tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28613825366597086022024-02-06T21:30:14.997-08:00`Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861382536659708602.post-45085052158051969232011-12-17T12:55:00.000-08:002011-12-17T12:56:49.399-08:00Flash on a budget - Sunpak 622<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_BWNX0vCdFKCKNN49e90_FbJeCorBv6AiQRJt3QNFrPJ9xX8wcBt_xwuYvAV6hOyurRnaaIQPvgSKdL8M_QKE2fsGQICRIKO3aLukul9erbaRYLVH1nU3fL4rDmJ8UJFtI_8boXGF2M-b/s1600/sunpak622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_BWNX0vCdFKCKNN49e90_FbJeCorBv6AiQRJt3QNFrPJ9xX8wcBt_xwuYvAV6hOyurRnaaIQPvgSKdL8M_QKE2fsGQICRIKO3aLukul9erbaRYLVH1nU3fL4rDmJ8UJFtI_8boXGF2M-b/s400/sunpak622.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif;"> I'm all about the most bang for my buck, and this monstrosity does not disappoint. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif;"> This flash is a beast. I'm kinda torn on how to review it. It's a battery operated on-camera (bracket) flash... but comparing it to hotshoe flashes seems silly, it makes them look like little girls. Not quite in the league of studio strobes, but it makes a solid effort. I'll try and pick somewhere in the middle while comparing to both. Just so you know my bias, these things will be coming with me to every outdoor shoot from now on. </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif;"><a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/12/flash-on-budget-sunpak-622_17.html">Read More:</a></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif;"><b>Power </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif;"> I'm not lying when I say these make hotshoe flashes look like little girls. They have significant power for a relatively small package. I was shooting at f/8 at half power, at 8 feet, in a modifier (36" umbrellabox so bounced then diffused) Putting a 580EXII (also at half power, to match) in the same modifier / distance I got f/4. Two full stops, so the equivalent power of four top of the line hotshoe flashes. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif;">So they make hotshoe flashes their bitch... how about studio strobes? </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif;"> In the same scenario, same distance, same modifier, my Photogenic 750PL (320ws, very similar to AB800) put out f/9, that's only 1/3 of a stop. A battery powered flash that's only 1/3 of a stop less powerful than a typical studio strobe? Hell yeah, I'll take two. Sure AB1600 give you one and a third stop, and there are other systems out there that can obliterate the sun... but we're talking about flashes on a budget. This $200 flash system is nearly identical in power to a typical 320ws strobe. That's not insubstantial considering a cheap 320ws strobe with battery pack (going cheap, Adorama Flaspoint II 620, and vagabond mini) starts at over twice that at $420, $520 if we stay Alienbees, a favorite for budget minded photographers. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif;"><b>Sync </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif;"> As you can see from the above image, I had to jury-rig an adapter for an umbrella, since the handle-mount would offset the flash by about 8". I had the stuff lying around, but something to take into consideration. Also, being a terribly old system, as far as these things go, they use household sync cables, I had to find a way to trigger them. Pocketwizard makes a great household to miniphone cable for $17, and I used an inline adapter to hook that up to my RF-602 triggers. Not a hard thing to do, but since packages online (flash, battery, charger, sync) come with household-PC sync cables, it sometimes easier to spend $20 or so for an easier cable, none of my triggers use PC, it's all 3.5mm miniphone. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif;"><b>Recharge and battery life </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif;"> With the Ni-Cad battery pack (the one that comes standard with the kit at B&H and anywhere else I've found online) recharge was about 3 seconds at full power discharge with a full battery, and closer to 5 after 80 shots, and dying out at about 100-120...Reasonable. Vagabond Mini with my 320ws strobe (PCB says it should be 1.5 seconds) recharges at about the same 3 seconds. Strobes + Vagabond mini have a clear advantage, though for life. Tests for VBM + 320ws strobe show 600-800 pops at full power, that's a lot of juice. Since I'd use these at 1/16 - 1/2 power, with a spare battery, and shoot less than 200 shots on an average shoot, the issue is moot for me, but something to consider. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif;"><b>Final opinion </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif;"> If you can stretch your budget to $200 for one relatively powerful light.. This is definitely something to consider. hell, if you're considering a $400 OEM hotshoe flash for manual use, get one of these and a handful of YN460IIs. Yes, monolights have a much wider array of modifiers, VBM battery packs last longer, but for those of us on a budget, spending the $200 we have NOW and shooting NOW, is much more appealing than waiting however long for the other $350 for a monolight and battery pack to do essentially the same thing. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif;"> I push the $40 YN460II flashes like there's no tomorrow, but this flash system is now along side it on my list of highly recommended budget-minded flashes. These are not "sunkiller" flashes, but for overcast, open shade, indoors, matching sunlight, or for open sun where you can manage 6' or closer... they're fanfreakingtastic. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif;"><b>$200 for flash system (wide angle head, battery, charger, sync cable) that can match the sun at a reasonable distance (8') is absolutely something to consider.</b> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif;">Canon XSi - 50mm 1.8 - Sunpak 622 + 36" cheap-ass umbrellabox @ 1/2 power, 8' from subject (main and rim) ISO100, f/8, 1/100 </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy_IDOvtMDSUY0D4pDfL20zDKcugMZXzXLMQOOMUjNcnvtxyVTLAp9SlarWtS_iP_kJfrS6ITUkEJMpVRbDwcXHiZHIbtEzUrPyemLTZSBA2J1HXyW9M_8GpU5hG8Yv9QbVNW3DNggu7yR/s1600/marissa_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy_IDOvtMDSUY0D4pDfL20zDKcugMZXzXLMQOOMUjNcnvtxyVTLAp9SlarWtS_iP_kJfrS6ITUkEJMpVRbDwcXHiZHIbtEzUrPyemLTZSBA2J1HXyW9M_8GpU5hG8Yv9QbVNW3DNggu7yR/s640/marissa_02.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif;">Happy shooting.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861382536659708602.post-57629267786563418542011-10-11T18:29:00.000-07:002011-10-11T18:30:22.226-07:00Oldies but Goodies - Vivitar 285<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSEBTMD5_hDkh2TAlU_05ZiPevI9WS1nITjRT8aLKMpbt1jHhGAQQUsMWkncyBPw0Q8Qe-t9QdNqm1GW4N49SkV9huG3w919ggWbCh-vMesogDntQ3kVzC2E9aILMdZ-sxSu4txlxV778o/s1600/0015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSEBTMD5_hDkh2TAlU_05ZiPevI9WS1nITjRT8aLKMpbt1jHhGAQQUsMWkncyBPw0Q8Qe-t9QdNqm1GW4N49SkV9huG3w919ggWbCh-vMesogDntQ3kVzC2E9aILMdZ-sxSu4txlxV778o/s400/0015.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> Had to seriously dig into my archives for an image I shot with these lights. It's been a while...<br />
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Vivitar 285HVs have long been a favorite option for off camera lighting for budget minded photographers. However, in the past couple years, so many better and cheaper options have come to the playing field, that they've lost a lot of their shimmer.<br />
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</div> There are so many of them out there, though, that I can hardly go to a Goodwill or Salvation Army and not see one for $7, so they may still have a spot in your bag<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/10/oldies-but-goodies-vivitar-285.html">Read More:</a></div><div style="text-align: right;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"> My first venture into Off Camera Flash involved a Vivitar 285 I picked up on the eBays for $50 after much suggestion from various forums and websites. They were the ideal manual flashes for beginners, and one of the least expensive options to get started. My second and third flashes were also Vivitar 285HVs. Once I discovered YongNuo flashes, however, I sold all three, and jumped ship.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Just because I no longer use them doesn't mean they don't have a use, though. There are just better options out there now. If you're perusing the aisles at your local thrift shop and see one for a couple bucks, absolutely pick it up. Let's have a look at them.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Practical Power:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"> The way we will be using this flash, in modifiers, this flash puts out <b>f/10 at ten feet</b>. Reading charts and the manual, you'll see GN80, <b>100</b>, 120, 140, these represent the guide number at various zoom levels. Once you put the flash in a modifier, though, the light output at 35mm typically gives us the most accurate number. With the zoom head in the normal 35mm zoom, it puts out f/10 at ten feet. That's decent power.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Let's compare the power to some other popular flashes. Most popular flashes today have a power output of GN100-GN120 (GN30-GN36) The top of the line hotshoe flashes (canon/nikon/sony) have a practical power of 110-120 (they put out f/11 or f/12 @ ten feet) This is <b>less than half a stop.</b> Seriously. It's not a matter that these older flashes are super powerful, or that newer flashes are super weak, but that at standard zoom, there's only so much you can fit in a hotshoe flash, and they've known that for a while.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Power-wise, the Vivitar 285 is <i>similar</i> to any other hotshoe flash you may be considering. Power is important, but it's not the end-all be-all. With power, it holds its own, but it lacks in the other departments.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><b>Speed and life:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"> This is where the Vivitar 285 fails for me. With NiCad batteries, (4 AAs) the flash recharges in 7 seconds from a full power fire, for about 100 shots. This 7 seconds <i>quickly</i> becomes 10 seconds (in my experience, after about 30-40% of battery use.) This is sloooowwwww. When using this flash, at 1/2 or 1/4 it's much better, but still unbearibly slow after a few minutes.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> With current flashes, even current cheaper flashes recharging at 2.5 seconds at full power, this was a big factor in me in looking elsewhere.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Slave and Sync:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Another sore spot with these is their proprietary sync port. The workaround is easy, with optical slaves, and PC/3.5mm cables available for $10-$20, but that's more money for syncing that others have easier. Right out of box, you're limited to hotshoe sync, so on-camera, or a hotshoe radio trigger, like the RF602 or Cactus, or other various inexpensive triggers with a hotshoe mount.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Overall Opinion:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"> The Vivitar 285 had its day in the limelight, but no longer. It is currently being sold new by Cactus for $90. For $90 I can get 2 YN460IIs... <b>Two</b> more powerful flashes, with faster recharge, and more fires per charge, with much more sync options, (two different optical triggers included.) </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> If you find one for $10 at a garage sale, or in an attic, or a friend gives you one... sure, get it, and have some fun using it. But new? The features just don't stack up to the pricetag. There are many better options out there.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Happy Shooting.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861382536659708602.post-4077612507766326922011-10-03T22:56:00.000-07:002011-10-03T23:09:30.945-07:0040" generic UmbrellaBoxes.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKfUQ1BKSFeH69X4AEOFuX31rPZJOj-SPxyV_-Q8XM3Z2GLMHQmqnkfSZaqYWgpzcq4XsCGR73OiZI1E-jmiafjWvP96M-a5kvdKEWlJCT7dd6FjFT4qbwS3uuvnOlmx7P27HGHDNDqWt/s1600/marissa_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKfUQ1BKSFeH69X4AEOFuX31rPZJOj-SPxyV_-Q8XM3Z2GLMHQmqnkfSZaqYWgpzcq4XsCGR73OiZI1E-jmiafjWvP96M-a5kvdKEWlJCT7dd6FjFT4qbwS3uuvnOlmx7P27HGHDNDqWt/s400/marissa_02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> I love the softness of a large softbox for glamour work. However, shooting primarily with speedlites, and other small battery powered flashes, standard softboxes aren't really a viable option, without investing in sometimes expensive standard softboxes and pricey speedrings.<br />
