Remote flash lighting for skateboarding photography?

groddoneright · Feb 5, 2024

Hi Everyone!

Wanted to reach out and see if I could get recommendations/help with getting a budget flash set up that would let me get the milky evening light exposures I’m aiming for?
Just cannot figure our how to get a flash that will be 100% compatible with my contax rts ii and my contax 139 quartz. And if possible a pentax k1000 lol
It will be an all analog set up, and it will be shooting skateboarding as well as high speed roller skating. I plan to be about 10-20 feet away max i think from the action most of the time.
Budget is kinda tight but I also would like to be able to use it for most situations.
Thank you all so much!!

koraks · Feb 5, 2024

groddoneright said:
milky evening light exposures

Could you perhaps clarify? I'm having some trouble imagining what this means, specifically.

The first angle I'd think of would be a 'strobist' setup of one or two flash units with remote triggers that you set up on small/lightweight tripods. Exposure control would be manual, using either a flash meter to determine correct exposure through measurement, or using the flash unit's/units' guide number(s) and distance to the subject.

Alternatively, any hot-shoe flash unit should work if you prefer to work with on-camera flash. Again, exposure would be mainly manual, unless you find/opt for a Contax TTL compatible unit. Google turns up this page which is likely relevant: https://davidde.com/2021/12/08/ttl-flash-options-for-contax-yashica-slrs/ However, I suspect you'd be painting yourself into a small corner market-wise if you were to hold on to a TTL-requirement with the Contax cameras (no hope at all for the K1000; it doesn't have TTL support) since it is a relatively small ecosystem/marketplace.

In your place, I'd probably go for a couple of second hand Canon or Nikon flashes with manual exposure settings, or something from a brand like Yonguo if you prefer to buy new. If budget is really tight, you can often pick up flashes from the 1980s from a variety of brands (Sunpak comes to mind) for a pittance; these generally fire either at full strength, or the more 'advanced' ones can be dialed back in power depending on your requirements. Some of these units even support a very rudimentary form of auto-exposure by measuring reflected light from the subject, although I'd hesitate to rely on this for film-based photography, unless extensively tested with a digital camera under the kind of conditions you're shooting.

lxdude · Feb 5, 2024

A flash that's popular with skating photographers is the Sunpak 555 hammerhead (AKA handle type) flash. It takes the Sunpak TTL module for Contax. It also has its own exposure sensor for non-TTL applications. It's rugged and powerful. And it's inexpensive, so if it somehow gets broken, it's cheap to replace.
I have one as my "big" TTL flash. It's been completely reliable.

Patrick Robert James · Feb 5, 2024

The super cheap option would be a Vivitar 283. Those are not TTL but automatic with a second of setup (match the aperture to the flash setting). They are easy to use. They were good enough for professional use back when your Contax was new.

You should probably go TTL though just for simplicity sake. For a little more moolah you could get a Metz. Personally I prefer the Metz because of its lower profile than standard "stick up" flashes. I use a 32CT7 with my Contaxes, but it can be adapted to any camera with the appropriate module. It will work fine on your Pentax as well, just not TTL. I am not an expert on Metz, but the flashes to look at I believe are the ones in the 3x series.

Of course there are always the Contax flashes. Those would be the easiest. Probably wouldn't cost all that much.

If you are running and gunning, a potato masher flash just seems to me to be a hindrance. They have a lot of output, but at the distances you will be working you won't need it. Plus you need two hands to operate a manual focus camera, and having a potato masher flash hanging off your camera while you are trying to focus is going to be unwieldy. For an autofocus camera though they would work well.

I'd avoid any flash that has to be set manually for output. Modern Canon and Nikon flashes for example. You will drive yourself nuts constantly changing the output. It will take way too much brain juice for you. Better to keep it all automatic.

blee1996 · Feb 5, 2024

I have standardized on Godox 2.4GHz wireless flash system (also rebranded as FlashPoint in Adorama), since most of my flashes (from studio mono light to on-camera speedlights) are all Godox. I can trigger 3 flashes reliably in a studio, and you can certainly trigger a lot more flashes outdoors.

If you don't need TTL, the triggers (CT-16) and speedlights (TT-600) are quite cheap. And you can get a 3 flash setup in under $250. Cheaper if you just go with their triggers and reuse your existing flashes.

lxdude · Feb 5, 2024

lxdude said:
A flash that's popular with skating photographers is the Sunpak 555 hammerhead (AKA handle type) flash. It takes the Sunpak TTL module for Contax. It also has its own exposure sensor for non-TTL applications. It's rugged and powerful. And it's inexpensive, so if it somehow gets broken, it's cheap to replace.

