and your flat Bowens-type speedring.  To use a modifier with your studio strobe, use the flat speedring for your strobe.  It's that simple.  So there you have it -- one set of modifiers for your speedlights and studio strobes!

The Fotodiox 18" beauty dish used with a Nikon SB-800 speedlight

The same Fotodiox 18" beauty dish used with an AlienBee B1600

Coming posts in this series:
- EZ-Pro 48" Octagon Softbox
- Fotodiox 18" Beauty Dish
- AlienBees ABR800 Ring Flash
- Paul C. Buff MoonUnit
- White Lightning X3200 Monolight
- Vagabond II
- Do you need a flashmeter?
- Paul C. Buff CyberCommander
and more.  Meanwhile here are some RELATED POSTS:
Toys for Big Kids
Toys for Big Kids: Speedlight Softbox
Toys for Big Kids: CowboyStudio Speedlight Bracket
Toys for Big Kids: Quantum Flash

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Happy Birthday BFP!

I just noticed that BetterFamilyPhotos.com passed its 2nd anniversary.  Here's the story of BetterFamilyPhotos so far:



Mic: I created this blog to improve my photography and share what I learned.  Our first blog post was on June 29, 2009.  When we first started, the blog was getting around 50 visits and 85 page views in a whole month.  Stats didn't improve and I got busy so after a few months, I stopped posting.  Then I noticed that I wasn't improving my photography, so I in March 2010, I relaunched the blog, and started mentioning it in forums such as DP Review.  From 50 visits and 56 views in February 2010, we suddenly got 472 visits and 995 views in March 2010.  I promoted the blog through even more active participation in DP Review, and we went from 464 visits and 1066 views in June 2010 to 2,475 visits and 5,168 views in July, then to 3,595 visits and 7,654 views in August.  From there, readership continued to increase gradually.  In June 2011, we ended the month with 5,922 visits and 10,655 views.  Those numbers are small relative to blogs like strobist, but it's nice to see it grow each month.

Meanwhile, my photography has evolved.  When I first started, all I cared about was that the light was soft and directional.

Indoors with bounce flash

When I wasn't bouncing the flash, I was using a handheld umbrella.

Outdoors with an umbrella

Now, I usually apply a lighter touch (pun unintended) with my flash to make it not just flattering but also less apparent.  Working on the blog has allowed me to do this by practicing techniques and concepts such as   light motivation (i.e., making sure the direction of light appears natural), balancing ambient and flash (particularly through a better understanding of TTL), color, and other factors.

Flash or no flash?  I hope to keep you guessing :)

I've also started to pay more attention to everything else other than the lighting, such as the emotion and the moment.  That would not have been possible without practicing so much to become  very comfortable with exposure and lighting so that I no longer have to take too much time thinking about them.

This year I've also started learning setup shots, which has opened many interesting creative possibilities.



We also finally added a subject-by-subject index of the literally hundreds of articles on the blog.  (Check it out if you haven't done so.)

Probably the best development that has happened to this blog, though, is the addition of Mohammad Shafik to our team!  Mohammad was a regular reader of our blog who started commenting more often.  What I noticed in his comments is how much we had in common.  I thought it would be interesting to have another voice for the blog so I invited him to do a guest post and the rest is history.  I'll let Mohammad share his side of the story himself...  :)

---

Mohammad: It seems to be a very long time since I stumbled upon this blog, I was probably searching for something that had to do with lighting and speed lights when I first found Mic's blog. Back then I was starting to learn photography (and still am, will always be), and I was hungry for any photography tutorials blog, I remember that the blog was almost one year old and I quickly devoured all of Mic's posts and started following the blog via Google Reader where I'm subscribed to no less than 50 blogs/sites (a new post idea just popped up: my favorite blogs).

I was always interested in Mic's posts because of their originality, practicality and the prevailing "user perspective" tone in all of his posts, I felt how much he cared to explain things and make them simple to average users. I also noticed we had lots in common regarding photography, so I started actively commenting on Mic's posts when I had something useful to say, you can see my first comment on the blog here, it will show you how much we had in common. @Mic: Wow, I don't remember you wanted the AB1600 for such a long time, and you also said you won't be dragging it along. :grin:

So after a few comment and email exchanges with Mic, he suggested that I do a guest post to demonstrate some concepts I commented upon, I used to send him the post in a word document and attach the pictures to the email, and this was my first guest post on the blog. I did two more guest posts and then Mic added me as an author to the blog, my first post as an author was one of my more successful posts, the first installment of the Canon Lenses Chat. And speaking of firsts, this particular post is my first collaborated post with Mic and also my first post as an admin to this blog, thanks for the trust Mic. :-)

