Model Light for Strobist lighting?

ToddB

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Hey Guys,

Most of you know that I managed to put together a Strobist kit for remote location shoots for my film cameras. However.. in that golden hour(sunset) it's difficult to focus due to lack of light. I use a SB-24 and Sunpak 544 flash. So have you guys heard of a accessory thats out there than can be attached as a model light?

ToddB
 

adelorenzo

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How about a small, cheap hotshoe mounted LED video light? You should be able to get something on dx.com for less than $20. If you are using your hotshoe for triggers than just stick an extra cold shoe onto your camera body somewhere.
 

MattKing

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As a modeling light, a small flashlight velcroed on to the flash should work fine.
 
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ToddB

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As a modeling light, a small flashlight velcroed on to the flash should work fine.

Thats what I was thinking. I have a couple of LED lights I got from Costco that came three in a pack. Do you think they over power the flash? It looks like white light so it shouldn't give color film an aweful look. What do you think?​
 

MattKing

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A small flashlight will give you far less light than almost any electronic flash - unless you use really long (several seconds) exposure times.

Be careful about using them as modeling lights - it will be difficult to set them up to illuminate your subject in exactly the same way as the flashes. In addition, if they have a tightly focussed beam, they should be diffused in order to ensure comfort for any people in your pictures, and to give you a better sense of how the edges of your scene will appear.

They should be fine to give you enough light to focus.
 
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ToddB

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I have shoot through umbrellas and reflective umbrellas. I think using those flashlite's for ambient use wouldn't work out to well.

Todd
 

adelorenzo

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If you just need it for focusing than, to me, an on-camera light makes more sense than putting something on your off-camera flashes. Something like this light from B&H would go into your hotshoe OR your tripod mount on the bottom of the camera, it is small, lightweight and dimmable. Also you aren't blasting a flash light in someone's eyes.

$20 plus shipping from B&H, just as one example:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/815999-REG/Sunpak_VL_LED_30_30_LED_VIDEO_LIGHT.html
 
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