Posted by Steve Foss on January 1, 2009 at 10:00 AM
Hey all:
I've gotten my Better Beamer all dialed in but have a question about which I'm getting conflicting info.
OK, here's what I believe I know: The BB narrows the flash beam, allowing me to knock down flash intensity using FEC or manual flash, and this allows the flash to recharge fast enough that most of my burst has flash. Without the BB, the flash power would have to be higher and it would take longer to recharge between firings.
First, is that right?
Second, I've also been told that the BB does not actually increase the flash's range, but I'm struggling with whether that could be true. If the BB allows you to knock down flash strength to get the same level of intensity required by a more powerful flash setting without the BB, how wouldn't the range increase as well?
Thanks in advance!
Posted by Mike Maples on January 1, 2009 at 10:33 AM
The lens on the BB simply takes the light emitted by the flash and redirects it into a tighter beam. It forces the same amount of light into a tighter circle and therefore intensifies the light onto the subject. It is similar to a focusing flashlight beam (like a maglight). As you focus the available light into a smaller beam, the light appears to intensify and provide more light over a longer distance.
It can be used in both scenarios you mention. If the refocused beam of light is still large enough to properly illuminate a close subject, you could use a lower flash intensity setting and shorten recovery time. Or you can use the same refocused beam to increase the effective distance of the flash. Be sure to follow the instructions and set the flash focus distance as indicated when using the BB. The lens on the BB depends on this focus setting to work properly.
I'll add that the BB comes into it's own for me for fill, rather than when used for full illumination. It can really reach out there, while also increasing number of pops in a long burst.
Down side is redeye or "green eye" in deer and such. The longer the range, the closer the light beam to the axis of the lens relatively speaking, and the more you're going to be post processing. It's really interesting to see which animals give you which eye color. Snowshoe hare give the reddest of the redeye I've seen anywhere. Imagine "Steven King" rabbits. Eerie!!!
Posted by Kent Staubus on January 1, 2009 at 11:54 AM
The BB is a Fresnel lens, like you see on the light at the lighthouse at Split Rock. It shapes the light and concentrates it into a narrower beam. I don't see how it will increase recycle time unless you were pretty close to your subject (like 30 to maybe 50 ft.) Your flash is likely going to have to do a full power dump unless there is already plenty of ambient light. Also, be very careful while transporting one of those things in the daytime. It's been known to collect the sun's rays, concentrate them, and burn a hole in something such as the backseat of your car.
The BB is a light & portatble product, but I have something far, far more powerful. It's a set of four battery powered monolights. Two are White Lightning X3200 which have a guide number of GN=654 with the 11 inch reflectors. Those are pretty heavy though. I also have a pair of Alien Bees B1600, which have a GN=245 with the 7 inch reflector and GN=450 with the 11 inch reflector. That is serious power! The B1600 is actually pretty lightweight. I've been considering mounting one on an L-bracket wedding photographer style. By using the 7 inch reflector with a 10 degree grid I would have a very tight & powerful beam of light. I also have five Vagabond battery packs to power the lights. I've been toying with the idea of sticking one in a backpack to power a B1600 on the go. I think it would all work. I have managed to use my 70-200mm f2.8 lens and one B1600 on a subject about 100 yards away. That distance is nothing for these lights. I could easily light up a deer in the middle of the night from 100 yards, getting in effect 1/1,000 sec shutter speeds (flash duration) and 2 second recycle time. Total cost of a used B1600 + grid & used Vagabond battery is about $400, which is less than the cost of a Nikon SB-900 but puts out a TON more power. Remember, I'm using these things to light up trains, wind turbines, canyons, barns, and elevators etc. in the middle of the night. Just one of them could easily light up a critter in the dark at telephoto range.
Kent in SD
Posted by Steve Foss on January 1, 2009 at 11:57 AM
Thanks, guys. I figured it also had to intensify the beam and project it farther if it was focusing it more narrowly. Couldn't figure out the logic of being told it didn't.
