(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best camera flash accessories

No problem. :)

Ok, so flash is pretty easy. My setup might be a bit outdated, but here is what I use currently:

• Flashes
  
• Transceivers
  
• Controller
  
  I have 3 of those flashes, they're really pretty great if you aren't too snobby about brands. I believe Yongnuo has flashes now with the transmitter built into them, but I have never used those and the only time I've seen them in action it didn't go super well. I'm sure they're fine, I just can't recommend them.
  
  So basically you put the controller on your camera. You put each flash you want to use off camera on the transceivers. The controller lets you adjust each flash's settings remotely and triggers them. It's awesome.
  
  If you generally don't know what you're doing with flash for the reception, it's generally best to bounce the light off the ceiling. Point the flashes roughly upward and fire away. At receptions with a defined dance floor you can get pretty great results by placing them in a couple of the corners. Your light might come back kinda yellow. If you don't want to worry about using gels on your flashes then just keep an eye out for it and adjust the white balance in Lightroom after the fact.
  
  Aside from flashes you will want some modifiers to place on them. When I was starting out the two that I used are these (these aren't the exact ones, but they're close):
  
  
• Flashbender
  
  
• Baby Softbox
  
  So there are probably better modifiers to use, but these are cheap and they work pretty well at diffusing/directing light. The softbox is great for portraits and I frequently would use the flash bender to direct light gently over a wide area, like when the toasts are going on or the bridal party is entering the room or the dance floor. When used correctly you should get pretty great lighting and avoid hard shadows.
  
  Anyways, how I shot those photos. You're generally right. I love shots like that (probably too much), and so I do them all the time. The general idea is the same for all of them, soft light in front and a bright light in the back. Using the specific equipment I listed above, my usual MO is to put a bare flash behind them, typically on the ground (using these)or on a stand as low as possible to the ground. Point it at the couple and slightly upward (photo 1 is the exception, it was pointed essentially straight up to make the gazebo light up like that).
  
  Set up a flash in front of them. In most of those photos I used the flashbender modifier on the flash pointing at the couple to direct but diffuse the light. It helps it look a bit more natural. Generally you want to position it in a way that the shadows aren't too distracting, so do it slightly off to the side to get more natural lighting. Obviously I messed up in a few of mine but it is what it is and most people don't even notice. We're always our own harshest critic.
  
  Next is the settings. This is honestly the toughest part in my opinion. You need to expose for the background you want and then use the flashes to achieve the lighting you want on the subjects. I don't know how to describe this, but the easiest way is with photo #6 on my website. I exposed the photo for the city behind the couple and got the look I wanted, THEN I added flashes and whatnot. General rule of thumb is the light behind the couple should be one step brighter than the light in front. That way you get the glowing backlight effect.
  
  Thanks for the compliments on the photos! I hope this helps. I'm sorry if I did a bad job of explaining things, just ask me to clarify anything you don't understand.
  
  EDIT: All this being said you don't NEED off camera flash. I've shot entire receptions using on-camera flash. The most important thing to remember is you just want to diffuse the light in some way. When you're using flash on camera you typically achieve this by bouncing it at the ceiling. Practice this at home, it usually works pretty well!
  

I'm very happy with my Godox gear so far. I also considered Yongnuo, but I like Godox' wireless system is a lot better. In fact, I think right now they have one of the best wireless systems on the market.

Basic setup:

A hot-shoe TTL flash is a great place to start. I'd suggest the TT350N for that; it's small and convenient to carry. It's strong enough to light up a dark room, and to overpower ambient lights. If you use it as a bounce flash, you don't really need any other accessories.

I use the TT350 for all the bounce photography. Bounce is very simple and convenient. Its small size is very handy here, because it doesn't throw off the camera balance or really get in the way.

I personally bought the V860II-N as my first speedlight. I realized it was a beast when it arrived; way more flash than I needed on my hot-shoe. Here's a size comparison: http://imgur.com/a/jFpvM

I'm glad I have it though; it's great in multi-point lighting and it's nice to have a more powerful option should I need it.

Off-camera setup:

The next step up from there is to move the flash off-camera. For that, you'll need a stand, a head, and a light modifier.

You can use a tripod, but a light stand is a lot simpler to setup and break-down. To mount a light to the stand, you'll need and either a hot-shoe adapter or the flash foot. The simplest and cheapest modifier is a photography umbrella. You'll need a mount to attach an umbrella to the stand, though most hot-shoe adapters will also hold the umbrella.

I use the Godox S mount adapter and a soft-box. The benefit of the adapter is that it can use other Bowens mount light modifiers if I want to try them in the future. It also holds an umbrella.

You'll also need a way to trigger the flash. You can use your on-board flash for this, but I went with the Godox X1 trigger. This is a radio trigger, and does TTL. It cost $40. A very nice thing about the X1 trigger is that it can control the speedlights remotely; I can change power and other settings from my camera, which cuts down a lot of back-and-forth. It's also a lot more reliable and convenient than using an optical trigger.

