[KOML] Flash, ring lights, etc.

[Paul Reese]

Steve,

Automatic flash generally works pretty well for
grabbing candids, assuming your system is working
properly AND you stay within the distance parameters
for the chosen flash setting.  Of course, it may be
fooled by abnormally light or dark faces, clothing,
backgrounds, etc.

However, for more creative control and more pleasing
results, you're better off with manual output
settings, guided by a flash meter.  Also, if you're
using flash as your main light (as opposed to
fill-in), you'll probably want to get your flash
off-camera.  Yes, there's a lot to learn about flash,
but the basics aren't too tough, and there are lots of
good books on it (and even some on-line tutorials).

Of course you could also work with 'hot' (constant
output) lights, but that's easier indoors than out. 
And again, you'll need a light meter (in this case,
one that measures 'ambient' (constant) light). 
Combination flash/ambient meters are common and
increasingly affordable.

Whether you want to try flash or hot lights for
closeups, working distance is certainly an issue. 
3/4" of clearance from the front of the lens isn't
much.  Makes it hard to avoid shadows cast by the
camera lens and/or body.  And if you light from the
side, lens flare can become an issue.  But do you
really need to be that close for _flowers_?  Or has
your attention moved on to jewelry & bugs?

I don't know whether anybody has found or adapted a
ring light for the Koni 180 -- but this is the right
group to ask!  Also search the KOML archives.  A ring
light may give you too "flat" a look -- but if you're
really working that close to your subject, it may be
your best option for flash illumination.

Your jury-rigged closeup lens might be o.k., but I'd
be surprised if you aren't sacrificing image quality
by deviating from the original lens design (even if
the JML glass is great for its intended purpose). 
Again, do you really need 1:1 or greater for
_flowers_?  If you must use add-on close-up lenses,
get the best ones you can afford that are designed for
photography.

With or without close-up lenses, try backing off to
where you have enough working distance to use your
lights.  This will also give you greater DOF, which
I'd think you'd want for flowers.  Even if you don't
fill the frame, you may be able to get (cropped)
prints that look great at the size you want.  

And if you can get a light meter, do a little reading
on studio lighting.  Then, put some cut flowers in a
vase and have some fun experimenting with (cheap)
household light sources.  Try clip-on or halogen work
lights, directly on the subject or or diffused through
bedsheets or tracing paper (but don't start a fire!). 
Use flashlights or desk lamps, and shape their beams
with foil (the black foil you can get at pro photo
shops is ideal).  Use white cards, mirrors and
cardboard for reflectors.  As you probably know, if
you're shooting daylight-balanced color film but
lighting with tungsten, you'll need to filter your
lights or lens to get 'corrected' (semi-accurate)
colors on film.  Or, you can use tungsten-balanced
film.

Enjoy, and keep us posted!

-Paul



--- Steve Everett <steve@everett.cc> wrote:


<snip>
> 
> Thanks again guys.
>     I will definitely add a flashlight to my camera
> bag. I think that will
> solve one big problem. Great idea Jack!
>     Paul, using a flash to stop movement sounds like
> a really good idea
> except for one problem; I would need to use a flash.
> As I said in my first
> post I am a beginner but I'm working hard at
> learning the art of
> photography. I'm doing OK until I try to use a
> flash. Then my pictures look
> like they were taken with a flash. It sounds easy,
> setting the flash on
> automatic, crank the camera to f5.6 and 1/60 of a
> second, and you got a
> great picture. NOT! My experience with a flash is I
> either get white faces
> or dark faces but not beautiful faces. I probably
> have 200 rolls of film in
> trying to learn to use my RO and I think it will
> take that many more to
> learn to use a flash.
>     I don't have a ring flash but I would love to
> get one. My searching on
> the internet leads me to think they are mostly used
> with 35mm and controlled
> by the camera. The ones I've found use adapter rings
> of 55mm and down. Do
> they make ones that fit the 180 lens and have the
> controls built into the
> flash?
>     I do not have the original Koni ground glass
> assembly but I've taken a
> piece of Lexan and gently buffed one side with 1500
> grit wet and dry
> sandpaper and water. I tried glass beading and
> coarse sandpaper on Lexan but
> as soon as the glass became too frosted it became
> too grainy to focus well.
> It was a trade off. The more frosted I made the
> lexan the brighter and
> clearer the picture but it lost the detail which I
> needed to focus. The
> lighter the frost on the lexan the more difficult it
> is to see picture but
> every single piece of information is there to see.
> My frosted lexan is so
> light I need to hold it up to the light to see which
> side is frosted. It is
> 2 9/16 by 3 inches and I use electrician tape to
> hold it in the magazine.
> Even though I have a lot of failures once in a while
> I get a really good
> shot to prove to myself it will work. I focus on
> wide open aperture because
> there is not enough light to check at f16 or f22,
> where I actually take the
> picture. I can't check my D O F with my present
> set-up. The black t-shirt
> sounds like it would stop all the outside light
> that's washing out my ground
> glass (lexan). I will try that. I also made a piece
> of lexan that was cut
> down on the edges by .008. I used it for a while and
> couldn't tell any
> difference. I also talk to Greg Weber about the
> focusing plain being .008
> closer than the film rails and he said it wouldn't
> make a difference. I must
> also say the my .008 cut down lexan had a coarse
> frost on it and that is why
> I quit using it. Also, after I quite using the cut
> down lexan, I bought a
> 10X Peak loupe that can be focused. It has made a
> world of difference in
> focusing on ground glass.
>     I am having a lot of trouble with light on my
> close-ups. Much of my
> latest close-up work is at a distance of 3/4" . I
> found a 56mm JML lens
> elements from an Oscilloscope camera that screws
> right into my 90mm. I
> remove the front lens and it threads right in. I
> took a picture of my wife's
> wedding ring. It measures .215 across the ring. The
> image on the slide
> measures .270 across so I guess it is a little over
> a 1 to 1 ratio. Lighting
> on something that close is giving me problems.
> Thanks again you guys for you help,
> steve
> 
> 
> 
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