A skater photographer I've talked to says he likes the hammerhead style because it is attached with a bracket. A shoe mount is too fragile, in his opinion. Stuff happens, and sometimes a skater or board ends up in his space.

groddoneright · Feb 6, 2024

koraks said:
Could you perhaps clarify? I'm having some trouble imagining what this means, specifically.

The first angle I'd think of would be a 'strobist' setup of one or two flash units with remote triggers that you set up on small/lightweight tripods. Exposure control would be manual, using either a flash meter to determine correct exposure through measurement, or using the flash unit's/units' guide number(s) and distance to the subject.

Alternatively, any hot-shoe flash unit should work if you prefer to work with on-camera flash. Again, exposure would be mainly manual, unless you find/opt for a Contax TTL compatible unit. Google turns up this page which is likely relevant: https://davidde.com/2021/12/08/ttl-flash-options-for-contax-yashica-slrs/ However, I suspect you'd be painting yourself into a small corner market-wise if you were to hold on to a TTL-requirement with the Contax cameras (no hope at all for the K1000; it doesn't have TTL support) since it is a relatively small ecosystem/marketplace.

In your place, I'd probably go for a couple of second hand Canon or Nikon flashes with manual exposure settings, or something from a brand like Yonguo if you prefer to buy new. If budget is really tight, you can often pick up flashes from the 1980s from a variety of brands (Sunpak comes to mind) for a pittance; these generally fire either at full strength, or the more 'advanced' ones can be dialed back in power depending on your requirements. Some of these units even support a very rudimentary form of auto-exposure by measuring reflected light from the subject, although I'd hesitate to rely on this for film-based photography, unless extensively tested with a digital camera under the kind of conditions you're shooting.

Thank you! I appreciate all of the info.
When I say that I mean this:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin//
https://www.pinterest.com/pin//

groddoneright · Feb 6, 2024

Just an update for all the homies.
Thank you for the info and validation on some of the flashes I can use safely with the contax’s.
Gonna look into getting the Godox tt600 with remote trigger. As mentioned in my other comment I think those will suffice for the flexibility I need for what I want to do.
Any opinions on that?
Thank you all again!

BrianShaw · Feb 6, 2024

I hope you read and understand post #4. Unless you really mean “remote” as in off-camera.

Skateboard photography was never an interest of mine but I did a lot of kiddie basketball, and found autoexposure (Vivitar 283/285) to be extremely effective for on-camera flash. When they eventually died… Nikon SB-16 to exploit F-3 TTL. That was just a hair better than the Vivitar automatic exposure option. Manual is likely to be a real hassle - either fiddling with GN arithmetic or flash meters.

Whatever works for you, though. Good luck and enjoy!

grain elevator · Feb 6, 2024

BrianShaw said:
I hope you read and understand post #4. Unless you really mean “remote” as in off-camera.

Skateboard photography was never an interest of mine but I did a lot of kiddie basketball, and found autoexposure (Vivitar 283/285) to be extremely effective for on-camera flash. When they eventually died… Nikon SB-16 to exploit F-3 TTL. That was just a hair better than the Vivitar automatic exposure option. Manual is likely to be a real hassle - either fiddling with GN arithmetic or flash meters.

Whatever works for you, though. Good luck and enjoy!

I believe skateboarding photography often works very different from photographing ball games. Often a shot will be set up carefully. In this case a manual flash can be set up without problems. @ OP, do you want to set up shots or do "candid" photos?

perkeleellinen · Feb 6, 2024

I shoot a lot of skateboarding and have been working out flash options recently. I use a hammerhead flash set on manual and have a flash meter. My experience is TTL is unreliable when shooting skateboarding because of the way you will pre-focus on a spot and wait for the skater to pass it; firing the shutter at the critical moment. If you are a beginner, my suggestion is to use one on-camera flash and to nail that first before moving into muliple flash set ups which is very fashionable in skateboarding at the moment. For one flash inspiration, take a look at early '90s skateboard magazines, perhaps even late '80s ones.

I think your cameras have a slow flash-sync, perhaps only 1/60. Because of this, either shoot during twilight or night time. If you must shoot in daylight, compose your photo without any sky, otherwise you'll get a huge faint blur. If you get into it, then prioritise a 1/250 sync camera over more flashes.

Lastly, 10-20 feet away is much too far away, you need to be so close you can feel the breeze of the skater as they fly past!

Remote flash lighting for skateboarding photography?

Moderator

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency