Not to long ago I visited the big smoke to photograph a model for radio popper. On a sweltering hot, full sun afternoon we visited a parking lot that showed the skyline of Toronto in the background as well as the incredible range and versatility of the Radio Popper system. I think the edited footage of my visit turned out quite nicely
Thanks to Adam Miasik of Moving Images Photography for a helping hand.
Apart from being an inspiration in your field and truly a true natural for commercials (the ones you carefully choose to promote) you spontaneously manage to keep your modesty and personality. And that combination dear Mark is finally invaluable. At least to me.
Thank you maestro. You always find a way to show me life as could be “lit”.
You’re a natural even in front of the camera!
That’s old news…I dated Marilyn Chambers in the 80′s
Nice! That’s your break, you could be America’s next porn star!
I would say the other product on the market that would be comparable if not better than the radiopopper system would be the new pocket wizard flex and mini. I have become a big fan very quickly!
In the Great City Of Kawartha Lakes, on a cloudless early afternoon under the full sun, Ridout Photography peeled the plastic off the brand spankin’ new lightweight portable Translite 2.0 strobe. The good people over at Willow Paper Works (WPW) were kind enough to let me try out this unit and I couldn’t have been more happy. Willow Paper Works will be a Canadian distributor offering the units through their website. They will be available in two different sizes as well as kits that will come complete with stands and the unit itself.
All of the goodies come neatly packed in what appears to be a small compact camera bag. I charged the battery the night before and I was ready to go. The battery has a simple on/off switch and a green light to show you that it is powered on. I placed the head on a portable light stand and used a white shoot through umbrella for a number of shots. I also fired off images using the translucent diffuser that comes as part of the kit and attaches to the reflector as shown below. My main goal was to see if I could over power the full day sun as well as try and turn the output power down enough to fill my subject with soft light while still trying to obtain a 2.8 aperture. The hard part obviously with trying to shoot wide open in full sun is that your shutter speed will more then likely be higher then 1/200th of a second (sync speed of my camera). I was able to get the exposure I wanted by using iso 50 and shooting in full shade. This flash head has no problem keeping up with the demand. I tested it in both shade and full sun at different exposures and got great clean images. The battery that comes with the unit can also be used to power my Canon flashes (optional cord required) That’s a huge bonus alone. The ease of carrying the unit because of its weight and size make this a great flash to bring with me for my outdoor shoots that require some fill or more power then I can muster out of my Canon 580′s
The Translite 2.0 head features 19 manual power settings adjustable in 1/3 steps over a five stop range. The flash head can also be fired with an on camera flash using the Translite’s built in slave. I like the digital display on the back as it’s easy to read even in full sun. I was able to dial down the output and get some great soft fill light while shooting through my umbrella. The images below all were shot using a signal Translite unit. The last image has the flash directly behind the subject pointing at her back.
If you are in the market for a lightweight portable flash unit and don’t want to break the bank this is an excellent choice. Email Willow Paper Works for pricing and availablity
The image below was shot if full shade with my 400 2.8 Flash held up high camera left near the model shooting through a white translucent umbrella.
by Mark Ridout
7 comments
Honestly you could easily get away with just one unit for group shots although two would be awesome. I see myself using it outside for a group shot with my assistant standing beside me for the group shots holding it high above my camera. Any possible flash shadow’s would be directly behind the subjects. It’s a compact powerful flash that worked flawlessly. The only issues I had during the test was the wireless transmitter and receiver I was using needed a new cable from the receiver to the flash unit (weakest link in a set up 99% of the time) and I was getting the odd no flash. Once I taped the cord so nothing moved I received 100% firing. The battery itself I am told is excellent and the stats for it can be viewed at Willow Paper Works
It’s certainly very portable and light. One of the problems carrying the WL full size strobes around. The battery size is the most attractive feature and what a nice touch having it double as a 580EX II power unit.
For group shots I’d imagine a couple of units either side would be necessary. Wonder how many flashes one full battery can provide?
Nice test, Willow owe you an ice-cream.
M.
Hey Rubber Neck…I had no pricing on the unit but I believe they will be $499.00 for the 2.0 version. Pretty good deal considering the portability and power. Blow the dust off your leather and saddle up pretty boy!
Hey fudge slapper how much is this rig?
Hey Mark, do you know what kind of power output that puppy has? Don’t see it in your post, unless I missed something. I’m curious how it compares to something like the elinchrom quadra in regards to power.
Thank you Mark for the productive and fun product testing session. The photos turned out wonderful!
[...] Translite Test 1 [...]
