Tag Archives: equipment

Review OctoDome Extra Small Kit by Photoflex

 

Assembled with grid attached.
Assembled with grid attached.

When you’re a photographer especially one who does portraiture, there’s no such thing as having too many light modifiers.

They are, after all, the  brushes with which you use to paint your subjects.

If you work primarily on location, these light modifiers tend to take a beating from being set up, taken apart and then moved around.

I could have paid a lot less for a softbox for my Speedlite but experience has thought me if it’s a piece of equipment I use often, I’m better off buying one that is well made. Continue reading Review OctoDome Extra Small Kit by Photoflex

Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT is worth the price

The 600-EX-RT Speedlite was placed out-of-sight behind Arnold on the right to provide the much needed separation of my subjects in black tshirts from the dark interior of the tunnel. Buy a Hip-o tshirt.
The 600-EX-RT Speedlite was placed out-of-sight behind Arnold on the right to provide the much needed separation of my subjects in black tshirts from the dark interior of the tunnel. Buy a Hip-o tshirt.

600exrt-ste3rt
Happy New Year everyone.

I started the new year with a new addition to my lighting toolkit–the next generation radio controlled Canon Speedlite–the 600EX-RT and its companion transmitter ST-E3-RT.

The price tag is pretty hefty, $890, the 600 EX-RT costing $570 and the ST-E3-RT $320.

Compare that to the price of a top-of-the-line Radio Popper radio slaved Speedlite $879 or mid-range radio slave Cybersync radio slaves—$655

Interestingly before Canon’s new Speedlite 600Ex-RT hit the markets, Radio Poppers kits of transmitter and receiver were priced at $250 a piece! Continue reading Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT is worth the price

Gifts Ideas for photographers

Buying gifts for a photographer is no easy task, just ask my family or rather my wife.

Our toys tend to be very specific, expensive and downright confusing even for fellow photographers, that’s why.

So start with a budget. Let’s say you have $100 to blow, then you might dig around their camera bag or ask them what software they use.

The problem with software is you need to know something about the computer they use, and their minimum specs.

Generally speaking I would stay away from software or plug-ins or filters for their software because that can be a very personal choice.
Continue reading Gifts Ideas for photographers

Refurbished 580EXII from Canon

Inside the brown box that was dropped on my porch was my refurbished Canon 580EXII Speedlite/

If you’ve been reading this blog a while, you might know I am pretty frugal when it comes to equipment purchases.

I usually don’t compromise when I need a piece of gear but I know from years of experience how to get around a lack of gear.

Things are a lot easier these days thanks to places like Borrow Camera, Samys Camera or even Calument in our area which rent out equipment.

In a pinch, I can usually borrow from my extensive circle of photographer friends and they know I will return the favor.

I picked up a refurbished Canon 580EX Speedlite recently.

It arrived today in a nondescript brown box. Continue reading Refurbished 580EXII from Canon