[photo-3d] Flash and Caves was (For Philip Steinman )

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

C. Pflanze writes:

> I've done large rooms with a crew armed with cheap generic strobes
> purchased at thrift stores and yard sales.  Everybody fans out all
> over the room and the crew keeps pressing the test buttons on the strobes.

I have done big rooms where I am all alone (not in the cave - 
solo caving is very dangerous - the rest of the group explores 
a ways ahead while I take an hour to get a shot). You just set 
your shutter to bulb and fire multiple times with the same 
strobe. If you are lucky enough to have at least one other 
assistant you can have them cover the camera lens while you 
move to another spot. This way you can turn on your helmet 
light while you move and avoid falling down the 200 foot pit 
*{;-) and not get those ugly light worms.

> My 283 mounted on top
> of the Realist had a clunky and top heavy feel to it,

I found that also and broke two feet off of the 283. I learned 
to spend the $40.00 to get the metal replacement shoe. But 
then I hardly ever used an on camera flash. It was almost 
always used on the end of a long pc cord and held far to the 
side.

> I use press 25B flashbulbs.  The flashbulbs
> give a much more realistic effect for shots with moving water, rapids,
> waterfalls, etc.

I also use flashbulbs a lot. By leaving the shutter open for 
the full burn time you get a "warmer" image as it picks up the 
burn up and down from the bulb. I find the Honeywell Tilt-O-
Mite folding fan reflector flash gun great for caving as it 
folds up to a nice small sturdy package. I would suggest the 
M3B bulb over the Press 25B as it has the same GN and is about 
half the size. A great place to purchase bulbs, guns, and such 
as well as getting all the tech data is Cress Photo at  
<http://www.flashbulbs.com/default.htm>


> It's difficult to protect a delicate camera in the cave environment.
> Dust and dirt is everywhere, even in the air around you as it falls
> off your clothes and helmet.

I agree it is very difficult, but varies greatly with the 
individual cave. I have used my RBT X3A extensively in all 
sorts of different caves and have not damaged it yet. But as I 
have stated in the past, I find the Realist to be one of the 
best all around caving stereo cameras out there. It has 
provided me with multiple accepted images in exhibitions.

That's all for now,

David W. Kesner
Boise, Idaho, USA
drdave@xxxxxxxxxx

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