Advice needed on a Camera Body & equipment

[hwchoy]

do you already have an idea what kind of subjects you want to do with the wide and the zoom lenses? it would ultimately decide if your choices are wide enough, long enough and fast enough.

[celticfish]

You may want to consider 2 x 420EX + 1 x 550/580EX.
This will give you the flexibility of three flashes for about the same price.

[trident]

celtic,
well, that's my plan too, get 1x550ex and 2x420ex.
Now I got 1x550ex and 1x420ex, the second 420ex kinda hard to get, not many people selling it (secondhand).

[Shadow]

For full tank and fish photography, does it make any different if using 420ex/430ex/550ex/580ex? In other word, in term of fish photography is there any feature available on 580ex that make lower flash series in disadvantage? assuming you are using ST-E2

[Aquaculture]

do you already have an idea what kind of subjects you want to do with the wide and the zoom lenses? it would ultimately decide if your choices are wide enough, long enough and fast enough.

Whether the choice is wide, long, fast enough is kindda confusing and...poisionous.

Don't really know how to put it into words. Kindda overwhelmed on how to express it. Humm...I would love to take natural landscpae, some action scene, etc. The ability of being able to zoom in from a distance while the subject remains naturally at play.

I'll borrow a 70 - 200 this weekend from a friend and experiment with it....

[Aquaculture]

For full tank and fish photography, does it make any different if using 420ex/430ex/550ex/580ex? In other word, in term of fish photography is there any feature available on 580ex that make lower flash series in disadvantage? assuming you are using ST-E2

There's some writeup on the comparsion

http://photo.net/equipment/canon/580ex/

What I'm concern here is that it used the higher range of bodies like the EOS 20D (and EOS 1D Mk II with firmware update)... how about entry level camera of the 400D. Are we still able to use those added functions?

[hwchoy]

The ability of being able to zoom in from a distance while the subject remains naturally at play.

eg if you want to do that to a buffalo, you can use 200. a monkey, maybe slap on a converter to get 300. but to do that to a bird, you are looking at 500-600 plus extender.

so think hard what are the likely subjects.

[Shadow]

There's some writeup on the comparsion

http://photo.net/equipment/canon/580ex/

What I'm concern here is that it used the higher range of bodies like the EOS 20D (and EOS 1D Mk II with firmware update)... how about entry level camera of the 400D. Are we still able to use those added functions?

My concern on the other hand is limited budget and full tank/fish photography. I just remember during the AQ workshop, Benny show us small dumb flash. So I guess fish photography where you are using small tank power is not a concern.

How about full tank photo, say 2ft deep tank. Does it make different between 420ex, 430ex, 550ex and 580ex especially after the diffuser?

[Aquaculture]

Ya...vitamin M is also my concern. That's why I prefer to pop questions in AQ rather than in CS. I feel that AQ's replies are more frank and like putting themselves into my shoes.

[celticfish]

@ Shadow,
I'm sure there are differences in the capability of the 420EX vs. 550EX.
But the main reason I got the combo was that it offered the flexibility of three flashes.
Or, you can get the 2 x 550/580EX for the side flash and use slaves for the top of the tank.

I recall hearing about a tank photography session at a member's home that required something like 12 or 15 flashes.
All Canon flashes and no slaves...
But I believe there were enough photographers who helped to contributed flashes for the session.
As the "guru" says, you can never have too much light!


@ Aquaculture,
I think its the more focused advice you get in AQ.

[Shadow]

Aquaculture, some one selling Rc-1 at CS

http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=367013

[zenscape]

My concern on the other hand is limited budget and full tank/fish photography. I just remember during the AQ workshop, Benny show us small dumb flash. So I guess fish photography where you are using small tank power is not a concern.

How about full tank photo, say 2ft deep tank. Does it make different between 420ex, 430ex, 550ex and 580ex especially after the diffuser?

Yes Robert, there is a difference. I have both 420ex and 550ex and I tested both individually for full tank aquascape picture taking. 420ex is lacking coverage and intensity and 550 ex is more powerful. For the latter, I have to adjust faster shutter speed couple with bigger aperture to avoid over exposure.

[Shadow]

How do you setup your flash? do you put both 550 and 420 on top? how big is the tank?

[zenscape]

How do you setup your flash? do you put both 550 and 420 on top? how big is the tank?

I set it up on top of the tank with a big plastic box, using one flash on top of the box. This is to avoid over burnt in one area. My tank is small- 100 litre.

[Shadow]

I see, I was thinking to get smaller flash beside for the money, also because I want to put it on the side (left and right) as filler light. I'm trying to fill those shadow with light, not sure if this the correct way though .

[tcy81]

wondering as my tank is only a 1.5ft tank, would a single flash be good enough for full tank shot ?

[zenscape]

Chee Yong, one flash is enough for a full tank shot.
I am not an expert but it certainly works for me by using one flash blasting right on top. But if your layout consists lots of dark spots caused by plants or hardware and you want to brighten it up, as Shadow just suggested, you may place 2 more flashes by the side to overcome.

On the other hand, if you have only one flash and you still want to overcome black spots, Benny suggested to me before to place mirrors at an angle by the sides to bounce the light from top into the side of the tank. This approach is slightly tricky than having additional flashes by the sides and you need afew rounds to get the angle correct. Certainly, this method is more economical

[tcy81]

oh, interesting. Now must look for some mirrors.
also need to find ST-E2.