Multi-point setup:

The next step after that is multi-point lighting. If you already have a speedlight, radio trigger, etc. All you really need are more flash heads. The nice thing about multi-point lighting is that they don't all need to be the same speedlight. Usually, you use different power levels and modifiers anyway. In my case, I have a big powerful speedlight, and a small portable speedlight. When I'm out and about, I can grab whichever is best for the job.

You can use manual (non-TTL) flashes for multi-point lighting. This is best if you don't intend to use ambient as a light source or don't mind fiddling to balance ambient with the flash. A lot of Godox's manual flashes still have built in wireless support, which makes them a good inexpensive solution.

The sky is the limit:

From there, there's a whole world of lighting. Strobes powerful enough to make the sun look dim, lighting modifiers, etc.

Quick edit: A number of companies resell Godox' products. Flashpoint is the most prolific, but there's also Bolt, Neewer, and a couple others.

When it comes to macro, depth of field is a major challenge, because it's razor thin at those distances. You can increase the depth of field by using smaller apertures, but the smaller you go the less sharp the image will be (due to refraction). I'd just try different apertures, because you may still find it acceptably sharp. Another way to improve how much appears in focus is to use focus stacking, a post processing technique using multiple images focused at different points, but it can be challenging. One easy tip, since the plane of focus is perpendicular to your camera, shooting straight on will utilize the entire plane of focus.

As far as lighting, as HelplessCorgis said, outdoors can be challenging because the slightest movement can throw things off. If it's bright enough to use a very fast shutter speed, you may be okay. If you're indoors, and the table and tripod are stable, you can even use longer shutter speeds to get the exposure you want.

Ultimately flash is always better for still photography than constant lights, due to efficiency and light output. Even a $28 Amazon Basics manual speelight will do a decent job! Then you'd want a cheap flash cord so you can move the light around (just make sure to get the right one for your camera brand).

>better quality video attracts more audience

I agree with this - that's why I recommend you save yourself some money and get a $1295 Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K with a $109.99 Samsung T5 portable SSD, a $6.99 cold shoe adapter, a $9.99 cold shoe mount for the SSD (seen here) and a $259 FeiyuTech G6 Plus gimbal.

This setup will cost you less than $1700 - hundreds of dollars less than the price of the Sony or the Panasonic.

And the BMPCC 4K's 12-bit internal RAW recording will give you better quality and a far wider color palette than either the 8-bit A7 III or the 10-bit GH5s.

Plus with the gimbal, you'll get smooth handheld 4K RAW video (the GH5s is unstabilized).

Here are a couple of promos shot with this camera:

• ​“Take Flight” - Blackmagic Pocket 4K by Yonder Blue Films (4K - "making of" behind-the-scenes here)
  
• Blenheim Forge | Blackmagic Pocket Cinema 4K Short by CVP (2160p)
  
  Here are a few sample videos shot at 4K in 12-bit losslessly compressed CinemaDNG RAW:
  
  
• Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K “Ohana” by Moai Films (4K)
  
• BMPCC4K Footage "Bubble Gum" filmed with Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K by Areia Creations (4K)
  
• ​BMPCC4K Footage “Dreamcatcher” filmed with Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K by Areaia Creations (4K)
  
• ​Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K : A Flower of Life by Sittipong Kong Tang (2160p - "making of" behind-the-scenes here)
  
• ​Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K ‘Mountain Bike’ by Joey Knox (4K)
  
• Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K ‘Nature’ by Mark Wyatt (4K - shot with Sigma 18-35mm and Rokinon 50mm Cine lenses)
  
  These were shot at 4K in 10-bit ProRes 4:2:2:
  
  
• ​“Sunset at Changi” (2018) x Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K by Clement You (4K)
  
• ​Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K ‘Balloons’ by Andreas Neumann (4K)
  
• Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K ‘Bugs’ by Peter Nearhos (4K)
  
• Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K ‘Models Walking in Daylight’ by John Brawley (4K)
  
• ​Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K ‘Models Walking at Night’ by John Brawley (4K)
  
• ​Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K ‘Models Close Up at Night’ by John Brawley (4K)
  
  In my view, the BMPCC is the best cinema/video centered camera you can buy in the sub-$2000 price range.
  
  If you decide to go with this camera, you might also want to subscribe over at r/bmpcc and r/blackmagicdesign - lots of knowledgeable folks there who can help you get the most out of the camera.
  
  I have one on pre-order and expect it in the next few days.
  
  Hope this is helpful and good luck with finding the right camera for your needs!
  
  ^(Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small affiliate commission. This costs you nothing extra. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe are a good value for readers. This disclosure is in accordance with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s) ^(16 CFR, Part 255)^(: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01I09WHLW x 2 - Speedlights - $56

https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Wireless-Speedlite-Receiver-Universal/dp/B00A47U22U - Wireless Trigger - $19

https://www.amazon.com/CowboyStudio-Photography-Light-Stands-Cases/dp/B001WB02Z4 - Light Stands - $29

https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Professional-Universal-Speedlite-Umbrella/dp/B00JJJR7PY - x2 - Cold Shoe - $22

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0132I34K4 - Octobox - $23

https://www.amazon.com/Fotodiox-Premium-Shoot-Through-Translucent-Umbrella/dp/B005ODKMOC - Shoot though umbrella - $14

https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-43-inch-Collapsible-Multi-Disc-Reflector/dp/B002ZIMEMW - 5 in 1 reflector - $20

That brings you for a full starting light setup that can be used for headshots and starting boudoir for $183. And you even have flexablity in there to use a 1 light setup with reflector or use 2 lights. You would want a few sandbags to keep the gear stable, but I am not including those in the price.

