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Sony Alpha MIS Strobe/Flash Options

dmward

Member
How are sony flashes incorporated into the system?
Two options, based on my understanding without testing anything;
A) use the optical wireless option. (That negates the X system benefits.)
B) use the X system receivers for Sony Multi-function shoe flash units. (when they become available.)

Which is the same options I have for my Nissin Di700a and Air Commander system.
That means, for me the Nissin kit will be on the Buy and Sell forum soon.
 

dmward

Member
Here is an image, straight from camera, expect of for square crop, with two 600TTL one camera left about 30 degrees, fill just camera right. Ratio was about 1:2. This was shot for a make up artist's website.



Note: Spot metering, camera settings to eliminate ambient, all the images from the shoot that I checked have the same reading 80% +/- on her brow just between eye brows.
 

dmward

Member
I did a shoot today and decided to use TTL and FEL with A7RII and 600TTL.
It worked like a charm.
I'll post some samples and an expanded explanation on my website tomorrow.

I did the shoot after a 4 hour workshop where I was using someone else's Alien Bee lighting kit. It worked fine, but compared to FEL TTL it was no comparison.

Here is one of the last images from the shoot.
One 600TTL camera left about 60 degrees, second 600TTL just right of lens axis.
Left light was main. 0EV, right light was fill -1EV. Set TTL exposure using FEL with spot metering in middle of face.

A7R2A05152016824.jpg

More to come.
 
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fotografz

Well-known member
What modifiers are you folks using? For speed-Lights and/or mobile strobes.

I found a couple inexpensive solutions recently ... the best of which is an aluminum 28" Fotodiox Beauty dish with speed-ring, diffuser and unbelievably a 28" 50 degree grid ... under $200 for the whole set-up (a bit more for Profoto mount).

- Marc
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
What modifiers are you folks using? For speed-Lights and/or mobile strobes.

I found a couple inexpensive solutions recently ... the best of which is an aluminum 28" Fotodiox Beauty dish with speed-ring, diffuser and unbelievably a 28" 50 degree grid ... under $200 for the whole set-up (a bit more for Profoto mount).

- Marc
For my strobes, I have a Mola Demi, a Westcott 7' Parabolic Umbrella, a SMDV Speedbox A-110 on the way, and a Mola Rayo that's been sitting in my B&H cart for weeks. I like HoneyComb Grids for a slightly cheaper 3rd party option.
 

dmward

Member
What modifiers are you folks using? For speed-Lights and/or mobile strobes.

I found a couple inexpensive solutions recently ... the best of which is an aluminum 28" Fotodiox Beauty dish with speed-ring, diffuser and unbelievably a 28" 50 degree grid ... under $200 for the whole set-up (a bit more for Profoto mount).

- Marc
With the Bowens S mount on the 600 and the S bracket available for the 360 and speedlites. Just about any modifier one might want to use can be fitted with a Bowens S adapter ring and installed.

I have found the Buff foldable soft boxes work well, along with Fotodiox EZ-Pro boxes. I have one of the 28" beauty dishes, its a great modifier. Mine has been run over by a car a couple of times but still delivers good light.

Since acquiring my first two 600s I have been using them with Cheetah Foldable QS beauty dish and a Glow Parapop 24x36 softbox.

I've also used a large Buff soft silver PLM. With the PLM I used the Cheetah Hub Cap wide angle reflector to focus the light into the modifier.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I have a folding Beaty dish . I think it's 30 inches. I have a couple I don't like to much setup so I am looking at more options. I ordered another AD360II so now I have two of them and two 685s. I'm not done yet though. I will want another or the 600. I'm rebuilding this kit for TTL.
 

dmward

Member
I just got confirmation that the next two 600 TTL units will be arriving tomorrow.
If they come with the triggers I ordered I'll have two Sony;two Canon; two Nikon. That provides the resources for lighting workshops and also to make it possible to share the lighting setup with associates when we're covering an even.

Once its confirmed that the 360II will support masking/sequencing, I may add one or two.

I've been trying different lighting configurations while doing the shoots with the MUA.

Today it was two 600s and a 680II in TTL. I am finding the FEL feature in spot mode a real benefit for these location "studio" sessions.

I'll get some stuff up on my blog tomorrow or Wednesday.

Have an architectural shoot scheduled for Thursday. Plan to use the 600s for some fill. More to follow.

This was shot with the silver version from Cheetah. No diffusion fabric. Just the collapsible BD about 2 feet from the subject. Hard to complain about the light. :D

 

dmward

Member
I have a folding Beaty dish . I think it's 30 inches. I have a couple I don't like to much setup so I am looking at more options. I ordered another AD360II so now I have two of them and two 685s. I'm not done yet though. I will want another or the 600. I'm rebuilding this kit for TTL.
If Godox implements Masking (UNIT/ALT) features either in the lights or a trigger my plan will change.
If they implement it in the trigger then I'll use my current 360s and V860s. If they implement it in the lights then I'll update to the version II 360s and V860IIs. The additional benefit with the update is TTL for all the lights.