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I saw some 'umbrella softboxes' while perusing Amazon and the eBays, and thought I'd pick them up, and check them out... at $27 for two, I couldn't pass them up.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Now don't automatically assume an "OMG, $13.50 each!? I love them!" from me... I love bargains, and love being able to produce the images that <b>I want</b> with inexpensive gear, but I won't shoot with junk. If it doesn't meet my standards, it won't be making its way into my kit. Let's see how these stack up.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>First Impression:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"> For the price, I was half expecting them to show up dented, with the shaft bent at a weird angle, but they showed up new and shiny. There's no way you can mistake these for professional, or even mid-grade modifiers, they're lightweight, and the umbrella backing feels a little cheap, but the main shaft, and the ridges are quite firm, and can take some abuse (they can, read on) There's a drawstring opening in the middle of the diffusion panel, with a 6" zipper, to make inserting larger flashes, and making adjustments a little easier while mounted. All in all, cheaply made, but feels solid enough to take a year or two of regular use and keep working.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Light Loss:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"> For many modifiers, it's important to take into consideration how much light the modifier 'eats.' I tested out my Sunpak 622 Super (in the image above) on a stand, about 9 feet from my fiancée ( I just stepped it out, I'm not concerned about actual output of my flash, just the light loss when shot through the modifier at the same distance.) So at 9' I blinded her with f/22... I may be sleeping on the couch. With the modifier in place, she was only slightly blinded with f/11.2 <i>(1.8 stops of light lost)</i> take into account, that the light went an additional 2 feet, 1 each to the reflective backing of the umbrella, and then to the diffusion panel. But in practical use, it's just less than 2 stops of power lost at the same distance. This is a bit more than pricier modifiers. I have softboxes that vary between 1.2 and 1.75 or so, and I'm comfortable with the idea of a modifier eating 1.5-2 stops of light, it's a fact of life, and this isn't too much of a loss to fret over.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Color Shift:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"> I tested the white balance shift of the diffusion fabric using four different lights. Photogenic Powerlight 320ws strobe, Sunpak 622 super, Metz 60 CT-2, and YN460II speedlite. Each light had their own minor shift around 5600, but the modifier shifted to the warm side for the same amount for each. Each light was warmer about 550K (6200 being the average.) Pop on a 1/4 CTB gel, and we're good to go to match daylight, or gel accordingly (or just correctly white balance if you're using modifiers that shift similarly) for indoor work. Both umbrellas shifted the same. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Final Verdict:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"> These have a spot in my kit. I've been shooting a lot more glamour sets for publications recently, and having something on hand for big, soft light is always welcome. During my first two shoots with them, the weather was unfriendly, and blew them around quite a bit. They held together fantastically, and even one one did manage to catch a giant wind gust and tip over, the internal ribs did not bend (unlike many of my mid-grade umbrellas) though I may have just gotten lucky. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Overall, they're big, soft, easy as hell to set up, and cheap as dirt.Hell, $27 is my girl's weekly chai latte budget... If you're lacking in the 'big soft modifier' department, pick one (or two) up and check them out.<br />
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If you want some of your own, search amazon and ebay for "Umbrella Box" 33"-56" varieties are available. I got mine from Amazon, under the brand: LimoStudios.<br />
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Happy Shooting.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861382536659708602.post-55551477823284014142011-08-02T00:10:00.000-07:002012-06-24T14:19:27.472-07:00Review: Tamron 28-75 2.8<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFD2-pG1KTnlxTu_QEuGl24k8fERM35vxG-D12K3-JhWR1fW8qxlc3OwQ5Tiiwy2dV52WU5aAekaxL8VcZ60DX8Oqsec16MfyuoDIQco2WKZPler0GASHZeoKocBjuh9CewYyazCQdoEu4/s1600/IMG_4384_landscape_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFD2-pG1KTnlxTu_QEuGl24k8fERM35vxG-D12K3-JhWR1fW8qxlc3OwQ5Tiiwy2dV52WU5aAekaxL8VcZ60DX8Oqsec16MfyuoDIQco2WKZPler0GASHZeoKocBjuh9CewYyazCQdoEu4/s400/IMG_4384_landscape_web.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> Tamron AF 28-75mm f/2.8 SP XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) for Canon Digital SLR Cameras<b> </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">if you want to get all specific.</span></span></span><br />
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I wanted a replacement for my EF 28-135 3.5-5.6, which had some shortcomings in a few aspects that I just could not allow, namely corner sharpness at wide apertures, too slow at times, etc.<br />
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So, I did my research, and ended up saving up a few pennies, and got a Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 for $400 and quite happy I did</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/08/review-tamron-28-75-28.html">Read More</a></span></h1>
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My initial thought of, "What the hell, why is it zooming backwards?" was quickly overwritten by joy. For what I need, the expectations I have, and for the use for which I intend on using this lens for, it's perfect.<br />
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I typically look for five things when deciding on which lens to use.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;"> - Sharpness + Edge Sharpness</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> - Focal Length / Zoom Range</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> - Color rendition</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> - Contrast</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> - OOF / Bokeh (though not often)</span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Sharpness.</span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> This is an aspect of lenses that is pretty important to photographers of all skill levels. Is this as sharp as an EF 100 f/2.8L? No, but I have no need for that much sharpness unless shooting beauty, and for that, I use a 100 2.8.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> In all of my tests, I experienced no noticeable softness that was not due to user error. I don't shoot shallow depth of field very often, and 75mm f2.8, shooting at close distance takes some getting used to, and I'm learning. I love how sharp my <a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/03/50mm-18-thifty-fifty.html">50mm 1.8</a> is, and yes, I''m comparing the sharpness of this lens to the Nifty Fifty. At wide open, both are 'sharp enough' but step down 1 stop and you're golden. For crisp images, f/4 is definitely within my standard range. Opening up to 2.8 offers versatility, and is still sharp enough for 95% or more of what I do.</span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Edge Sharpness.</span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> This was my biggest issue with my EF 28-135. Taking an image where the subject is sharp, yet the edges of the image, which should be within the depth of field, and sharp, are soft, and an ugly softness at that. Being one of my biggest gripes, and reasons for a new lens, I am very happy with the performance of this lens. During practical tests, shooting at both f/2.8 and f/16, softness at the edges was not visible unless zoomed to 200%. Yes it's there, but absolutely nothing that I will likely ever have to worry about.</span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Zoom Range.</span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> 44mm - 120mm on my crop cameras. Since all I shoot is portraits, it's a pretty ideal range for me. 44mm is slightly longer than the 'standard' full body focal lengths of 28/35mm, I don't find it an issue whatsoever. Taking an additional step or two backwards won't hurt me, and wide angle distortion is much less noticeable shooting full body at this focal length, while still giving plenty of subject-to-background separation for when I want to emphasize the subject a bit. Going all the way to 120mm gets me all the way in close to beauty ranges. It'd be nice to get to 135 or so, for face shots, but I don't typically shoot any tighter than head and shoulders... again, one more thumbs-up for this lens. I don't foresee any issues with this lens when dealing with 98% of the portrait photography I do. On a full frame camera, it's also a very useful lens. Full body and landscape capable on the wide end, head and shoulders on the tight.... great portrait range.</span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Color Rendition and Contrast.</span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> I'm combining these two qualities... Both are great, and fit my aesthetic very well. The above image is almost completely unretouched. Shot with a Canon T2i and Tamron 28-75 f/2.8, and surprisingly (for me) no lights... all natural, something I have not done in over two full years. Small adjustment in DPP for white balance, and a tad bit of dodge, burn, and heal, and that's about it. I absolutely <i>love</i> the way the colors came out, bright and vibrant, with a very smooth quality of contrast, especially in the skin tones. Gorgeous. And sure, this image has about 15% desaturation, I still love the color quality and smooth contrast of the original.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt0tatHTPwuif9c6m5cOd6w0iWkPEjTUQNXn22zji2HC0O_ZLcxGSPneHTpCvFwd1NG8zU_eakPaZwKEDTnLg-v50bgGQj6QFNyPsZtRb1G37b2IAWQdWlue_2FeBqzYGAhKwb2c4OEuk5/s1600/IMG_4436_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkcLVP_etT-Esj-j-CaAnZXp9UPh7ohoN2kfJgMYv9gcDl_Q940XnjB3CtPUZ_oKDel4czE9ONb7Mh_OFR9t1IuzznK8rMHhF_2DC1Vv50IWTDPQf4TSUs_wx-bm6YTFenbEPFV9VkirrT/s1600/IMG_5018_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkcLVP_etT-Esj-j-CaAnZXp9UPh7ohoN2kfJgMYv9gcDl_Q940XnjB3CtPUZ_oKDel4czE9ONb7Mh_OFR9t1IuzznK8rMHhF_2DC1Vv50IWTDPQf4TSUs_wx-bm6YTFenbEPFV9VkirrT/s640/IMG_5018_web.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Out of Focus / Bokeh.</span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> I will be completely open about the fact that I am not the King of Bokeh. Most of the time, I consider f/5.6 as "wide" so out of focus areas and quality of bokeh typically never come into my mind. However, with this recent shoot to test the lens, I made a point to shoot at f/2.8, with shallow depth of field. As I mentioned earlier, shallow DOF is not my forte, but I liked the results. I think the above image, as well as the below, are among the only ones that show any sort of out of focus areas, overexposed as they are, but hey, I like how it looks. Again, Bokeh is not a quality i look for, but from what I've seen from testing for the past few weeks, it's nice enough for me, and at least it isn't distinctly ugly, like the EF 35-80, god that's nasty.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Here's a third photo, just cause I thought you'd like it, and can get a little bit more of an idea of the color, contrast, bokeh, and other assorted whatnots. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS40rsvBN-tE3tOK1KFnwKwzjSL7cjAw15iOomPugTcmIjSQhJef_Dsm22BR39xmHyeRoWziGfJFqotOOTW62h1MRxOPm02z6XHJLokgXhsody4MnMaX3o3EUl81qHP_TWNKy6ooIf51yx/s1600/IMG_0563_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS40rsvBN-tE3tOK1KFnwKwzjSL7cjAw15iOomPugTcmIjSQhJef_Dsm22BR39xmHyeRoWziGfJFqotOOTW62h1MRxOPm02z6XHJLokgXhsody4MnMaX3o3EUl81qHP_TWNKy6ooIf51yx/s640/IMG_0563_web.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Final thoughts? For my needs, it is fantastic. It fulfills all of my needs, without leaving me wanting more. I spent two weeks borrowing a friend's EF 24-70 2.8L while I was initially trying to figure out what I needed from a lens. I honestly would be hard-pressed to find any practical difference between the two. Marginal difference in sharpness, and aesthetic differences when it comes to color, contrast, you may like one better than the other. The Canon does have the upper hand in the bokeh department, but it's not worth an additional $800+ to get a place in my camera bag. If you're looking for a fast, short tele zoom lens... Definitely give this lens some consideration.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Happy Shooting.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861382536659708602.post-67542440777503756222011-07-24T00:27:00.000-07:002011-08-16T12:15:30.267-07:00Upcoming DVD workshop.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizfDYrPDUM5rfsLlnwWIgIa8Etcks5fr_xyyRUe8nrwzMLgiMmnVbgZRhQ1lPdhPELkYG8CuT-iClzu-_xWu5JnTqShmJFobM1upBd6yYhINDE6sR11MrEjyjMrbvhM-V-Q-UHIyKCHfS7/s1600/DVD_cover_temp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizfDYrPDUM5rfsLlnwWIgIa8Etcks5fr_xyyRUe8nrwzMLgiMmnVbgZRhQ1lPdhPELkYG8CuT-iClzu-_xWu5JnTqShmJFobM1upBd6yYhINDE6sR11MrEjyjMrbvhM-V-Q-UHIyKCHfS7/s320/DVD_cover_temp.jpg" width="214" /></a> I'm super stoked about this project. I've been teaching workshops in various cities across the US for the past year or so, and have been trying to find a way to reach a wider audience. I was approached with the idea of producing a DVD workshop.<br />