Mike, the flashlight beam analogy is a good one, which I'll use myself down the road. I'm also careful to keep the flash focus setting in the right range. Hank, the only thing I use the BB for is fill, so far. On close perched birds 10-15 feet, I'm at -2 FEC or lower. I've done several shoots now with the BB in that situation and really like it. I do notice with the BB that the flash fires more often during bursts than it did without, and that's why I bought it.
I've also used it on a perched northern hawk owl out well past 100 feet, dialing up a stronger flash setting, and it performed admirably. There was some red-eye, but it's a lot easier to kill red-eye in a handful of avian photos than it is in a series of several hundred indoor wedding images, so I don't worry about it in wildlife settings.
Kent, I think your setup would be a little unwieldy and cumbersome for me.
Discussion
4 repliesI've gotten my Better Beamer all dialed in but have a question about which I'm getting conflicting info.
OK, here's what I believe I know: The BB narrows the flash beam, allowing me to knock down flash intensity using FEC or manual flash, and this allows the flash to recharge fast enough that most of my burst has flash. Without the BB, the flash power would have to be higher and it would take longer to recharge between firings.
First, is that right?
Second, I've also been told that the BB does not actually increase the flash's range, but I'm struggling with whether that could be true. If the BB allows you to knock down flash strength to get the same level of intensity required by a more powerful flash setting without the BB, how wouldn't the range increase as well?
Thanks in advance!
It can be used in both scenarios you mention. If the refocused beam of light is still large enough to properly illuminate a close subject, you could use a lower flash intensity setting and shorten recovery time. Or you can use the same refocused beam to increase the effective distance of the flash. Be sure to follow the instructions and set the flash focus distance as indicated when using the BB. The lens on the BB depends on this focus setting to work properly.
I'll add that the BB comes into it's own for me for fill, rather than when used for full illumination. It can really reach out there, while also increasing number of pops in a long burst.
Down side is redeye or "green eye" in deer and such. The longer the range, the closer the light beam to the axis of the lens relatively speaking, and the more you're going to be post processing. It's really interesting to see which animals give you which eye color. Snowshoe hare give the reddest of the redeye I've seen anywhere. Imagine "Steven King" rabbits. Eerie!!!
The BB is a light & portatble product, but I have something far, far more powerful. It's a set of four battery powered monolights. Two are White Lightning X3200 which have a guide number of GN=654 with the 11 inch reflectors. Those are pretty heavy though. I also have a pair of Alien Bees B1600, which have a GN=245 with the 7 inch reflector and GN=450 with the 11 inch reflector. That is serious power! The B1600 is actually pretty lightweight. I've been considering mounting one on an L-bracket wedding photographer style. By using the 7 inch reflector with a 10 degree grid I would have a very tight & powerful beam of light. I also have five Vagabond battery packs to power the lights. I've been toying with the idea of sticking one in a backpack to power a B1600 on the go. I think it would all work. I have managed to use my 70-200mm f2.8 lens and one B1600 on a subject about 100 yards away. That distance is nothing for these lights. I could easily light up a deer in the middle of the night from 100 yards, getting in effect 1/1,000 sec shutter speeds (flash duration) and 2 second recycle time. Total cost of a used B1600 + grid & used Vagabond battery is about $400, which is less than the cost of a Nikon SB-900 but puts out a TON more power. Remember, I'm using these things to light up trains, wind turbines, canyons, barns, and elevators etc. in the middle of the night. Just one of them could easily light up a critter in the dark at telephoto range.
Kent in SD
Mike, the flashlight beam analogy is a good one, which I'll use myself down the road. I'm also careful to keep the flash focus setting in the right range. Hank, the only thing I use the BB for is fill, so far. On close perched birds 10-15 feet, I'm at -2 FEC or lower. I've done several shoots now with the BB in that situation and really like it. I do notice with the BB that the flash fires more often during bursts than it did without, and that's why I bought it.
I've also used it on a perched northern hawk owl out well past 100 feet, dialing up a stronger flash setting, and it performed admirably. There was some red-eye, but it's a lot easier to kill red-eye in a handful of avian photos than it is in a series of several hundred indoor wedding images, so I don't worry about it in wildlife settings.
Kent, I think your setup would be a little unwieldy and cumbersome for me.