[photo-3d] flash with twinned cameras

["Jim Harp" <matmail2@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>I have just purchased a second Pentax ME super to create a
>dual camera rig.  I have 2 weddings to do in 3D for friends.
>This brings up the age-old question of how best to deal with
>flash.

>   Rather than try to synchronize and risk one camera having full
>flash of it's own plus a partial flash from the other, should one
>mount two flashes side by side off to one side on a flash bracket
>and deliberately stagger the camera release by about a half second
>and hope for little movement by the subjects.

Unless you're photographing statues you're likely to get some troubling
retinal rivalry when staggering shutter releases, even by much less than a
half second.  One of the disadvantages of twinned cameras is the difficulty
of getting a flash to work properly with the rig.  I love my twinned Ricoh
XR-10Ms and freeze all sorts of fast action in sync with them, but I still
have a significant number of flash shots that have the "black bar" caused by
one camera missing part of the strobe.   Currently I've been experimenting
with pushing Provia 400F two stops - this gives me a small grained 1600
speed film (actually more like 1200) and I find I can do a lot with
available light.  I'm also considering getting some small video lights
designed for camcorders.  Brian Reynolds once suggested that I consider
trying flash bulbs, since their light lasts much longer than a strobe.

Jim Harp


 

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