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It's an affordable way to get introduced to off camera lighting, covering topics from off camera lighting basics, indoor lighting styles, outdoor lighting techniques (including overpowering the sun) as well as studio lighting... and how to do all this on a budget.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">Production is underway... find out more below.</div><br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/07/upcoming-dvd-workshop.html">-Read More</a><br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"> I've long been a proponent of<i> good</i> workshops. I've attended a few terrible workshops, and some fantastic ones, paid anywhere from $50 to $500. My goal for this Video Workshop is to get the information out there, in an easy to understand manner, in easy-to-digest portions. Oh... and without making you dig too deep into your wallets.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> The DVD will consist of four portions:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">-- Introduction and basics of off camera lighting. We'll discuss small portable battery-powered flashes, such as speedlites and potato mashers as well as heavier duty equipment, monolights, packs + heads, and portable power options. The pros and cons of each system will be discussed, as well as in-depth details on how to get things going, how to <i>use</i> lighting off camera.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">-- Indoor lighting techniques. With a slight bias towards boudoir, indoor lighting techniques and styles will be addressed. How to 'build' a set, by metering for ambient, and adding one or more flashes to get the look you want, or taking complete control over the set and using multiple lights to make everything do exactly what you want.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">-- Outdoor lighting techniques. Whether you're shooting models, families, or a high school senior, there's a lot that off camera lighting can do for you. We'll discuss how to light in shade, mixed sun+shade, shooting in full sun with fill flash, matching the sun, as well as completely overpowering the sun.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">-- Studio lighting. There's no better way to create a clean, simple photo than shooting in a studio. Having control over every aspect of the lighting situation leaves you in complete control of the results. We'll discuss which lights to use, which modifiers, and how to use them in a few different 'standard' setups to produce exactly the image you want.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> What more could you ask for? One DVD, one workshop that will give you the knowledge needed to get out there and start practicing. And I promised you it wouldn't break your piggy banks, right? It's still being discussed, but I plan on having the first run available for well less than $100. I still need to do a little market research though, find out a little more about demand, so I'd appreciate a comment, or an email to Info@ShootingOnaBudget.com --- If you'd like to hear more, and would be interested in getting your hands on a copy once it's out, let us know!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">-Jay</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861382536659708602.post-74683471003886092282011-06-14T20:24:00.000-07:002011-08-16T12:16:11.735-07:00Workshops: Investing in your progression.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.jayleavitt.com/links/olga_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://www.jayleavitt.com/links/olga_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Workshops... For those of us on a budget, they can be a big, scary expense. I saw a full-day workshop here in Las Vegas recently that cost as much as my mortgage payment. However, would I suggest to stay away? Absolutely not. Instead, sit down and identify your needs, find out what topic would benefit you most, and invest a little into your education.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">The image to the left showcases skills I learned from an "outdoor lighting" workshop I attended, that had a big section dedicated to overpowering the sun.</span><br />
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What is better... a $500 light, or the in-depth knowledge of how to use that light? (and using the tips on this site, finding a few budget lights, and <b>using</b> that knowledge to produce stellar results.) Those results help you get paid... now you have those $500 lights <b>and</b> the knowledge of how to use them. <br />
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Again, I'll hearken back to something I said in one of my first posts on this blog. <a href="http://www.shootingonabudget.com/2011/02/identify-your-needs.html">Identify Your Need</a>. Where that post may have been gear-centric, the concept remains the same. Take some time out of your day, sit down and objectively go through your work, sometimes it helps to have someone you trust along side you to keep the views truly objective. Find your strengths and in this case especially, your weaknesses. <br />
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Alright, so you've got your main weakness, right? The singular skill that, once mastered, would improve your abilities the most? Now you've got a couple options here. You can read up on the topic, test it out, and practice for weeks or months on the topic, and hope to learn a few insights. OR... you can shell out some cash, and get some specialized, focused, direct instruction that is all about this topic that will improve your photography the most, and hopefully get you paid a little bit more, a little bit more often. <br />
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It's true that all the information is on the internet, there are tons of people that are more than happy to share their knowledge with everyone. It is completely possible to read up on these concepts, and test them out yourself, and practice your ass of, and get a good grasp of the topic. However, even as broke as I typically am, I think that the guided direction that a <b>good, well-established</b> workshop can offer. An afternoon of structured study, given by someone well-versed in the technique you're trying to learn, can give you a big head start. It's like comparing reading up for a year about driving, and watching a ton of hollywood movies against a one-week driver's ed course to learn how to drive. One option just prepares you most to get out there and start practicing, and perfecting for yourself. <br />
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Finding the right workshop is crucial, too. There are some big-wigs out there, with $1500 2 day workshops that you might learn quite a lot from. At the same time, however, there might be a local photographer who also teaches the same concepts. The big wigs have a lot more overhead, travel accommodations, rental fees, etc, in addition to a 50% markup because it's "Joe Awesomepants" who is instructing. The local may cover the same topics, give you the same insights, and also have a smaller class for more one-on-one time for $200 or so, (you're not paying for his hotel stay, spa treatment, and his name.) Do your research, and find what works for you, and don't dismiss the small local guy, some of us have great workshops, you'll leave a little more educated, but your wallet won't be as empty <span class="moz-smiley-s1" title=":)">:)</span> <br />
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I have paid on average $100-$150 for the workshops I've attended, and if I leave with ONE concept, ONE small little thing that improves my photography, I consider it money well spent. For those who do this as a hobby, find a workshop a few hours away in another city, save up, and take a weekend-vacation, relax and learn a bit, or find one local, and spend a Saturday afternoon learning and improving. For the pro's out there, hell, it's a tax write off to boot, save money while learning how better to make more money. <br />
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Happy Shooting.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861382536659708602.post-79582826714805335132011-03-25T23:47:00.000-07:002011-08-16T12:16:46.734-07:00Wardrobe on a Budget: Salvation Armani (and nude)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7KBEdAyXyr81bWT-9nWeziI2J7UimpG0hcnHrEUIwFoDIA6lsHQKvaHbYMxc0rlisUalhYqatFZnm5JA5XdpzMo6upaYQGlPWompsnz5uoDcoqT9uvZ6wi5hk0abKpGRUgOeWrUfNKCii/s1600/IMG_2659_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7KBEdAyXyr81bWT-9nWeziI2J7UimpG0hcnHrEUIwFoDIA6lsHQKvaHbYMxc0rlisUalhYqatFZnm5JA5XdpzMo6upaYQGlPWompsnz5uoDcoqT9uvZ6wi5hk0abKpGRUgOeWrUfNKCii/s200/IMG_2659_web.jpg" width="172" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnt9X7i_nZvktfAoviWbyGS512o9Wd7nxzeDUem_USSBma9_aLZOpJZBuOzkg-rKmMLJaC0v0L3Upa7wBIJat_SaxzCuN3oxAI97dkewfqlQ8LwXNvXF6Z2J5-AHD1TNygQ3UZIA9EQ17U/s1600/brittney_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnt9X7i_nZvktfAoviWbyGS512o9Wd7nxzeDUem_USSBma9_aLZOpJZBuOzkg-rKmMLJaC0v0L3Upa7wBIJat_SaxzCuN3oxAI97dkewfqlQ8LwXNvXF6Z2J5-AHD1TNygQ3UZIA9EQ17U/s200/brittney_5.jpg" width="172" /></a>Arranging wardrobe for sets can get expensive.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><b>You've got two options: </b></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Find cheap wardrobe.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">or</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Shoot nudes. </div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">(warning, this post contains nudity)</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/03/wardrobe-on-budget-salvation-armani-and.html">Read More</a></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: left;">So... 2 options, and both have their ups and downs.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Find Cheap Wardrobe:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"> About twice a month, I spend 2 hours or so going around to local Salvation Army, Goodwill, Savers, DI, and other local thrift shops. With various specials and deals, I can pick up a decent assortment of shoot wardrobe for $20 or so. As an example, the above two images were shot using this kind of wardrobe. The tops cost $2-$3 each, and the pants were $4. There's some nice stuff at these shops, give them a shot, even though some may smell like your grandma's spare bedroom.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Most weekdays, for example, Goodwill has specials, like Tuesdays is "blue tag" day. Everything with a blue tag is 50% off. And with a blouse priced at $4, ($2 on Tuesdays, hell yeah) you can pick up a ton, plus some accessories, hats, dresses, pants, skirts... for about $20.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> As an added benefit, I'm a member of a modeling/photographer/etc website, www.ModelMayhem.com .It's the biggest show in town, and great for networking, but not the topic of this post. There's a market section of the website, and after I shoot through a few pieces, I list them there, at $7 apiece, or $5 for multiple items, with great examples of just how they look. With flat rate shipping boxes from USPS, shipping's cheap as hell, and I've covered the cost of the item. I think I've cycled through $300+ worth of wardrobe like this, with an initial investment of $20-$40. Buy, shoot, sell, break even after shipping, and use new funds to buy new wardrobe... which I'll sell in another month. It's a nice self-sustaining cycle.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Shoot Nudes:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"> This typically does take a bit of work to get into. You either have to build a strong portfolio, or invest some money initially, and nude models, either art, nude, fetish, or whatever, are not cheap. Most solid, experienced models who are worth hiring are in the $75-$125 per hour range, the good ones are well worth it if you intend to go this route. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Work on your lighting with trade shoots, hire a <b>fantasti</b>c nude model, and get to work. The below model I hand picked and flew from New York to Las Vegas, and got some of my favorite nude shots of my career. Sure it cost half the cost of getting a new "L" lens... however, I have yet since to shell out any cash for a nude shoot. Build a solid port and you'll have a better shot when you approach a model with a concept involving nudity on a trade basis.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8oNTXPKD9DeiwR8Krj3TVTFviKJPobjglMKgO9Qat7g5ph98SuI7AKtAFIO7neEQyiHNzf4YEvQLSdWpuYGfhGQAf-WIs5urqMuw_G4X4nmj-MxLSSqgVn4MxX6HkEzugFJ0CzfJN6_UP/s1600/sha1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8oNTXPKD9DeiwR8Krj3TVTFviKJPobjglMKgO9Qat7g5ph98SuI7AKtAFIO7neEQyiHNzf4YEvQLSdWpuYGfhGQAf-WIs5urqMuw_G4X4nmj-MxLSSqgVn4MxX6HkEzugFJ0CzfJN6_UP/s400/sha1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> For me, though, there's just something about art nudes that really gets my artistic side going. At the moment I have one project I'm working on, artistic nudes involving hair flowers, as shown below. Something about being able, for this specific project, to sculpt the body, show <b>just</b> the curves, while leaving most everything else obscured, just makes me go "wow" and proud to produce these images.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXaRScFdh4MkRJMQU3LFH-LilN_zi78EuekHIL2G97_7iWiD_QmSnaOK3K2-v4CX7-PHPMqwoJW_Lp8SHtow3teqG8DdHEd2LElA1h1a3ll2FLyHX8_aY9V_tQZ5VthrlEouTNLuA1SzDx/s1600/siah_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXaRScFdh4MkRJMQU3LFH-LilN_zi78EuekHIL2G97_7iWiD_QmSnaOK3K2-v4CX7-PHPMqwoJW_Lp8SHtow3teqG8DdHEd2LElA1h1a3ll2FLyHX8_aY9V_tQZ5VthrlEouTNLuA1SzDx/s400/siah_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> So either route you go, you have options. Sure, if you're working with models, they typically have a decent set of wardrobe options, but sometimes you'll find you want to work on a project that's all about YOU. YOUR idea, YOUR set, YOUR wardrobe. I find this more and more a regular occasion. If I can go to goodwill, build a set, find the wardrobe, AND get a new toy film camera for the cost of what my girlfriend spends each week on Chai Lattes? That, my friends, is good budgeting.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Happy Shooting.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861382536659708602.post-51693029782356581802011-03-14T23:50:00.000-07:002011-08-16T12:17:27.199-07:0050mm 1.8 - Thrifty Fifty<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYVh94Woy9KGnt1P0iw0zJHxRjvTU1QAb4X3ykve4NvESZEAnjcwEaci1UAELM9YGytsy4ZuwBTKmeqtoqIo_AyLOCtJ4QbdIlDPiWVu9lNQJeucL0QZNbAcut1U4GiaWUFCWhjqXyr4pp/s1600/5018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYVh94Woy9KGnt1P0iw0zJHxRjvTU1QAb4X3ykve4NvESZEAnjcwEaci1UAELM9YGytsy4ZuwBTKmeqtoqIo_AyLOCtJ4QbdIlDPiWVu9lNQJeucL0QZNbAcut1U4GiaWUFCWhjqXyr4pp/s400/5018.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Hands down, one of my favorite lenses.<br />
