Using remote bounce flash for basketball...

[MT Stringer]

Last night I shot a basketball game using two Canon 540EZ flashes mounted on super clamps which were clamped to the balcony railing above and behind the basketball goal.

Each flash was fired at 1/4 power with the zoom set at 70mm and aimed at the high white ceiling. Elinchrom Skyports did the job as remote trigger/receivers. To connect the Skyport receiver to the flash, I used a hot shoe adapter (http://www.flashzebra.com/wizardcables/hotshoe.shtml)such as the one flashzebra sells that has the 1/8 inch plug that fits the receiver.

Note: After 225 shots at 1/4 power, the Quantum Battery 1 still showed full charge (3 indicator lights). Recycle time appears to be about 3 seconds.

Here's a couple of pics showing the setup and the link to my post in the Sports section with the game pics.

Link to post in the Sports section:
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=454668

I hope this helps anyone interested in setting up remote flash capability using the Skyports.

Flash setup for direct flash:
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd265/mt_stringer/Basketball/FlashSetup-650.jpg

Bounce flash setup:
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd265/mt_stringer/Basketball%203/BounceFlash-480.jpg

[PhotosGuy]

Thanks for taking the time to show that.

[Angdvl089]

How quickly do those remote triggers react?

Also, what do you have for choices to remotely activate flashes?

[SFzip]

Maximun light output could have been achieved at the 105mm setting. Why did you go with 70mm setting?

[Wilt]

Maximun light output could have been achieved at the 105mm setting. Why did you go with 70mm setting?

Another recent thread on POTN raised that exact question. Result of testing showed that the light striking the subject often does NOT increase with the higher GN of smaller coverage areas...in one test, in fact, the 105mm setting was LESS than the lower coverage area setting!

[mattograph]

Looked at the pics. Turned out very well!

[PacAce]

Another recent thread on POTN raised that exact question. Result of testing showed that the light striking the subject often does NOT increase with the higher GN of smaller coverage areas...in one test, in fact, the 105mm setting was LESS than the lower coverage area setting!
Yup. It all depends on where the subject is relative to where the flash is being bounced.

[MT Stringer]

Also, what do you have for choices to remotely activate flashes?

With the Skyports, each receiver can be set to one of four groups. On the transmitter, you can set it to "All" which will fire all flashes or "Grp". A second switch has group 1-4. Select which group you want to fire and just those will go off. An example that comes to mind is what if I had four strobes - two on each end of the court. I could set those on each end to a different group. Then I could work both ends of the court and just simply change the switch setting on the transmitter as I move to the other end.

BTW, I chose the Skyports over Pocket Wizards because they were more economical. I got the transmitter and two receivers for under $300. That would have cost me almost $700 for the PW's. NOTE: I bought the Universal Set of Skyports plus an extra receiver. That's what you need for this type of setup when you are using the hot shoe type flashes. So far, I've been real pleased with over 1000 shots at the BB games, and several hundred in a similar setup at the church during Christmas and another hundred at home for pics Christmas Day. Misfiring just hasn't been a problem at all.

About the zoom - I just arbitrarily chose 70mm. Both strobes were firing above and slightly behind the backboard so that let the light bath the entire half of the court. From going through the pics, I didn't have any shawdow problems at all.

I posted this thread so that it might help anyone that is interested in setting up remote flash for any ocassion such as dances, receptions, church, etc. Just remember, you control when the strobes fire, but there is no ETTL communication or anything like that. They just fire. It's up to you to determine your exposure and what flash power and zoom to use.

I use the 540EZ's because they have the things that are important to me for remote flash:

Manual power control from 1/1 -> 1/128th power.
Bounce and rotate flash head capability.
Manual control over the flash head zoom.
Ability to turn off the "Save Energy" feature so the flash is ready to fire all the time.


Other flashes have similar features that are readily available such as the Sunpak 383, Vivitar 283/285, Nikon SB series and some others I'm not familiar with.

How quickly do those remote triggers react?

My shutterspeed was 1/250th sec. and I didn't have any trouble with the flashes - no dark areas on any of the images that would indicate the sync was off.

Here is a test shot I took from the far end of the court. Both flashes fired when I took it. That was good enough for me.

