05 – Quantum system « Neil vN

05 – Quantum system

March 23, 2008

I also use the Quantum flashgun system for most of my off-camera lighting. It is a robust system and the Q-flashes are workhorses that stand continuous firing without a hiccup or overheating. Although the Q-flashes can take an AC adapter, it is really a battery-operated flash system, making it very flexible for on-location lighting.

Here are examples:

Quantum Q-flash T5D-R
I still use a few of the older T2 Q-flashes, but they have been superceded by the Q-flash T5D-R which now offers wireless TTL capability. With the output that the Q-flash offers in conjunction with the wireless TTL, the T5D-R is an easy choice for me to use in on-location photography where I need to shoot fast and need more juice than the normal Speedlights offer.

Of course, the Q-flashes need to be triggered by a radio transmitter. Since I more frequently use my off-camera lighting as manual flashes, I trigger them usually with Pocket-Wizards. I also have to use an Umbrella Clamp to connect the Q-flash to a light-stand. (These items are listed on the previous pages.)

However, when I want to use the Q-flash T5D-R as a wirelessly controlled TTL flash,
then I use the following items:

Quantum FW9T FreeXwire Digital Transmitter

Quantum FW7Q FreeXwire Wireless Digital TTL Receiver
The FW7Q is especially well-designed in how it snugly fits onto the T5D-R and is powered via the Q-flash itself.

Wireless QTTL Adapter
In order to trigger the Wireless Transmitter, you need this adapter on your camera :
- for Nikon & Fuji : D22wR
- for Canon digital : D23wR

Quantum Turbo 2×2 battery pack
This battery pack is remarkable for how much juice it offers, and how fast it recycles – and also for how fast it recharges. You can run two pieces of equipment off it. And you can halve the recharge time by putting two chargers onto it. This has saved me a number of times where I had to recharge my battery packs during a wedding’s cocktail hour, and have it ready for the reception.

Quantum Turbo SC battery pack - Slim & Compact
The SC is a new battery pack that Quantum is offering. As the name says, it is slim and compact – yet offers great capacity.

Quantum Pole Mounting Clamp for battery packs
This is the easiest way to clamp your Quantum battery pack to the light-stand.

Turbo AC
Even though the Q-flashes are battery driven – which is exactly what makes the Quantum flash system so flexible - there are times when it makes more sense to run the Q-flashes of AC. Then I use these Turbo AC packs.

Q-flash Remote Flash Head with 8′ Extention Cable
Since I often have my Q-flashes very high up on a light-stand, it becomes an effort to hoist the Q-flash up and down to just change a setting or two. With this Extention Cable, the flash-head remains high up on the light-stand, with the Q-flash body and controls down at eye-level.

Quantum Softbox 12″x12″
Although I prefer working with larger softboxes, this small Quantum softbox is easy to set up and very portable. And even though it is small, it does immediately offer a larger area than the Q-flash’s usual diffuser disc.

Norman 19″ softbox
Somewhat larger than the Quantum softbox, and less expensive, is this softbox by Norman. It attaches directly to the Q-flash head..

Wide-angle Diffuser for Q-flash
Another useful item to disperse the light from a Q-flash even wider.

Connector cable to use Quantum Turbo batteries with a Speedlight
Although the high output of the Quantum batteries can damage a Speedlight if fired too fast, I find it necessary at times to have a lot more power available to me than the smaller AA battery packs allow. Then I use one of these cables to attach the Speedlight to the Quantum Turbo battery pack :
- For Canon Speedlites – CZ cable
- For Nikon SB-800 Speedlights – CKE cable

next: video lights …

13 Comments »

Neil,

What is your take on this shooting in very low light as in a nightclub?

Here’s my set-up. I have a Canon 5D Mark II, a Quantum T5Dr, a D23wR module and Canon L lenses. When I use Auto Fill on the QFlash with and have my camera set on One-shot (vs. Servo), Spot metering (vs. Evaluative, etc.)and Single Focus Point (i.e. for a vertical shot using the top red LED), I find the QFlash trying to “hunt” for the focus and sometimes it will just not focus for that shot. I see the red beam coming front of the QFlash.

