p.1 #1 · Looking for a setup to freeze up outdoor action
It's finally time to spend some decent money on a lighting setup for outdoor sports: skiing, whitewater, biking, climbing, etc. Cost is a concern. In the past I have used vivitar 285hvs with mixed results.
Obviously it will all be battery powered. I'm looking at the Einstein setup with a lithium vagabond from Alien Bees. Initially I was looking at the AB800's, but I think the extra money would be worth it for the shorter durations at lower settings, and the higher power at full blast ( I will use it for some non action applications as well). I can only afford two units for the time being. Triggered with the cybersyncs.
As I'm new to the higher powered strobe thing, I was looking for some feedback if I'm missing anything. i.e. there is another setup that would do more at the same price. Let me know what you think.
p.1 #2 · Looking for a setup to freeze up outdoor action
Einsteins are pretty much it.
That or a ton of hotshoe flashes. Hotshoe flashes use thyristors, and the Einstein uses IGBT, but the effect is the same: faster duration at lower power. So if your Vivitars worked out ok, but you wanted a little faster, you might add a few more to the mix and lower the power settings.
Einsteins are great, and go down to 2.5ws for the fastest speed. I think that's comparable to a hotshoe flash at 1/32nd power or so. So while it would work, that's an expensive setup for a very small amount of light. But, controlling that output duration and perhaps working at slower speeds (that are still "fast" enough) would give you a lot more power.
p.1 #3 · Looking for a setup to freeze up outdoor action
The Catch-250 with freezing outdoor action with flash assist for fill isn't the flash duration, it's the sync speed limit of the shutter.
With conventional (single burst) flash the camera must wait for the first curtain of the shutter to clear the sensor before firing the flash. That's why most DSLRs have sync limits of 1/200th - 1/250th sec. At sync speed you'll get ambient blur of fast moving objects that appears unnaturally in front of the object with the flash freezing the action just before the second curtain covers the sensor and ends the exposure.
Second curtain-sync can be used with a single flash in the hot-shoe (or with some time delay radio triggers) to delay the firing off the flash until just before the second curtain closes. That works to put the ambient blur trails behind a subject moving across the frame, which looks more natural.
High-Speed FP (focal plane) sync on system flashes such as the Canon EX series allows shorter shutter times. That is accomplished by instructing the flash to pulse at a high rate (40,000Hz) just before the first curtain opens. At short indicated shutter speeds the second curtain starts to close almost immediately after the first with the two curtains forming a narrow moving slit that records the pulse-flash illuminated scene onto the sensor as the slit moves across it. The time it takes the slit to move completely across is determined by the curtain speeds which are the same in all exposures about 1/250th. In other works shortening shutter time doesn't make the curtains move faster it shortens the latency between the first curtain opening and the second closing to end exposure over the sensor. The Catch-22 with HSS it that flash range is cut significantly, to about 7 ft. with a single 580exII at ISO100. To get around that problem some photographers gang multiple HHS capable flashes together in groups of 4 or more.
One solution to the problem is use a non-focal plane shutter camera. For example I own a Minolta D7Hi with an EVF which syncs at 1/4000th sec. with my Vivitar 285s because it has an EVF (Electronic Viewfinder). So one of the new APS-C format mirror-less cameras now entering the market might be a better tool for stopping action in bright light with flash assist than throwing a lot of money at a flash solution.
The other workarounds outdoors are to put the sun at your back to eliminates shadows on the subject you get in back / cross lighting making "fill flash" unnecessary, or pan the camera set at 1/250th with the action which will blur the background an isolate the subject frozen at the end of the exposure with norm sync of the flash.
p.1 #4 · Looking for a setup to freeze up outdoor action
If you are thinking of using flash to stop action in daylight, then you need a lot of power. You need lights that are giving you at least three stops more than the sun light, or the ambient light will result in blurred action at sync speed.
I don’t think two Einsteins will do it. Two at full power will give you 1280 Ws and 1/568s, which may be enough with efficient reflectors. At half power you will get durations of 1/1200s, but only 640 Ws combined.
Stopping action with flash is really an indoor pursuit, unless you are willing to spend a lot of cash.
p.1 #5 · Looking for a setup to freeze up outdoor action
Thanks for the heads up on stopping action in direct daylight, I may have been overly optimistic on that.
But most of my shots would be in the trees, canyons, or hopefully more timed to sunrise and sunset where I could overpower what I need to. I can't spend a lot of cash, so I will use what I can. It sounds like the Einsteins are a reasonable solution.
p.1 #6 · Looking for a setup to freeze up outdoor action
In golden hour, overpowering the sun shouldn't be a problem with an Einstein.
In direct light however, I opt for the use of a CCD camera (1D, D40, D70, etc), allowing me to shoot anywhere from 1/1,000th to 1/2,500th to cut out the sunlight by another 2 to 3 stops. I've used a D40 and 2 SB800's in full California sunlight before, so I know it works.
Also those old cameras are dirt cheap. I got my D40 for 250 or so years ago. Worth every penny.
p.1 #7 · Looking for a setup to freeze up outdoor action
Please note, that when you're using a CCD chip at 1/1000th you have a brand new set of factors to correct for.
1- You need radios or a sync method (old school cables work just fine) that can do it, most chinese syncs cannot achieve this.
2- You will need to track your flash's duration to your ss, else you might just cut your flash short and lose some power from it.
As for the OP, 1 light+ battery + *Efficient* modifier, should do the job in -most- applications.
Theres alot of sport photographers with a Ranger AS, its a bit slower then an Einstein but provides a full stop more of power, so i think aslong as you don't shoot in mid-day sun, you should be fine with a single Einstein in a good modifier.
I'd personally much prefer 1 slower more powerful light, in a good modifier, then two 'faster' lights in difficult arrangements.
You should get an idea of what kind of speeds you need, try shooting the same action in ambient only and seeing how fast your shutter needs to go at a certain fstop to get your desired 'freeze'.
p.1 #8 · Looking for a setup to freeze up outdoor action
Actully the Ranger AS Speed with A head at full power is a tad faster than the einstein with almost 1 stop more power.
Ranger A Head full power 1100ws: T5 1/2300
Einstein full power 600ws: T5 1/2000
So for outdoor usage for freezing action the Ranger is better, 1 stop more powerfull with about the same freezing action.
If don't use it at full power then the Einstein is better but you can plug an A head on port B giving you T5 1/5120 @ 366 ws that should compare well with T1 1/1700 @ 300ws of the einstein.
The best combination is to use a 1D IV (or III) with a pocketwizard miniTT1 + skyport and a Ranger with an A head. 1/500 sync time + 1100ws power. You could use two A heads giving you a total of 1100ws @ T5 1/4310 (ca. T1 1/1400). Add a very efficient modifier like a maxilite and you should be quite good. Only problem is the total cost.
p.1 #10 · Looking for a setup to freeze up outdoor action
As mentioned, the Einsteins are the way to go if you're on any sort of budget. Reflector choice will be crucial also and an efficient one can help you get down to some really fast durations and recycle times.
The one other option to consider would be a flash with a lot of power and a long flash duration, then using the sync hack to shoot at shutter speeds like 1/1000 in order the freeze the action with the ambient also. the B1600 is one option, but I know I've heard others mentioned that may work even better. I don't believe you'll get quite as much power over ambient as staying at sync speed, and if you subject takes up a large portion of the frame you may need to worry about gradations in the flash exposure.