Now for a background setup

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E6GRHBO/ref=psdc_3444601_t1_B00MTF6ZVC

Is a good basic stand but hard to fit under your budget with the above lighting gear.

https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Studio-Collapsible-Backdrop-1-8x2-8m/dp/B00UWL02PU is also an okay starting backdrop, Grey can be turned into white or black. I will warn you that you will need a fabric steamer to get the lines out, but that is pretty much the same however you go with cloth. Another more expensive choice is to go with seamless paper, I love working with paper, but it is an ongoing expense to use it.

Now if you are going to make this her studio all the time, they make http://www.homedepot.com/p/EUCATILE-32-sq-ft-96-in-x-48-in-Hardboard-Thrifty-White-Tile-Board-HDDPTW48/205995949 that you can use to make a great background. Or to me the better option if you are going to use a room as a full time studio, paint the walls, put down hardwood or laminate, and you have a great studio setup.

>... I'm sort of used to 1/60th being the flash sync speed so I stupidly thought 1/200 was High Speed Sync. LOL. I found a good explanation of HSS online.

Yeah, sync speeds have gone up since film days. :) Mostly, HSS is useful if you want to do thin DoF with daytime fill flash, or if you need to freeze fast action without being able to kill the ambient. The former you can still do with ND filters, but the latter really requires HSS.

>I was hoping I could have the receiver on camera rather than having it dangling it's weight from the connecting cord. But I secured it to the tripod using a couple Velcro cinch straps to take the weight of the receiver off of the triggering cable and hence the camera's shutter port.

Ball bungees can be useful for this, too. :)

>I did a shot prior to changing the XPro and flashes to another channel, but everything seemed to work with all 5 units set to channel 1.

I'm surprised. Usually there needs to be a small delay between the shutter remote working and the flash going off. If everything triggers at the same time, due to propagation, there's usually a sync issue. But if it's working, then it's working.

[re: wide angle diffusion panel]

>DOH! Thank you! I didn't realize it was an "active" panel. It was just slightly out, so pushing it in fully solved the problem.

We've all been there. That's how we know what the problem is. :D Your turn to help the next newbie.

>Now I just have to find the second little hotshoe stand. LOL.

Just in case, replacements aren't hard to find.

>Thank you,

You're welcome!

Which lighting would look more natural, flash with a softbox pointed at the subject or a flash with a deflector attached "bouncing" at the subject?

---

I was thinking about getting a film camera and the N8008s seems like a good choice, but I don't have any Nikon lenses, can anyone recommend a good cheap 50mm that would work on it? It's ok if its manual.

---

In your opinion do you think a used GoPro Hero 2014 for like $60-$70 is worth it mainly for casual timelapses and some underwater footage?

Assuming that there's a single presenter, I'd want to use at least two microphones for this setup. First off, I'd stick a wireless lapel on the presenter, and I'd also set up a shotgun like the NTG2 either on a mic stand in front of or a high c-stand above the talent. The lapel will get isolated vocal from the presenter, and the shotgun will get backup vocal, but more importantly some noise when they're working.

I wouldn't advise using a 6D for recording audio. Canon DSLRs have noisey preamps, no proper gain control without Magic Lantern, and most importantly no headphone jack so you can monitor what's being recorded. If hiring something with pro XLR inputs like a C100 or C300 instead is out of the question, then this H6 will work perfectly. You could get an inexpensive hot shoe to 1/4" adapter and mount the recorder to your camera so that you've got all your recorders in one place (hopefully there's somewhere in NZ that does them!)

Syncing is easy, pluraleyes makes it a lot eaisier. To help the editor out, use a clapperboard (or just clap) at the start or end of each take as a reference point, and try to make sure that you have exactly the same number of clips on both the camera and audio (i.e. turn and cut at the same times), even if that means recording audio when it's not needed.

Yeah, an umbrella is going to be too big to hand hold. If you are shooting insects in the wild my experience is there is a trade off between a big enough diffuser to get good looking light (bigger is better) and something that will be so big you will scare insects, or not be able to precisely control it and accidentally bump the bush or whatever you are next to.

I have these two.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0017U0WM8
http://www.amazon.com/Fotodiox-Speedlight-Speedlite-600EX-RT-Panasonica/dp/B003Y322RO
They strap directly to the flash head, so you don't need anything else to attach them. It's not like an umbrella where you need a bracket to hold the umbrella to the flash.

No hood for macro like this. You will be so close to the subject that the hood would actually block light from the flash in some cases.

