Looking for a gooseneck twin macro flash

[petermcwerner]

I recently saw a French photographer using a gooseneck twin macro flash unit. It is composed of a battery/controller unit that plugs in the camera hot shoe with two flex arms (goosenecks) that have small round flash heads at the ends. They can be directed and twisted in all directions.

He used it for taking pictures of orchids and the results were excellent as you could direct each flash head flexibly and independently. It is battery operated, not dedicated, and there are no controls except an off/on switch. He told me that output is just right for shooting 100 ISO at 50cm (20in.).

He said it was originally sold under the HAMA brand, HAMA discontinued it and it is now available under another name. There was no name on his unit. Price approx. 150 Euro (US$ 200) in France.

A google search only showed references for dedicated Minolta, Canon and Olympus twin flashes that are much higher-priced, heavier, and less flexible to adjust and to the Novoflex site for some accessories.

Does anybody know of such a flash unit and where to buy one?

[CyberDyneSystems]

The only one I know of is the Canon twinlite.. it's like $500.00 though :shock:

[J Rabin]

Three ways to do that I am familiar. There may be others.
1. The Canon 24EX Twin light flash is superb. I own it. Every bell and whistle. Read the manual. Practice. Read it again. Practice..... It only works with 5 Canon macro lenses (50, 60, 65, 100, 180mm FL or any 72mm filter size macro with an adapter)
http://www.cps.canon-europe.com/products/details_accessories.jsp?productId=221

2. Novoflex of Germany makes 1 or 2 similar setups like this:
http://www.novoflex.com/english/html/products.htm
and I especially like their new gooseneck brackets for using the Canon 24EX with other setups.

3. The old fashioned, but still good way of using one Canon 550EX or 580EX as a master on one side and one cheaper Canon 420EX on the other side using a Canon off-show cord #2 and one of Novoflex's brackets mentioned above like:
http://www.novoflex.com/english/html/products.htm
Look above under Mounting Systems>Flash Brackets for the gooseneck. The advantage here is distance, and double duty of the flashes.
Bogen makes a less flexible similar item for less money.

Knock yourself out with gear lust... Enjoy. J

[petermcwerner]

Thank you both for your input. I found what I was looking for. Here the results:

In the US :

Macro and close-up photography is one aspect of picture taking that has always been a challenge. Standard shoe mount flash units often cast a shadow from the lens when the subject is small and close. Using off-camera flash units requires a tangle of connecting cords and the problems of flash output, balance and position. Such work has never been easy . . . until now.With the radically new Twin Macro Flash unit, close-up and macro photography in the 4 inch to 4 foot range is a breeze. Simply attach the power module to your cameras hot shoe mount and turn the unit on. Then adjust the flexible arms to direct the two end-mounted flash tubes at the subject. Make your exposure according to the calculator scale on top of the power module. At a 4" subject distance use f32 aperture; at 1 foot use f16; at 3 feet use f5.6 with ISO 100 film. There will be no lens shadow imposed on the picture, and no washed out exposures. Since there are two independent flash tubes working in unison you may adjust each for best effect. Use one for main and one for fill. Or bounce one off a card reflector, or direct slightly away from subject. Many variations are possible. All allow professional results indoors or outdoors. Now you can enjoy the fascinating world of close-up photography the easy "Macro Twin Flash" way.


$144.99 at porters:
http://buyporters.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=12-0318&Category_Code=F3F

Another interesting item at Porters is the MACROLUME TTL Dual Macro Flash at $199
http://buyporters.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=12-0470&Category_Code=F3X

In Germany:

PSDO5 Art. # 271905 25cm (10in) flex-arms Guide Number 25 (metric) EUR 99 ($ 130)
http://www.fotobrenner.de/default.asp?UIDASP=10052005172715439846841782396&UG=612&UE=10,45,612&ARTNR=271905&Anzahl=14&Anf=1&Ende=10&SON=5&UE=10%2C45%2C612&ES=&MENPRO=3

PSDO8 Art # 271908 32cm (13in) flex arms Guide Number 25 (metric) EUR 179 ($ 233)
http://www.allesfoto.de/default.asp?UIDASP=100520052123077747318416323766&ARTNR=271908&UG=271908&Anzahl=1&Anf=1&Ende=10&SON=5&UE=0,0,0&MENPRO=&ES=0

In the description, the only difference is the length of the flex-arms. Yet there is a price difference of $100 between the 2 models. I sent an email to fotobrenner.de (Alles-Foto) to ask for more details.

[Bamamike]

I ordered the Novoflex bracket (from Germany, since it is on backorder at B&H). It seems to be the most flexible way to use the flashes you already own and the ability to move and turn the flashes wherever you want them and up to 19.5" away from your cam. If you can wait you get the bracket at B&H (see link below).
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=240736&is=REG

[Andy_T]

Incredible .... looks very much like the USB LED keyboard lights that you can buy in a PC shop for about 10$.

Of course, those won't have the kind of output required, but I really think the company makes quite a fortune on 2 lamps, a battery pack and some kind of flexible tubing.

Best regards,
Andy

[Rob612]

Thinking of LEDs, how about using a couple of those hyperluminous LED torches ?

[athoskat]

The Twin Flash unit is available from Porters.com for $144.99 + SH
It is super . I have had mine since the 1980's and use it for all of my macro work.
samples at <http://www.carolebanksimages.com>:lol:

[Cherylm]

[quote=petermcwerner]Thank you both for your input. I found what I was looking for. Here the results:

In the US :

Macro and close-up photography is one aspect of picture taking that has always been a challenge. Standard shoe mount flash units often cast a shadow from the lens when the subject is small and close. Using off-camera flash units requires a tangle of connecting cords and the problems of flash output, balance and position. Such work has never been easy . . . until now.With the radically new Twin Macro Flash unit, close-up and macro photography in the 4 inch to 4 foot range is a breeze. Simply attach the power module to your cameras hot shoe mount and turn the unit on. Then adjust the flexible arms to direct the two end-mounted flash tubes at the subject. Make your exposure according to the calculator scale on top of the power module. At a 4" subject distance use f32 aperture; at 1 foot use f16; at 3 feet use f5.6 with ISO 100 film. There will be no lens shadow imposed on the picture, and no washed out exposures. Since there are two independent flash tubes working in unison you may adjust each for best effect. Use one for main and one for fill. Or bounce one off a card reflector, or direct slightly away from subject. Many variations are possible. All allow professional results indoors or outdoors. Now you can enjoy the fascinating world of close-up photography the easy "Macro Twin Flash" way.


I too wanted this flash. I have the canon 20d and went to buy this flash at this site. It had live help so I asked them would this work on a canon 20d digital camera. THE ANSWER WAS NO! I asked why? He said it might FRY my camera. Any help here as to that? Any way to fix it or get one LIKE it for my camera? For me this flash would be PERFECT! And the price is PERFECT!
Thanks Cherylm