Dragonfly

[Bas Hamstra]

This time I attached an extra bottom-up reflector to my AK diffuser (diffuser is a too small, I was hoping to compensate). Somehow it doesn't work well because despite the light is first diffused and then reflected, it still throws too much light straight ahead and making everything hazy and more specular. Go to redo this some time hopefully. In the meantime here are some shots.

In the first shot you actually see the shape of the bottom reflector, which I don't quite understand. Shouldn't the unreflected diffused light be way brighter? It probably has to do with the camera angle, at a certain angle the diffuser fires straight down into the reflector, that throws it straight forward.

--
Bas

Bas Hamstra

Explore Bas Hamstra’s 1,469 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

 

[jim mij]

Those are great shots bas, i like them. Lucky you to find one to photograph (assuming you didn't spend hours tracking one down)

I was watching MW review diffusers last night - 8 in a summary show, and then 2 more in detail the AK mini and Cygnatec

The AK underlight thing looks like it should only get a portion of the light coming from the diffuser and then bounce that upwards under the thing of interest.

It may also reflect ambient light or sunlight on a bright day as its basically a white card. could that have been affecting your shots ?

The AK underlight would have been really handy with my pics yesterdays of the drain fly as I had to lift the shadows a lot from under its face. my flash only lit the top half

By the way, MW likes both, both very similar results. The AK has the underlight but the cygnatec folds totally flat (but also needs 1-2 stope extra flash power)

Jim

 

[Pilotrob56]

I don`t know a thing about diffiusers but you got that dragonfly tack sharp on the focus. I hope you get it figured out. Maybe cut back on the power on your flash some, just a suggestion, oh yeah, a flash, something else I have to get

 

[Bas Hamstra]

Those are great shots bas, i like them. Lucky you to find one to photograph (assuming you didn't spend hours tracking one down)

Thank you Jim, no it just stayed still no matter what I did, first time in 2 years

I was watching MW review diffusers last night - 8 in a summary show, and then 2 more in detail the AK mini and Cygnatec

The AK underlight thing looks like it should only get a portion of the light coming from the diffuser and then bounce that upwards under the thing of interest.

Yes, you would think that, me too. But note that MW said that the extra reflector gives another 2/3 stop of light, and that's also my experience, everything brightens up. Not in a good way.

It may also reflect ambient light or sunlight on a bright day as its basically a white card. could that have been affecting your shots ?

Theoretically yes. But I have my doubts, I saw it too in deep shadows in darker weather.

The AK underlight would have been really handy with my pics yesterdays of the drain fly as I had to lift the shadows a lot from under its face. my flash only lit the top half

Even without the click-on reflector, there are 2 tiny up-reflectors that work very well. Never had a problem with undersides.

By the way, MW likes both, both very similar results. The AK has the underlight but the cygnatec folds totally flat (but also needs 1-2 stope extra flash power)

I saw that episode too, but I think it's a too easy conclusion. You can't shoot one dead reflective beetle and base the whole diffuser review on that. Besides the latest AK also folds flat now. For example the popeshield's larger surface illuminates much more of the environment which gives a different look.

Jim

 

[Bas Hamstra]

I don`t know a thing about diffiusers but you got that dragonfly tack sharp on the focus. I hope you get it figured out. Maybe cut back on the power on your flash some, just a suggestion, oh yeah, a flash, something else I have to get

Thank you Rob. Yes you absolutely do, but luckily they are not very expensive. Meike MK320 is 70$ or so, and works fantastic for everything but stacking, lightest and smallest flash on the planet. If you want to be fully prepared for stacking the Godox V350 is double that price. That V350 is a beast, it just keeps on going and going on a charge, and fast too!

 

[macrouser]

It's a nice colorful critter. The eyes are really good. I like to see the wing structure. It is a high performance wing.