Studio Strobes and the D70 ( sorry for all the questions ;)

[lejazzcat]

I wonder if you all could share your tips on setting up the D70 for studio floorpack and monoblocks?

Ive tried using the popup SB at 1/16 of its output, as a trigger for the slave photocell of studio monoblocks with varied results.
'Telephoto lenses needed' in order to get the lights far enough in front for that ...

I have the As-15 for hotshoe PC sink, but i wonder if its the best way?
If you connect the as-15 you cant use the popup - thats frustrating !

Ive read that the d70 can trigger other flash heads wirelessly,using the Commander CSM setting with Sb-600/800, and other makes using slave triggers.

How does the camera do this ?
Can i tune the d70's wireless signal to the trigger the floorpack, or do i buy a 'tuned' wireless slave trigger to plug into the pack?
How can i get this to work with studio strobes?

[lejazzcat]

For example -
My Elinchrom AS 6000( 6000watt floorpack) control options are:
IR control via remote (more of a TV style remote), cable sync, and slave cell .

How would you rate the adv/disadvantages of these different trigger systems? any others?
Ive tried different combinations but im not satisfied ive found the best setup.

ON the D70 - i should be using the 'M' mode for exposure , and i guess i should i also use the 'm' for the flash as well( or is that only for the onboard flash)?

Ide guessed that ide loose the TTL metering when using non SB type lights ... isnt there a way around this????

SO DO I NEED A FLASH METER? which one?

Ive looked throughout 4 pdf manuals on the d70 for advice , but its very patchy.

[Sheetshooter]

Yes you need a meter - I prefer the Minoltas on the grounds of accuracy, consistency and reliability. The camera has NO means of controlling the output on non-Nikon flashes..

Use a cable connected to the hot-shoe adaptor or use the pop-up .... frankly, I prefer the cable or a dedicated slave trigger.

If you use the pop-up and it is too bright you can put a piece of foil at a 45º angle in front of it and direct the beam away (in the old days a bit of foil from a cigarette pack did the trick) - chances are the slave cells in the Elinchrom are sensitive enough to read it. Possibly the best option is to use a radio or IR trigger in the hot-shoe but that means extras bucks.

There MAY be an option of connecting a short cable between the camera and the hand controller for the flassh - I am not overly familiar with the features of the particular unjit you have.

I doubt that yuou would ever need to use full power with a 6000 joule unit when working with a DSLR. Exposure is ideal at around f/11. Any more light and the need to use smaller apertures will lead to poor lens performance due to diffraction.

[birddog114]

lejazzcat

Sekonic 358 lighmeter!

[Sheetshooter]

or the MInolta or - if budget demands - a Polaris.

[nodabs]

i would go cable sync and i second the Sekonic 358 it seems to be the only one the bmx and skate/ snowboard guys use and they shoot in some really hard lighting conditions with 3 or 4 flashes.

if you have the cash just use pocket wizards to trigger and you will have no problems or on more of a budget you can get studio Radio triggers on ebay for under 30 bucks that should work fine, and gets you off the cable

[lejazzcat]

Yes you need a meter - I prefer the Minoltas on the grounds of accuracy, consistency and reliability. The camera has NO means of controlling the output on non-Nikon flashes..


There MAY be an option of connecting a short cable between the camera and the hand controller for the flassh - I am not overly familiar with the features of the particular unjit you have.

I doubt that yuou would ever need to use full power with a 6000 joule unit when working with a DSLR. Exposure is ideal at around f/11. Any more light and the need to use smaller apertures will lead to poor lens performance due to diffraction.

Thanks Walter, BD and the rest of you.

I have been looking at the Sekonic 508, and the Gossen Starlite....
Which Minolta would you recommend?

The Sek 358 has a built in transmitter for the pocketwizard plus trans./rec flash trigger system,(http://www.pocketwizard.com/HTML/pwnikond.asp)
which is probably the best way to go.... but if i need one on every piece of gear - say 3 heads and the camera , well thats at least 1000$ worth of gear - OUCH!

Any other units that are cheaper?

Walter - true - 6000watts is overkill - sure for 35mm DSLR, a F8 would be the smallest aperture wanted , but with med and large format (up to f64) its still applicable. If im shooting larger groups, buildings, or cars (in a warehouse) one day - i have all the power i need.

[Sheetshooter]

Lejazzcat,

Based on what I have seen consistently over many years I would not buy a meter with the letter 'G' at the begining of its name. I am yet to see one that reads in a linear fashion. I have found that the darker it gets the more they underexpose.

I use the Minolta V (not VF) but a IVF or VF is just as good. Nothing else reads light as well and my Minolta is equally well filtered for IR UV and a true panchromotic response as a Zone VI Modified Pentax 1º Spot (ambient only) meter that I use. How the Sekonics perform in this regard I am not sure these days but in the past there were issues.

Minoltas have been the industry standard pretty well for over 20 years.

As for transmitters and receivers - you should hopefully only need one of each - the transmitter (on the camera) will trigger the receiver on a flash unit of your choosing and the flash itself will trigger the built-in slaves which are (hopefully) built into the other heads.

I agree that if you are shooting LF then there can be a need for power such as the 6000 joule floor pack will provide. To reduce the output of such units significantly (such as 1/32nd or 1/64th power) can shorten the flash duration to such an extent that the OTHER end of reciprocity departure is encountered (with film).

I regulalrly shoot customised Harley Davidsons in a studio. I have 2000 joule floor packs and use large scrims and a lot of bounce. On film where I was consistently chasing f/22 I needed every ounce of light that could be pumped out. Now that I use a DSLR where I limit myself to f/11 I only need a quarter of the light (two stops less) and so I seldom go above quarter power.

Cheers,

[lejazzcat]

Thanks again Walter

I would not buy a meter with the letter 'G' at the begining of its name.

Gossen - im thinking then ill buy something else...

I use the Minolta V (not VF) but a IVF or VF is just as good.

Thanks

How the Sekonics perform in this regard I am not sure these days but in the past there were issues.

Photogear that has issues ??!!

As for transmitters and receivers - you should hopefully only need one of each - the transmitter (on the camera) will trigger the receiver on a flash unit of your choosing and the flash itself will trigger the built-in slaves which are (hopefully) built into the other heads.

yep- but what about when we use monoblocks ?
(say - EL500's which are a 'industry workhorse').These heads are more practical for digital 35mm and are very portable which is a bonus for weddings and location portrait work.

To reduce the output of such units significantly (such as 1/32nd or 1/64th power) can shorten the flash duration to such an extent that the OTHER end of reciprocity departure is encountered (with film).

hmmm - please explain