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Archive 2022 · Two questions: high speed sync, on-lens diffusers

EverLearning
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Two questions: high speed sync, on-lens diffusers

I will be going to Costa Rica early next year and anticipate doing some macro photography. I have been experimenting and learning, posing questions (in the Canon forum so far) and learning, experimenting and learning, etc. Now I have two more questions.

I have a Canon R5, Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 macro lens and a Godox V860IIC flash. At present, I do not have a diffuser for this setup.

Today was my most extensive outing for experimenting. I went to a local butterfly "house" and spent three hours shooting.

First question: High Speed Sync

I used it a bit today, but only out of necessity. As the "house" is open sky with just mesh, there were times where I couldn't reduce exposure enough with normal sync (it was a partially cloudy day so if the sun came out and I wanted a very OOF b/g, HSS was the only way). Is this situation and action shooting the only times I would need to consider HSS? I'm thinking neither of these are likely to apply in the forests of CR, as it will be dark enough I won't struggle to tame exposure and snakes, frogs, lizards and butterflies aren't likely to demand more than 1/250 ss. Or are there other situations where HSS is beneficial; especially in something like a CR forest?

Second question: flash diffusion

The Canon EF 100mm macro has a very long hood (surprisingly so), which blocks the flash when presented with opportunities to get close. Even with the hood off, the lens itself can be a problem. In my earlier post on lighting to the Canon forum, somebody was extremely helpful with their reply. One of the things they mentioned was this on-lens diffuser:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1499346-REG/angler_psfd_100_portable_speedlight_flash_diffuser.html/reviews

If a diffuser like this is naturally flopping forward a bit, will that help bend/redirect the (diffused) light downward and past the front of the lens, allowing me to get closer while still fully benefiting from the flash on the entire subject?

Feel free to answer either or both questions.

Thanks!

Sep 02, 2022 at 09:00 PM

e6filmuser
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Two questions: high speed sync, on-lens diffusers

I have never used HSS, although I believe my camera is capable.

Your need for it suggests that you are using wide apertures and fairly high ISO. While that might work for butterflies, it would be limiting for a wider range of subjects. It would change as you go up the magnification range. I mainly use ISO 400 at f11 (nominal).

HSS would be useful only for low magnification and wide apertures in very bright light. At higher magnifications, e.g. 3x to 5x, even the brightest sunlight won't contribute significantly to exposures and small apertures.

Have you considered trying a neutral density filter? (Something I have never used).

If you are going into "jungle" you will need higher ISO.

Harold

Sep 03, 2022 at 07:37 AM

EverLearning
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Two questions: high speed sync, on-lens diffusers

Thanks for the reply Harold.

When I was shooting butterfly wing details, I did indeed need higher ISO but when I was shooting close-ups (rather than true macro), wanted OOF b/g and the sun came out from behind the clouds, I found that the max (normal) sync of 1/250 combined with ISO L (50) still resulted in blown images. Switching to HSS and using ss up to 1/800 (but normally 1/400 to 1/500) did the job. I definitely don't expect this to be an issue in the forests of CR.

Sep 03, 2022 at 08:10 AM

e6filmuser
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Two questions: high speed sync, on-lens diffusers

EverLearning wrote:
Thanks for the reply Harold.

When I was shooting butterfly wing details, I did indeed need higher ISO but when I was shooting close-ups (rather than true macro), wanted OOF b/g and the sun came out from behind the clouds, I found that the max (normal) sync of 1/250 combined with ISO L (50) still resulted in blown images. Switching to HSS and using ss up to 1/800 (but normally 1/400 to 1/500) did the job. I definitely don't expect this to be an issue in the forests of CR.

In my film days I worked with 25 ISO, with 64 ISO as a "fast" film.

In non-macro work I find the lowest ISO of 200 on my Olympus can be problematic. I am more likely to be using my FF A7r3 with wide angle lenses and the ISO down to 50 is useful. I tend to use f5.6, f8 and f11 but f11 on my Olympus is equivalent to f22 and then there is the magnification factor, hence the higher ISO for macro.

Harold

Sep 03, 2022 at 08:45 AM

EverLearning
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Two questions: high speed sync, on-lens diffusers

Thanks Harold.

Sep 03, 2022 at 08:51 AM

EverLearning
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Two questions: high speed sync, on-lens diffusers

Is anybody here familiar with that diffuser or one like it. It would be very helpful to know if it aids in bending/deflecting light downward onto the subject when shooting close to it.

