Event shooters solution using studio strobes.

[fotografz]

I've been struggling with this issue for a long time and tried a few different approaches, but have finally landed on a way to do it without impacting the over-all shoot ... which is more on-camera fill, candid type shooting.

Here's a photo of my lastest set up: a D700 on a modified Stroboframe flip bracket using a SU800 commander for iTTL ... this allows me to remove the SB900 from the quick release and hold it anywhere I wish.

The recent addition of Hensel Pro Plus mono heads that can be adjusted right from the camera using their "Strobe Wizard" transmitter is what allowed full control of each head (up to any of number heads using 3 different channel groupings.) Or I can adjust "ALL" using the 4th setting on the transmitter.

I mounted the Transmitter upside down because both it and the flash QR wouldn't fit side by side on my existing flip bracket ... which actually turned out to be better anyway since it keeps it out of the way. The transmitter is triggered separately by a sync cord to the camera's sync port while the SU800 Commander is triggered by the hot shoe.

This is a nifty set up for a lot of applications, and I thought I'd share it for others to consider :angel:

 

[Ben Rubinstein]

That Hensel unit is very cute, wish I could get something like it for my AB's which I love for event work due to their price, size and weight and practical indistructability.

 

[fotografz]

Yeah Ben, when I found out I could get like new demos of 500w/s radio controlled Hensel monos for $550. each I jumped on it ... they're also built like tanks which, as you know, is a requirement for event work.

What are you using to anchor your light stands at receptions? IMO, sand bags are to big/heavy/bulky. I was looking at those 3lb clip-on weights ... small and not to much more weight.

 

[Ben Rubinstein]

I'm not! Those AB's have had plenty 8 ft tumbles! I really do need to get round to sandbagging, which clip on weights are you referring too? A trick I've found is to run the wire through and around the base so that anything snagging the wire will pull from the bottom sliding the stand rather from the top and toppling it. That and loads of gaffer tape, I have a running order every few weeks with my supplier!

 

[fotografz]

I'm not! Those AB's have had plenty 8 ft tumbles! I really do need to get round to sandbagging, which clip on weights are you referring too? A trick I've found is to run the wire through and around the base so that anything snagging the wire will pull from the bottom sliding the stand rather from the top and toppling it. That and loads of gaffer tape, I have a running order every few weeks with my supplier!

hey Ben, the weights are cool ... I've used them before. B&H stocks them.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/shop/1363/Counterweights.html

They are supposed to be for booms but are a lot easier to lug around than stand bags ... just clip them to the back leg of the light stand as a counter weight. Not quite as good as big sand bags, but those are so bulky that I'd never take them to a wedding.

What we need are super HD water bags that you could fill up in the Hall's bathroom ... LOL. Gee, a hot water bottle is almost big enough! Now that would be classy huh? "Would you like an enema with your photos?" :ROTFL:

Of course Gaffer's tape is standard equipment ... a roll in every bag : -)

 

[Guy Mancuso]

I use those weights all the time. I usually put them on the center column of the light stand though. Distributes the weight better and sometimes use two of them.

I bought Davids Elinchrom 600 watt units 3 of them and also got a new Ranger with two heads. I replaced my whole lighting setup for more power. Just need to sell my old lights to help pay for it all.

 

[Jack]

Hi Marc:

FWIW I can do a very similar set-up as you've shown above with my Mamiya AFD and Elinchrom Skyport receivers and transmitters with my old Norman 200C on camera (use it bare-bulb on camera and dialed way down) or my Metz 54 on-camera along with my Elinchrom Rangers. It is a slick set up!

:thumbs:

 

[fotografz]

Can you radio control each of the strobes from the camera Jack? That's a sweet way of working ... especially when the heads are 10 feet up and 150 feet away.

 

[Jack]

Can you radio control each of the strobes from the camera Jack? That's a sweet way of working ... especially when the heads are 10 feet up and 150 feet away.

