Big flash

[P3D David W. Kesner <drdave@xxxxxxxxxx>]

In Photo-3D 1739 Bob Weir states (quoting Jonathan Gross):

<|
<|Be sure to use the most powerful potato masher you can find, locate
it
<|at least a meter to the side of your lenses, and use one or two
<|additional slave flashes.  If glare is really a problem, you could
try a
<|polorizing filter, but that will add to your exposure problems.
<|
<
<This might be an interesting topic of conversation. In the past a
few
<people have mentioned particular strobe units (Reel 3D promotes a
particular
<one as well, although I forget what it is). Any suggestions? (Sun
Pak
<Model #?, etc).
<
<--BW

There is no substitute for flash bulbs when it comes to lighting up a
BIG area. I know they are no longer manufactured, but it is
relatively easy to find them at yard sales, flea markets, swap meets,
etc. If you are shooting color you need to get the blue bulbs but B&W
can use these or the clear ones. You can also make your own blue
shellac to dip clear bulbs. Press 25B or 5B (same thing - different
companies) are the easiest to find but M3B are the preferred bulbs
for cavers as they have the same guide number as the 25B but are half
the size. Size and weight are very important when you have to
belly-crawl several hundred yards then rappel and ascend several
hundred feet to get to the really "good" stuff. I use a Honeywell
Tilt-O-Mite folding fan reflector to fire the bulbs. It is small and
light weight and gives good coverage (you can find them in 5" or 7"
sizes). I have never paid more than $5.00 for one. The battery
(special order from Radio Shack) is the most expensive part at $9.50.

There is a really good slave unit developed by a British caver that
is extremely sensitive (thousands of feet and around corners) and
works off infra red (actually the cut off of infra red light). It is
called the Fire Fly and retails for about $50.00 US. One of the nice
features is that flash bulbs trigger it (unlike most slaves - like
the Wein). Also because it works off infra red you can trigger it by
placing a piece of exposed film over the tube of a strobe. This way
you can fire a distant flash without lighting the area in front of
the camera.

As for electronic strobes, I have yet to find anything as good and
easy to use as the Vivitar 283. It is relatively powerful, has
several auto settings, and can recycle fairly fast (really fast if
you use an external battery source).

If anyone would like more information on any of this please contact
me.

Thanks for the time,

David W. Kesner
Boise, Idaho, USA
drdave@xxxxxxxxxx
(No I'm not a doctor - just a nickname)


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