You may want to start with a flash bracket though. I use a [manfrotto 330B)[http://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-330B-Bracket-Support-Heads-Black/dp/B001D2CW2I]. It will hold two flash heads but I just use one. The key thing is you need a bracket that lets you position the flash at an angle above the focal point of the lens.

Which reminds me, keep in mind you will probably shoot in manual focus mode. You turn the focus ring to the 1:1 (max) magnification and then move the camera by hand until your subject is in focus. And no matter how you focus, it takes steady hands to keep the very thin focal plane on your subject.

I don't know what your budget is, but if you want the L it's supposed to be nice. I don't know that the IS helps much given that you will be shooting with a flash (that should freeze any hand-shake motion in my opinion). If you might shoot with natural light then the IS would be critical, but I'm not sure how possible it would even be. Flash makes such a HUGE difference for sharpness of the image.

You may want to just get the non-L and if you fall in love with macro you can sell it and buy the L later. Or you may do like me and move toward the extreme 4:1 or 10:1 magnification stuff where the EF lens is useless anyway.

Hi /u/AmericanVito - I have the GH2, the GH3 and the BMPCC. When I went to NAB this week, I took the GH3, with the GH2 for backup. The BMPCC stayed home.

Of these three cameras, the GH3 is clearly the best choice for run and gun. Fastest autofocus, best in-camera audio, headphone jack, best codec selection, toughest body.

You can plug a pro XLR mic (dynamic or battery powered) directly into the camera with an [inexpensive Hosa MIT-156 XLR to 3.5mm transformer/adapter] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002IAJ2O/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0002IAJ2O&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) [Referral Link] and get great sound.

Put an [inexpensive pistol grip] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0054HD10A/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0054HD10A&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) and [remote cable] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004KVXG38/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004KVXG38&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) [Referral Links] on the GH3, and it's an autofocusing run and gun machine. Here's my basic GH3 run and gun setup:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-UYnVcKoiMis/UsvM__-0iaI/AAAAAAAAIXQ/T2KKnx_oRoQ/w724-h543-no/P1120306.JPG

You can still get the [GH3 for less than $1000 from 6th Ave Express via eBay] (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=2&pub=5575034783&toolid=10001&campid=5337235943&customid=&icep_item=191094671040&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229466&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg) [Referral Link].

Hope this is helpful!

Bill

>How often do you guys use telephoto lenses?

This depends on things you'd like to shoot, if you like landscape, almost never. We have a 70-200 that never leaves the house, longest I usually bring with me is a 85

>If I do end up getting one, do you think I would find scenarios where I wish I would have one?

Usually you need it for the reach, in a concert, a wedding, a zoo, trying to grab subjects you cannot otherwise get closers

>Is the SEL55210 a decent lens?

it's a good lens, personally, much like my 70-200 I never used it much.

>I'm really confused with telephoto lenses because even high-end lenses have pretty slow f stops.

the platform you bought into prefers size over lens performance, it has nothing to do if it's high end or not

>And about aperture, how do you know what aperture you should shoot at?

It depends on the look you are going for, the light that's available and the amount of things you want to be in focus (depth of field).

>I've read that most lenses lose quality beyond around f8 or f11. Is that true?

not necessarily loss of quality, but the focus of light start to break down call diffraction. It typically starts to appear in smaller apertures and only become noticeable in extremely small apertures

>Does that mean that you should never really go above that number?

A small aperture is needed if you want a larger amount of subjects in focus, or you need to reduce the amount of light entering the camera. You can also use a small aperture to give certain looks to the bokeh balls or lights. This photo here shot with the 14mm 2.8 at f22, you can see it forced everything to be in focus and gave the lights a 6 point star look

>I also noticed from my moon pictures that the most in focus one was actually at ~f5 and focus wasn't set to infinity. How does aperture and focus combine to make the moon more in focus at those settings than others? Or maybe it's user error since it was the first time I tried to use it.

On Sony E lenses, infinity is actually a few hairs below infinity focus, it's best to manually focus yourself by zooming in

>And filters.

Different folks will have different opinions on filter brands and the type of filters you should get (I only use CPL and ND, I feel that UV is a sham). But if you want to save money, buy a larger filter, like a 77mm and then purchase step down rings to use them with all your lenses

>And final question, how do you bring all of your equipment with you?

keep your camera out and with you, have the Sigma 19 on it, carry the other lenses in camera lens pouches

A cheaper alternative to the 600EX-RT while still going Canon is the new 430EX-RT. Canon added the radio trigger technology in the cheaper line. You lose a slight amount of range in how far the flash can turn but it's not that big of a deal. You lose some power as well, but it will be perfectly fine in most cases, especially a class you're taking. Despite what some reviews say, the 430EX-RT can be used as either slave or master unit if you ever pick up more to use for multi-flash work. I've tried it out myself. The 430EX-RT is also considerably smaller and lighter, and the menu system has changed to be much simpler. I prefer going to it first over the 600EX-RT which is a beast of a flash in terms of size and weight. It's very unnecessary in most cases.

