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 By John Shaw 
So just as it's getting harder to carry all the cameras, lenses, and film that we want to have, I'm going to suggest that we add some more items to the pile. There are a couple of things that I take with me regardless of how difficult it might be to pack them. In fact, besides my normal cameras and lenses, I think of these items not so much as "add-ons," but as essential pieces of standard photo equipment. First and foremost are two items that I carry whenever I think there is even a remote possibility that I will be using fill flash on birds or mammals. I use Nikon flash units, the current SB-28 and a slightly older SB-25. Even with new lithium batteries, recycle times are not that fast — especially when the flash is pumping out a good amount of power. Most of the time when a bird or mammal strikes a great pose it lasts for mere seconds. With
Quantum Turbos are phenomenal if you need fast flash recycling. They are sealed lead-acid high voltage batteries, and are neither small, nor light, nor cheap. A Turbo weighs about 3 pounds, measures 7 x 4 x 2 inches, and currently costs just under $300 from B&H Photo plus the cost of the appropriate cord for your flash unit. So if this thing is bulky and pricey, why on earth do I carry it? Power, plain and simple. It will recycle a flash almost instantly. In fact, when I'm using a Nikon flash as fill light I can fire my F5 on full-bore motor drive bursts — that's 8 frames per second — and the Turbo is able to keep the flash recycling at that speed. Be warned: do this too long and you will literally melt the flashes. The heat build-up cannot dissipate fast enough, and you'll smoke your flash unit for sure. Quantum warns that the Turbo is "more powerful and more durable then the flashes it powers." Powerful...yes indeed. Quantum rates a Turbo as giving 350 full power flashes with a one-second recycle time, or 450 full power in the "economy" two-second recycle mode. In fieldwork you will never sit there and crank off that many continuous shots. You can work all day in a fill-flash mode and never totally deplete the battery. Since this is a lead-acid battery it can be recharged hundreds of times. And, unlike Nicads, you may recharge a partly discharged Turbo without creating any battery "memory" problems. In fact, Quantum suggests recharging immediately after every use. And here is the one problem I've learned: the Quantum comes with a charger/transformer for standard US 100/120 volts AC current which you plug into the wall to convert to 12 volts DC current. If you're traveling abroad you'll probably carry a voltage converter along with the appropriate plug adapters. The standard voltage converters you find at travel stores are rated at 50-1600 watts. DON'T USE ONE OF THESE...you will fuse the Quantum transformer and ruin it completely. At this point you've got two choices. The risky choice is to use a converter with a lower wattage rating, 0-50 watts, if you don't mind taking a chance on frying the system. Quantum states point blank not to use a voltage converter so the much better answer is to purchase — at about twice the expense, but double the convenience — a Quantum European charger, part number QT41, for 220/240 volts AC. Trust me, it's well worth getting this charger if you plan on hauling your Turbo on trips abroad. In order to use a Turbo you also need the correct power cable to plug into your flash. For Nikon flashes this is Quantum cable CK, while for Canon flash units it's cable CZ. For Minolta owners, there are a number of different cables depending on the specific flash unit in use, so check with Quantum at www.qtm.com. Of course, if you plan on using your flash off-camera, not in the hot shoe, you still have to have a standard TTL off-camera cord from your camera manufacturer. The next problem, and in my opinion the biggest hassle once you get all the cords and cables plugged into the right sockets, is how to carry this thing when you actually want to use it in the field. You have to position it reasonably close to your flash unit, since the coiled power cable only stretches to about four feet maximum. The Turbo case has a belt clip and also rings for a shoulder strap, but using either means you're tethered to your equipment. Try to walk away from your gear and you either have to unplug cords or remove the power pack. I don't know of a good solution to this problem. Quantum offers a mounting device, part QBC, which clamps onto a tripod leg and from which you then hang the Turbo via the belt clip. Yikes! In my opinion this is just one more item to drive me nuts, but Joe Van Os manages to use one successfully with his Turbo and highly recommends it. I use a short snap-on hand strap on my Turbo; I unclip one end, wrap the strap around the bottom of my tripod head, and reattach it. Not elegant, but functional. However you solve this problem, you need to be able to move around to the best shooting location with your tripod and lens slung over your shoulder while maintaining all the connections. And one word of caution about the Turbo. This is a high-voltage pack, so be careful using it around water, or in the rain, unless you really desire having a special glow. The other flash accessory I would recommend is not nearly as expensive or difficult to use. It's the Flash X-tender(tm) created by Walt