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<b>Cheap</b>: ($125 new, $75-$100 used)<br />
<b>Sharp</b>: Click the image to the left for a closer look.<br />
<b>Lightweight.</b><br />
<b>Fun.</b><br />
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</b><br />
Definitely worth skipping out on a few Starbucks for.<br />
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Sit down, relax, and enjoy the review. There's pretty girls, and some nuggets of good, solid information.<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"></div><div style="text-align: right;"> <a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/03/wardrobe-on-budget-salvation-armani-and.html">Read More</a><br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">So many people will downplay this lens. Some call it junk, a piece of crap plastic toy, or other such nonsense. Is it the best lens on the planet? No, it's not. But for the price, It's absolutely worth picking up. And let's face it, if you're reading this blog, chances are you're not about to go out and buy an EF 70-200 2.8L IS II for $2500 (if you are, send me a few bucks while you're at it. :)</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I got my first DSLR in 2009. I was working at Circuit City when it went under, and got my hands on a Canon XTi and a kinda broken 28-135 4-5.6 (autofocus didn't work) for next to nothing. Due to the AF not working, I wanted a new lens. The EF 50 1.8 II was suggested to me. I happened to have $100, so I bought it. It has hardly left my camera since.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Build Quality:</b> Okay, yeah... this is the biggest issue many have with this lens. It's made of plastic, with a plastic mount, and weighs about as much as a deck of cards. If I hear one more person say they're afraid it's going to break, I'm going to scream. I've had mine for a few years now, it hasn't broken... I guess I need to juggle cameras more, or perhaps drop it a few times? It's not a tank, that much isn't rocket surgery, but treat it well, and it will treat you well in return.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Sharpness:</b> For the work I do, overall sharpness is overrated. Yes, I love being able to see individual hairs when shooting beauty with an EF 100 2.8 macro. Do I need that much sharpness though? What I care about is corner to corner sharpness (something my 28-135 lacks, who wants to buy me a 24-105 f/4L?) and enough sharpness to get me crisp prints. Seeing as most of my clients print at 11x14 or smaller, most consumer lenses do just fine, especially this one. As you can see by the above image, it's pretty crisp, even when zoomed in. And cause I'm such a nice guy, here's another:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDD8c2zr6xTeFdYmS4eS1os2eUGxT5baTDqVdSmt6tknrl7wRccL9YgxOwfyvHI6Vt3ZquhMhEnlSluofKwRkAgsezyXHY-5vQVD8duGzWF4ZQ_Ejh_4aJpGNLRp85Uzz0SuCsxptYbRR5/s1600/50182.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDD8c2zr6xTeFdYmS4eS1os2eUGxT5baTDqVdSmt6tknrl7wRccL9YgxOwfyvHI6Vt3ZquhMhEnlSluofKwRkAgsezyXHY-5vQVD8duGzWF4ZQ_Ejh_4aJpGNLRp85Uzz0SuCsxptYbRR5/s640/50182.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Other fancy lens things:</b> Chromatic Abberation has been pretty much nonexistent in my experience with the lens, I may have seen a little bit of purple fringe once, but I've never really noticed any at all, even when zoomed to 400% for retouching. Lens flare is good, I've had a $5 ebay hood on it for ages, and again, have never noticed any sort of unintentional lens flare (when I wanted it, it looked nice.) Bokeh is something I've heard mixed stories about. Some like it, and others don't. For my shooting style, it doesn't really matter, since I'm shooting at f/5.6-f/8+ all the time, but from what I've seen, it looks nice to me. Nothing like an 85 1.2L, but hell, for 1/20 the cost, I'll deal with less creamy bokeh.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Final Verdict:</b> Get it. I'll probably eventually move up to the 50mm 1.4 (more solid construction) but this little "toy" will continue to make me money while I wait.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">And... since I'm such a nice guy, here's another closeup:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjluiMdoA53ub2oaFZ8D5hel8QoS98jHmpa5i2ILpT65CGMQgEIrsXYq7Zq5qwgH-GTgeR4PLFB0Epx34lfn-hZDkD_-SQlLo8Fshab1p5hnJrSsQg1SHJoBo2ZlqJ5gzmZIGVoqTyfvdOG/s1600/50183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjluiMdoA53ub2oaFZ8D5hel8QoS98jHmpa5i2ILpT65CGMQgEIrsXYq7Zq5qwgH-GTgeR4PLFB0Epx34lfn-hZDkD_-SQlLo8Fshab1p5hnJrSsQg1SHJoBo2ZlqJ5gzmZIGVoqTyfvdOG/s640/50183.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Please note that all these tests and examples are not super scientific, simply images, and then a close-up, cropped version of the same image. It's not exact 100% crops, just something to give an example.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For those interested, the models are: Andrea, Surena, Kitty.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861382536659708602.post-87062745610635665292011-03-12T01:22:00.000-08:002011-08-16T12:17:51.548-07:00Generic 22" Speedlite bracket Gridded Beauty Dish<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeE_OyYFDjYdvfuj19v9YGszonJLPOtAbtF0_7usMh68PNcBBtMYC9LkHB4oa4LsvTzb_RZ9EQc4qjVrsrFmO1R1EARG1WTtzbMnjjcQNZtVaTVdsxmiJJgd1q_9xTsX_x3mM1wlYunTrw/s1600/photo8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeE_OyYFDjYdvfuj19v9YGszonJLPOtAbtF0_7usMh68PNcBBtMYC9LkHB4oa4LsvTzb_RZ9EQc4qjVrsrFmO1R1EARG1WTtzbMnjjcQNZtVaTVdsxmiJJgd1q_9xTsX_x3mM1wlYunTrw/s400/photo8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Generic 22" Beauty Dish with 30° grid, speedlite mount.<br />
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Again with a beautiful model instead of a picture of what I'm reviewing, what's gotten into me?<br />
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The 22" beauty dish I just got put me back $120. the 16" version was available for $75. Both are a bit of an investment, but well worth it for the amount of control they allow.<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/03/generic-22-speedlite-bracket-gridded.html">Read more</a></div><div style="text-align: right;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a name='more'></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I've been wanting a beauty dish for ages. Seeing what other professionals have been able to do with them really got my creative juices flowing. I've made about half a dozen various Do It Yourself BD's, most of the popular designs floating around the interwebs, but none compare to the amount of control a real one brings.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">As far as <b>build quality</b> goes, there's some good and bad. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>The good:</i></div><div style="text-align: left;">The dish itself is solid, the internal reflector has two positions, allowing for precise control. The grid seems well made, and though the clips can get loose, they'll keep it in place.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>The Bad:</i></div><div style="text-align: left;">The bracket leaves a lot to be desired. Moving the speedlite closer or further from the dish, and moving the dish itself up and down to alight the flash to the hole work well enough. However... the ball head locking screw sucks. The head of the screw is plastic, and if you turn it too hard, it breaks, and you cannot tighten it hard enough to keep the ball head in place, and the dish just droops. I fixed this by going to Home Depot and getting a screw with a nice thumb head. $0.50 and it's good to go.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHO9e9zA7ydJlPDlR3nDv0r03djYn4_-P9hC4hbYYMLVpOKf2DY2RIilrzcs_fWWTQJhV7eRh9MFVqMH7d2E6AdT4SxUMiesRK-DBZNQukedF-L5QOulQVJEt6dPl2qQhkzC5ftNIx-IRE/s1600/amazon_B003YDTKC4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHO9e9zA7ydJlPDlR3nDv0r03djYn4_-P9hC4hbYYMLVpOKf2DY2RIilrzcs_fWWTQJhV7eRh9MFVqMH7d2E6AdT4SxUMiesRK-DBZNQukedF-L5QOulQVJEt6dPl2qQhkzC5ftNIx-IRE/s320/amazon_B003YDTKC4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I got mine from "ephotodiscounter" on ebay, after searching for <u>22" beauty dish canon.</u> (the canon in the search made sure that i found a speedlite mount) There were others available, but for the price, and the reviews I read, this was the one for me.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I've now shot a few times, and am a very happy camper. The first time, I wanted to test it out with the sock, just to get a nice, even spread. I took a fantastic model, Andrea, to a spot just outside of Las Vegas and shot this:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.jayleavitt.com/links/andrea_comp_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://www.jayleavitt.com/links/andrea_comp_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The second time, I wanted to test out the grid. (aside from shooting my hand, or dog in my living room) So I again booked Andrea for a shoot. This time I took her into the mountains and threw her into some water just below a waterfall, freezing from being fed from snowmelt. This test resulted in the image at the beginning of this review. The grid, plus full power YN460II flash allowed me to completely knock out the ambient (5:00pm when the image was shot) for a very dramatic image.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeE_OyYFDjYdvfuj19v9YGszonJLPOtAbtF0_7usMh68PNcBBtMYC9LkHB4oa4LsvTzb_RZ9EQc4qjVrsrFmO1R1EARG1WTtzbMnjjcQNZtVaTVdsxmiJJgd1q_9xTsX_x3mM1wlYunTrw/s1600/photo8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeE_OyYFDjYdvfuj19v9YGszonJLPOtAbtF0_7usMh68PNcBBtMYC9LkHB4oa4LsvTzb_RZ9EQc4qjVrsrFmO1R1EARG1WTtzbMnjjcQNZtVaTVdsxmiJJgd1q_9xTsX_x3mM1wlYunTrw/s400/photo8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you want a high amount of control over your lighting, check out beauty dishes. If you're working on a strict budget, pick up the 16" version for $75, otherwise save up a bit longer for the big one, in this case bigger is better. Beauty Dishes can fulfill a lot of your needs. Socked, they're similar to a 22" umbrella, unsocked, a bigger spread with some control, and precise, clean control when you pop on the grid.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Happy Shooting.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861382536659708602.post-42025423482997034332011-03-08T15:38:00.000-08:002011-08-16T12:18:32.758-07:0020" pop-up speedlite softboxes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtVkd6QiuqHPFYJoIpR4mnNkPT3xlY6icNwoMNaHiPLS4bbRGiW9oarqgeE5ZuzOhrUUwRJu94ksqcCgiHY-M9T8A5m0nh3gTC0sXtznfJ3tB6iILvG5x0fVhFoXis4ufjAEQKnGZitdKI/s1600/brittney_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtVkd6QiuqHPFYJoIpR4mnNkPT3xlY6icNwoMNaHiPLS4bbRGiW9oarqgeE5ZuzOhrUUwRJu94ksqcCgiHY-M9T8A5m0nh3gTC0sXtznfJ3tB6iILvG5x0fVhFoXis4ufjAEQKnGZitdKI/s400/brittney_3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Talk about portable awesomeness.<br />
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I thought this image (taken with these softboxes) would catch the eye a little bit better than a picture of the softboxes themselves.<br />
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I picked up two of these on ebay for $80 and definitely glad I did. Packed up, they fit into a 6"x9"x2" bag, and they strap directly onto my backpack.<br />
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For me, they're great.<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/03/20-pop-up-speedlite-softboxes.html">Read More</a></div><br />
