Working with my Portaflash setup

vangogh · April 12, 2006

Hi I'm hoping that someone will be able to give me some advice about using my Portaflash flash setup.

Portaflash is a budget range of flash units from Jessops, a camera company here in the UK. They have a limited capacity to change the light output settings ie Full, 1.2 and 1.4.

I have it set at 1.4, but still find that a lot of the time the light is too powerful & floods the subject. I'm often working in cramped conditions so don't always have the ability to move the flash stand more than 4 feet away from the subject. I have a white brolly on the flash as well.

Would a softbox help reduce & diffuse the light more? I have 3 of these lights, 2 with barn doors, but so far, when I've tried to use even one in conjunction with the main flash, everything is over exposed, so I have to resort to a small free standing slave flash with nothing over it.

How can I improve my exposures with such a setup?

Thanks

Art Scott · April 12, 2006

Do you use a flash meter? Also your local theatrical supply would have clear and white Rosco diffusion material (should be about 2 feet by 3feet) that you can cut to size with scissors.

If you do not have a flash meter, then just adjust your aperture until you are no longer overexposing......now if you are trying to shoot small aperture (2.8, 3.8) to keep the background out of focus...then you will need to diffuse more or use neutral density gels (also available at theatrical supply stores).....

here is the UK directory link for the ROSCO company:

http://www.rosco.com/uk/directory/index.asp ......

From here you can also see their products.....Rosco gels are really great and at least here in KS run about $4.00 each and with a little care will last for years.

ziggy53 · April 12, 2006

vangogh wrote:

... Would a softbox help reduce & diffuse the light more? ... How can I improve my exposures with such a setup?

A double diffused softbox will indeed provide reduced light that has a very large surface, typically used very close to the subject. It is a wonderful "window" type of light.

Another thing you can try is a scrim, to absorb some of the light. A simple scrim can be fashioned from dark fiberglass window screen material. Be careful about how it affects color balance, but if you scrim all lights the same, you should be able to balance the light, especially shooting RAW.

You can also use panel diffusion, which has the advantage of being simple to make, DIY. It has the disadvantages of positioning and spill.

Good luck,

ziggy53

pathfinder · April 12, 2006

If all else fails, a neutral density filter will cut the light entering your lens also.

ziggy53 · April 12, 2006

pathfinder wrote:

If all else fails, a neutral density filter will cut the light entering your lens also.

Path,

I am always forgetting about ND filters, but you are right, they are extremely useful. They also help control ambient light.

Some Nikon D50/D70 shooters use them regularly, because they can't go less than ISO 200, which is too sensitive for some applications.

Thanks,

ziggy53

vangogh · April 13, 2006

ziggy53 wrote:

Path,

I am always forgetting about ND filters, but you are right, they are extremely useful. They also help control ambient light.

Some Nikon D50/D70 shooters use them regularly, because they can't go less than ISO 200, which is too sensitive for some applications.

Thanks,

ziggy53

Thanks for all the help. Any chance of posting a pic of what a "scrim" should look like. Seeing one would help me visual it so I can make it.

I tried the Rosco link but couldn't find the diffuer material. Have you got a more specific link?

Ive got an ND filter but its graduated. I'll have to pop into central London & get a flat one!

I don't bother with a light meter as the flash units only have limited control.

I don't have a DSLR at the moment, but a Fuji finepix S062 zoom - lowest iso 160, widest ap f2.8 & smallest ap f11.

Thanks again & I'll let you know how I get on

swintonphoto · April 13, 2006

vangogh wrote:

I don't bother with a light meter as the flash units only have limited control.

I don't have a DSLR at the moment, but a Fuji finepix S062 zoom - lowest iso 160, widest ap f2.8 & smallest ap f11.

Thanks again & I'll let you know how I get on

What ISO setting are you using and what f-stop are you using? I rarely ever use my studio lights with my aperature at a wider setting than f-8. So, make sure your f-stop is f-8 or f-11 and your ISO is 160.
Though a light meter helps with controllable lights, it will tell you what combination you need for the perfect output.
Otherwise, it seems like you are trying everything I would. A softbox with more than one diffuser layer will also definately help.

ziggy53 · April 13, 2006

vangogh wrote:

Thanks for all the help. Any chance of posting a pic of what a "scrim" should look like. Seeing one would help me visual it so I can make it.