This was a quick background on me joining the "betterfamilyphotos" family. As for my photography, I started learning on an advanced P&S, the Canon G11 back in March 2010 , I knew very little back then about lighting, how cameras worked, techniques and even DSLRs (can you imagine that?). I quickly started learning via online tutorials, here's a summary of the breakthroughs that I went through in the past year and a half:

• Mar 2010: Had my first good camera, the Canon G11, my main reason behind the G11 was to get better indoor pictures of my little girl, it was ok but not good enough.
• Apr 2010: Caught the strobist.com bug, bought my first cheap Chinese studio flashes, a couple of umbrellas and a light stand, this opened a new world for me regarding indoor pictures, I was finally able to use low ISOs and freeze my daughter, but the focusing speed and shutter lag of the G11 killed me.
• May 2010: Discovered  Zack Arias' brilliant workflow post, it was the first time for me to successfully use RAW files and lightroom, my images had a huge boost in quality and color accuracy.
• Jun 2010: Bought a couple of speedlites, a new 430EX and a used 580EX, and got a couple of eBay triggers. More lighting possibilities in outdoor environments, for all of my indoors shots I blasted both speedlights at the ceiling thinking that was how they were supposed to be used off-camera without light modifiers.
• Jul 2010: I sold my G11 and finally made the jump to my first DSLR, the Canon 550D (T2i). I was in a different league regarding focusing speed, shutter lag and noise performance.
• Aug 2010: Discovered the black foamie thing and Neil VN's world of on-camera directional flash, this lead to a huge jump in the quality and looks of my photos, still my favorite technique ever, especially that I hate to carry more than the camera, one lens and a flash at most.
• Nov 2010: Joined this blog, this forced me to take more photos and try new techniques so that I am able to show the internet how they were done. From then on I started upgrading my photography kit including lenses, bags, modifiers, etc... until:
• Apr 2011: Sold my 550D and bought the 60D + 580EX II during a trip to Malaysia.
• Jun 2011: Bought my first softbox, the 24" Lastolite EzyBox, and took my first classic three light portraits (Key + Fill + Rim), I yet have to blog about it.

The above sort of sums up my not-so-long photography trip, and before I end this post I'd like to talk a bit about why I joined this blog in the first place, two main reasons, the first being my passion in teaching others about everything I know, if you know me in person you'd better be careful when you ask me questions, I might keep explaining to you everything related to the matter for hours on end, didn't you notice that my posts are usually lengthy? I also love reading long, detailed posts intertwined with personal opinions. So joining this blog opened a nice large door for me to teach and explain things I knew about photography. It makes me very happy when I read comments telling me that my post helped someone with a decision or a technique, that's why one of my favorite and most read posts is the Canon 60D vs Canon 550D & 600D, just look at the encouraging comments, guys, please keep them coming, I want to know that what I'm writing is interesting to you.

The second reason for joining this blog was to make it as generic as possible, i.e. Mic is using a Nikon system and I'm using a Canon system, so both of us would serve a wider audience than if it was a Nikon or Canon only blog.

So that's it, now you know all about me, my main photography now is centered around my little kids and my family, there are no real breakthroughs for me, but I'm quite interested in product photography, so I might expand into that area in the future, the only problem with product photography is that it requires a table and a large setup which is a hassle to keep installing and removing all the time unless I get a dedicated product photography room.

Thanks for all your support and for joining us on this adventure!  Happy Birthday BFP!

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Inspired by UFC

I'm a fan of UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) and decided to do a UFC-style portrait for fun.


I became a UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) fan many years ago when I watched a relatively thin and ordinary-looking guy named Royce Gracie take on muscular martial artists and streetfighters who weighed far more than he did in no-holds-barred matches and somehow win.  What most people did not know then was that Royce was a master of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), a martial art that recognized that most fights ended up on the ground, where a fighter skilled with grappling could dominate an otherwise fearsome opponent who was unfamiliar with groundfighting. Almost two decades since Royce Gracie brought BJJ to prominence with his shocking success, BJJ still remains one of the most dominant fighting styles in the UFC.

Recently, I started learning BJJ to improve my fitness (gym is just too boring for me).  BJJ has been both challenging and fun.  While a match between a BJJ fighter and a traditional martial artist is interesting to watch, a battle between two skilled BJJ fighters is even more fascinating because of the depth of strategy and techniques involved.  It has been described as physical chess and I have to say that's not an exaggeration.  It is truly a beautiful mixture of science and art, just like photography.