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I've been using umbrellas for ages with my speedlites. However, after one too many umbrellas catching the wind, breaking ribs and flashes, I started looking for an inexpensive alternative that would give me the control of light I want, and mitigating the hazards of umbrellas.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlohlj5jjmOGGKivuFPWGNEu26M_OZ59tcf_7r9qF4T9hG9IW5Dv8PxqL8Ju2sI9_iuOyV_fh32WjVyfJbMSuONbgbsqxd8A7_xUIy0e_c53tHgzyPd-bJHSEuD0k7EVQJ5UYbmqyRT4W8/s1600/SB1009_20_inch_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlohlj5jjmOGGKivuFPWGNEu26M_OZ59tcf_7r9qF4T9hG9IW5Dv8PxqL8Ju2sI9_iuOyV_fh32WjVyfJbMSuONbgbsqxd8A7_xUIy0e_c53tHgzyPd-bJHSEuD0k7EVQJ5UYbmqyRT4W8/s400/SB1009_20_inch_05.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> I like them a<b> lot</b>.The boxes themselves twist and fold into a 6" circle, which packs along with the ballhead bracket into a 6"x9" bag.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> There's a little to be desired, but overall, they're solid pieces of kit. The black sides don't allow any light to bleed through, like some black umbrellas. The diffusion panel is nice, and I have not noticed any hotspots from the flash firing directly through the panel, the light is even, with a nice dropoff.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> For my needs, they're great. I do a lot of my work on location, and these are more resistant to wind, pack up into small, easily portable cases, set up in seconds, and produce nice light.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I picked them up for $80 from <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/2x20-Speedlight-Softbox-Portable-Speedlite-Softbox-/110604267985?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c08731d1#ht_2551wt_1139">this ebay vendor</a>. There are many vendors, local and overseas that I found, all with similar prices, so I just picked the one closest to me in Southern California, to keep shipping quick.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At $40/$45 for one, it's something that's definitely worthwhile to pick up and try out. If these are something you can use, pick one (or several) up.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Happy Shooting.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861382536659708602.post-69600871120093797462011-03-04T23:10:00.000-08:002011-03-04T23:10:55.828-08:00Off Camera Flash on a Budget: YN460II<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSPxwDJClDBM_KNKulwcSvuW3GvKKVikLR7xlsxPNFSE_3d5UyL-YKEfqjZ43Ao9HWJimVDpQTKp8fML6CezFneLiZfqRsMg0Jl9wt0v0Wdw2gwVExBCv1zxlThJnc0U42YBhqhQera2_L/s1600/yn460ii.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSPxwDJClDBM_KNKulwcSvuW3GvKKVikLR7xlsxPNFSE_3d5UyL-YKEfqjZ43Ao9HWJimVDpQTKp8fML6CezFneLiZfqRsMg0Jl9wt0v0Wdw2gwVExBCv1zxlThJnc0U42YBhqhQera2_L/s400/yn460ii.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>YN460II</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
I love these flashes.<br />
<br />
Seriously love them. I want them to have my babies.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This is YongNuo's second flash system (460, 460II, 560) with each one surpassing the last in some regards. Let's start with the documented information, the stuff they put on fliers and ads, then get into practical use.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/03/off-camera-flash-on-budget-yn460ii.html">Read More</a><br />
<br />
</div><a name='more'></a>AKA, my new favorite flash. FORTY FREAKING FIVE DOLLARS NEW!<br />
<br />
<br />
Zoom range: 35mm fixed<br />
GN: 38m (at 35mm, ISO100)<br />
Full power to 1/128 in full and 1/7 steps<br />
Trigger modes: Manual, S1, S2<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Manual syncs via hotshoe (on camera, no ttl, or RF trigger)<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>S1 is standard optical trigger<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>S2 is optical trigger with pre-flash suppression<br />
4 second recharge (this is what they say, tho with NiMH / NiZN, much faster 1.5 - 2)<br />
Power saving mode<br />
100 full power fires per battery charge.<br />
<br />
<b>First impression:</b><br />
Feels very solid. I bought these after playing around with their big brother, the yn560, and they have a similar feel. They're solid, albeit smaller than their newer models. Buttons are responsive, the only personal concern is the battery door, it slides out, and instead of having pins that cause it to hinge, there's a smaller bracket, it's not a big issue, it just takes a second longer to fasten the door closed. Solid, well built, with an easy to figure out button layout.<br />
<br />
<b>Slave and Sync:</b><br />
I've tested the Optical, Optical with flash suppression and (on and off camera) Hotshoe syncs.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Optical slave mode works as intended, with good range. I had one flash set on my car, and walked down the street. With another flash in my hand set at 105mm and full power, I could trigger the slave at 100ish yards (I just paced it out, but a good distance)<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I tested S2 mode, optical with pre-flash suppression. The only flash I could test this with was my onboard flash from my Canon 40D. The onboard triggered the slave at 40 feet (across kitchen into living room) It also triggered at 45 degrees at the same distance, as well as 20 feet, fired in the opposite direction. Both optical modes are robust, and sensitive enough to be very useful.<br />
<br />
<b>Practical Power:</b><br />
When I first saw this flash, i saw the small GN, 38, as opposed to flagship models which have 56/58, and thought to myself "oh no! that's way too weak! However... once you put a flash into a modifier, there's no effective difference between 24mm zoom, 35, and 105, with 35mm zoom being the generic guideline for using a flash in a modifier. This flash has no zoom head, and a constant 35mm spread. Perfect for use in a modifier. I then looked around. The YN560, the big brother to this flash, has a GN of 36 @ 35mm, (canon and nikon have GN of 32/34 for their flagship models at 35mm zoom)<br />
<br />
SO.... this "weak" flash has just as much power, if not a tad bit more than flashes ten times its cost.<br />
<br />
Comparison: YN560 (top image) vs YN460II (bottom.) ISO 100, 1/160, f/3.5, 10 feet from subject, using a 22" beauty dish with diffusion sock (these settings resulted in black image without flashes):<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5HtqhsKCxJP6b-h_CZ_zTGS8mshA8BNad2eDpgQ3WoaSGW4HA1a_0OH71YkCKw1Ojp45Ri1xevzots7NemnqeTY5kK1sCS2tFHQKp0MovM6YWPAuItYz5WoYBMCSfo0V4GjVZkkRMeywX/s1600/460iivs560.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5HtqhsKCxJP6b-h_CZ_zTGS8mshA8BNad2eDpgQ3WoaSGW4HA1a_0OH71YkCKw1Ojp45Ri1xevzots7NemnqeTY5kK1sCS2tFHQKp0MovM6YWPAuItYz5WoYBMCSfo0V4GjVZkkRMeywX/s400/460iivs560.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<b>Accessories:</b><br />
I got a stand with it :P being a smaller flash, many eBay modifiers should work well, especially most with speedlite brackets. All my softboxes and beauty dishes work just fine.<br />
<br />
<b>Warranty:</b><br />
At this price-point, it's well below my personal "get the warranty" level. However... the manufacturer offers a one year repair/replacement warranty. I got mine for $45.50, the manufacturer charges a few bucks more, $56.99 on their ebay page (both with free shipping.) Cheap enough that it's easy enough to warrant getting a warranty, but $10 more + $20 for shipping to get it back just put it just barely in the "I'll risk it" department.<br />
<br />
<b>Final Judgement:</b><br />
<br />
All this for $45??? Personal opinion: Hells yes, get these. They have everything you need, and for those who shoot all manual, nothing you don't. Perfect location kit flashes.<br />
<br />
I'll be putting up more information as i put them through their paces over the next few weeks, add to the information above, as well as testing what you guys ask of me.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861382536659708602.post-32072827418833588822011-02-20T19:09:00.000-08:002011-03-16T23:21:53.182-07:00I've only got $500, surely I can't get enough equipment to do anything good?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQAaBW5DfFvrKmsNXDkUuS-Ooy8dSqEmwww5i9RpykTYVR0qAhRu0Xxt8W9mhxNNxN8RCEKov5UwFHoHU-htG5mZdmX1-t2jSVJlsImUc_OMhXpS10KFVpuv2L-xPickRpdqMLPB6z4ITT/s1600/_MG_0634_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQAaBW5DfFvrKmsNXDkUuS-Ooy8dSqEmwww5i9RpykTYVR0qAhRu0Xxt8W9mhxNNxN8RCEKov5UwFHoHU-htG5mZdmX1-t2jSVJlsImUc_OMhXpS10KFVpuv2L-xPickRpdqMLPB6z4ITT/s400/_MG_0634_web.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Can you build a solid kit for $500?</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b> </b>I think you can. Shown to the left is one of my favorite shots ever from back when I had my first kit. Did I have to invest thousands of dollars to get quality images? Nope. Is it the greatest photo ever on the face of the planet? Nope, but it's something <i>I'm proud of,</i> an image of respectable quality, regardless of its minor flaws, that helped me book more work.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/02/ive-only-got-500-surely-i-cant-get.html">Read More</a></div><div style="text-align: right;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">My first "full" kit was a Canon XTi, 50mm 1.8 with two Vivitar 285HV flashes on cheap stands, with Ebay umbrellas, triggered with Cactus V2 triggers.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Total investment: just under $500, most would consider this cheap for a camera, lens, two lights, stands, modifiers, and triggers.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Late model entry level cameras can be easily found for around $200. I've regularly seen Canon XT, XTi, XS, 10D, 20D, Nikon d40, d50, d60, d70, d70s. Sony a200, a300, and a few others (body only) for $200-$250. Let's assume you got an XTi body for $200 as I did (check of ebay shows quite a few sold recently at that price.) </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Total Invested: $200</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Second investment is a lens. The mark II version of the 18-55mm kit lens is quite nice, (speaking for canon) it keeps surprising me, but the mark I version, the one that came with the XTi, is less impressive. All in all, the kit lenses for any entry level cameras isn't going to be the best thing ever, but if used correctly, will do the job, and get you started. If you find a great deal on a camera body with the older kit lens, it's still a good place to start. Another strong contender is the <a href="http://www.shootingonabudget.com/2011/03/50mm-18-thifty-fifty.html">50mm 1.8</a> (1.7 for the minolta mount for sony series) Used, $75-100, new for $100-$125. Very fast lenses, Very sharp, very few flaws. This is the lens I suggest getting, simply because at the price point... nothing else compares. If you want a zoom, the kit lenses, or older consumer grade lenses can do the job, just research the lenses extensively. I'm a big fan of Canon's EF 28-105 3.5-4.5 II. Sharp, decently fast, good range, good contrast, low CA, for $150 I don't regret buying it at all. Let's assume you spend $125 on a lens, going for new 50mm, or a used, decent zoom.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Total Invested: $325</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Flashes! This has recently become a point that I've become very vocal about. I've shot with top of the line Canon and Nikon speedlites, Vivitars that are older than I am, 20 year old Nikon SBs, beastly Metz, and I've completely fallen in love with the YongNuo flashes. Ive got two <a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/02/flash-on-budget-yongnuo-yn560.html">YN560s</a> and four <a href="http://www.shootingonabudget.com/2011/03/off-camera-flash-on-budget-yn460ii.html">YN460II</a>s. Surprisingly enough, the older <a href="http://www.shootingonabudget.com/2011/03/off-camera-flash-on-budget-yn460ii.html">YN460II</a>s are just as powerful as the new 560s when used in an umbrella or softbox, but cost much lower, $45. Let's pick up two of them for ya for $90.<br />
<br />
Total Invested $415<br />
<br />
Let's trigger the lights now. $360 for Pocketwizards are out of the question, but if you've read my post on the <a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/02/ocf-on-budget-yongnuo-rf-602.html">RF-602s</a>, you know my opinion of them. Pick up a set for $30 ($50 if you want two receivers, but don't go crazy, we're on a budget here! You'll live with setting the second flash on optical slave mode for now.)<br />
<br />
Total Invested: $445 - We're getting close.<br />
<br />
Stands, Brackets and Modifiers. The last step in completing our kit. <a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/02/cowboy-studios-great-deal-or-stay-hell.html">Cowboy Studios Speedlite Kit</a>. As reviewed in the article, it's nothing fancy, but gets the job done, they hold your flashes , hold an umbrella, and let you point it at your subject. Two kits, $40 each with shipping, brings the cost up to $80 finishing up the kit.<br />
<br />
Total Invested: $525.<br />
<br />
Opps, just a bit over $500. But hell, you just got a complete, solid kit for just $525. If you go an alternate route, and start with one light, you're sitting pretty at $440, can't complain with that. If someone told you when you first started that you could get a full kit for less than the cost of a new, entry level DSLR (body only, mind you) would you have thought them crazy? Well maybe I am, but my first clients thought the work I provided for them was fantastic, and the few magazine covers shot with my $500 kit sure made my day.<br />
<br />
Remember, If you know what the hell you're doing, you can use any piece of equipment to its full potential.<br />
<br />