(OP, the radio trigger aspect is important. It means if you want to shoot off camera, your flashes don't need to be in line of sight of each other to talk to each other. That's one important distinction between these and cheaper flashes. Either the flashes needed to be in line of sight of each other so the off camera flashes would know when to shoot, or you had to buy third party radio triggers. With these RT flashes, those third party extra gadgets are not needed. For the purposes of your class, I don't know if you'll need to go off camera at all, but hopefully if you do, a simple off camera flash cable will be all you'll need.)

I wish I had little dudes like this around me right now, haha. As another poster said, I would suggest a larger aperture to combat the diffraction and make things a bit sharper, and let some more light in. I know it cuts you DOF down to a sliver, but I think its worth the trade off for an overall brighter picture.

And, unfortunately, a flash is super helpful for macro, since we lose so much light at that magnification. One suggestion I have, for when you get a flash, is get one of these cables, because that will let you have the flash off body and let you have control over the angle of the light, instead of just being on the camera. https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Camera-Flash-Speedlite-Canon/dp/B00YUAMMU2 . You could accomplish the same with a remote trigger, but those are a bit more costly.

Cheap: 1) extension tube(s) for your 50mm. 2) Silver/Gold reflector with a way to mount it on a light stand. 3) Hot shoe cord: https://www.amazon.com/Vello-TTL-Off-Camera-Flash-Cord-Canon/dp/B005GMWEI8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496952004&sr=8-1&keywords=vello+canon+hot+shoe+cord 4) Light Stand & umbrella for mounting a Yongnuo flash kit:
Mid range: 1) Yongnuo kit like B_Huij describes, though I'd go with a YN-560TX on-camera to control power & zoom on the speedlights. If you presently only have one speedlight and you're using it solely on-camera, you're not going to get much use out of it, especially outside. See #3 above to get it off-camera.
Pricier: 1) EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM Lens since you're presently doing your shooting with the kit lens and 50mm, I think this will give you more flexibility than either the 60mm or 100mm macro... those give you more reach but at the expense of Depth of Field. Smaller apertures don't make as big of a difference as focal length with DoF... and for your work I think as long as you're shooting groups of lego dude, 100mm would be inconveniently long.

Bonus idea: Gorillapod/clone with tripod>hotshoe adapter for holding a wirelessly triggered flash.

You've got some great stuff so far. Post back with whatever you results you get from the upgrades!

Lighting looks great!

The one thing that I can't tell is if the photo was taken slightly askew. It seems like the right side of the bowl is more in focus than the left, which would explain why the grains and such on the left hand side seem to be tilted. I purchased a 3-axis bubble level like this one and it has made straightening my planes so much easier than eyeballing it.

edit: fixed a sentence

Most cameras have a built in virtual-horizon you can use to at least get level. Or better yet, get one of these hot-shoe mounted bubble-levels and you can really square things up.

Use live-view on your camera if you can. it will help you visualize the final product.

Just try to keep the vertical lines vertical by having the sensor exactly parallel with them. If the sensor is not parallel with the vertical elements then they will appear to lean towards or away from the viewer. In other words if the camera is pointed up or down even slightly, then the upright elements will lean forwards or backwards.

This type of alignment is easier on large format film cameras with lots of movements. Or you can buy an incredibly expensive PC (perspective correcting) lens so you can adjust the perspective in-camera quite easily.

hey dude! i have a gopro hero 3 silver. I use it for recording live sets. The zoom h1 mic is pretty good for the price, and you can find it cheaper used. it's external so you'll have to sync the audio and video, but it's worth it.


i use this housing
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J8CFZUG?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00

and use this on top of it to mount the zoom h1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005005EEM?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

the zoom sits directly on top!
Imgur

Do you already have strobes? If so something like this works pretty well. Your tripod will need a very strong head as the weight (and leveraged weight) starts to get large.

I used this, with a pair of off camera strobes (and radio triggers), that I had for other uses. Of course I was not shooting as close as you will be, so your mileage may vary.

If that's a 1/4" threading on the Vive Tracker, you could just buy a wide collar or harness, punch a hole in it, and screw something like this (Amazon Link) into it to attach the Tracker. Might want to shorten it a bit though.
The ideal way of integrating it would be an overlay that works in every VR application, similar to chaperone.


There's a chance that your pet will not like having a relatively heavy object attached to it though, and will try to remove it.

It would make more sense and be safer to put the pet in a different room though.

I'd recommend mounting them both on a Y-Bracket if you need it cheap and light, with one of these to mount the zoom.

You can also take sound off camera really quick and easy if the opportunity arises.

Any 12v DC power bank will work, I use these guys:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07H8F5HYJ?ref=ppx_pt2_mob_b_prod_image

I have an analog heat paired with my mixer, but it's the MKI version.

Definitely don't use things equally, each of the pieces has a pretty specific use for me. Here's sort of the priority list and use case:

Analog 4 - Basslines and Leads

Analog Rytm - primary drums

OT - vocals and sound fx

Digitone - textures, pads, leads

Digitakt - cymbals and backup drums

One thing to know ... that body is one of the last Sony made with the old Minolta hot shoe, the connection if you use an external flash/speedlight. There are flashes that you can fit, or you can use standard speedlights as well via a simple adaptor. Here's an example of one, less than $10. That will come into play down the line if you expand into using different lighting options.

