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Tangents

04 – accessories

my gear
cameras | lenses | flashes | accessories | Quantum | video light | Think Tank

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Lighting accessories:

Pocket-Wizard Plus II Tranceiver (B&H)
If you need to use off-camera lighting that you trigger remotely with radio transmitters and receivers, then you will gravitate towards the Pocket-Wizards.  They have become an industry standard for a reason – simplicity of operation, reliability and range.

Umbrella Bracket (B&H)
And if you want to connect your flash to a light-stand, and to an umbrella, then an umbrella bracket is a necessity.  And they aren’t expensive either.

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Brass Adapter & Stud (B&H)
Since the umbrella brackets come with a stud with a hole in it for some explicable reason – it makes it akward sometimes to fasten the stud.  So I’ve replaced the stud that comes with the umbrella bracket, with this adapter & stud that has no hole in it.

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Hot Shoe Adapter (Hama) (B&H)
If you have a flashgun that doesn’t have a PC terminal, (for example all Canon Speedlites before the 580EX II), then you’re going to need one of these little devices to enable a Pocket-Wizard to trigger your flashgun.

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Hot Shoe Adapter (Paramount) (B&H)
If you use Pocket-Wizards, then this slightly more expensive, but much sturdier alternative by Paramount, makes more sense, since it takes the hot-shoe mount directly to a mini-jack that the Pocket-Wizards use.

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Nikon AS-10 multi-flash adapter (B&H)
If you want to mount your SB-800 to a light-stand (or a quick release), then you could simply use the plastic foot that came with your Nikon Speedlight.  But if you want something sturdier (even though fairly expensive) to mount a Speedlight to a light-stand, then the AS-10 makes a good alternative.

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Stud Adapter (B&H)
If  you need to attach your Speedlight (via the plastic foot that came with it), to a lightstand, then you’re going to need a stud adapter such as this.

Umbrellas

To soften the light from your flash, you need to turn it into a larger more diffuse light source.  Of all the items lighting accessories available that will soften your flash, the umbrella is probably the most accessible and easiest to use of them all.  I normally use the larger 60″ umbrellas.

60″ white satin umbrella, with removable black backing (B&H)
45″ white satin umbrella, with removable black backing (B&H)
45″ white satin umbrella (B&H)

The white satin umbrella allows you to shoot flash through the umbrella, or bounce it.  The black backing makes the other umbrella more efficient, and also prevents lens flare if you shoot from a position behind the umbrella.

Light-stands

I use the Manfrotto 1051BAC (B&H), and (B&H) (B&H) light-stands.
Also check out my review and images of these light-stands.

If you’d like to see more about the specifications of these Manfrotto light-stands, or order them from B&H, please use the following affiliate links:

Manfrotto 1051BAC (B&H), which can also be ordered as a set of three light-stands (B&H)
Manfrotto 1004BAC (B&H), which too can be ordered as a set of three light-stands (B&H)

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truly portable light-weight light-stands:

The update to the classic collapsible light-stand by Manfrotto, is theManfrotto Nano 5001B (B&H). This is ideal for photographers who travel and need their gear compact.

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lower-cost alternatives for light-stands:

If you’d like a lower cost set of light-stands, the 6′ tall Impact light-stands (B&H) (B&H) are around $20 each.  There is also the 8′ tall Impact light-stands (B&H) for $35 each.  Impact also makes a 45′ convertible umbrella (B&H) for $15.  Then you just need an umbrella bracket (B&H) to hold it all together.

Softboxes  -  Lastolite EZYBOX softbox kit

Lastolite EZYBOX softbox kit,  24×24″ (B&H)
This softbox is light-weight, compact and very easy to set up.
Read my review of the Lastolite EZYBOX.

Softboxes  –  Photoflex Q39

To mount a softbox to your Speedlight, you have numerous options.
Here are the softboxes I use - the Photoflex Q39 series:

Photoflex Litedome Q39 – 16×22 (small) (B&H)
This softbox is compact, but offers a much wider spread (and hence softer light), than direct off-camera flash would.

Photoflex Litedome Q39 – 24×32 (medium) (B&H)
These are the softboxes I now use during the workshops I present.  The larger area gives softer more diffuse light than the smaller softbox.  This softbox has an additional baffle inside, unlike the small Q39. I use this particular softbox with either a Speedlight, or with a Quantum Q-flash.

With either of these softboxes, you’re also going to need a speed-ring, to mount the softbox, and some kind of connector to mount the speedlight to the speedring and softbox.

A sturdy (but spendy) option is the Westcott Magic Slipper.  (B&H)  (It comes with the speedring and also with an umbrella clamp.) With the Magic Slipper you use the speedlight’s foot attachment to keep the Pocket-Wizard to the plate.

If you want the smaller softbox (16″x22″) and not bother with individual items, the simplest would be to get the Westcott Small Softbox With Magic Slipper Kit.  (B&H)

A more affordable, but more flimsy option is the  Photoflex hoe-mount connector (B&H), for the Q39.  For this you would also need a speed-ring (B&H) to mount the softbox. With this I also used the Quantum L-bracket (B&H) to mount it all together.

Softboxes  -  Westcott Apollo

Westcott Apollo Softbox (B&H)
An alternative to the Q39 softoboxes, and one that is perhaps easier to set up, would be the Westcott Apollo. All you’d need here as an additional item, is an Umbrella Bracket to hold the Speedlight to the center rod.  Very simple to set up and break down.


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Light meter:

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Sekonic L-358 (B&H)
Even though I favour using the histogram in determining exposure these days, a good lightmeter (and knowledge of how to use one), remains a fundamental part of understanding of exposure metering and photographic lighting.

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Camera bags & cases:

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Tamrac 5769 Velocity 9x Photo Sling Pack (B&H)
A camera bag that is easy to sling off the one shoulder, and very comfortable to carry.  Since it doesn’t hang directly on your shoulder, but more against the outside of your shoulder near your upper arm, it causes fatigue less fast than other shoulder bags.
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Crumpler 7 Million Dollar Bag (B&H)
A fashionable bag that is very roomy.  I use this to carry everyday equipment around in when I travel. Or you may prefer it in a flamboyantly blue version. (B&H)

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For a larger camera case, I use the Think Tank Airport Security.

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..next: the Quantum flash system that I use for off-camera lighting

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