flash for RZ67 pro ii

[k.hendrik]

Hi there,

I'm looking for advise about purchasing a flash for my RZ67 Proii, mostly for portrait.
thanks

k.hendrik

[EASmithV]

go with monolights

[polyglot]

Any flash will work, as long as it has either a PC-sync or hotshoe connection. Probably best not to buy one with a high sync voltage though, I'm not sure if the -II has an electronic flash connection that could be fried.

In the field, you can get away with a large hotshoe flash (I use a Minolta 5600; an SB-800 or similar would be as good - anything that can do about 80Ws to 100Ws) and a mini (60cm) softbox. Indoors though, a nice big monolight or three is nice to have - 300Ws each at absolute minimum, optimally more like 1000Ws if you like shooting on slow film and/or using heavy filters.

There are also intermediate systems: portable, powerful (500Ws) and with large Li-Ion or Pb batteries. Not cheap.

My personal experience with the cheaper Chinese flashes is that they catch fire when powered up for the first time - that was a buying mistake that cost me $800. Cheap chinese radio triggers are excellent value for money though.

[k.hendrik]

Thanks for the reply.
Maybe you're right about monolight
I'm now using 1 and 2 construction (adjustable)halogen lights each 300w, but I think this is not enough.

[polyglot]

Construction lights are mostly heaters. Most films (everything except extended-red stuff like SFX200 and aerial surveillance films) don't respond well to light that red, they're a fire risk (especially near diffusion material for softening) and they're unbearable for portrait subjects in warm climates.

If you want to start out cheap, get a big old manual hotshoe flash. You'll still find it useful as a secondary light later on when you buy a proper monolight, e.g. for use as a hair light, background spot or fill.

[andrewf]

I've used yonguo flashes (http://www.hkyongnuo.com/e-detail.php?ID=236) and triggers (http://www.hkyongnuo.com/e-detail.php?ID=255) successfully on an RZ67. Those models have both been superseded now but if you're on a budget, they go OK in a small space.

I don't have enough room for dedicated studio lights but given the opportunity, I'd get some. The yongnuo stuff is very portable too though. Combined with a nice modifier and a flash meter, you're sorted.

[polyglot]

If I was in the USA (your profile doesn't specify), I'd look very seriously at a Buff Einstein (640Ws) with the option of a Vagabond Mini to power it outdoors.

[mesantacruz]

i second andrew f... and if you have a nikon or canon (digital or more modern film camera) the yongnuo will be able to connect as a regular flash (although ttle is possible with them now, they are a bit more expensive)... Also for the price of a nikon sb-900 at the time i bought a whole lighting set up including 3 yongnuo flashes, stands, brackets, umbrellas, wireless triggers, which i can use with most any film camera equipped with a pc sync cord to one flash (and optical slave triggering on the remaining 2).

If you do go this route, i recommend buying from amazon, given they're overly generous return policies, and therefore (i believe) better quality control of yongnuo products bought through them.

[John Koehrer]

You're not going to get equivalent exposure with flash that you do with hot lights.
300/600W that you're using don't have a direct equivalent for exposure.

[polyglot]

You're not going to get equivalent exposure with flash that you do with hot lights.
300/600W that you're using don't have a direct equivalent for exposure.

There is an equivalence, but it involves exposure time and the differing efficiencies of the two technologies. Their spectra differs too; films respond poorly to the red-heavy light from tungstens.

If they had the same efficiency, a 500W-s (that's watt-seconds, i.e. Joules) flash would give the same amount of light as a 500W light for 1s, or a 2000W light for 1/4s. Flashes have far higher efficiency (about 2x to 3x depending on the power levels) though so you get as much light from a single pop from a 500W-s flash as you do from many seconds from a 500W worklight. Flashes are far easier for photography (short exposures! no cooked models!) when there are people involved, except they're harder to preview the penumbra, hence the presence of modeling lights on large strobes.

See Luminous Efficacy for approximate values on the differing efficiencies.