Anyway, I decided to do a photo in the style of many UFC event posters, such as this one:

image credit: UFC and Zuffa, LLC

No way I was going to show my flabby muscles, so instead I donned my gi (the uniform we use in BJJ).  First, I selected my key light -- an Alien Bees B1600 in a 24-inch softbox, placed to camera left.  The B1600 was triggered by a CyberCommander.  Behind me was a black popup background.

test shot: key light only

Next I added a separation light above and behind me.  I used an SB-26, triggered by a Radiopopper JrX Studio.

2nd test shot: key + separation light

Finally, I added an accent light camera right.  It was an SB-80 in optical slave mode, Justin-clamped to a floor lamp.  In retrospect I would have liked to place it higher except I didn't have the space for a light stand.

3rd test shot: key only

4th test shot: key + accent light (no separation light)

Finally I got into character one more time and took the final shot...

Let's Get Ready to Rumble!!!

BTW, I will be posting a review of the CyberCommander soon, as well as how I combined it with the Radiopopper JrX.  I will also post a review of the popup background I used.

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Toys In Distress: A Fun Weekend Project

 

I want to share with you a simple and fun project that I shot with my brother, I call this series "Toys In Distress", hit the jump for more information.

My brother (the one with the scary look here) has an artistic and a free creative mind, he always has lots of photo ideas that he wants to create, he loves photoshop and he's quite good with it. I am usually inspired by his ideas that I try taking photos outside of my comfort zone. Today's picture is a result of one of his ideas.

He wanted to take the photo you see above of a man tied by a rope on a train rail while the train is approaching, you've seen this in several cartoons including Tom & Jerry, the setup was pretty simple, a toy train, a lego man, some knitting thread and a couple of toy trees. We didn't want to complicate the setup more than that.

In order to get a low point of view I used my new Manfrotto tripod (which I will review soon), it has the ability to mount the center column in reverse, so that the camera is dangling from the tripod upside down, check this setup picture to get an idea.

 
I used my 60mm macro lens to compress the perspective and exclude lots of the clutter around the train like the brick wall at the back. I was in aperture priority mode with an aperture of f/11 to get a large depth of field, the resulting shutter speed was one second. The swivel LCD of the 60D was a bless in this situation, I was able to easily compose the image without twisting over or sleeping on the ground.

I took a few test shots, reviewed them and decided that I needed some fill light on the front end of the train, so I used the 580EX II, zoomed it to 105mm and adjusted the power manually until I got the fill I wanted, but the beam was spilling light on other areas of the train that I didn't want to light, so I used the rogue grid to restrict the beam to where I wanted. Finally I used a small piece of white cardboard to reflect some fill on the left side of the train, the black cardboard you see below the speedlite is just to keep the flash standing upright. Here's the resulting picture straight out of the camera (just added some vignette):

The picture was not as striking as I wanted, so I started playing with different lightroom presets until I stumbled on one that I liked, I think it was called "yesteryear", but it was too yellow for my taste, the main idea behind this preset is to add a yellowish color cast to the picture (split toning), all I had to do was pay a visit to the split toning tab in the develop module and reduce the saturation of the yellow color a bit, and I like the results.

We also tried a couple of different images, the first one is similar to the OP image but from a different view, and the last one was of the train derailed and the oil car burning. I hope you enjoyed the images as much as we did shooting them. I thought to share them on this blog as a sort of a break from the regular/serious technical posts. :-)

P.S. If you have been paying attention to the links throughout this post, you'll notice that I have linked to a lots of hardware reviews (the 60D, 580EX II speedlite, rogue grid, 60mm macro lens and the Manfrotto tripod). What I want to say here is that this is when all the different tools you have come into play to make the image you want, the tool in itself is not valuable as a collectible item, but how familiar you are with your tools and how/when you use them is what's important.

I once read somewhere that you have to be able to operate your camera blindly, and I am a serious believer in this now, it really pays to be able to operate your camera totally blindly and even upside down like in this example, but that's for another post.

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Dance Like a Speedlight, Sting Like an Alien Bee: an Introduction to Quantum Flashes

You like the TTL convenience of your speedlight and you like the power of your monolight.  Wouldn't it be great if you could have the best features of both in a TTL-capable strobe with the power of a monolight?   Fortunately, there is just such a strobe.  Hit the jump to learn about the Quantum Qflash.
 Quantum flashes combine some of the best features of both speedlights and studio strobes.  However, they are not well understood except by hardcore lighting enthusiasts, and to an average observer, it may seem that understanding their system requires an engineering degree.  In this post, I'd like to discuss their advantages, disadvantages, as well as how their powerful, versatile but somewhat complex system works.

