Thanks to David for reminding me about Yongnuo's new RF603 Wireless Flash Triggers. The new RF603 version (replacing RF602) is both a transmitter and a receiver hence the name 'transceiver', so you can use each one as both. The old RF602 version required both a separate transmitter and reciever unit in order to work. There's a few more new features that make the RF603's a better buy if you don't already own a set, but a bit of bad news is that they are 'not' compatible with the older RF602's. Blah. I have quite a few of the RF602's.
One thing that might be confusing if you're looking at the product pages would be the difference between Canon and Nikon versions. The units are all the same and the difference is the provided shutter cable. The RF603 Transceivers can also act as a remote and receiver to fire your Camera's shutter wirelessly (sorry no video starting). You can find out more information about Yongnuo's RF603 following the link.
Looking to add a bit of color to your Photos? Throwing colored gels over a flash is the easiest way to add interest into what would normally be a boring photo. This DIY tip may not be color accurate to industry standards, but at least you can create an entire lineup of colored faux gels on the cheap. Using transparency film which is fairly heat resistant and durable (for overhead projectors) sent to a printer at your local Kinkos, you can print any color you need, in any size you need, and in any amount needed. Could be great to add a splash of color to your videos too. Check out more information over at Instructables: https://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Photography-Gels/.
My other DIY project:
One thing that i've actually been experimenting with and am finding excellent results have been the color changing LED light bulbs.
There's different versions of these high powered LED lights, but you'll want to go with at least a 5W for the most amount of power. Another thing to look for is the 120 degree beam angle so that it doesn't look too narrow. What i've found was that you need to use a few of these to really spread into a full background. For a talking head shot a single or two LED bulbs would work great in adding a bit of color. So far the 1 that I have is kick-ass for adding colored backgrounds to small product shots.
Here's a video from someone's YouTube using a 3 watt version.
The throw on these LED's are pretty far, and i'm seeing the color from even 10ft away. These are standard light sockets (E27), so building a 4 light head with the LED bulbs slightly spread apart is not a problem. I'll be using these twin E27 light socket heads stacked one on top of the other with a single light stand.
With my new DIY LED head using (4) 5 watt color changing LEDs i'll be able to carry around a fairly small, durable, low power, low heat, no gels, multi-colored backdrop to any location. These bulbs can not only adjust color, but are also dimmable in brightness. It's a bit of cost up front, but if you consider what a multipack of Gels + Lights would run you, the convenience for adding color is well worth it (for me). Hopefully i'll get around to showing what my version would be like soon.
Hunter writes in and shares one of his recent budget purchases. It's a collapsible 43" Light Disc with 5 Different color reflectors including white, silver, and gold. Perfect lightweight solution If you're looking for a simple, fast, effective way to throw some fill light onto a subject. It can also be used as a bounce when using flash photography, a small scrim, or light diffuser with continuous lighting kits. Follow the link to find some even cheaper deals if you're looking for something a bit smaller than 43". [Thanks Hunter]
So I tested some playback on the GH2 with this mini-lcd, but that wasn't the test I was hoping for when I first got this LCD. The Panasonic GH2 will only output in recording mode through the HDMI. It can only 'playback' through Composite. The Canon cameras can output from Composite, so I brought in the AV cables that are provided in the box. It's great to see that the LCD actually scales the input properly too. Something else that's pretty cool. When the Canon is displaying the Live View, it doesn't use the entire 3.5" LCD. Why is that cool? Because I threw on one of those magnetic frames for my LCDVF for 3" LCD's and it's just about a perfect fit over the displayed image.
The tests with the Canon 60D are awesome, and much more than I expected from a sub $26.00 dollar LCD. It's definitely usuable for my DIY EVF ( Electronic View Finder ) Project. Might not be compared to other EVF's (coming) on the market, but for under $26.00 dollars, i'm not complaining. It does what I need it to do for now. My plan now is to mount a 1/4x20 Nut to the rear of the LCD and use a Friction Arm to position it wherever I want. [Update] Did it.
This should also work perfectly with my GoPro HD camera as well, since the GoPro lacks it's own LCD. Here's another cool little kicker, since you're all wondering how it's powered up. As I expected, it doesn't even require 12Volts to run. I attached it to a simple 9Volt battery. Yes 9 volt battery people, that's all it takes to power this bad boy up. One thing I was noticing though is that the exposure wasn't as good with the 9 Volt battery. I think even though it turns on, it's under powered and causes the display not to look as good as it can be.
If you're searching for this mini monitor too, this is how the LCD looks (below). It's a bit confusing since resolution is listed differently depending on the auction, but I think they are all the same. It's a 3.5" LCD with Composite input. If you see one like this, it's probably it. More to come with these Mini-LCD's from Cheesycam for sure.....
