I've never used flash for any nature photography. Just on people back in my Nikon DSLR days. My AK Diffuser arrived today so I was testing it out. I'm using it with a Godox V860 lll on the OM-1 MK ll or OM-1. I have both bodies. I'm finding I can't use the flash in silent mode. Am I missing something ? The shutter clunk is scaring away my critters when I'm in so close.
So far I'm loving the diffuser. It's clunky having never used anything like this before but I like the results so far.
Gary
Imagemaster wrote:
If the flash becomes the main source of light on the subject, shutter speeds of 1/100 and slower are irrelevant in freezing any movement.
Hence you can freeze the movement of a hummingbird's wings shooting a 1/30 sec. if the flash is the main source of light.
Thanks Tony. I was using 1/200 and trying to also use silent shutter. That's where my issue came in. Wasn't worried about the slower shutter speed just didn't realize it was necessary.
The best photos I have seen with hummingbirds in flight with wing movement completely frozen were on this site many years ago. Don't recall the member and can't locate the threads. Too long ago?
The member used at least six different flash units, multi-colored background screens, and a motion detector to fire the camera and flashes.
It was a far too complicated set up for me to ever try.
How common is it to use flash for wildlife? In my 4 trips to Africa, I never saw anyone using a dedicated flash. And Pangolin basically said no, you can't use it.
Besides, you can't get close enough to cats and stuff for a flash unless it would be mega powerful.
Alan Kefauver wrote:
How common is it to use flash for wildlife? In my 4 trips to Africa, I never saw anyone using a dedicated flash. And Pangolin basically said no, you can't use it.
Besides, you can't get close enough to cats and stuff for a flash unless it would be mega powerful.
I used fill flash on many trips to Africa*, but nowadays it's not really necessary with digital. The problem is that light output is reduced when using the high speed synch necessary for faster shutter speeds.
You should not use flash at dawn/dusk or at night. Different places and operators may have different expectations.
*Once I almost set the seat on fire with the better beamer aiming upwards at the sun.
I also have the AK line flash diffusion. It's kind of bulky and difficult to set up, being very complicated though well thought out. I'd probably leave a flash in it for the particular project. It's good for certain subjects, but you still want another setup for longer lenses and flash.
The smell of the of the carrying case was just terrible.
Alan Kefauver wrote:
How common is it to use flash for wildlife? In my 4 trips to Africa, I never saw anyone using a dedicated flash. And Pangolin basically said no, you can't use it.
Besides, you can't get close enough to cats and stuff for a flash unless it would be mega powerful.
I wasn't talking about wildlife per se, although I guess you could consider tiny bugs wildlife. I was only talking about using the flash diffuser for macro. I've never used a flash for any other type of wildlife and don't intend to.
Gary
Got it. Flash sync SS caps out at 1/100 in Silent mode. I was going to delete but maybe someone may find this fact useful. 