The TTL capabilities with "transparent" HSS may be enough for an upgrade regardless of the UNIT/ALT implementation.

In another couple of weeks someone is going to find a really good deal on Nissin Air kit, and possibly some manual 360s and V850s.
 

fotografz

Well-known member
To each their own ... I'm not a fan of the odd catch lights in that portrait above.

Of course, most mods can be used with most lights these days ... That's not the question ... I'm interested in what you folks are using with your Sony lighting set-ups and why. The key to versatility between speed-lights and strobes is how well you can modify them with a variety of mods. There has been a LOT of development in this area at different levels of mods. Nice to see what experiences people have had with them.

That Fotodiox 28" dish is a great example ... for the money, it is hard to beat. The draw back is that the deflector is a bit small and as far as I know, you can't alter it like with a Hensel dish and Molas that allow you swap out the opaque deflector with an Opal glass, color gels, or various grids.

Personally I'm pretty happy with the Nissan TTLs and their radio controller for less demanding swift set-ups and mobile wedding work.

Sony and Nissan made it more difficult to use my Profotos off-camera and a Sony compatible TTL speed-light in the hot shoe for fill because the camera doesn't have a PC port to trigger the Profoto AIR sender on a grip.

My total TTL solution for use of a couple of Nissan TTL speed-light off-camera, and one TTL on-camera for fill, is to use a small folding flip bracket for the on-camera speed-light with the Nissan radio in the hot shoe. Flip brackets provide a better quality of light direction to drop shadows down behind subjects and avoid red-eye, and keeps the speed-light over the lens axis in both orientations anyway ... all good reasons to get back to using one.

Here's a small, light-weight speed-light modifier I recently picked up ... 28" is a bit small, but close-up, head and shoulders should work with nice round catch lights due to the dodecagon shape. Super easy to set-up and breakdown with a unique quick release on the back. Not sure how it'll all hold up due to the plastic fittings and speed-light mount. (That 28" Fotodiox dish mentioned is in the background).

_DSC1679.jpg

For mobile location work, especially groups, I've been using the Westcott 7' Parabolic umbrellas (1 silver and 2 white) with their $29 diffuser sock. One of the stronger umbrella shafts to avoid bending/sagging. I've used them for awhile, and they've held up remarkably well.:thumbup:
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I bought a folding beauty dish and really like it by impact. I do use the diffuser as well

Amazon.com : Impact Folding Beauty Dish (34") : Electronics

I bought a Godox octagon too and used it once for a big catalog shoot worked really nice but a pain to setup.

But what I love are the 20 dollar S brackets which holds portables and the the 360 really nicely and I can use any umbrellas or S mount accessories boxes.

To me this is the most important part of these systems.

Amazon.com : Godox S-type Bracket Bowens S Mount Holder for T+L Speed Ring Softbox Speedlite Softbox Beauty Dish Reflector Umbrella : Electronics
 

JMaher

New member
Just posted this in another forum but thought someone here might know the answers. If so, others might be interested as well.

Jim
*********

Finally received my Sony transmitter today from China. Everything (or at least what I have tested) seems to work great with that transmitter and the Ad600 TTL flash from Adorama. Of course the day after a three hour shoot :)

A few simple questions:

1) The flash makes a loud pop when fired. Louder than with my other flash units. I assume that is normal maybe based on the higher power but just wanted to check with others.

2) With version 2.2 in the flash the Sony transmitter works in TTL fine. However in the flash menus there is an option for Canon or Nikon but not for Sony. This doesn't seem to matter but why no Sony option or alternatively why the other two are listed.

Any insights appreciated.

Jim
 

dmward

Member
Just posted this in another forum but thought someone here might know the answers. If so, others might be interested as well.

Jim
*********

Finally received my Sony transmitter today from China. Everything (or at least what I have tested) seems to work great with that transmitter and the Ad600 TTL flash from Adorama. Of course the day after a three hour shoot :)

A few simple questions:

1) The flash makes a loud pop when fired. Louder than with my other flash units. I assume that is normal maybe based on the higher power but just wanted to check with others.

2) With version 2.2 in the flash the Sony transmitter works in TTL fine. However in the flash menus there is an option for Canon or Nikon but not for Sony. This doesn't seem to matter but why no Sony option or alternatively why the other two are listed.

Any insights appreciated.

Jim
It does make a loud pop in TTL, I've found that when using FEL its less loud.

There is no Sony firmware in the 600 for native Sony TTL in optical mode. Not sure why but won't use it so it really doesn't matter to me.
 

JMaher

New member
Thanks David,

Will try FEL and see what happens - not a problem just found it odd.

I didn't realize those profiles were only for optical. I will never use optical anyway.

Jim
 

dmward

Member
Thanks David,

Will try FEL and see what happens - not a problem just found it odd.

I didn't realize those profiles were only for optical. I will never use optical anyway.

Jim
Me either. As Scott pointed out on PoN, it does show an S when being triggered by the X1Ts, TT685s or V860IIs
 
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