WHAT ARE QUANTUM QFLASHES?

You know about speedlights, and you may know about monolights and pack-and-head studio strobes as well.  Quantum flashes (Qflashes) belong to a sub-category of strobes called battery-powered strobes.  However, even compared to other battery-powered strobes, Qflashes have unique characteristics such as TTL capability and indeed, wireless TTL capability - so it could belong to its own category.

Like speedlights, Qflashes have a flash head that includes the "brains" and "muscles" of the flash.  But unlike speedlights they are not fully self-contained because need an external "heart" (the power pack).  The power pack supplies only the energy to the flash -- it does not control the power per se of the flash (unlike pack-and-head systems).  To get TTL capability, they also need a second brain - the TTL adapter.  (Not too long ago, Quantum created a flash that has built-in TTL capabilities, the Trio.)

Why go through the trouble?  Qflashes have several advantages over speedlights:

- Bare bulb design.  Like studio strobes, qflashes have bare bulbs that are more versatile and provide better quality light when used with modifiers such as softboxes.  It also includes a parabolic reflector, which provides more natural-looking light than the square reflector of a speedlight or potato masher.

- Extremely resistant to overheating.  Qflashes can be fired successively without overheating.  By comparison, speedlights can go into standby or even melt if used at high power and rapid-fired several times.

- More powerful than speedlights.  High-end speedlights have about 60-75ws of power.  By comparison, T-series qflashes have about 150ws and X-series qflashes have as much as 400ws of power, enough to compete with some monolights.

- Power pack can also be used to power speedlights, providing exceptionally fast recycling times (fast enough to melt the plastic lens of the flash)

And Qflashes have advantages over studio strobes:

- TTL capability.  If the subject is moving, TTL will allow you to get close to, if not the correct, flash exposure.

- More portable than monolights.  The Qflash head is smaller than a monolight and relatively light (partly because it has no batteries).

Relative sizes of a speedlight (Nikon SB-26), a Quantum flash (X2 shown) and a monolight (AlienBee B1600)

 - Battery pack is more portable than power pack of pack-and-head systems.  Qflashes have fairly compact power packs that can be clipped to a belt or even attached to bottom of the camera.  You can't do that with the battery pack of most monolights or pack-and-head systems.

In addition, Quantum is also well known for responsive tech support.  I've had the occasion to contact them and they were friendly, very knowledgeable and straightforward.
On the other hand, they have some disadvantages:

- Costly compared to speedlights and Paul Buff monolights.

- Less portable than speedlights.

- Fewer flash modifiers than strobes or even speedlights (these days).

- Relatively long flash duration (1/250 to 1/300), though that can be an advantage under some circumstances (such as simulated HSS).

- Not as powerful as some studio strobes.

- Flash recycling is quicker than a speedlight, but when a speedlight is connected to an external pack, the recycling times are comparable.

 

COMPONENTS

Quantum's system is a bit more complex than Canon or Nikon's system because they use a modular mix-and-match approach for maximum compatibility.  If you keep that philosophy in mind, it will help you not get frustrated with their byzantine system. :)

A Qflash system needs at least three components in order to function:

• a flash head -
• a power pack
• a sync adapter.

The power pack of the X-series Qflashes: the QPAQ

TTL adapter

1. Flash heads

Flash heads come in two series: the T series (150ws) and the more powerful X series (up to 400ws).  The T-series flash heads have T in their model name, beginning with the model T until the current model T5d-R.  The X-series flash heads have X in their model name, beginning with the X until the current model X5d-R.

Each generation of Qflash (regardless of whether it is T or X) has similar features.  A "D" in the name signifies that it can be used with digital cameras.  An "R" in the name means that the unit can be used to provide different output relative to other flashes when used in a multiple flash setup.  

 

Unlike speedlights, the Qflashes don't have hotshoes. Instead, it is connected via the TTL adapter to  the camera.  It has a 1/4-20 socket on the bottom (for connection to a stand or a bracket) and is mounted on a bracket or tripod.

The Trio is a little different from the other Qflashes because it has a hotshoe and already has the TTL adapter built in.

2. Power Packs.

Power Packs have two series as well to match the two series of flash heads (the T and X series). 

 

The T-series heads require a Turbo power pack.  The Turbo packs come in several varieties:

• Turbo
• Turbo 2x2 - higher capacity than the Turbo.
• Turbo 3 - the highest capacity Turbo.
• Turbo Z (more compact version of the Turbo, with less capacity)
• Turbo SC (slim and compact - even more compact model)
• Turbo Blade (the smallest and most compact Turbo battery, attaches to the bottom of the camera).