An absolute honor to be recognized and considered an inspiration by Darwin Wiggett. Recently I was contacted by his office staff to supply this image as well as a short description for his blog. I have followed Darwin’s work myself for years. Darwin shares a wealth of information both on his blog and website as well as digital e book downloads for as little as $9.95…truly one of Canada’s best landscape photographers. I should talk him into doing a workshop with me. Beautiful Bride and Groom against one of his majestic backgrounds .
Check out Darwin Wiggett’s “Life and Learning Through the Lens”
by Mark Ridout
5 comments
so sweet!!!
It’s so great to see my favourite photo of Odinn again, Mark! I love, love, love this shot.
Raychelle…I could do the same for you…get busy!
Love this shot! So gorgeous
That’s so cool to see you and Darwin connecting! Darwin has been a huge inspiration in my landscape photography, just as you have been in my people photos. My wife and I have got to know Darwin and his girl friend Samantha quite well over the last few years I can honestly say that they are some of the best people we know… truly genuine and giving people. Our lives are richer for knowing them.
I look forward to meeting you and your wife one day when we are back in good ol’ Lindsay for a visit!
Wayne Simpson
Took a few minutes today and tested the hassey lens on my 5D Mark II. I need to purchase a loupe so that I can get an accurate sharp focus off the live view screen. Because everything is manual including the focus, the best way to focus is using the 10x live view. After returning home and viewing the images they definitely have a smooth gradation and sharp sharp results. Next time out I’ll try the 80mm lens.
Brought out the 500 CM…blew off the dust and tested the telephoto/portrait lens on the Canon 5D Mark II with excellent results.
I love the spelling on the box….it’s really not all that “bad”
by Mark Ridout
11 comments
I didn’t know that possibility. I’ll try to get some adapter for my Hassel lens. Your photos are wonderful.
You’ll need the adapter that takes the Hassey mount to the Canon mount available on E bay. It works like a charm but remember your all manual…focus and exposure
Dear Mark,
I have the Mark II, and you say the lens from the hasselblad really worked on the camera???? WOW!!!! incredible!!! Where did you get the HB? (hasselbad-haha) Want more info! Incredible sharpness – i am blown away.
Tracey
hmmm….because I don’t feel like holding onto negatives, scanning them if I want to print at home, scanning them if I want to enhance them in photoshop and I don’t want to wait 5 days to see my prints…I need instant gratification….. I could be gone tomorrow
Hmm…why not just shoot Film on that Hassleblad and there you go..far better resolution and image quality.
“Mark Ridout – Chantal can be a birch once a month…it doesn’t make her poplar”
….and that’s when you become a weeping willow?
M
Chantal can be a birch once a month…it doesn’t make her poplar
Wow! I’m blown away by these images! Did you do much processing to them?
“trina schaetz – mark…the birch! fantastic!”
Hey Mark I wouldn’t let Trina talk about Chantal like that…
M.
mark…the birch! fantastic!
What a beautiful colour palette!
There truly is no sharpness like the T* lens from Carl Zeiss. Not long ago I viewed some images shot using Hasselblad lenses mounted to an EOS body. I recently received my adapter from USA and mounted it to the canon 5D MarkII . Initial images viewed full resolution are tack sharp with no barrel distortion. Obviously I have to shoot manual but if I use live view I can focus using the multiplication function and get pin sharp focus. I will use these lenses for landscape and try some portraits. My initial few shots show some pretty steller results with great colour and contrast. How can you go wrong with a fifty dollar adapter and your old Hassey lenses that are collecting dust. Pretty cool I get to play with these lenses again
by Mark Ridout
3 comments
Some people just don’t know what good glass is! It is the Camera and lens that ‘they’ brought to the moon if you believe that! I use mine every week…if you had one you would know.
You are correct Andreas, I do need to compare the lenses with the Canon glass when I can muster up some spare time. My initial quick playing around was not scientific in any way. What I immediately saw were images that are as sharp as my Canon 85mm. My intentions are not to work these lenses into any daily routine, just saw the adapter while surfing one afternoon and decided to piss away another fifty green backs…..it really is never ending and the Hassleblad enjoyed coming off the shelf for a few minutes. Perhaps one day when the digital backs become cheaper I’ll pull it out again. The 80mm Hassey lens is really a 122mm on the 5D as far as my calculations go and the 150mm is above 200mm when mounted.
cool conversion..but from these photos you can’t really tell what the difference is. I’m sure there is some contrast differences and sharpness…but is it really that much better? Perhaps two samples of the same shot with a canon lens too?
by Mark Ridout
5 comments