I run a super budget setup as close to professional lighting as I can. Well it's budget in comparison to pro set ups.

I start with one of these.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014H2P89O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_wSnezbPMKMHMZ

It's dimmable so I can adust the brightness for any time of day and turn it off without messing around with switches.

I plug that into this.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HX2EVPS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_TVnezbVVQ3QQB

Well in reality I have a small desk lamp with a clip on it. It attaches to my monitor stand. But we'll get what ever lamp work for you.

Then I bought this soft box. Modified it slightly (just cut it open a little)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ENSKUUK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_eYnezbNZ9D1XR

Then bam. Simple and adjustable set up for my setup. I can make the light as bright or dull as required by the remaining room lighting.

Go for a larger softbox if you have room. I don't as I have all my monitors on a 2x2 stand!

(Not referral links)

If you really want something solid that doesn't take up space you may want to get a floor to ceiling rod support. This is the cheapest I found. https://www.harborfreight.com/2-in-1-support-cargo-bar-66172.html Though you will likely want to paint them another color to match the room.

And clamps like this https://www.amazon.com/Anwenk-Ball-Head-Mount-Adapter/dp/B06XQY99DR/

I find best to use these

https://www.amazon.com/InterDesign-Constant-Tension-Bathroom-Curtain/dp/B00F3B4YPS

with these

https://www.amazon.com/2Pack-ChromLives-Camera-Clamp-Monitor/dp/B07GZ1D4BB

Similar to this picture.

Looks good and can be reused over and over again.

You need something to trigger the flash, yeah. It can be a cable, a wireless radio trigger, or even using the pop-up flash to trigger the external one optically. I wouldn't suggest the latter in a club, though, because any bright light source has a tendency to trigger the flash randomly when it's in that mode and TTL cables are cheap.

'TTL cable' just refers to a cable that attaches to your hotshoe, and on the other end gives you a little box with basically another hotshoe. It lets the flash behave exactly the same as if it was sitting in the hotshoe, just now you can move it around. They look like this.

Maybe someone makes some accessory shoe mount to tripod thread adapter so that you can mount this on a tripod and then mount the camera upside down into the shoe thing? Lmao it feels weird just to type this so it probably does not exist?

EDIT: Well shit, apparently it exists it looks like it's made to support accessories though, and not an upside down camera, but I reckon it could help to just line up the shot while still having to hold the camera a bit.

When I started using anamorphic scopes, I bought this 'complete set' of step-up/step-down rings. Admittedly, they are cheap. But having a whole set is SO useful when getting started.

For my setup (which includes a Sankor 16C, Olympus taking lens, and a 77mm diopter set) I ended up needing three different types of step-up and step-down rings.

I'd suggest getting the full set of cheap ones to find out EXACTLY the ones you need. Then, when you realize you need a 52 to 77 as well as a 48 to a 67, then you can buy higher quality specific ones to meet your exact build.

Tension bars big enough to run floor-ceiling, and clamps with the 1/4 20 camera mount thread on them.

Example: 2x these and 2x these. Shop around for better deals. Look for mention of "ball head" as it us a very simple but effective method for articulation.

> some type of diffuser

I have a thing like this, came with my flash. Results are okay-ish, definitely worth 8 bucks thought. Full frontal in the face with little flash and there are no shadows anywhere in the face. No studio quality, but improvement to ceiling bouncing in my experience

A simple pic stand and flash bracket with a reversible umbrella and a YN660 transmitter would be the best way to get off camera versatile flash for cheap.

In the future, every Monday, Weds, and Friday we have an official questions thread reserved for these types of questions.

These are also good, i use one for my 3rd lighthouse (different play space) have it clamped to my lamp


https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07GZ1D4BB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I can’t link the amazon pages right now, but I got these shower rods that go floor to ceiling and ball camera type mount with a clasp on rods. Takes up less floor space and pretty sturdy.

Edit:

Rods

mount

Thanks, yes it's only there to hold it in place. I purchased this from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003URJP5Q/ref=redir_mdp_mobile

Do you think that should work?

Buy an off-camera flash cable and one of these babies https://www.amazon.com/Meking-Portable-Multi-function-Speedlight-Flashlight/dp/B00URHR3TW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1525389347&sr=8-2&keywords=flash+disc+diffuser

This is the setup I use when I shoot events. Works great when you have to do a quick portrait too. Nice soft light.

I own an a65 and use this


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003URJP5Q/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm pretty sure the nex7 and a65 have the same Minolta shoe

Did you know Amazon will donate a portion of every purchase if you shop by going to smile.amazon.com instead? Over $50,000,000 has been raised for charity - all you need to do is change the URL!