The X-series heads require the QPAQ-X power pack. The QPAQ-X has 200ws of capacity, and can be used to power either one or two heads.  If two heads are used, then each head's capacity is effectively 100ws.  However, you can add additional 200ws modules (called PXC) to increase the capacity of a QPAQ-X to 400ws, 600ws or 800ws (though each X-series head can only use up to 400ws).  With the correct type of cable, X-series heads can also be used with Norman 200B, 200C, or 400B packs, as well as Lumedyne packs up to 400ws.

PXC 200ws module

 Other notes:

• Quantum also produces battery packs for other flashes, none of which packs are compatible with QFlashes.  QB1 powers flashes with 4 or 5 AAs. QB1C is the more compact version of QB1. Quantum Bantam is likewise a compact, lower power version of the QB1.  QB2 is for flashes that require 6 AAs.
• A power pack needs a charger/AC adapter.   If you're buying used, check if the pack you're buying comes with it.  For the T-series, you may also need a cable to connect the flash head to the power pack (the cable is built into the X-series head).
• If your Quantum battery is no longer holding a charge, there are recell services to fix your battery (such as http://dasaga.com/quantum_battery.htm ).

3. Correct adapters:

Qflashes can be used in TTL mode with many film cameras as long as you have the right cable.  For Canon and Nikon digital cameras, TTL is available with a 3d-R, 4d-R, or 5d-R Qflash (you also need the right digital TTL adapter).

 

Quantum's new model, the Trio, is also compatible with Canon or Nikon.  The Trio is like a T-series Qflash but with built-in TTL capabilities and FreeXwire radio TTL (there is also a Trio basic that has only the built-in TTL but not built-in FreeXwire).

 

Compared to the simplicity of Canon or Nikon's flash systems, or even Paul Buff's monolights, Quantum's products can be a little confusing.  Now you know why this guide is necessary! :)

 

FEATURES

INTEGRATION

One of the strengths of Quantum is that it plays well with Canon or Nikon's native flash systems.  With the right accessories, it is possible to mix a Qflash with your Canon or Nikon speedlight(s).  In fact, the QNEXUS accessory for the 5D-R flashes enables you to control the Qflash with your Canon or Nikon wireless commander.

LIGHT MODIFIERS
The Qflashes have a bare bulb design which may provide better quality light than a speedlight with rectangle reflector.  However, light modifiers made specifically for the Qflash are quite expensive.  Instead, I use a Cowboy Studio bracket to allow me to use my Qflash with any modifier made for Bowens.

Qflash mounted on a Cowboy Studio bracket

MODELING LIGHT

Some Qflashes have a small modeling light, (35 ws) allowing you to see the pattern of highlights and shadows in realtime, as long as the ambient is not bright. 

 

CONVERSION OPTIONS

The 2 and 2d Qflashes can be converted to 3d-R Qflashes, which have some of the capabilities of the 5d-R.  The 4d and 5d qflashes can also be converted to a 5D-R.

 

REMOTE TRIGGERING OPTIONS

Quantum has its own remote triggering system, the FreeXwire, which is actually the first wireless radio TTL.

Quantum also produces the RadioSlave triggers which is a separate triggering system with no remote adjustment capability, and is incompatible with FreeXwire.

 

In addition to the FreeXwire, it is also possible to remotely adjust a Quantum in manual mode using a QF12 or QF13 adapter, a Radiopopper JrX Studio, and a matching Canon or Nikon RPCube.

 

OTHER NIFTY FEATURES

• Bounce and swivel - The head can swivel "only" 180 degrees (90 degrees each to the left and right).  But, the bounce angle is 180 degrees (speedlights can only point 90 degrees up), so the head can effectively cover 360 degrees.  Clever design!
• Earphone jack - Do you find the ready beep useful yet a little indiscreet?  There's an earphone jack.

 

BOTTOM LINE

Quantum is powerful and versatile, combining some of the best features of a speedlight and a studio strobe.  Yet because of its price and complexity, it has a select (mostly professional) clientele.  Occasionally though it is possible to get a good deal on a qflash if you patiently shop at eBay.  Meanwhile, check out some sample shots from the Quantum Flash group on Flickr.

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Yongnuo YN-565 TTL Flash Now Available

In March of this year, YongNuo announced a new speedlight, the YN-565, that would be compatible with wireless TTL of both Canon and Nikon at the same time.  At least one seller on eBay is now making the YN-565 available for $180 shipped.  The model is a Canon version with a Canon foot.  However, if YongNuo's claims are true, then the flash can be used as a wireless TTL slave with either a Canon or Nikon commander.  However, at this time, no Nikon version of the YN-565 (with Nikon foot) is available yet.