Hope this helps.
Mike

[eigga]

Which way are they directed? It seems they are pointed at the court...

[MT Stringer]

Which way are they directed? It seems they are pointed at the court...

I've shot several games in this gym. The first few I used the direct flash with both flashes aimed out towards the top of the key. For the last game Friday night, I bounced them off the ceiling and got much better results.

Mike

[eigga]

That is what I was going to suggest, great. You might post a few example to show people the difference. Bouncing off a ceiling is almost always a better option. It dosen't seem like it would work but it does!

[MT Stringer]

Search for "MT Stringer" in the sports section. I have made several posts there and here in the flash section. I have posted pics from basketball using the direct flash and the bounce flash from Friday.

Mike

[Angdvl089]

With the Skyports, each receiver can be set to one of four groups. On the transmitter, you can set it to "All" which will fire all flashes or "Grp". A second switch has group 1-4. Select which group you want to fire and just those will go off. An example that comes to mind is what if I had four strobes - two on each end of the court. I could set those on each end to a different group. Then I could work both ends of the court and just simply change the switch setting on the transmitter as I move to the other end.

BTW, I chose the Skyports over Pocket Wizards because they were more economical. I got the transmitter and two receivers for under $300. That would have cost me almost $700 for the PW's. NOTE: I bought the Universal Set of Skyports plus an extra receiver. That's what you need for this type of setup when you are using the hot shoe type flashes. So far, I've been real pleased with over 1000 shots at the BB games, and several hundred in a similar setup at the church during Christmas and another hundred at home for pics Christmas Day. Misfiring just hasn't been a problem at all.

About the zoom - I just arbitrarily chose 70mm. Both strobes were firing above and slightly behind the backboard so that let the light bath the entire half of the court. From going through the pics, I didn't have any shawdow problems at all.

I posted this thread so that it might help anyone that is interested in setting up remote flash for any ocassion such as dances, receptions, church, etc. Just remember, you control when the strobes fire, but there is no ETTL communication or anything like that. They just fire. It's up to you to determine your exposure and what flash power and zoom to use.

I use the 540EZ's because they have the things that are important to me for remote flash:
Manual power control from 1/1 -> 1/128th power.
Bounce and rotate flash head capability.
Manual control over the flash head zoom.
Ability to turn off the "Save Energy" feature so the flash is ready to fire all the time.
Other flashes have similar features that are readily available such as the Sunpak 383, Vivitar 283/285, Nikon SB series and some others I'm not familiar with.


My shutterspeed was 1/250th sec. and I didn't have any trouble with the flashes - no dark areas on any of the images that would indicate the sync was off.

Here is a test shot I took from the far end of the court. Both flashes fired when I took it. That was good enough for me.

Hope this helps.
Mike

That was a big help. Thanks.

[fiveFPS]

wow this is taking basketball lighting issues to the next level.. It's very nice to have a setup like this!

[mattograph]

I like how simple it is.

[mmahoney]

And input on how many frames you shot before allowing the flashes to cool? .. there is another thread current here on this but I don't remember any practical answers, just some info from the manuals.

[MT Stringer]

Sorry I missed your post, mmahoney. I didn't allow any time for the flashes to cool. During the course of the game, I shot about 250 times. Sometimes I would get two shots off along with the occasional third shot if the ball was still live. But most of the time, I would only get off one shot, then the ball would go to the other end of the court.

So, my shooting wasn't continuous. Then there is the one minute break between quarters and a 10 minnute half. After the game I checked them and they were warm to the touch, but not hot.
Mike

[Wilt]

And input on how many frames you shot before allowing the flashes to cool? .. there is another thread current here on this but I don't remember any practical answers, just some info from the manuals.

There is definitely a Canon statement in the user manual for the 580

...on page 7, "to avoid overheating and deteriorating the flash head, do not fire rapid bursts of more than 20...allow a rest time of at least 10 minutes"

...on page 25, "to avoid overheating and deteriorating the flash head, do not fire more than 10 stroboscopic bursts...rest for at least 10 minutes ".

...and on page 41, "do not fire the modelling flash more than 10 consecutive times...rest for at least 10 minutes to avoid overheating and deteriorating the flash head."

Ergo the oft-stated mantra, "Read the fine manual",
to avoid two destroying flashes, as one person did.