Author Topic: Bouncing card / similar accessories for on camera pop-up flash?  (Read 656 times)

Offline Preet

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ok, so here's the plan.

What I have
 - Nissin 466
 - on camera flash of 550D
 - an antique flash which my father purchased along with 'Hot shot' camera. No power setting option. It doesn't even have a name  :o

Plan I
Buy Yognou Rf triggers. From camera to 'antique via trigger and 'antique' to Nissin via optical slave. I dont know if the 'antique' will support the triggers or vice versa.

Plan II
Use on camera pop-up flash but bounce it to trigger optical slave of Nissin.

So the question, is there any accessory which bounces/deflects the on camera flash, from the axis?  :)

Offline Hankosaurus

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Re: Bouncing card / similar accessories for on camera pop-up flash?
« Reply #1 on: July 17, 2012, 03:39:31 AM »
Hello pupu.

What I have
 - Nissin 466
Looks like the tilt feature could prove useful. A card could be attached to it to bounce and soften light some. Or it could be used remotely. In that case it could be bounced into an umbrella, a large white or foil card, or off a wall, or off a ceiling, etc. Keep in mind that if you bounce off of a wall or ceiling, the color of the wall or ceiling will be the color of the light that returns to your subject. Don't bounce off of a green wall with your primary light unless you want a green cast on your subject. ;)
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- on camera flash of 550D
I suppose there may be reflectors available which accomplish bounce with this. But keep in mind that bounce usually costs about two or more stops of light at the subject plane. The in-camera pop-up flash is not the brightest flash around. It might be better to think of your on camera flash as a trigger for more serious lights in your studio.
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- an antique flash which my father purchased along with 'Hot shot' camera. No power setting option. It doesn't even have a name  :o
That old flash may prove useful in some capacity. I have several of those myself. However, be careful that its trigger voltage is low, not high. Some older flash units have trigger voltages in the hundreds of volts. Some modern cameras can tolerate less than ten volts at the flash trigger input terminals. It might be wise to check the voltage of the charged flash's trigger contacts with a voltmeter before attaching it to a modern camera body, or to its PC flash cord terminal. Your camera manual may have its flash trigger voltage limit defined within its specification page.
Quote
Plan I
Buy Yognou Rf triggers. From camera to 'antique via trigger and 'antique' to Nissin via optical slave. I don't know if the 'antique' will support the triggers or vice versa.
Another thought: There are some cheap optical triggers which will fire older flash units. I have one called a "peanut." It is essentially an SCR (silicon controlled rectifier), capacitor, resistor, and a photocell, all enclosed in a clear plastic blob. Looks similar to this one I found on B&H's site. $15.


Quote
Plan II
Use on camera pop-up flash but bounce it to trigger optical slave of Nissin.
You can probably use that technique to trigger both optically, as long as red-eye reduction pre-flash is off (or non-existent), with all the units.

Quote
So the question, is there any accessory which bounces/deflects the on camera flash, from the axis?  :)
Even if there isn't, you could make one with foil and tape. You just don't want very much of the harsh, direct light from your on-camera flash hitting the subject.

:)
« Last Edit: July 17, 2012, 04:13:45 AM by Hankosaurus »
HENRY
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Nikons F, F2, D700, Leica M3, & Kiev 4a

Some say those of us who love to talk about cameras and photography should instead go and take pictures. I say we should go and also take pictures.

Offline Preet

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Re: Bouncing card / similar accessories for on camera pop-up flash?
« Reply #2 on: July 17, 2012, 04:33:49 AM »
Came across this funny looking creature  :)

http://www.ebay.in/itm/Standard-Mirror-Bounce-Flash-Device-Canon-EOS-1D-Mark-5D-Mark-III-7D-10D-/271008913379?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_203&hash=item3f1963d7e3#ht_2171wt_905

BTW, is there any particular name for those external optical triggers?

