A flash of ideas ...

[DonSchap]

One of the things I learned early on with two flashes ... is that you usually need some (oh whose kidding who ... a lot) of flexibility with a "second" or "SLAVE" flash.

In my case, I found this was best resolved with adding an RC2 plate to the flash foot that accompanies each elex flash.





What this allows you to do is use your regular tripod as a real quick ad hoc lightstand for the "SLAVE" (or even the PRIMARY flash, if used wirelelssly) flash and literally place it at any height and location, without spending any more than the $10.00 for the plate.

[dr4gon]

Good idea, yet all of the rest of us have hot-shoe flashes, for the moment anyway!

Is this the plate?

Adorama

What's the difference between that and this?

[DonSchap]

Good idea, yet all of the rest of us have hot-shoe flashes, for the moment anyway!

The "foot" comes with the hot-shoe flash ... and has a tripod screw hole right in the center of it.



The hot shoe shaped interface is in the "foot" and is tucked in a rear interior pocket of the flash case.

Is this the plate?

Adorama

What's the difference between that and this?

The first one comes with the RC2 head clamp for the tripod, too

[dr4gon]

But you need the head clamp and the RC2 for the tripod for the added flexibility in your example right? (Am I even linking the item you referenced? lol).

[DonSchap]

I guess I improperly assumed you were already using the RC2 system.

All my tripods/monopods have RC2 adapters.

[dr4gon]

Gotcha! You have compiled some nice equipment!

[DonSchap]

It took a solid education from underhanded Brooklyn salesmen trying to sell me every piece of ___ from here to the Great Wall of China.

Okay, maybe that's a little over the top ... but, not too far.

Really, though, the RC2 system really makes fumbling around with heavy and awkward lenses a thing of the past. Just running through the logic factory ... screwing this stuff together should a one-time event, in my opinion. Cost wise ...I'll take the purchase of a $10 plate over a $1500 dropped lens/camera, any day.

Good luck ... it's a snap

[DonSchap]

Another aspect of doing "flash work" is supplementing the light you can generate with low cost reflector panels. As these can be used to vector sunlight, also, they have some solid uses. The unfortunate side of using these "devices" is that you need "assistants" to hold and position them properly (or pop for some lightstands and clamps to hold them for you), as you cannot be in three places at the same time (yes, the same old song & dance photographers have been dealing with forever).



The way I figure it, they can provide about 2 f-stops less of light, but they also can buffer out a background shadow or highlight an area, if you position them correctly. That can save you some money without having to sport additional hard flashes to do the same thing.

[seanhoxx]

O.k. don as I outlay more things on "the list' to spend money on, with the RC2 plates, do you mount one to the mounting ring of each lens for ease and speed? or do you use one plate and mount the lenses to it then to the mono /tripod or did I miss something ? help me out please. And then you need to make sure what ever kind of head you have accepts the RC2?

[DonSchap]

The RC2 Adapter plate screws down with a 3/8 thread, so you may new an enlarger insert to cope with your standard 1/4x20 tripod bolt. I do believe the adapters usually come with the insert, but they are easily gotten (purchased) from the camera store where you get these devices.

The Manfrotto pan-tilt head has the RC2 clamp built right into it.


The Manfrotto 488 Ball-head also has the clamp bulit into it.


The Manfrotto Grip-ball Head also has the clamp bulit into it.


The standard RC2 adapter does not allow any turning, as it is usually tightly screwed down on whatever it is you are mounting it to. In the case of my illustration ... it is a SLIK mini-tripod.





I bought several plates (which screw into the lens mounts, flash feet, camera bases and vertical grips. Each one has its place and I rarely remove them. If you do not do this, it kind of reduces the convenience factor ... and there is also a chance you could forget that plate on a lens you left at home.