Anderson at Visual Echoes. You can increase the effective power of your flash, for use either as a total flash or as fill, by concentrating the light. When a flash is fired, the light spreads out in a fairly wide angle, but often you don't need this coverage. This is especially true when you're using a longer than normal focal length. By narrowing the beam of light, you get more light directed onto your subject. Indeed, most higher-end flashes already have this as a standard feature, zooming the flash head as you change focal length. What actually happens is that the flash tube is repositioned behind a plastic Fresnel lens, a flat sheet with concentric lens facets engraved on its surface. Most flashes with this feature actually show about a to 1 stop gain in light as you zoom from their 24mm to the 85mm position. This is fine, but what if you need to throw the light much further when you're using a 300mm or longer lens? The answer is to apply the same Fresnel concentrating principle. Position a small Fresnel a few inches in front of your flash, and you narrow the light beam even more, yielding an increase of up to two or three stops of usable power. You can use this extra light to extend the flash range a considerable distance, or to allow a smaller aperture for additional depth of field for closer subjects. Concentrating the light also results in faster recycle times, permitting short motor drive bursts. There are several Fresnel concentrators on the market, the best of which in my opinion is the Flash X-Tender(tm). It's the simplest to use for fieldwork, as it folds flat so you can easily tuck it away into your camera bag. In fact, it's the only Fresnel concentrator I've seen which does fold down. Heavy plastic sides attach to your flash with a wide elastic loop, and the Fresnel lens attaches by Velcro™ onto the protruding front of these sidepieces. Quick and easy to set up, it weighs less than three ounces and increases flash output by two f-stops. Two models are available, one of which will fit almost all Nikon or Canon flashes. The Flash X- Tender(tm) is available through Kirk Enterprises (www.kirkphoto.com), the LL Rue Catalog and other outlets for about $40. And while I'm talking about low-priced items that make photo life easier, consider picking up some stack caps for your filters. I hate those plastic cases that filters come in. If you carry several of the same diameter filters, you can get rid of those cases by screwing all the filters together, then adding a male or female threaded metal cap to either end. These caps come in standard filter sizes, and are available from B&H, Kirk Enterprises, and many other places. I normally carry 62mm and 77mm filters, each size stacked together. For example, in the 62mm size I have a Nikon A2, a Hoya circular polarizer (polarizers are my most used filter so I have this Hoya as a back-up to my Nikon polarizer), a Tiffen CC10M, and a Nikon 5T close-up diopter. Four filters, no cases. Since I'm on the subject of filters I will mention one more item just for Nikon shooters. I love the Nikon 77mm polarizer: great glass, doesn't vignette on my 20-35mm zoom, absolutely neutral in color. But Nikon sells it in a stupid plastic box which must cost all of 25. The box is much bigger than the polarizer, it is thin plastic, it immediately cracks, and is totally useless. Get the idea that I don't like it? Here's a solution: Tiffen makes a padded Cordura nylon pouch with a Velcro™ closing top flap for their 4" square filters. Find a Tiffen dealer — most likely your local camera store will be one — and have them order a replacement pouch. I can't find the part number right off, but since Tiffen only makes one of these things it shouldn't be hard to track down. A Nikon 77mm polarizer fits perfectly. Toss that box! 
And finally a comment about an important photo accessory...and this one you already own: your camera instruction book. Please read it. On my last few trips I've had clients ask questions about basic camera operations which are covered in the instructions. I certainly don't mind answering these questions; in fact I'm more than happy to do so. If the camera is a Nikon I probably know how to make it work, but I'm severely limited when it comes to Canons or other brands. In the field, facing a good shooting opportunity is definitely not the time for either of us to be learning about a particular camera. Case in point: on one of my trips we were just getting into position to photograph a lion cub. Suddenly someone wanted to know how to (a) remove film from a Canon EOS-3 and keep the leader out, and (b) reset the ISO to a non-DX setting. The photographer had a partially shot roll of Velvia in the camera but wanted to use a faster film and push it one stop. Well, I didn't have the foggiest idea how to do either of these on an EOS-3. I know instruction books are not the most fun reading, but doing so — and learning exactly which buttons to push or knobs to turn — should be part of photo preparation. If nothing else, you can wile away those hours on an airplane. |
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Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris, Inc. P.O. Box 655, Vashon Island, Washington USA 98070 Phone: (206) 463-5383 Fax: (206) 463-5484 Email: info@photosafaris.com Copyright © 2008, Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris, Inc. |