Related news: YongNuo Radio TTL YN-460-TX now available for Nikon

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Yongnuo Radio TTL flash YN460-TX and RX now available for Nikon!

Several months ago, Yongnuo released their own radio TTL flash, the YN-460-TX and RX.  Previewed here.  The Canon version became available a while back.  Now at least one eBay seller claims to sell a Nikon version for $235.  Yongnuo has also confirmed via email that a Nikon version now exists.  The seller told me that the Nikon version is compatible with all Nikon DSLRs.

I'm checking with the seller to see if the item includes both transmitter (TX) and receiver (RX) or just the transmitter.  The seller confirmed that the price includes both transmitter (TX) and speedlight with built-in receiver (RX).  Update: The seller has additional speedlights available for $130 (shipping included). 

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8 Techniques to Get Good Deals on eBay

eBay is a great way to get a substantial discount on photo and other equipment.  But to get the best deals, it helps to know a few techniques.  Using these techniques, I've been able to get deals like this (hit the jump):

• Quantum X2 with QPAQ module.  A brand new QPAQ by itself costs at least $685.  A used X2 is usually over $300 on eBay.  I got both for $350 shipped.
• White Lightning X3200 monolight.  $549 brand new.  Got it for $382 shipped.
• Nikon SB-800 for under $300 shipped, with 6-month warranty.

Here are the eBay techniques I use:

1.  Sniping.  Sniping is a well-known technique among eBay veterans but it still works.  eBay novices usually put in their bid for an item once they find a good deal only to find that someone outbids them at the last moment by a measly $1.  That's sniping in action.

The problem with bidding early is that you're giving information away to your competitors -- letting them know how much you're willing to pay.  If you truly are willing to pay more then there's no harm of course.  But if they are willing to pay just as much as you are, they can outbid you simply by raising their bid slightly more than yours, so you're at a disadvantage.

With sniping, you don't put in a bid until the very last moment before the auction closes, then you bid the highest amount.  A variation on sniping is to snipe twice.  You can put in a bid with a bit less than a minute left using an amount that is LESS than what you're willing to pay.  You'll notice that other snipers will put in their bids around that time too.  Sometimes they have time to raise their bid again if you outbid them.  With less than 20 seconds left, you can then put in your real final bid.  Hopefully they won't have time to raise their bid yet again.  The problem with this strategy is that it can escalate into irrational levels.

2.  Odd numbers.  Instead of bidding round numbers such as $100, bid a bit higher such as $102.68 just in case the other guy bids $100 as well.  Usually I don't see this tactic making a difference but it has been the deciding factor in a few cases.

3.  Boolean Searches.  I mentioned this on the blog before but it's worth mentioning again.  eBay allows boolean searches.  The complete list of formatting rules are here.  It's not easy to remember them all but it's easy enough to remember that "OR" is done by enclosing the terms in parentheses, separated by commas (no spaces).

4.  Saved Searches.  Some of the best deals on eBay are in a "Buy It Now" format -- not an auction.  If the deal is really good, it usually doesn't last long (disappears within minutes of being posted).  How do you find those deals?  I use saved searches.  After you type a search and you see the search results, you'll see a small link to save the search.

Once the search is saved, you can opt to be notified by email whenever an item shows up that corresponds to your search.  This works even better if you have a smartphone.  Just download the eBay app for your phone.  On the iPhone version of the eBay app, to save a search, press the star (hardly obvious!).  On the search tab, you'll then see a link for saved searches.  Pressing on that will show all your saved searches, which you can refresh by dragging down the screen.

On the iPhone eBay app, press the star at the top of the search results to save your search.

Saved Searches appear as a link at the top of the search tab.

Pressing Saved Searches shows you a list of your saved searches.  When a result appears, there will be a blue dot to the left of the search item.

When you find a good deal this way, jump on it.  Once, I saw someone selling a Vagabond Mini for $200 shipped.  At that time I only had one AlienBee though, so I hesitated.  The deal disappeared just seconds later.

