redmonkee wrote:
Guys I think I'm leaning towards the bracket and ball head option. But can I ask what are the main advantages of using the MT-24EX over a flash and bracket, and are they enough to warrant spending a small fortune on it?
I'll do the opposite and give you the weakness of this flash instead.
1. Flash heads are very small which gives you harsh highlights and blown out fine details.
2. No great off-the-shelf diffusers, you gotta make one up.
3. It's not easy to make a diffuser for the heads due to their shape.
If you already have a flash, get a bracket and off camera shoe cord instead. Remus uses a 430EX + DIY diffuser and I (and probably quite a few others) consider his lighting to be one of, if not THE best here.
"How many people are there who use a standard flash and are getting carpel tunnel syndrome or other wrist injurries?... "
Well I admit to having a wrist strain injury (think it's actually De-Quervains syndrome) but think this is from shooting one handed too much rather than the balance of the flash/camera system.
Just to add to n0b0's negatives - one biggy for me is that I often do high power fairly low level shots on solid surfaces by resting the lens on the same surface as the subject. The fitting of any of the macro flashes would raise the lens up forcing me to shoot at much higher angles.
But as should be hopefully obvious- both systems have their pros and cons and the main thing is just getting used to whatever system you do choose.
I'm just a tightwad and haven't convinced myself I need to part with that amount of money for a MT-24
A very big part of this whole discussion is directly related to technique -a lot of different ways to produce and diffuse the light based on how the photographer likes to shoot, the conditions that they shoot in, and the quality of the light that they want to use. IMHO, since you already have a standard camera flash, is to get an off camera cord and a bracket. Experiment with different materials to diffuse the flash and take the time to see what direction your photography takes you. In the end you might be happy with what you have, or you'll decide to use a dedicated macro flash.
For wrist strain or carpal tunnel I suggest getting a hand strap, or even better, a wrist strap for your camera. It really does help distribute the weight of the camera. Not only my wrist but my fingers was hurting as well due to the tiny size of the XSi/450D grip. After getting a battery grip and a hand strap, I could shoot for however long I want without any pain.
I should probably mention I also do a little bit of Wrist Curl and grip exercise to strengthen my forearm/wrist. I need it if I want to shoot with 3kg (6.6lbs) worth of equipment handheld for an extended period of time.
Dalantech wrote: Apperant Light Size -you just have to diffuse it and get it close to the subject...
Diffusing it goes without saying John, hence my 2nd and 3rd point.
As for getting it close to the subject, sometime it's not possible when there're branches in the way or the subject is in a hard to reach place. One way to get around that is to pump more power to the flash and use a bigger diffuser or a reflector to keep the distance.
n0b0 wrote:
As for getting it close to the subject, sometime it's not possible when there're branches in the way or the subject is in a hard to reach place. One way to get around that is to pump more power to the flash and use a bigger diffuser or a reflector to keep the distance.
Very true -I bump into plants and scare off critters on a regular basis. One of these days when I'm rich and famous I'll have a flash on a light stand with someone to carry it
Thanks for all your contributions on this guys. i think my best option is to try my existing flash, and if i'm not happy with the results i get then I can always rob a bank and get the MT24 EX
I'm now looking at this option. I like the hand strap on the bracket, and think this would relieve the stress in my right hand.
Hmm... I'm not sure that novoflex bracket + handstrap is useful. I also think novoflex products are overpriced. You want the strap for your shutter trigger right hand since you need your left hand free to change magnification or adjust the flash head, etc. I use Canon E-1 strap but you can get other brands like hakuba or optech.
fair point n0b0. what about the Hakuba-LH1-Ball-Head
I've read a few people raving about it, however i'm a little concerned about the strength of the ball head. would it be easy to swap it with the novaflex ball head as this looks a little stronger
Phil, I have a pair of the Wimberly Shape Shifters you ask about, which I use with a pair of Nikon SB-800 flashes. Very versatile setup--I can put main and fill lights just about anywhere. I'll probably end up getting a third shape-shifter for a background light.
It does take a couple of minutes to set up--which seems long when something good is getting away, and not so long at others. Once on the camera, I can move a flash to a new position pretty quickly.
I have an L-bracket on the camera, and on some of my macro lenses, I also have a rotating lens collar on which I add an arca-swiss-style foot. The shape shifters can mount anywhere on either the L-bracket or the foot. Since the foot is rotatable, being on the lens collar, I have a lot of flexibility in where I place the lights, and can change things pretty fast. I'd recommend it.
Chris, just one thing though, that shapeshifter isn't exactly light... or cheap. If monkee can afford it, that's great but I think there are cheaper solutions out there that are just as good. Some of the DIY brackets used by people here seem to work great as well.
n0b0 wrote:
that shapeshifter isn't exactly light... or cheap.
No question, n0b0, the shapeshifter isn't cheap--in fact, compared with what it would seemingly cost to produce, the price seems insulting enough that I tried a lot of other approaches before biting the bullet and forking over for it. That said, it gives me a degree of flexibility and control that none of my own home-grown attempts achieved. Most other approaches have a much more constrained range within where the lights can be placed. When the OP asked about the product in two separate posts, I was a bit surprised that no one else had much to say about it.
I recall seeing--not sure if it was here or elsewhere on the Net--where somebody made a homegrown near equivalent of the shapeshifter for much less money. He used parts intended for mounting GPS units on motorcycle handlebars. It appeared to look and operate very much like the Wimberley at a fraction of the cost. If I'd seen that before making my Shapeshifter investment, I'd have probably tried it. Sorry to say that it's been too long for me to recall who did it or the name of the company where they sourced their parts.
I can't complain about the weight of the Shapeshifter, though. Once I'm holding a body, lens, and two flash units, adding the Shapeshifter doesn't much alter my experience.
One thing I should probably make clearer is that I'm not using it with an MP-E 65--that lens being something we Nikon shooters only get to envy. I've used the Shapeshifter with my 105mm micro, 200mm micro, bellows with reversed lenses, and other disparate rigs. Maybe the range of use of the MP-E 65 doesn't require as much flexibility in light placement?
Well I finally sold my Canon 24-70 f2.8 on ebay yesterday so i can now start looking to buy an MP-E 65mm.
Once I get all kitted up i will let you guys know which lighting option decided to go for and hopefully post some test shots. Really looking forward to doing some dew drop refraction shots.