Yes, but I am limited to 4 banks being adjusted separately with the Skyport. It has 4 channels, and RX Elinchroms can be adjusted by the on-camera Skyport transmitter -- that's what the RX means, remote adjustability over the the Skyport synch. So I can choose any or all channels and all RX strobes on the corresponding receiver channel will receive the same amount of adjustment up or down. For example, I may have one pair of lights at a 2:1 ratio on channel 1 and a second set of fill lights 2 stops down on channel 2. I could increase channel 1 by 1/2 stop and still maintain the 2:1 ratio on that bank while leaving bank 2 unchanged and thus 2-1/2 stops under the channel 1 pair. I could then adjust the channel 2 bank up or down separately as desired from the channel 1 bank.

Obviously my old Norman or Metz won't adjust via the RX feature of the Skyport, but since they're used on-camera anyway, I can adjust them directly.

 

[fotografz]

Yes, but I am limited to 4 banks being adjusted separately with the Skyport. It has 4 channels, and RX Elinchroms can be adjusted by the on-camera Skyport transmitter -- that's what the RX means, remote adjustability over the the Skyport synch. So I can choose any or all channels and all RX strobes on the corresponding receiver channel will receive the same amount of adjustment up or down. For example, I may have one pair of lights at a 2:1 ratio on channel 1 and a second set of fill lights 2 stops down on channel 2. I could increase channel 1 by 1/2 stop and still maintain the 2:1 ratio on that bank while leaving bank 2 unchanged and thus 2-1/2 stops under the channel 1 pair. I could then adjust the channel 2 bank up or down separately as desired from the channel 1 bank.

Obviously my old Norman or Metz won't adjust via the RX feature of the Skyport, but since they're used on-camera anyway, I can adjust them directly.

Yep, same deal with the Hensel ... except it's 3 channels/banks of lights and "All," which for my intended application I'll probably never use.

 

[Ben Rubinstein]

Only extra would be to have a tiny LCD showing you what the current power of the 'Group' is at, saves the experimenting I suppose if you aren't sure how any times you hit the buttons or what it was before you started.

 

[fotografz]

Only extra would be to have a tiny LCD showing you what the current power of the 'Group' is at, saves the experimenting I suppose if you aren't sure how any times you hit the buttons or what it was before you started.

Yeah Ben, that would be perfect. I wonder if anyone has such a thing?

 

[Jack]

Yes, Profoto when you've got em all hooked to your laptop :ROTFL:

 

[fotografz]

Yes, Profoto when you've got em all hooked to your laptop :ROTFL:

Yeah, we need to invent a sort of Sandwich Board rig to walk around with your laptop while shooting a wedding ....

 

[Jack]

Yeah, we need to invent a sort of Sandwich Board rig to walk around with your laptop while shooting a wedding ....

It's called an assistant (kidding)

BUT maybe a great opportunity for a combo hardware/iPhone app...

 

[LJL]

As long as we are wishing.... How about a device that is both a wireless transmitter able to handle the various channels and adjustments for off-camera lighting in addition to being able to transmit (Wi-Fi?) to other receivers. Think of a combo PocketWizard/Skyport thingie with a touchscreen that allows all control adjustments, PLUS being able to beam the embedded JPEG to other receivers, like the AD and others holding their iPhones to see the results. Yeah, that is asking a lot, but that would be a very cool ticket for sure. If they could not get the Wi-Fi part worked out yet, at least having an iPhone-like touch screen for the lighting control would be very cool and useful.

O.K., time to wake up and struggle with the real world again :-(

LJ

 

[Ben Rubinstein]

Alien Bees have a wired remote which has sliding switches same as on the back of the lights and I assume they overide so that you can see the power setting and adjust for 4 lights at the same time. If they had a radio setup in small with buttons or something I would buy it in a second.

 

[ChrisDauer]

AB have a wireless one as well; but IIRC, there are some issues with it working properly under certain conditions. Unfortunately there were a LOT of conditions where they wouldn't (frequency band was highly used by many other devices); so I think they discontinued them (or possibly just disclaimered them so much no one buys them anymore.)

There were talks about integrating PW's with the wireless power setting controls but that never materialized.