Here are your smile-ified links:

https://smile.amazon.com/Neewer-centimeters-Octagonal-Speedlight-Photography/dp/B00PIM3I6I

https://smile.amazon.com/Fotodiox-Premium-Shoot-Through-Translucent-Umbrella

https://smile.amazon.com/Neewer-Professional-Universal-Speedlite-Umbrella/dp/B00JJJR7PY

https://smile.amazon.com/Neewer-centimeters-Portrait-Product-Photography/dp/B00L4YR0BS

https://smile.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Electronic-Flash-DSLR-Cameras/dp/B01I09WHLW

https://smile.amazon.com/Neewer-Wireless-Speedlite-Receiver-Universal/dp/B00A47U22U/

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^^i'm ^^a ^^friendly bot

Yeah sure, I can link!

Canon 270 EXII flash

Pixel Componor system

Manfrotto 330B bracket

Looks like the only way to use that with the 77mm is with a step down adapter like this one https://www.amazon.com/XCSOURCE-20pcs-82mm-Filter-DC162/dp/B009ZCDD58

If you want to attach it to the camera you want to get something like this to screw into the back of the H1. http://www.amazon.com/Marshall-V-LCD-MT-Monitor-Camcorder-Monitors/dp/B000CNPK3M/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1371523426&sr=8-6&keywords=hotshoe+screw+mount

That will allow you to screw it into the 60D hotshoe, but what if you want to put a light or a shotgun mic on there as well? BOOM, one of these bad boys will help - http://www.amazon.com/ePhoto-Vbracket-Bracket-Microphones-Monitors/dp/B004XMOMK0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1371523528&sr=8-5&keywords=dslr+hot+shoe+bracket

BUT - honestly, how I shoot is I have a RODE videomic on the camera getting the audio of the interview and just set the levels for the person being interviewed, after you hit record there's a hold switch so they can't accidentally bump anything. Flip that on and let them put it in their pocket. So you'll have audio with the shotgun mic and with the zoom H1. If either fails, the other will be suitable enough in a pinch. No shotgun? Just recording off cam? That works too, but the idea then is to just use the H1 audio and the audio off the camera is just to help sync.

Lead acid batteries are rechargeable (think car battery) but dont use an actual car battery. If you are using an ac adapter already just put a 12v inverter and stick it on the battery. That will handle regulations.

If you want a single box solution

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07H8F5HYJ

This will do 12v and 6amp out but dont expect a ton of time out of it.

In my first season, but pretty happy with my gear! This year I plan to upgrade a body in fall and possibly get the sigma 135mm for portraits.

A d750 and a d610 (I can’t tell much difference between them for day shots, but at night the 750 shines)

Battery grip (I always shoot landscape, the grip helps remind my to shoot portrait)

Tamron g2 70-200mm

Tamron g2 24-70mm

Sigma 50mm 1.4

Nikon 60mm macro (is out for five minutes)

Leather camera harness like the holdfast moneymaker (mine was from Etsy)

3 Godox v860ii flashes

1 godox flash remote (can’t remember name)

2 manfrotto light stands (don’t skimp on stands! I was so nervous with my cheap stands. It’s a real liability.)

flash disc diffuser thing for on camera needs

Shoot through umbrella (probably going to switch to an octobox simply because I’ve had two dumbass uncle bobs make comments that I have it set up backwards and it gets to me)

Lots and lots of cards and batteries and chargers.

Well the MKE 600 comes with a little clip that can slide into the top of most dslr and mirrorless cameras, and it also has a 1/4 inch thread. So if your mic stand has a 1/4 inch bolt on the end you don’t need to buy anything else. If you do want to buy something or need a different size thread (I️ actually think 3/4 inch is pretty standard on mic stands) then maybe look into something like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06XWQG27X/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511589050&sr=8-1-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=shock+mount+for+shotgun&psc=1

I️ found this by searching for shotgun mic shock mounts.

They make nicer shock mounts but this will get you going and making some videos.

this lens http://www.amazon.com/Sigma-19mm-f2-8-Lens-Sony/dp/B00BPZD0M4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458568448&sr=8-1&keywords=sigma+19mm+lens,

and ok so just buy the biggest size ND filter? then get some adapter rings? (like this?)

1. Yes, focus will drift through the imaging session, either due to drop in temperature or orientation of the lens (some heavy lenses gradually slide down the rotating focuser part when pointing vertically up)
   
   
   
2. I use this to mount my mini guide scope. Not sure if it will work with bigger guide scopes as effectively.

I have the a6300, sigma 30mm f1.4 & crane v2. I love it!

You will need something to balance the camera on the crane correctly. Either a quickrelease plate or something like a hot shoe adapter on top of the camera https://www.amazon.com/Camera-Mount-Tripod-Screw-Adapter/dp/B018UJLIOE

Some things to consider tho, shutter speed is a problem. And if you want to shoot in 1080p the quality isnt really great. You can shoot in 4k and then render it to 1080p in post if you like.

Alright so here's a picture of what I have on my camera

Basically you need 3 pieces:

• Cheese Stick with 1/4 Tripod Holes
  
• Hot Shoe to 1/4 Tripod Adapter
  
• Cold Shoe to 1/4 Tripod Adapter Mount
  
  Essentially what I had to do was mount the cheese stick to the hot shoe to tripod mount on one side, then at the other end I put the cold shoe mount on the right side of the stick.
  