Happy Shooting.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861382536659708602.post-83784828426580482242011-02-15T13:51:00.000-08:002011-02-16T02:31:23.111-08:00Budgetographer: Angela Michelle Perez.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dFJUp1vgDiLrnzbqPLa1MWUIzHFatT3VJTXySzmeaqkleYQ5rpdBshLhUWj15B2TX5FoB_-VuNoqpUcgtRjkZ7MyrZVx5Ux8KlIAcBMvXnaOX557JhxuS5RMrW3Zr8quYLAaApZ0VmH2/s1600/4a51a9c420a3d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dFJUp1vgDiLrnzbqPLa1MWUIzHFatT3VJTXySzmeaqkleYQ5rpdBshLhUWj15B2TX5FoB_-VuNoqpUcgtRjkZ7MyrZVx5Ux8KlIAcBMvXnaOX557JhxuS5RMrW3Zr8quYLAaApZ0VmH2/s320/4a51a9c420a3d.jpg" width="218" /></a></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Budgetographer: Angela Michelle Perez.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> Occasionally I'll tell you about photographers who inspire me, while living the budget lifestyle. Photographers who beat the odds, and create beautiful work with budget equipment. These photographers know what the hell they're doing, push the limits of their equipment, and serve as an inspiration to all of us who operate on a budget.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Hopefully you'll be inspired as well by some of these featured photographers.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Meet our first Budgetographer, <a href="http://www.angelaperez.co.cc/">Angela Michelle Perez.</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/02/budgetographer-angela-michelle-perez.html">Read More</a></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> All of us have our own reasons to shoot on a budget. Personally, I've <a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/02/identify-your-needs.html">identified my needs</a>, and know that lower priced equipment can meet them, and as a full time student, I kinda like to have dinner on my table.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> Angela: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">"I shoot on a budget because when I picked up photography I already had a family and many bills and no extra money to support such an expensive hobby. So in order to do what I love I work with whatever I can get my hands on. At one point I was able to save up for a few years and get somewhat decent equipment but it got stolen and I had no insurance at the time so I had to start up again from nothing. Saving is almost impossible in my household, living paycheck to paycheck. So in order for me to make photography work I have to find my ways around it and cut corners."</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> Very admirable dedication, having to start over from scratch is hard work, I've done it myself back in the film days, and it took me a few years to get back on my feet. Let's see what she's using now.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> Angela: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">"Currently Canon 30D with grip, 35-80mm lens, 2 Flashpoint II 150watts monolights, Flashpoint Softbox with grid, Flashpoint Umbrella, 4 color gels, 2 cheap Impact stand, 1 roll of grey seamless paper, and a Savage port-a-stand."</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> Nothing fancy, everything mentioned is considered the bottom rung of the photographic ladder, and most people couldn't imagine shooting this stuff with it, but damn, have you seen her work? What are her experiences with pro level gear?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> Angela: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">"At one point I owned the Canon 70-200mm F4L to me that purchase was expensive for 1 single lens but in reality it is Canon's lowest priced L series lens. The lens blew me out of the water. I was able to borrow a IS 2.8L version and I did not notice any difference in image quality. I actually felt the f4 was sharper, the only difference was the weight and I preferred the F4 because it was lighter. So don't be fooled by the price tag."</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> The 70-200 f4L is one of my favorite lenses, I've rented it on a few occasions. For us on a budget, $600 is a stretch, but should definitely be one of the first lenses to consider when budget constraints allow.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> I recently had a run-in with a client. I shoot with a 40D, and when the client heard, he threw a fit. Turns out, he just bought his high school aged daughter a Canon 7D which was "miles ahead of a 40D" At the end of the day, the images changed his mind. Angela hasn't had the issue with clients, but has had similar issues when dealing with peers.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> Angela: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">"The only issues I have had so far is when I'm around other photographers, They don't take me seriously or think that my work can't be any good because of the equipment I'm using. But usually when I open my book they are proven otherwise. So far I haven't had a client questioned my gear, They usually see my website or my portfolio before they see what I am shooting with so most know that I will deliver the same quality. But I wouldn't be surprised if further down the road I will bump into a client who will questioned me regarding equipment."</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> Angela is a fantastic photographer, who creates beautiful fashion work, and is someone we can all look up to, I know I do. We're glad you're a Budgetographer, Angela.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Check out her work at her website:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><a href="http://www.angelaperez.co.cc/" style="color: #22229c;">http://www.angelaperez.co.cc/</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">you'll be glad you did.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj73ytKTLmiyDQHVrgWTr3mqYv1LhDFm2iajjhv-QEo-ul0fhU0aUYB6e5dCa3M_o0Qy-1xgGnud29TZmT4Gws99QnlrPyoOlhnXvm930OvkFbMXnFn0MmtaST_eR9rwtbNPTBplminksm0/s1600/angelamichelleperez.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj73ytKTLmiyDQHVrgWTr3mqYv1LhDFm2iajjhv-QEo-ul0fhU0aUYB6e5dCa3M_o0Qy-1xgGnud29TZmT4Gws99QnlrPyoOlhnXvm930OvkFbMXnFn0MmtaST_eR9rwtbNPTBplminksm0/s640/angelamichelleperez.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861382536659708602.post-19622544105473671682011-02-11T21:19:00.000-08:002011-02-11T21:35:24.487-08:00OCF on a budget: YongNuo RF-602<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.jayleavitt.com/links/rf602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://www.jayleavitt.com/links/rf602.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<b>YongNuo RF-602 Remote Trigger</b><br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This article is to review, and give some information on YongNuo's RF-602 Remote Trigger system. This is their second trigger system. (CTR-301 being the other popular system) with this one surpassing the last. Let's start with the documented information, the stuff they put on fliers and ads, then get into practical use.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/02/ocf-on-budget-yongnuo-rf-602.html">Read More</a><br />
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-triggers hotshoe, 1/8" jack, along with an adapter for 1/4" studio strobes<br />
-sync up to 1/250<br />
-has a range of 100 meters<br />
-as a remote shutter release, full-way press thre release button starts continuous or long exposure.<br />
-2.4GHz band, with 16 frequencies<br />
-half-way press and full-way press<br />
-20,000 fire battery life (CR2 lithium battery in transmitter)<br />
-Receiver stand-by time: up to 45 hours (AAA battery)<br />
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<b>First impression and build:</b><br />
Feels very solid. If someone handed me this kit and said: "Yo, look at this new name-brand trigger kit, they're priced the same as CyberSyncs." I would believe them. They feel well made, they don't have loose pieces that fall off like the Cactus V2s. The on/off switch is solid, the channel toggles are inset, and not easy to accidentally move. The receivers are low profile (much improvement over cactus) with a 1/4" screw on the bottom (I attach these directly to umbrella brackets, so it's useful and will keep it solidly in place.) Two design flaws: 1: on/off switch gets covered by the flash when mounted... just turn em on before attaching the flash :) 2: Transmitter does not have a locking ring, mine fits tight, but it's not too hard to remove, could cause an issue if bumped, causing it to fall.<br />
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<b>Sync and Distance:</b><br />
I tested this as both a remote flash trigger and shutter release system. Firstly, I'll talk about range. It says it works up to 100 meters, but I went outside, and tested every 10 meters. I was successful 100% up to 120 meters, with success falling off from there to about 140 meters. Indoors, it worked fantastically. Flash in kitchen fired when I was in the living room, bedroom, inside closet in the bedroom, garage. Fired from anywhere in the house. Another good note: I was able to get full flash sync of 1/250, whereas I'd get banding at 1/160 with Cactus V2, and, I've heard from people with d70s, it works at 1/4000. I'll test this myself once I find a camera with an electronic shutter. As a remote shutter release, it's also effective (though I did not test range, it should be the same, since it's just a signal) I set my camera on Auto (eww) and tested the half-press on the transmitter. The flash metered, the camera caught focus, and fired at full-press. I've been wanting to buy a remote shutter release, and no longer have to :D<br />
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<b>Accessories:</b><br />
I purchased a 2 reveiver kit, and was mailed 3 boxes. I got a full kit (receiver and transmitter) and a second receiver, along with the shutter release in the third box. Each receiver came with the receiver, batteries, cable (ending in a 1/8" jack) with a 1/8" to 1/4" jack adapter.<br />
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<b>Warranty:</b><br />
The manufacturer, <a href="http://shop.ebay.com/hkyongnuophotoequipment/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p4340">HKYongnuoequipment</a> (14264 seller rating, 99.7% positive) offers a one year warranty.<br />
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<b>Final Thoughts:</b><br />
Solid, well-build, and (so far in my testing, currently at about 15,000 fires) reliable flash triggers and wireless shutter system this cheap?<br />
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Transmitter + receiver: $35 or so, with add'l reveivers for $20ish.<br />
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Hells Yes.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861382536659708602.post-85401324962878509352011-02-10T02:28:00.000-08:002011-02-10T23:48:08.766-08:00Cowboy Studios: great deal or stay the hell away?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41+V+m4T-uL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41+V+m4T-uL.jpg" width="200" /></a></div> Everyone has to start somewhere, right? Now the question comes to mind: Do you spend $200 on a great, solid stand, bracket and modifier, or $40 for a basic one that gets the job done and gives you a basis on which to grow?<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"> Even though this blog is all about doing as much as possible while spending as little as possible, I won't tell you to go out and get something just because it's the least expensive around, that'd be irresponsible of me, and a waste of your time. The gear I suggest and review here will be all be from firsthand experience, and I'll strive to be as unbiased as I can, but sometimes I admit, I do fall in love with certain products. Let's get started with talking about Cowboy Studios. </div><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/02/cowboy-studios-great-deal-or-stay-hell.html">Read More</a></div><a name='more'></a><br />
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Specifically, Cowboy Studio's Speedlite Flash Kit.<br />
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I've long been a proponent of off camera lighting using speedlites, it has many benefits, lightweight, compact, and oftentimes very inexpensive ($100 or so for light, receiver, stand, bracket, umbrella.) As you may have read from my <a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/02/off-camera-flash-on-budget.html">Off Camera Flash on a Budget</a> post, you need 5 things to build an OCF kit, stand, bracket, modifier, trigger and flash. A kit like this gets you 3/5 of the way there.<br />
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Basic kits like this contain a stand, usually 6' (non air cushioned,) a flash bracket which holds a flash and an umbrella, and a 33" umbrella.<br />
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Are the stands the most sturdy things around? No, will they hold your lights? Absolutely. Throw an ankleweight you got from walmart, or a DIY sandbag from an old pair of jeans, and you're good to go under most circumstances. Umbrella brackets are umbrella brackets, (though I do advise to stay away from cheap ballhead brackets) and even the $10 ones do the job well, they hold your light and an umbrella. The ones I use I think I paid $15 for, are similar to the ones here, and have never given me an issue. Umbrellas, I place in the same category. They reflect light, or allow it to pass through. Most umbrellas will act similarly, but cheaper ones might have cheaper construction, or start to experience color shift after 3-4 years as opposed to 4-8.<br />
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Should you get this kit if you've got $100 or so to spare? No. Get a heavy duty 13' stand, a solid bracket, and a nice Westcott umbrella.<br />
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Should you get this kit if you've only got $40 for a kit? Hells yes! Then start saving some of the money you get from using this kit, and slowly upgrade the components. Modifiers, then stands, then bracket, in my personal opinion.<br />
