My Gear - New Family Speedlite 270EX

http://www.leephoto.com.my/http://www.fotopro.cn/products/accessories/468.htmlPlan to own this flash long ago not only plan for my Old MACRO setup

Bracket





Due to the light source is bigger and the softer effect is my preference so far but the weight and the MP-E65 long extend ... I had decided to change to Canon Mt-24 twin flash
 


With the 65mm, light is easier to control and much better than long focal length lenses but it make failure rate approach certain bugs higher ... so I never stop try and error for my SIGMA150 Macro len. [discussed @ http://liewwk-macro.blogspot.com/2010/08/how-i-shoot-macro-new-lighting-test-for.html ]

so I had below item to start off new lighting for both short and long macro lenses

1. Speedlite 270
2. Fotopro twin flashes arm 
   - Malaysia Distributor is Lee Photo
3. Pixel TTL wireless trigger
4. Vellum Paper as diffuser
5. paper cup






so let's look close on my new member

- a small flash
- easy to use paper bowl to make diffuser

- not much control
- no manual setting
- just on off button

- my 5dm2 need a flash ... and it is small and fit nicely

- not only direct but can have bounce to ceiling too ...










result of the flash
- indoor 24mm, F8, ISO100, 1/60

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what surprise, it fit my Lumix Lx5 too

but then think TTL never work ....
- indoor 24mm, F8, ISO100, 1/60 - direct

but with bounce

  look ok ... to use :D

















I will build this cheaper/lighter new lighting ASAP and share to u all with another share.....

How I shoot Macro - not so easy MACRO model - Robberfly !!!

normally robberfly always good model for macro shooter as

1. they stay still
2. can easily get closer
3. even they fly off, will come back to same spot or nearer
4. a lot of details

below are few e.g.









but last week, I met a robberfly shy, sensitive, and it's dark body make it be a tough model for me ... luckily it still like common robberfly ... it will even fly off but then it will be flying back to nearby .... so I can have few chances to test what is the best way to shoot this "giant robberfly" (it is ~30-35mm in size, so far it is bigger I met)

i. for 1st shot it .. I don;t to missed the chance to get a record shot where I handheld set the SS to max and using full flash ... and a harsh result is out ... expect



ii. then it flew off after my strong flash, then I know it allow me get closer so decide to use tripod .. and give a try of Natural Light (without flash) but result out is like terrible shadow on it's body (no details at all ... )
- the file was corrupted and not able to share this


iii. but then I give another try on very low fill flash (which I normally apply to reduce shadow of the object as discuss before http://liewwk-macro.blogspot.com/2009/12/macro-natural-light-or-flash.html

- flash setting "Manual" 1/64-1/32
and the result just like the Natural light, it give bad shadow on it's body


iv. I am confuse and not sure how to overcome this so decide to use stronger fill flash (1/2-1/4) but the result still

- flash setting "Manual" 1/2-1/4



I would say, these are bad ... harsh, bad shadow (even I can recover it by using PP) but not really sure how .. and what is the best way to shoot this "best" MACRO model .....

so after rest for a while a Nescafe, roti Bakar... and spend few more minutes with the Wasp lay egg



v. so I want to try another new "fill flash" method
- I use TTL FEC -1
- then instead of faster shutter speed I use the slower shutter speed where it should give correct exposure (just like shooting with Natural Light)
- the output some how is best among all methods I tried ....




not sure is this a better method of fill flash or not using TTL instead Manual but it WORK on this monster ... and it proven (I have many shots after I know this method is working) .....

How I shoot Macro - Natural Light or Flash ???

I am using full flash, fill flash and natural light for my macro work. and how I differentiate and decide which one to use (some how this related how I get my BG as discuss in http://liewwk-macro.blogspot.com/2009/02/macro-pp2-how-i-control-background.html...ok let discuss

always follow rules below

1. Natural Light is my 1st priority
- if environment light is good
- environment allow me to use monopod (for 1" - 1/30) and tripod (>1")
- wind (this is main killer for my NL)... I will discuss how I over come this in future post
- bug is not move or move slow

Why ?
- NL will bring more BG color compare to other
- will not scare the bugs away

sample of fill flash
i. sample one to compare


ii. this is how I get the clean BG





2. Fill Flash
- what this mean using manual flash (small normally I refer to 1/32-1/128) to fill in the minor under exp
- if environment light is good
- environment allow me to use monopod (for 1" - 1/30) and tripod (>1")
- wind (this is main killer for my NL)... I will discuss how I over come this in future post
- bug is not move or move slow
(same as above and why I need fill ?)
- there are occasion, I still use flash but all above requirements meet where I should use NL instead .. why ?
i. shadow ..a sample I got for this
- a sample of shadow I refer

with fill flash


NL



ii. some bug (dark color)tend to have too much shadow while shooting NL so I will fill the light onto it's body to resolve the shadow concern



this dark blue beetle is a good sample but too bad I failed to capture it without flash

iii. fill flash object tend to be more saturate in color. this is not really my good reason as I can easily add saturation @RAW-->Jpeg

a same sample across 3 methods I discuss



3. Full flash, some time I mean using TTL , eTTL ... and this don't matter what FEC [flash exposure compensation](hmmm this is CANON term and not really sure what other call ... ) ... as long as we let the body decide what do use mean it is call Full for me ...

- this is good to freeze the moment where include wind, handshake, bug move ...
- need small aperture for more DOF so slower Shutter speed
- tend to more sharp ? (not really but then as more DOF and avoid those movement so picture definite look sharper)
- lost BG , just like below


anything else ? may be I missed out something you want to know .. always drop me a message so I will reply you