Flash X-tender (Better Beamer?)

Harv

Over the last year or so, I have been reading about and looking at an item called the Flash X-tender (a.k.a. Better Beamer?). I'm not much into gadgets and always felt to a degree this item was just that. I could never quite bring myself to order one. My good friend Mao solved the problem. When he ordered his, he ordered one for me. Thank you, Mao.



My other friend, Bob, delivered mine today when he came for a visit. It had been on backorder and had arrived yesterday. We decided to put them to the test. Bob uses a 580EX II flash and I use a 430EX flash.

We set up each of the flashes on my camera which was mounted on a tripod and aimed at a flash meter hung on a cabinet across my den. In each case, we fired the flash without the Flash X-tender with the flash set on manual full and zoomed to 105mm setting. We recorded the values shown on the flash meter. We then mounted the Flash X-tender on each of the flashes and took readings with the flash set to various zoom settings. Setting the flash at a zoom of 50-70mm proved to be the best settings, as suggested by the manufacturer.

In each case, the increase in performance was significant. The output of Bob's 580 increased by 2 f/stops and my 430 increased by 2-1/2 f/stops. When using the bare flashes, Bob's 580 was 1 f/stop higher than my 430 but using the Flash X-tender closed the gap to 1/2 f/stop.

I had been contemplating purchasing a 580 for the increased output and was looking at spending at least $600 Cdn. (incl. tax) for the new flash. This $39 accessory just saved me a pile of $$$.

I am no longer a skeptic. This thing works as advertised.

ian408

Yup. The BB is a great tool for shooting birds

Antonio Correia

Have a look at this article, please.

Harv

Antonio Correia wrote:

Have a look at this article, please.

Thanks, Antonio. Appreciated.

BigAl

This series of pics of the dove and sunbirds following were all taken with a beamer and a 430ex:
http://bigal-sa.smugmug.com/gallery/556774#154695632

It is a very useful tool.

Harv

BigAl wrote:

This series of pics of the dove and sunbirds following were all taken with a beamer and a 430ex:
http://bigal-sa.smugmug.com/gallery/556774#154695632

It is a very useful tool.

Good stuff, Al. Thanks for the link.

thegridrunner

very nice, I may pick up one

gluwater

The BB is great Harv but be careful. Do not let it sit out in the sun on your flash or it can burn holes into your flash or camera body from the sun. It will melt a hole in a flash quite easily.

BigAl

Here are a couple more experiments with the beamer and a 430ex. African Black Ducks taken against the sun.

(click on pics for larger img)
no flash:



with flash:



For Antonio: between 15 and 20m from the birds

Antonio Correia

Thank you BigAl.
The distance is important to get the notion of the range of such an equipement.
As a matter of fact, I would use such a - can I say device ? - to shoot kitesurf.
But kitesurf is even further away
May be some 30 - 40 - 50 meters away ...
BigAl, can you have a try on such a distance ?
I assume that it could be interesting for you to have a notion of the range also.
Nice weekend.:D

BigAl

Antonio Correia wrote:

Thank you BigAl.
The distance is important to get the notion of the range of such an equipement.
As a matter of fact, I would use such a - can I say device ? - to shoot kitesurf.
But kitesurf is even further away
May be some 30 - 40 - 50 meters away ...
BigAl, can you have a try on such a distance ?
I assume that it could be interesting for you to have a notion of the range also.
Nice weekend.:D

Antonio, some tests I've done tend to show that a 430ex with a beamer has no effect on the subject (other than redeye or catchlight) at much over 20m when using high-speed sync (which you would have to use for kite surfing). I can't comment on using a 580ex, maybe someone else can.

Antonio Correia

BigAl wrote:

Antonio, some tests I've done tend to show that a 430ex with a beamer has no effect on the subject (other than redeye or catchlight) at much over 20m when using high-speed sync (which you would have to use for kite surfing). I can't comment on using a 580ex, maybe someone else can.

Thanck you BigAl.
I own the 430 EX flash.