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Budget photography is all about this. Get what you need, and USE IT to progress, get gigs that you otherwise couldn't get, and become a better photographer.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861382536659708602.post-48445192458377046182011-02-09T15:26:00.000-08:002011-08-16T12:23:04.784-07:00Work with what you've got - Apartmentstudio<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.jayleavitt.com/links/studio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://www.jayleavitt.com/links/studio.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Work with what you've got - Apartmentstudio</b><br />
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You've got to start somewhere, right? For me that has meant Basementstudio, Kitchenstudio and currently, Apartmentstudio.<br />
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Similar results as a normal studio, while saving either $1500 a month, or $75 an hour? Sign me up!<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"> I cannot afford to support a full-time studio. I simply do not have the clientele to support one. So the options left to me are renting a studio, which generally costs $50-$75 per hour, or <b>work with what I had</b>. I went the route any photographer on a budget would go: Apartmentstudio!</div><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/02/work-with-what-youve-got-kitchenstudio.html">Read More</a></div><a name='more'></a><br />
Does it have limitations? Yes. As shown above, there's too much bounce fill, so shooting high contrast with dark shadows is kinda rough, but turning the rig sideways, and shooting through the opening to the dining room allows for much more space to the left and right, minimizing bounce, and increasing my options.<br />
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I love shooting there. It's home, it's got everything I need, there's plenty of Diet Coke in the fridge, and on the off chance the model doesn't show up, I'm not out any money for a rented studio, and I just go back to the computer or TV.<br />
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For what I shoot, it gives me what I need, and produces images similar to, or identical to what I would get at a full-time studio. I still rent a studio when my needs dictate, big clients, using studio resources I do not have on my own.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJobavPGOlPFS8Q9w_Cq9p-GDgRkaUKI5ODw18giUXeMKEr3yQETAZgCIDzC_GYcyHr3YY6fYTNK-Dw8jAaFjJt_-a_dvLHpY1p9h_5mtlPOSA3QICwpG47mt_82RNhFC_B-rrvEInFzU4/s1600/IMG_6612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJobavPGOlPFS8Q9w_Cq9p-GDgRkaUKI5ODw18giUXeMKEr3yQETAZgCIDzC_GYcyHr3YY6fYTNK-Dw8jAaFjJt_-a_dvLHpY1p9h_5mtlPOSA3QICwpG47mt_82RNhFC_B-rrvEInFzU4/s400/IMG_6612.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Previous to this, I shot in my downstairs living room. I had 11'x26' open space, so enough for seamless paper, three or four lights, I was able to have the model six feet from the background, and shoot from another ten to twelve feet (I like shooting longer lengths, 85mm or so for full body, etc)<br />
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I <a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/02/identify-your-needs.html">identified my needs</a>, and found that I could get what I needed, produce the images I wanted by utilizing resources I already had available. By working with what I've got, and <i>making what I've got work for me</i>, I'm able to push the limits of my equipment, grow and progress, while saving money.<br />
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Happy Shooting.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861382536659708602.post-15333045860739848672011-02-08T16:15:00.000-08:002011-03-06T14:13:02.968-08:00Identify your needs.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiokMqRKef4sxLPlSa91ObG1sk9uhyox6f3TI-iJ7I5eesfB0upKC32of1iMfQPGLbpjzMHRJl8c7qMT0PnrBI_xeQGzCmNIFfcjCCTmWthaULr6U4KqE9vR5H85NrOQGxm7ozCxO2ApihH/s1600/isabel14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiokMqRKef4sxLPlSa91ObG1sk9uhyox6f3TI-iJ7I5eesfB0upKC32of1iMfQPGLbpjzMHRJl8c7qMT0PnrBI_xeQGzCmNIFfcjCCTmWthaULr6U4KqE9vR5H85NrOQGxm7ozCxO2ApihH/s400/isabel14.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Identify your needs.</b><br />
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I want a 1DsIII, an H4D60, Profoto D1 Airs, everything holding my gear to be Manfrotto and Gitzo. I want an EF 70-200 2.8L IS II and 85mm 1.2. I want $6,000 parabolic umbrellas and other ridiculously expensive modifiers.<br />
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Do I need any of it? Not quite yet.<br />
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And you probably don't either.<br />
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<a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/02/identify-your-needs.html">Read More</a></div><a name='more'></a><br />
Everything I listed above, and so much other gear is expensive, and for those who can use them to their potential, well worth it.<br />
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Do you <b>need</b> a better camera?<br />
At my skill level, will I see any practical difference between my 40D and a 1DsIII? Yes, but not as much as you'd think. As my skill increases, I'll reach the limitations of my current equipment, and find upgrades that fit my <b>new</b> needs. As it stands now, <i>for the kind of work I do</i>, my 40D is perfect, and does not limit me. I "upgraded" from a Canon XTi to the 40D, not necessarily for image quality, but simply because it 'felt better.' The IQ difference is marginal, mostly color depth when editing RAW, but the slightly larger, more solid body, thumbwheel, and top LCD screen made it worth my while. Especially since I got it for such a great deal and ended up trading my XTi for about $2500 worth of lighting gear :D<br />
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Needing high ISO capabilities, faster FPS, full frame for shallower DOF, more MP for larger printing, and other factors necessitates upgrades.<br />
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Do you <b>need</b> that lens?<br />
f/2.8 zooms are fantastic, crisp, great contrast and color, and fast. With the fantastic progress in low light capabilities of DSLR bodies, sometimes it's possible to get the image by bumping the ISO a notch. Five or six years ago, to get a clean image indoors at a sporting event, wedding, or such, a photographer NEEDED to have the speed. ISO 400 was as high as some dared go to keep the image quality they needed, and f/2.8 meant they still had to shoot at 1/30. They NEEDED that lens. With cameras now having similar IQ at ISO 3200 as those older cameras had at 400. Photographers can get similar quality at 1/250, or f/8, or a middle ground of f/5.6 and 1/125. With current consumer lenses you're now capable of producing a similarly exposed image under the same lighting situations. Note that I didn't say "capable of producing images as good." The more expensive lenses will allow you to shoot shallower DOF, better autofocus, better color rendition, allow you to step down to get sharper images. For those who need them, they're fantastic, but identify your specific needs, and weigh your options.<br />
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Do you <b>need</b> those lights?<br />
I've got two light sets. Three studio strobes 750ws and 320ws as well as a 6 speedlite portable location kit. I started out with the speedlites, $40 Vivitar 285s that I got at goodwill. As I progressed, I needed more power, faster recharge, and better sync options, and invested a few bucks into getting 2 <a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/02/flash-on-budget-yongnuo-yn560.html">YongNuo YN560s</a> and after that, 4 more <a href="http://www.shootingonabudget.com/2011/03/off-camera-flash-on-budget-yn460ii.html">YN460II</a>s (all for under $350) Sometimes, though, I found I had needs that the speedlites could not fulfill. Faster recharge, more power, larger selection of modifiers. I lucked out and traded an old DSLR I no longer used for a fantastic light kit with tons of bells and whistles. Overall, all my needs are met with both kits, power and specificity when I need it, and portability and utility when need requires. Do you need power? Portability? super fast T1 times? specific modifiers? Kidnap friends' lights, rent a studio, see what they have to offer, and separate your needs from wants.<br />
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Lastly, do you <b>need</b> those modifiers?<br />
This is where I personally have the least flexibility. If you need a beauty dish for a specific look, an umbrella will not do. A gridded softbox will not do when you need a shoot-through umbrella. Modifiers all have specific uses and utility, and are usually a worthwhile investment. Start off with the basics, convertible umbrellas and a softbox or two, and build up specific pieces as the need arises.<br />
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Being perpetually broke helps me curb me giving into my wants, and focusing on my needs. It's been a slow process, but I am mostly happy with what I have, and confident that I can perform under almost any situation that is asked of me. My needs, for the most part, are satisfied, and it's time to slowly invest in increasing quality.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861382536659708602.post-17581681854735111812011-02-07T20:36:00.000-08:002011-03-06T14:12:01.316-08:00Flash on a budget: Yongnuo YN560<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ9808Z-hW5VfLn_OYCCd17Pq7N6GkUeuDw85lh-CVIA9R59IJm" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ9808Z-hW5VfLn_OYCCd17Pq7N6GkUeuDw85lh-CVIA9R59IJm" border="0" src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ9808Z-hW5VfLn_OYCCd17Pq7N6GkUeuDw85lh-CVIA9R59IJm" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><strong>Off Camera Ligthing on a Budget: YongNuo YN560</strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><strong>YongNuo YN560 Flash</strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> This article is to review, and give some information on YongNuo's YN560. This is their third flash system (460, <a href="http://www.shootingonabudget.com/2011/03/off-camera-flash-on-budget-yn460ii.html">460II</a>, 560) with each one surpassing the last. Let's start with the documented information, the stuff they put on fliers and ads, then get into practical use after the break.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><br />
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</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/02/flash-on-budget-yongnuo-yn560.html">Read More</a> </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">-Zoom range: 24mm-105mm</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">-GN: 58 @ ISO 100 @ 105mm zoom</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">-Full power to 1/128 in full and 1/8 steps</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">-Trigger modes: Manual, S1, S2</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> Manual syncs via hotshoe (on camera, no ttl, or RF trigger) or PC (non locking)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> S1 is standard optical trigger</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> S2 is optical trigger with pre-flash suppression</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">-External battery pack port.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">-3 second recharge (this is what they say, tho with NiMH / NiZN, much faster 1.5 - 2)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">-Supports 8fps shooting at 1/8 power or lower.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">-Power saving mode</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">-Overheating shutdown (I will not be testing this. Tho from what I've read, 10 full power shots, @ 2 -sec recharge will trigger this mode, easily manageable, IMO)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">-Settings saved even after power shutdown.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
