Flash Extenders: When I'm shooting birds in my yard I like to use flash with an extender because among other benefits it provides more depth of field which is crucial when using a long...

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

When I'm shooting birds in my yard I like to use flash with an extender because among other benefits it provides more depth of field which is crucial when using a long lens.

I'm aware of two extenders and have both the Better Beamer and Harbor Digital. I was curious to see which provided the greater output.

Not having the patience to be scientific I set up a quick test in the basement using a SB800 and each extender, D810, ISO64, 1/250, same distance. I don't have a flash meter.

No adjustments were made to the images other than jpg conversion.

The Better Beamer was consistently brighter. Here is an example at f32.

Harbor Digital

(Download)

Better Beamer

(Download)

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

joer wrote:

When I'm shooting birds in my yard I like to use f... (show quote)

I wish you'd have mentioned the camera/flash distance to subject. Regardless, looks like BB gets the prize.
--Bob

Rick from NY Loc: Sarasota FL

I am unfamiliar with the other brand, but have used the BB for many years with great success.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

rmalarz wrote:

I wish you'd have mentioned the camera/flash distance to subject. Regardless, looks like BB gets the prize.
--Bob

I didn't measure but it was about 10' Bob.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

How about a tube lined with reflective material ... that is the principal of fiber optics... the emanating beam would be more unidirectional... ????

Flash lights move the bulb with in a parabolic reflector to focus the light or disperse it.

Just thoughts

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

dpullum wrote:

How about a tube lined with reflective material ... that is the principal of fiber optics... the emanating beam would be more unidirectional... ????

Flash lights move the bulb with in a parabolic reflector to focus the light or disperse it.

Just thoughts

The higher end flash units already do that, but I agree it could be improved upon.

agillot

i am using a better beamer for birds , and it work fine .a little flimsy, so i added a wire frame at front to keep the fresnel lens from bending .got mine from visual echoes inc [ amazon ]

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

agillot wrote:

i am using a better beamer for birds , and it work fine .a little flimsy, so i added a wire frame at front to keep the fresnel lens from bending .got mine from visual echoes inc [ amazon ]

Yes Visual Echoes supplies them.

I just wedged a pc of plastic between the frame and the strobe window to spread the frame out. It keeps BB lens flat.

zerobeat

Several years ago while at a football stadium, I used the BB to shoot the band across the field. I saw the flash bounce off a chrome drum head. Don't remember how wide a football field is, but I was impressed.

Dale - Brooksville, Fl

Hunakai

Dudes, this is, like, you know, flash extenders fer dummies, like, fer sure!

donnahde Loc: Newark, DE

Thanks for this question/conversation. I'd never heard of one but have now found one for my SB910 at B&H and have put it in my wish list for the birding photography that we do. I learn so much here!

Elliott Design Loc: West Tennessee

I like to tinker so I bought a 7x10 Fresnel off eBay and done some focus tests to see what distance from the flash to the lens was required and made my box out of light weight coroplast. Works great, it will focus the flash beam on a 4' x 4' area at 100 feet.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

donnahde wrote:

Thanks for this question/conversation. I'd never heard of one but have now found one for my SB910 at B&H and have put it in my wish list for the birding photography that we do. I learn so much here!

Thanks for commenting.

It is designed to be used with a 300mm or longer lens. With a shorter lens the central portion of the image will be brighter than the edges.

Good luck with your bird captures.

carl hervol Loc: jacksonville florida

I use a metz 45 with a extender and it will reach over 100 feet.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

Elliott Design wrote:

I like to tinker so I bought a 7x10 Fresnel off eBay and done some focus tests to see what distance from the flash to the lens was required and made my box out of light weight coroplast. Works great, it will focus the flash beam on a 4' x 4' area at 100 feet.

What is the distance of the Freznel to the flash face?