Here are some links to commercial scrims for continuous lighting. These are designed to be used close to a hot source light, so they are designed for the heat.

http://www.adorama.com/AR531350.html
http://www.adorama.com/AR531351.html

Scrims come in all shapes and sizes. They are simply light absorbers. Any type of screen or cloth or diffusion material can be called a scrim. What I use are shaped to my equipment, typically cone shapes or simple drapes.

If you just cut a square of window screen large enought to put in front of one of your lights, you will see the effect. Be careful about putting a scrim too near modelling lights as it will get very hot. If you take a large piece of screen and drape it in front of an umbrella light, it will probably work well. I like the darker fiberglass window screen, because it doesn't show as much in reflective surfaces.

If you take a translucent material, like lightweight cloth sheet or shower curtain material, and drape that over an umbrella light, you can both reduce the light output, and create a softer, more diffuse light. This is similar to a Photek Softlighter http://www.adorama.com/PTSL40.html?searchinfo=photek&item_no=1 which, by the way, might work very well for you as a commercial product.

ziggy53

Art Scott · April 13, 2006

vangogh wrote:

Thanks for all the help. Any chance of posting a pic of what a "scrim" should look like. Seeing one would help me visual it so I can make it.

I tried the Rosco link but couldn't find the diffuer material. Have you got a more specific link?

http://www.rosco.com/uk/filters/supergel.asp#Colors Go near the bottom of the page and look at the various frosts....I gave you the link more for the addy of the dealers in london..they will also have scrims....some scrims are made out of screen wire (like window screen painted black)

Ive got an ND filter but its graduated. I'll have to pop into central London & get a flat one!

I don't bother with a light meter as the flash units only have limited control.
Then start at F8 and change the aperture until you are satisfied with exposure....be sure to be in manual mode....in studio situation always be in manual mode.

I don't have a DSLR at the moment, but a Fuji finepix S062 zoom - lowest iso 160, widest ap f2.8 & smallest ap f11.

Then start at F8 and change the aperture until you are satisfied with exposure....be sure to be in manual mode....in studio situation always be in manual mode.

Thanks again & I'll let you know how I get on

Good luck

Stormdancing · April 13, 2006

vangogh wrote:

I don't bother with a light meter as the flash units only have limited control.

Shoot, I just sold a Portaflash light meter on ebay for $20. It was in huge lot of lighting/photo equipment I bought. I didn't need it. Would have rather sold it to a fellow Dgrinner.................

Good luck, you're getting some great advice here.

Dana

vangogh · April 14, 2006

ziggy53 wrote:

Here are some links to commercial scrims for continuous lighting. These are designed to be used close to a hot source light, so they are designed for the heat.

http://www.adorama.com/AR531350.html
http://www.adorama.com/AR531351.html

Scrims come in all shapes and sizes. They are simply light absorbers. Any type of screen or cloth or diffusion material can be called a scrim. What I use are shaped to my equipment, typically cone shapes or simple drapes.

If you just cut a square of window screen large enought to put in front of one of your lights, you will see the effect. Be careful about putting a scrim too near modelling lights as it will get very hot. If you take a large piece of screen and drape it in front of an umbrella light, it will probably work well. I like the darker fiberglass window screen, because it doesn't show as much in reflective surfaces.

If you take a translucent material, like lightweight cloth sheet or shower curtain material, and drape that over an umbrella light, you can both reduce the light output, and create a softer, more diffuse light. This is similar to a Photek Softlighter http://www.adorama.com/PTSL40.html?searchinfo=photek&item_no=1 which, by the way, might work very well for you as a commercial product.

ziggy53

Thanks for that! I did try putting my reflector in front of the umbrella as well to act as a second diffusion. It just seemed to add more light, but maybe thats because i didn't have it on a stand & was just holding it so could only hold it near the camera (I don't have a remote relaese capability on the camera).

I did also try (she blushes here):giggle lacy knickers over the camera lenses to try & diffuse the light as well & create a softened image, but that just over exposed Everything & the screen went totally white.

I like the idea of the shower screen over the lights. I'll have to try that. I do really appreciate all the helpful suggestions.

As to the f stops, I'm not sure what I used. It depends on what I'm trying to do. I took some flower pics recently, a lovely orchid & I wanted blurring on some of the buds, so I had the ap at f2.8 & ended up having to put the flash stand out in the hall & shoot with it over my head or I had to stick it behind the sofa, to get the right angle & its really at the limtis of the room. Other times I close the ap down & I still have problems.

Thanks again

Working with my Portaflash setup

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