Film Gear Shot - I hate DSLR flash setup

[marcr1230]

This weekend, I took out the Nikon SP for a spin. What a sweet camera.
the focusing is so easy. I took almost a roll of family shots.
Then the family got tired of me, and I decided to shoot still life.
This time a DSLR photo of my film gear.
the result was this mediocre photo. I was using a D300 with a 105 Macro Nikkor. Probably a poor choice to start with due to the long effective focal length. additionally, I can't seem to get the lighting right. I was using a off camera SB-800 and the on camera built in flash to trigger it. It takes a lot of time and patience and retries to get a decent shot (which I can't say I have done yet). trying to get rid of shadows, and illuminate back cameras, and avoid reflections of the flash off the glass...
It's also hard to use reflectors (I didn't) without clamps or an assistant.
The other frustration is using the EVIL DSLR off camera commander mode. it's incredibly complex to set it up the way you want it...
Anyway all this is a good argument from my perspective to stick with what's easier - natural illumination and B&W film


Anyway it's a good arguement from my perspective to stick with what I know better and is easier, film and natural light

 

[Clovis]

Why not use your bounce-flash with you SB-800 on camera? I've done this in the past and it looks great bouncing my flash off my white ceiling.

 

[segedi]

Looks like this would benefit from some diffusion. Really hard to duplicate a window lit shot, which is basically a large softbox, with a small, bare light source. Would also raise the height of the flash and try to have the setup so the background was farther away.
Nice cameras though!

 

[marcr1230]

@clovis - I tried that but what I'm looking for is almost advertising style, with well lit product and white shadowless background

@segedi - I will try again another day

 

[Clovis]

@clovis - I tried that but what I'm looking for is almost advertising style, with well lit product and white shadowless background

I've done it with a DSLR, a white cloth, and bounced flash:

You can drape a white linen cloth off a table with enough cloth to cover some of the floor, and shoot your cameras on the cloth as the surface and backdrop.

Set to expose so the white cloth is blown out and bob's your uncle.

 

[tbarker13]

Ideally you'd use seamless paper and at least one large softbox with a reflector or two.

However, it would also help if your background wasn't so close to your subject. And it might help if you had the light coming from higher up - though, no matter what, it does need to be diffused more. It's really too harsh, as is.

Just a few thoughts. But that sort of product lighting isn't all that easy to do without the right tools.

 

[Frank Petronio]

Start with one camera, one light, one background.

 

[marcr1230]

@Frank - you're going to start a new trend 🙂

 

[pvdhaar]

..The other frustration is using the EVIL DSLR off camera commander mode. it's incredibly complex to set it up the way you want it...

Completely agree, although it does help to experiment a bit..

What I've found is that with the DSLR in commander mode (i.e. set to '---'), the built in flash shows more than with the DSLR in master mode and -3EV dialed in for the built-in. You'd expect the commander mode to completely do away with the light from the triggering flash, but it doesn't; far from that; you keep having shadows where you don't expect them. Getting the light right with the built-in confusing things is, let's say, sort of confusing..

 

[PKR]

"The other frustration is using the EVIL DSLR off camera commander mode. it's incredibly complex to set it up the way you want it...
Anyway all this is a good argument from my perspective to stick with what's easier - natural illumination and B&W film"

If you find it difficult to use the SB lighting in Commander Mode, why don't you just use the flash unit wired with one of the SC26 or other iTTL compatible cables? I do this a lot with portraits, as I don't want the pre-flash PCM and the delay.

 

[Rico]

Hi, Marc! Some good comments were already about still life. 105mm is fine for the shot, but get a higher view. Light should be raised, back wall removed, and the ambient light killed (nasty color cast). Simple can work:

Quite a hard light for key was used, and a second light for fill. Shadows are to be cherished, not suppressed. Surface was glossy white, but not blown; no backdrop. Camera flashes are hard to modify, and the direct light has poor uniformity. I use studio lighting, but even bounce cards with sunlight is better light. Setup can take hours: that's how tabletop photography goes. 🙂

 

[css9450]

The other frustration is using the EVIL DSLR off camera commander mode. it's incredibly complex to set it up the way you want it...

Using the Commander Unit SU800 instead of the built-in-flash as the trigger simplifies setup and eliminates any shadows which might be coming from the popup as well. I found it well worth the money.

 

[pachuco]

Nope, I was in the same exact boat as you a few years back. You are just doing it wrong, DSLR's are the best for flash you just have to know how to set things up. I would check out the Strobist and then all your worried will be over!

 

[Renzsu]

Get one of Kirk Tuck's books, very insightful and he shows you don't need much to accomplish a lot.