  The reason for this is because if you mount it on the top of the stick the center of gravity will become too high for the crane and the mount will still interfere with the gimbal's operations. I actually had this cold shoe extender originally but it turned out to mount the microphone way too high and I could no longer balance the gimbal due to this.
  
  Here's what it looks like when it's off the camera.

Use the Playmemories app to display live view on your smartphone. Then mount your phone on the hotshoe with this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071CFDBJ7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_uVfUzb22XYZQ4

You can even mirror the live view on the phone to make framing easier.

there were no instructions. but i think I get how it works, the 4 flaps should adhere to the flash via the velcro strip.
I presume something like this isn't worth it?

Same with this guy

the round guy I have is very hot spotty

Taking a flash off your camera just requires a transmitter and a receiver. You can get very inexpensive ones that work pretty well for under $20. Or even just a flash cable. Then you put the flash on a clip or a stand and put it where you want it and then use as normal. (Be sure to get a transmitter that's made to work with your camera brand, since each flash mount works different)

Obviously taking any of this stuff up a wall will add danger and complexity, and a big diffuser will lower your light output and won't make much of a difference from any meaningful distance (more than 15 feet or so) but from here, you'll have to experiment and see what works for you!

https://www.amazon.com/TalentCell-Rechargeable-12000mAh-Multi-led-indicator/dp/B00ME3ZH7C

edit : or this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H8F5HYJ/ref=emc_b_5_t

this one is quite cool:
12v + 9v + USB outputs... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01337QXMA/ref=emc_b_5_t?th=1

This is the only one I could find that would fit:

SMALLRIG Universal Microhone... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XWQG27X?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

i mean they are pretty standard, but am getting this one https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018UJLIOE

Sorry, lightstand, bracket, umbrella - bracket is for putting speedlites and umbrellas on stands, rather than monolights or flash heads that go straight on a stand, and have their own holes for umbrellas.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GZ1D4BB/


or something by smallrig. i've been using smallrig for a long time for lots of things, including a number of my bade stations.

Velcro, gaff tape, zip ties, or a shoe adapter.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B071CFDBJ7/ref=ya_aw_oh_bia_dp?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You might try one of these plus one of these.

• Gaffers tape
  
  
• Shoot-Thru Umbrella + Holder
  
  
• Phone-to-tripod mount
  
  
• Rocketblower / lenspen / micro fiber cloths

memory cards if she's on dslr. you can never have enough, in my opinion

extra batteries - depending on your budget. You can find the batteries for her camera online if you know the make/model.

$8 flash modifier if she has a hotshoe flash (a big flash that isn't built into the camera)

a camera bag/backpack if she doesn't have one.

rechargeable batteries and a battery charger if she has a hotshoe flash that takes AA batteries.

A remote shutter release. If you know the make/model you can buy one for her camera that will either be with a cord or wireless and let her control the shutter from a remote control which is handy in a lot of settings.

That’s not a ring light it’s a flash with a diffuser on it. This one to be exact. Meking 12 Inch (31cm) Gray Card Portable Softbox Multi-Function Diffuser for Speedlight Flashlight https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00URHR3TW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_UyeFDbSN3WCC7

Oh just realized you may have been asking about the shower caddy rods. You have to get these mounts for the shower rods. (these are the rods I got)

one of these, with some washers first, or both of them. or buy a cheap hack saw.


https://www.amazon.com/HDE-Thread-Converter-Adapter-Camera/dp/B005005EEM/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1469062385&sr=8-9&keywords=Tripod+Screw+For+Flash+Hot+Shoe

I'd be less concerned about if the ceilings are too high to bounce, and more concerned with the rafters casting huge shadows all over the place and making your light uneven. You should pick up a few flash discs and shoot through them rather than bouncing.

Meking 12 Inch (31cm) Gray Card Portable Softbox Multi-function Diffuser for Speedlight Flashlight https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00URHR3TW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_0izryb304HASA

What you could do is velcro the mic to a cheese plate and then screw this [hot/cold shoe adapter] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005005EEM/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B005005EEM&linkCode=as2&tag=ytvdsc-20&linkId=EJBXFHJO2J7YMKLX) into the cheese plate and then mount that to the mount on the camera.

1. put a flash on your hot shoe and get a little softbox for the flash.
   
   
2. get a manual exposure (to about -2/3) without using the flash. you can drop the shutter to 1/15th in order to deal with the low light.
   
   
3. turn on the flash and adjust the intensity until your subject is properly exposed. even with a slow shutter your subject will have good sharpness due to the flash being almost instant.
   
   
   the direction of light will be annoying but it will work. if it were me, i would put a flash on a light stand with a shoot through umbrella and reposition that for each photo.
   
   this is the basic idea with on location lighting. expose for the ambient lit background, then add in flash to your foreground subject. remember that shutter speed will only affect the background/ambient exposure while aperture/iso effect the entire exposure. you can increase the shutter speed for a lower key look or slow it down for a flatter image.