Beauty ring flashes are popular for photography headshots because they provide an interesting catch light in the subject's eyes. Not sure how many of you caught this video, but this was a DIY ring light I seen a while back from Flickr photos. Here's an old version of this https://www.flickr.com/photos/rodolfonovak/196220050/
Now that DSLR's are shooting HD, this project seems to have resurfaced for use with video from Vimeo member TLA Productions. It's a simple design that anyone with a bit of electrical knowledge might be able to tackle, but if your clumsy or clueless, then you can probably just build out the basics and ask an electrician to finish the wiring. Shouldn't be more than a few bucks, and a couple of hours and would be great for Photos or even a Photo booth project too. It's going to provide a much different look than smaller LED ring lights. The bigger your light source, the softer the light and it really shows when used in this video. Looks like i'll have to revisit this project again...
Here's another idea. If you want something closer to Daylight, bulbs that aren't as Fragile, draw less power requirements, and generate almost no heat, check out these LED house bulbs for the DIY Ring Light project. They might be something to look into as an option.
If you missed the announcement, RadioPopper is holding a 'video' contest. RadioPopper makes some super fast wireless flash triggers, and some that maintain communication between the camera & flash without line of sight requirements. With that communication they are one of the rare triggers to support High Speed Sync wirelessly. Don't worry, the contest is not a difficult one where you need to show off award winning Photography skills. Just 30 seconds of showing or explaining your best photography lighting tips. They mention you can do this right from your basic webcam if needed. Since I have several RadioPopper PX's myself, I think i'll have to join in on this one. You can find more information at the link: https://www.radiopopper.com/contest
Canon OEM flashes are no joke when it comes to pricing, but also no joke when it comes to features. Regardless, there's a handful of people who may never even cross those extra abilities and are just looking for a flash that works. You might have caught Aaron's review of the Yongnuo 560 at this article: http://cheesycam.com/yongnuo-560-flash-review/, but now we've got another one to add to the list. Vimeo member Rick Elrod shows a bit of the Yongnuo 468 which supports TTL communication from the Canon camera. In simple terms, the flash meters through the camera in a few different ways and makes decisions for you. This Auto Pilot feature works great and is more often what you need, and very seldom what you don't need. So for those who want to go the manual route in those rare incidents, the flash can be set all manually as well. Got questions? Send them over to Rick via the Vimeo page here. [Thanks Rick]
Hal Robertson is at it again. Here's a simple, cheap, but extremely effective way to get a more diffused and powerful flash while staying portable. Using mainly PVC parts to assemble this cross shaped mount, it hold three individual camera Flashes. You can find more detailed photos at the Flickr page here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/47152462@N02/5201859448/in/set-72157625453539100/
Why would you want so many flashes in one umbrella? There's a bunch of good reasons why. First, you're harnessing much more power in a small lightweight package. In order to get more power on location with real studio strobes, that normally means carrying a heavy battery. Secondly, instead of firing one flash at full power, you would fire three flashes at a lower power so that your recycle times are much much faster. Third and probably most important for some high shutter shooters out there is the ability to use HSS. Most studio strobes can't support the bursts of HSS to sync at just about any shutter speed. When using HSS, you can fire the flash at almost any shutter speed but this will reduce it's power output. By adding up three flashes, you'll be able to support HSS while still giving plenty of light spread to your subject. [Thanks Hal]
In order to make mounting easier and still support some tilt action for light position, you'll need a tilt mount. Normally these things run between 30-40 dollars, but here's one I tracked down for about 10 bucks. Positionable Tilt Umbrella Adapter Flash Photography
Don't forget you'll need some of them little Flash Shoe Adapters too which are dirt cheap. Cold Hot Flash Shoe Adapters
Just received the Nature brand Neutral Density filter today. It's possibly the cheapest Fader ND on the market right now, so I wanted to see what the quality was like. I picked one up to test on the Canon 85mm F/1.2 which requires a 72mm filter. The Canon 85mm F/1.2L is one of Canon's sharpest lenses in it's lineup. With the lens at 85mm on a Canon cropped camera, you're looking at quite a distance. I was expecting to see extreme softness, which some Variable ND filters can cause, especially over 50mm. This wasn't the case with this Variable ND filter.
Nature Fader-ND Variable Neutral Density Filters
There is some noticeable difference in sharpness, but not very noticeable unless you're really trying to nitpick, so not bad at all. It's definitely not as soft as my other Fader Filter which is very noticeable when zooming into a subject. Again, i'm asking alot since i'm putting it on an 85mm F/1.2L, but for any wide lens under 50mm, definitely a solid product that will yield excellent results. I'll be posting up some samples of the lens with and without the filter soon for you guys to check out, but i'm very happy with it and will be planning to get a few more. For now the Nature brand Fader ND can be found at this link: Nature Brand Fader ND Variable Neutral Density Filter
Yongnuo Transceivers RF603 Wireless Flash Triggers
Mini LCD Monitor with 960×480 Pixels