5.  Unique Opportunities.  Occasionally, there are postings that present unique opportunities.  Here are the most common ones:

• Bundles.  Sometimes, sellers bundle items together.  For example, you may see a posting for 3 monolights, plus a lightstand and other accessories.  I've found that the bundled price tends to be lower.  This is somewhat expected because not everyone wants everything in the bundle.  Plus, buyers must fork over a nominally higher amount, which means that there are fewer "qualified" buyers.  Generally, the larger and more expensive the bundle, the bigger the discount.  For example, I once bought a bundle that included 3 speedlights plus 4 Radiopopper JrX receivers, 1 JrX transmitter, and 3 RPCube modules for $400 shipped.  Just make sure you really do want everything in the bundle or can find a way to sell some of them.
• Unusual Timing.  If the auction is scheduled to end at 3am Pacific Time, that's not going to get a lot of last minute bidders.  Similarly, if the auction will end during a long holiday (when most people are having fun, not sitting in front of their computers), the final price will usually be on the low side.
• Unusual Spelling or Labels.  If someone labels the item using a non-standard name such as "Alien Bee" rather than the more common "AlienBees" or "Alien Bees," the final price will again be on the low side.  Be sure that your saved searches include unusual name variations.
• Unusual Descriptions.  Sometimes sellers are not very familiar with the item they're selling and will describe it ambiguously.  Use this to your advantage by asking the seller questions to reveal hidden value, then bid accordingly.  For example, the Quantum flash I mentioned above was described ambiguously by the seller who wasn't familiar with the item.  By contacting the seller I found out that the sale included the QPAQ battery module.  Whereas no one else was willing to buy an X2 by itself for the starting bid of $350, I knew that the X2 + QPAQ pair was a good deal for that price.  So I sniped it and got it.
• "Broken" Items.  Sometimes, sellers underestimate the value of their item when a part is broken or malfunctioning.  Once, for example, I bought an SB-800 with a buy it now price of less than $300 just because there was some battery residue in the battery lid.  I also found a broken SB-800 with a price below $150.  I called Nikon and they told me it could cost up to $150 to fix it.  After asking the seller questions to make sure it was repairable, I bought it and got the unit fixed at a total price of under $300 with a 6-month warranty from Nikon.

6.  Ask Questions.  Besides asking the seller questions to clarify, try proactively asking them for other stuff they might have.  Some of the sellers of photo equipment are retiring pros or stores with inventory so they might have unadvertised stuff that you may be interested in.  Once, I bought a CyberSync receiver from a seller.  I asked him if he also had a CyberCommander transmitter and it turned out he was planning to sell one too.  He made me a good offer and I got it.

7.  Give a Little.  If there are a lot of bidders and you really want the item, be prepared to go just a little bit above what you would consider a good deal.  That little bit can give you the edge you need to win.  Just don't go overboard to "win at all costs" -- which is not a good eBay strategy if you're trying to save money.

8.  Watch out for traps.

• Misleading Descriptions.  Read the item description very carefully.  Sometimes the description is ambiguous or misleading.  For example mannequin head wig might mean a mannequin head with a wig or just the wig.  If you're not sure, ask the seller.  Don't assume anything.
• Missing Parts.  Again, read the description carefully.  The seller may make a long list of what's included.  Your job is to figure out what they're NOT saying is included.  (Few sellers proactively disclose what's not included.)  For example if you're buying a lens, they might say: includes box, instructions, warranty card, lens cap and rear lens cap.  The list is quite comprehensive which might lead you to think that it comes with everything that is included with a new lens.  It may turn out however that the lens hood is missing.
• Shipping costs.  Some sellers make the item cheap but bump up the shipping cost.  Make sure the total price with shipping is within your budget.
• Second chance and fake bids.  Some buyers aren't really ready or willing to buy the product.  Sometimes the buyers are irresponsible.  Other times, unscrupulous sellers use software or other means to create false buyers.  Either way, the price is artificially increased.  It's hard to immunize yourself from this kind of problem but one way to avoid it is to be very careful of "Second Chance" offers.  One time, I was bidding on a ballhead that had a very low starting price and no reserve.  Strangely, just a few minutes after I bid, there was another bid on the item.  Even more strange was that every time I raised my bid - even just by 1 cent, it would be followed by a counter bid.  Sensing that something was wrong, I stopped bidding.  The other bidder indeed won but sure enough, I later got an email saying that the winner didn't want to buy the ballhead so I had a Second Chance offer to buy the product for the highest bid I had put in.  The problem is that the price isn't necessarily fair to me because I was bidding against a fake buyer, which raised the price beyond what it otherwise would be.

So anyway, those are my tricks for getting good deals on eBay.  Enjoy and happy bidding!

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Quick Review: Canon 85mm f/1.8

To quote myself from my Canon Lenses Chat - Part 3 post:

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Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM: an excellent lens with USM auto-focus and very nice bokeh and loved by lots of people, however in my opinion and usage scenarios the 85mm focal length is a bit odd on a crop sensor (136mm equivalent), while suitable on full frame cameras, I'm not sure if I can take this lens on its own for walk. The 50mm and the 60mm (85 and 100mm equivalent) I already have are quite long and causes me serious problems when shooting large groups.