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<div style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>First impression:</strong></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Feels very solid. Maybe a touch less than the flagship namebrand flashes. Gotta read the manual to figure out how to set power and in-between steps, set beep and power save modes, etc., but it's not rocket surgery, and easy to understand, once you play for a minute. The flashes look great, and won't be ashamed to show up to a big shoot with these.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Slave and Sync</strong></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">So far I've tested the PC, Optical, Optical with flash suppression and (on camera) Hotshoe syncs.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> Optical slave mode works as intended, with good range. I had one flash set on my car, and walked down the street. With the flash in my hand set at 105mm and full power, I could trigger the slave at 120ish yards (I just paced it out, but a good distance) ¼ power 95ish yards, 1/16 85ish yards (again, paced out, but a good distance)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> I tested S2 mode, optical with pre-flash suppression. The only flash I could test this with was my onboard flash from my Canon 40D. The onboard triggered the slave at 40 feet (across kitchen into living room) It also triggered at 45 degrees at the same distance, as well as 20 feet, fired in the opposite direction. Both optical modes are robust, and sensitive enough to be very useful.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Practical Power</strong></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Guid Number of 58 is kinda vanity for how most of us here will use these flashes. Sure for sports, and other things, where you can set to 105mm, that much power is useful, but used in modifiers, set to 24 or 35mm zoom, the power is less, and if other reviews that say they metered f29 @ 10 feet, it's less of a practical explanation for us. I set the flash in a 36" Westcott silver umbrella, with the zoom set to 28mm to fill it. At ISO 100, full power 6 feet, (so 8' or so, flash to umbrella, to subject) I got a well exposed subject at f11. In other words... It's got some respectable juice, and, so dropping to ISO 400, ¼ power for battery life and speed, you've still got plenty of light, and more if you need distance.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Accessories</strong></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Being pretty much a 580EXII clone, most 3rd party modifiers eg. Snoots, grids, beauty dishes, etc, will fit. Both mine actually came with a sto fen omnibounce diffuser. Bonus!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Warranty</strong></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">At this price-point, it's below my personal "get the warranty" level. However... the manufacturer offers a one year repair/replacement warranty. I got mine for $73, the manufacturer charges $86 on their ebay page (both with free shipping.) Cheap enough that it's easy enough to warrant getting a warranty, but $15 more + $20 for shipping to get it back just put it just barely in the "I'll risk it" department.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://shop.ebay.com/hkyongnuophotoequipment/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p4340%20" style="color: #22229c;">hkyongnuophotoequipment</a> (14264 seller rating, 99.7% pos) - one year warranty.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">All this for $73-$86??? Personal opinion: Hells yes, get these. They have everything you need, and for those who shoot all manual, nothing you don't. Perfect location kit flashes.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I'll be putting up more information as i put them through their paces over the next few weeks, add to the information above, as well as testing what you guys ask of me.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861382536659708602.post-46126202232934230962011-02-07T18:00:00.000-08:002011-08-16T12:23:44.714-07:00Off Camera Flash on a Budget<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.jayleavitt.com/img/location_in2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="http://www.jayleavitt.com/img/location_in2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><strong>Off Camera Flash on a Budget.</strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> I’ve been getting a lot of emails lately about my flash setups, and how to cheaply get started with Off Camera Flash (OCF) since I laud and comment on the ‘strobist on a budget’ lifestyle any chance I get. Moving your lights off your camera, or starting to use lights in general is a completely new ballgame, and in my case, changed everything.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/02/off-camera-flash-on-budget.html">Read More</a></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">What you’ll need, the basics:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">-Flash capable of full manual control.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">-Some way to trigger them.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">-stand.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">-light modifier.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><strong>Flashes</strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">This is what it’s all about, and no, you do not need to spend $450 on the top of the line, TTL flashes, they’re good for a lot of things, but I personally prefer the “dumb” flashes, because you have full control over what they do, and how they perform. Here are my suggestions, in order of preference, and a general idea of price.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/02/flash-on-budget-yongnuo-yn560.html">Yongnuo YN560</a>* $75</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">LumoPro LP160* $150</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><a href="http://www.shootingonabudget.com/2011/03/off-camera-flash-on-budget-yn460ii.html">Yongnuo YN460II</a>* $45</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">LumoPro LP120* $100</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Nikon SB26* $120</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Vivitar 285HV $60</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Nikon SB24/25/28 $100</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Sunpak 383 $60</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">*** indicated optical slave mode***</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">As you can see, most of these are</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><em>quite</em></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">affordable. I personally use Vivitar 285HVs, <a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/02/flash-on-budget-yongnuo-yn560.html">YN560</a>, and <a href="http://www.shootingonabudget.com/2011/03/off-camera-flash-on-budget-yn460ii.html">YN460II</a>'s. The <a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/02/flash-on-budget-yongnuo-yn560.html">YN560</a> and the LP160 match the current most powerful flashes on the market (580exII) the <a href="http://www.shootingonabudget.com/2011/03/off-camera-flash-on-budget-yn460ii.html">YN460II</a> and the LP120 are one step below on paper (but in a modifier, the YN460II is slightly more powerful than them all,) and the rest are a bit lower, at about GN80-100. I suggest getting one kit to start with, practice and learn that, then move on and add more flashes as you progress.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><strong>Triggers</strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">There’s a bit to think about here. Do you get the big guys, Pocket Wizards, which will be 100% reliable and do absolutely everything you need and grow with your kit? Do you get the cheapo ones that work 99%+ (in my case) and save up for more kit? Maybe somewhere in the middle? I’ll list some of the popular options.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Pocket Wizards - $10,000 (okay, they’re like what, $180 per piece, so $300+ for one light, but they’re the gold standard, and will not fail you)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Alienbee Cybersyncs - $60-$80 per piece</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Skyports - $180 per set</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/02/ocf-on-budget-yongnuo-rf-602.html">Yongnuo RF-602</a> - $40 ($20 per add'l receiver)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Yongnuo CTR-301 - $30 ($10 per add’l receiver)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Cactus V4s - $30 ($10 per add’l receiver)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">As you can see there’s quite a price gap here. Yes the expensive ones are awesome, and will do absolutely everything you need them to do. But, under a lot of circumstances, so will the cheap ones. I’d suggest the <a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/02/ocf-on-budget-yongnuo-rf-602.html">RF-602 kit</a>; it’s cheap, and from my experience (15,000 fires) and friends who use it, 100% reliable up to 100+ feet. I would suggest, if you plan on growing, and have some flexibility, invest here, the better trigger kits will last you ages, and grow with your gear.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><strong>Stands</strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">There’s not too much here. I personally use $30 air cushioned 8’ stands, which work well for me, if you’re cutting budget, I’ve seen 6’ ones run $20, not bad. Again, if you’ve got some budget to spare, look into a heavy duty 10’ stand, it’ll grow with you, and better capable of supporting heavier lights and booms. One thing to consider is collapsed size, one big thing about strobism is portability, and you can find some light stands that collapse to 18” for easy packing, mine collapse to about 24’ which isn’t too hard to manage. You’ll also need umbrella brackets; they run $15 or so? They just hold your flash, with a hole for the umbrella, and lets you tilt and swivel.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><strong>Modifiers</strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Also not going to go into much detail here. Chances are, with flashes, you’ll be relying on umbrellas, I’m a fan of “umbrellaboxes” you shoot into them, and the reflected light is diffused, nice large, soft light, and usually quite cheap. I’d suggest having a few, silver, white, shoot through, etc. DIY cereal box snoots, grids, beauty dishes are also easy enough to make.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">So… What would I suggest to get started?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Super budget:</span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><a href="http://www.shootingonabudget.com/2011/03/off-camera-flash-on-budget-yn460ii.html">Yongnuo YN460II</a> $45<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">CTR-301 $30</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">6' lightstand + bracket $25</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Umbrella (24” silver / shoot through)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> $15</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> $115</span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Suggested:</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/02/flash-on-budget-yongnuo-yn560.html">Yongnuo YN560</a> $70</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/02/ocf-on-budget-yongnuo-rf-602.html">Yongnuo RF-602</a> $30</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">8’ air cushioned stand + bracket $45</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Umbrella (42” silver / shoot through)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> $20</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> $165</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">IMO, $115-$165 to get started in off camera lighting is not bad. It opens up a lot of creative doors, and lets you shoot in a lot of new situations, with the added benefit of being super portable.</span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Have fun shooting.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Sapir Sans', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"></span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861382536659708602.post-62902260813129062482011-02-07T17:31:00.000-08:002011-02-10T01:04:06.365-08:00Welcome to Photography on a Budget<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGzzFXmvIBC-a9pGkXOY3daaCKY7ZpMQQZHMZVyG2ye2rM_s5fWHIlfm2Z3gPo1-zuxYjje0Z3dL9lJh7zNAhARqPYcSO-jd4T19DsfeK8wWKZfITFZs-DF4vEe8382fVqDKE63rFCxH9P/s1600/elayna_7x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGzzFXmvIBC-a9pGkXOY3daaCKY7ZpMQQZHMZVyG2ye2rM_s5fWHIlfm2Z3gPo1-zuxYjje0Z3dL9lJh7zNAhARqPYcSO-jd4T19DsfeK8wWKZfITFZs-DF4vEe8382fVqDKE63rFCxH9P/s400/elayna_7x.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Photography is an expensive hobby. However, it doesn't have to be. As I progress as a photographer, I've found more and more alternatives that produce quality images, at a fraction of the price. I believe that budget is often one of the most limiting factors in progression. More of a mental block, really.<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://photographyonthecheap.blogspot.com/2011/02/welcome-to-photography-on-budget.html">Read More</a></div><div style="text-align: right;"></div><a name='more'></a><br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"If a professional light kit is $4,000, there's no way I can get comparable results with a $50 flash!"</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"Canon wants $2,500 for an L lens?! there's no way I can get great images with a $300 one!"<br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">It's thinking like that that keeps people from experimenting, from taking that step and completely learning their equipment, and pushing it to the limits, which may end up surprising the user. I've seen absolutely mind-blowing results from a professional using an "outdated" Canon 300D with cheap, plastic 50mm 1.8 and a couple $40 Vivitar flashes.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">On this website, I'll be writing articles on every cheap alternative I find, from cameras, lenses, lighting, modifiers, techniques, DIY, and everything else I can think of, along with featured photographers, both those who are just plain amazing, as well as those who showcase the fact that you can do anything you want with limited equipment.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Happy Shooting</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.jayleavitt.com/links/fashion_collage1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://www.jayleavitt.com/links/fashion_collage1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0