Any suggestions on either operator error or malfunction in either the camera, the Q
Flash or Module?

Thanks. I enjoy very much reading your various articles.

Kindest regards,

Marc

Comment by Marc Friedland — August 12, 2009 @ 1:56 pm
Mark .. it could just be a simple mis-alignment between where your camera is pointing and where the red pattern is beamed from the flashgun. I assume you have all this on a rotating camera bracket?

Make sure that you can actually see the red pattern in exactly the correct spot when you look through the viewfinder.

best

Neil vN

Comment by Neil — August 29, 2009 @ 3:18 am
neil,

is it possible to trigger your quantum flash (t5d-r)by a 580 exii mounted by quantum firewire

Comment by alexis — September 12, 2009 @ 7:18 pm
Alexis .. you’d have to draw a diagram for me to explain your (intended) setup.

Neil vN

Comment by Neil — September 13, 2009 @ 7:49 pm
Do you find the pw more reliable than the freewire? working on getting used to the freewire but find at times doesn’t fire in sequince fires shot 1,2,3, but 4 doesn’t fire. . thanks for anyinput .

Comment by steve — October 1, 2009 @ 4:43 am
Steve .. my experience is similar to yours. I also get misfires like that. I do think the older PocketWizards such as the Plus II units are more reliable. You do forego the ease of TTL flash, but the reliability is there.

But sometimes I need the TTL capability of the Q-flash.

Neil vN

Comment by Neil — October 1, 2009 @ 7:53 pm
Wow, that’s $1700 just to get one TTL flash off-camera with the small battery. Add the AC adapter and larger battery and that’s $2700. I’m sure it’s great, but that’s too rich for my blood! I’m quite happy with my used SB28s and Cybersyncs, so I guess I’ll stick with that!

Comment by brett maxwell — October 18, 2009 @ 6:20 pm
Brett, if a single SB-28 with an umbrella can give you this, then sure, the Q-flashes wouldn’t make as much sense over a speedlight.

Neil vN

Comment by Neil — October 19, 2009 @ 8:47 am
Could anybody tell me, which guide # the T5D-R has, because I couldn’t figure out anything?

Comment by Mika — October 30, 2009 @ 4:22 pm
Mike .. < href="http://www.qtm.com/?page=3201&sub_page=additional_features&qmode=c">Quantum’s website says the T5D-R has a guide number of 160 (measured in feet, for 50mm coverage), or in meters (for 50mm coverage), a guide number of 50.

Neil vN

Comment by Neil — November 1, 2009 @ 1:33 am
So I am getting conflicting information on how well theQuantum T5d-R works with the Canon 5d MarkII. Some are saying that the infrared is intermittent and unreliable and that I should stick to the radio control. What is your experience since you use both. Thanks

Comment by Kimber — November 12, 2009 @ 5:25 pm
Kimber … I’m not sure what you mean by the infrared?

The Quantum FreeXwire wireless TTL system doesn’t work flawlessly in my experience. I will randomly get a sequence of images that are completely blown out. I haven’t found another way of getting the equipment to behave than switching everything off. I’ve also had other situations where their TTL wireless system is unpredictable.

That said, it is convenient to use, and I overlook the occasional frustrating quirks that the FreeXwire system exhibits.

Neil vN

Comment by Neil — November 14, 2009 @ 12:28 am
I have been thinking of getting the Quantum set-up, similar to what you’ve talked about, but haven’t pulled the trigger yet. I have often found myself shooting weddings (and especially wedding receptions, where there’s more movement) in extremely dark conditions. I use a couple 5D Classics and have to set my ISO to 3200, even with one off-camera flash filling in what my on-camera speedlites won’t cover. While Canon claims their high ISO has ‘acceptable’ noise, some of my clients have found it to be unacceptable. My question is, when you use your Quantum set up, does it mean you can shoot at ISO 1000, or even 800?
I realize it’s probably impossible to answer without knowing the exact conditions but I was just wondering if, in general, having the Quantum set-up allowed you to shoot at a lower ISO and save some noise.

Comment by Matt Emrich — February 5, 2010 @ 1:44 pm