Offline Hankosaurus

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Re: Bouncing card / similar accessories for on camera pop-up flash?
« Reply #3 on: July 17, 2012, 11:02:48 PM »
Came across this funny looking creature  :)

http://www.ebay.in/itm/Standard-Mirror-Bounce-Flash-Device-Canon-EOS-1D-Mark-5D-Mark-III-7D-10D-/271008913379?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_203&hash=item3f1963d7e3#ht_2171wt_905

I suppose that if one needed to impress his friends, he might be willing to pay USD $63 for that cute little mirror holder. Frankly, I would rather make one for free. The materials you need are in a discarded cardboard cigarette package. That and a bit of imagination, a pair of scissors, and a bit of tape and you are good to go. When done, throw it away or fold it up for next time.

Quote
BTW, is there any particular name for those external optical triggers?
There probably are other names, but "peanut" is a popular name for the type I mentioned. Here is another one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/High-Range-Peanut-Flash-Slave-Optical-Sensor-4-Canon-EX-/160362696438

Just Google for optical flash slave and you will get an idea.

Good luck with it.

:)
HENRY
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Offline Preet

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Re: Bouncing card / similar accessories for on camera pop-up flash?
« Reply #4 on: July 26, 2012, 08:09:15 PM »
Hanko,

Any clue if the antique (found the name its "Achiever 115M") can be mounted on Yognuo RF 603 and even if the voltage of the flash is high the trigger will work?

I assume in this set-up the camera does not get effected in anyway?

Offline Hankosaurus

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Re: Bouncing card / similar accessories for on camera pop-up flash?
« Reply #5 on: July 30, 2012, 02:06:43 AM »
Hanko,

Any clue if the antique (found the name its "Achiever 115M") can be mounted on Yognuo RF 603 and even if the voltage of the flash is high the trigger will work?

I assume in this set-up the camera does not get effected in anyway?

I am not sure if the Yongnuo RF603 will tolerate the Achiever 115M's trigger voltage or not. I have read on the net that the Achiever presents 65 volts to the camera's trigger circuit via its flash connection. You might need to check the specs of the Yongnuo RF603 to know that.

In any case, I would check the terminals on the flash unit with a voltmeter to verify that trigger voltage. One can read anything on the net.

Good luck with it, pupu.

:)
HENRY
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Some say those of us who love to talk about cameras and photography should instead go and take pictures. I say we should go and also take pictures.

Offline Hankosaurus

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Re: Bouncing card / similar accessories for on camera pop-up flash?
« Reply #6 on: July 30, 2012, 02:37:58 AM »
Hello again, pupu.

I think maybe you don't want to put that Achiever 115M on top of the Yongnuo trigger.  :P

Check this out:
http://dpanswers.com/content/rev_radio_yn.php

In part, it says this:
"Note that these units should not be connected to a flash with a trigger voltage above 12 volts. All modern dedicated flash units designed for use with digital camera are well below this limit, but older flashes may have trigger voltages as high as 380 volts and may fry modern electronic equipment."

I think that 65V triggered flash could fry your Canon and the Yongnuo trigger, given the chance. I would not go there. Your options are these:
1. Use an optical slave that can tolerate the high voltage.
2. Use only flashes with trigger voltages of six or so volts or less. (Some Canons require 6V or less.)
3. Use an interface device that will trigger the Achiever and protect the camera or Yongnuo.

You can buy a ready-made product of this sort made by Wein which does this, or...

If you are handy with electronics, you can make your own. All it takes is a 22nF capacitor, a 200ma signal diode, a 400v 1A triac, a couple of 4.7M resistors, a 3.6v zener diode, and a bit of patience to construct it as per instructions provided on the following site:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Taming-the-high-trigger-voltage-of-the-Vivitar-283/

Here is their diagram of the circuit:


Do keep in mind that high voltages are dangerous. Make sure that your chest cavity never becomes part of a live, high voltage circuit, since as little as 20 milliamperes through the chest cavity (as from left hand to right hand) could adversely affect heart function, or even stop it.

:)
« Last Edit: July 30, 2012, 03:28:44 AM by Hankosaurus »
HENRY
A Certified Dinosaur
Nikons F, F2, D700, Leica M3, & Kiev 4a

Some say those of us who love to talk about cameras and photography should instead go and take pictures. I say we should go and also take pictures.