Thanks

Sep 04, 2022 at 08:08 AM

Alan Olander
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Two questions: high speed sync, on-lens diffusers

I have a diffuser similar to the one you linked to. It does tip forward a little and works fairly well. It should help with the hood blocking the flash problem. The flash you have looks fairly tall so I'm surprised that the hood blocks it. Are you sure it's not just overshooting the subject, or are you able to tip it down a little?

You often don't need to shoot with large apertures when closeup as the DOF even at small apertures doesn't extend to the background especially if it's just a little bit distant. You also don't get very good DOF on your subject with large apertures.

Sep 04, 2022 at 03:33 PM

EverLearning
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Two questions: high speed sync, on-lens diffusers

Thanks for the reply Alan.

The hood on the Canon EF 100 f2.8L Macro lens is exceptionally long for the lens - 2.5 inches. My Godox V860 IIC can be tilted down to -7 degrees (so a little below parallel to the lens). If I am shooting even moderate closeups, the hood blocks light to the lower part of the image. If I am shooting quite close or macro, then even the lens without the hood gets in the way. I am beginning to understand that if I am shooting true macro, I have to have a light source off-camera but I am hoping I will be able to do all manner of "close-up" photography without needing to manage off-camera lighting. I anticipate (but don't know) that everything I shoot with the macro lens in CR will be "close-up" rather than true macro.

Regarding my recent outing to the local butterfly house, I was (for the most part) shooting close-ups rather than true macro (although I did try some really close shots on certain butterflies to try to capture the scale-like patterns on their wings). When shooting close-ups, that extra distance gives a bit more DOF and if I am careful to line the plane of the sensor up with the plane of the wings, shallow DOF still maintains focus but gives a nice OOF b/g. As mentioned, there is no actual roof on the butterfly house but rather just mesh. So when the sun came out from behind the clouds, shooting with a wide aperture required HSS, even when using L (50) ISO.

Sep 04, 2022 at 04:33 PM

e6filmuser
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Two questions: high speed sync, on-lens diffusers

Re: Hoods.

I don't use a hood for flash-lit macro. It serves no useful purpose. A hood is useful only when bright light comes from the side or towards the front of the lens and in the latter case it will do nothing for a perpendicular (+/- axial) source.

Harold

Sep 05, 2022 at 12:14 AM

EverLearning
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Two questions: high speed sync, on-lens diffusers

Thanks for the post Harold.

I like hoods for the other reason; some protection for the lens while walking around. However, this hood is so long relative to the lens that I can't turn the ring for manual adjustments when the hood is reversed. The hood opening isn't wide enough to slip over my hand to temporarily hold it, too big to go in pants pockets and it is too long to hang off the pants with even a very large carabiner. It is indeed of limited value.

Sep 05, 2022 at 08:14 AM

e6filmuser
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Two questions: high speed sync, on-lens diffusers

EverLearning wrote:
Thanks for the post Harold.

I like hoods for the other reason; some protection for the lens while walking around. However, this hood is so long relative to the lens that I can't turn the ring for manual adjustments when the hood is reversed. The hood opening isn't wide enough to slip over my hand to temporarily hold it, too big to go in pants pockets and it is too long to hang off the pants with even a very large carabiner. It is indeed of limited value.

I used to use UV filters for protection but they would slow me down removing them for shots. I use the retractable hood on my 100-400mm, used for tele-macro (dragonflies).

I use my Tamron f2.8 300mm and f4 400mm hoods as protection, although I have a UV filter (112mm) for each. Not exactly macro lenses!

Harold

Sep 05, 2022 at 08:56 AM

Alan Olander
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Two questions: high speed sync, on-lens diffusers

Get a short screw on hood like this:

https://smile.amazon.com/SIOTI-Camera-Cleaning-Sumsung-Standard/dp/B06XK1WM7T/ref=sr_1_9?crid=1OSIS80EL9GES&keywords=58mm%2Bmetal%2Blens%2Bhood&qid=1662389492&sprefix=metal%2Blens%2Bhood%2Caps%2C193&sr=8-9&th=1

I frequently use screw on hoods and leave them on. They are usually shorter than the lens' regular hood.

Sep 05, 2022 at 08:57 AM

EverLearning
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Two questions: high speed sync, on-lens diffusers

Interesting option. Thanks Alan.

Sep 05, 2022 at 09:30 PM


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