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This quote indicates that I would have no use for a 85mm lens, so why did I still buy one? Hit the jump to know.

It all began when I tried one copy of the lens at a camera shop, I shot a lens box on the counter @ f/1.8 and the entire rack behind the counter dissolved into a creamy mush, which is what the 85mm f/1.8 is famous for. I already have a couple of lenses that go to 85mm, I have the 15-85 zoom lens and the 55-250 telephoto, both lenses are good; but none of them could get larger apertures than f/5.6 at these focal lengths, let alone f/1.8.

Here's the creamy mush background I'm talking about, and that's only at f/2.8

The difference between f/5.6 and even f/2.8 at such a focal length makes a huge difference in depth of field, add to that the compression a medium telephoto creates and you can easily "erase" any background to isolate your subject and create a spectacular portrait (not that this is what you'd want to always do). Check Mic's detailed post here about the perspective differences between various focal lengths.

So on a whim (and to satisfy my lens lust), I decided that I needed a wide aperture medium telephoto lens, and if I found out that I don't like it, I would sell it, so how did the 85mm f/1.8 fare with me?

• Focusing: this lens features Canon's super-fast, silent, USM focusing (Nikon: SWM, Sigma: HSM), and it is very fast in this lens. I was able to shoot football games (from the sidelines) and follow the players without a hitch. The closest focusing distance is ~ 0.8m which is not very good, needless to say this lens is too long for indoor/closeup use.
• Chromatic Aberration (Purple Fringing): very strong in this lens especially at wide apertures, I was completely shocked at first and regretted buying this lens since my other primes (50mm f/1.8, 35mm f/2, 60mm f/2.8) and zooms never exhibited such purple fringing. However I discovered that my first examples were all shot in conditions that exaggerated this effect, this doesn't mean that the lens is free of CA, it is still pretty strong at f1/.8, I just learned how to shoot in a way that minimizes it. Check my post at dpreview.
• Sharpness: excellent for my own taste, I don't care about absolute corner sharpness or money note shots, I consider any lens sharp when I'm able to count someone's eyelashes, click on the picture below to see my self portrait @ 1600px wide, this was shot at f/2.0, and the focus is on my eyebrows because I was alone and didn't have someone to help, so I let the camera choose the focus point. Needless to say, stopping down to f/5.6 makes it crazy sharp.

Click to see the 1600px wide version

• Bokeh: some of the most spectacular background renditions I have seen, by focusing closely on someone's face and shooting wide open, you can easily dissolve any background.

Lovely little girl, shot @ f/2.5

• Size & Weight: One of the pleasant things about this lens is that it is quite small relative to it's focal length, and it's not heavy too, it is quite stealthy regarding that it's a 136mm equivalent on my 60D. If you add the lens hood to the equation it makes it look much larger.

Compared to my 15-85 extended to it's long end, this is tiny in comparison, shot using a Nikon D3100

In general, I love this lens a lot. If you're following my posts, you'll know that most of the time when I'm going somewhere, I usually pack my camera and pick one lens, and unless I need the zoom or the wide angle that the 15-85 provides, I usually pick either the 35mm f/2 or the 85mm f/1.8 and nothing else, they are both compact and have very excellent optics.

One thing to be aware of, unlike my 15-85 zoom lens which has image stabilization, this one doesn't, so if we go by the rule of minimum hand holdable shutter speed = 1/eq. focal length, you''ll find that you need your shutter speed to be around 1/125s or faster, which is not always easy to do in low light.

Below are some more pictures that I took using the 85 (including a couple at f/1.8), I hope you like them, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section below.

Football, f/2.8

One of my all time favorites, the composition, the angle, the sneakers in the front, all of this makes it striking for me, shot @ f/2.8

Hey you, don't point this camera at me. Shot @ f/2.8

I shot this for fun when I was doing my Lowepro bag review, 1/30s @ f/1.8 handheld

This is the D3100 I used to take pictures of my camera, I might review it later

RELATED POSTS:

Canon Lenses Chat - Part 1: Standard Zoom Lenses
Canon Lenses Chat - Part 2: Telephoto Zoom Lenses
Canon Lenses Chat - Part 3: Prime Lenses
Macro Talk: Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM
Canon EF 35mm f/2 Review
Canon EF Lenses Chat: Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM Review
Canon EF Lenses Chat: Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Review

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