Advice Needed Please on Set Up

[Ed The Shed]

Hi All,

Going to buy the Canon 100mm L Macro Lens soon and I'm looking at also getting the 580 EX II to go with it.

I have been reading the "Show Use Your Rig" thread to get some ideas.

However I need a little help with off camera brackets. I haven't got a clue on which would be better for macro stuff. The Delta flexible arm seems to grab me but have you guys got any thoughts please.

Also I'm going to need a diffuser for the flash, but again haven't got a clue, some people seem to use the Lumiquest mini softbox, are they any good ????

Just one last question, for now at least, do flashes come with a cable for use off camera or do I need to budget for one of those has well.

Thanks for you help

[racketman]

you will need to buy an off camera cable, I have been using a Jessops version (http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/402/show.html) for some years without problems.
A home made diffuser like Brians (http://www.flickr.com/groups/macroviewers/discuss/72157594312315664/) is a good idea.
I have heard the Delta arm which you would have to order from US creeps a bit.

[Ed The Shed]

Thanks for that Racketman.

Creep - I hadn't thought of that so thanks.

Cheers for the link as well to the Jessops cable :D

I had thought about Brian's coke can diffuser but I'm not sure how robust it will be, I do tend to wander around quite a bit so it need to survive being in my camera bag etc....

[archer1960]

Even a white paper towel (or 2 or 3) over the flash can be a perfectly adequate diffuser.

[Ed The Shed]

Thanks Archer.

I've order the lense and flash now, will have a go at Brians coke can diffuser. Still need to sort a bracket for holding the flash off camera.

Does anyone know if the 580EX would depress enough to cast light just in front of the 100mm macro :confused:

[Wallpap3r]

x2 on the coke can diffuser. It is fragile but I guess if you make a box for it or something it wont get squashed as easily in the bag. Old metal video camera brackets work pretty well, Im using a really old straight light bracket at the moment and it works reasonably well. Ebay might have some

For the TTL cord I use an Opteka ttl flash cord. Seems like alright quality to me but not everyone seems to like it at much. It was $20 on amazon if I remember correctly.

[Ed The Shed]

Thanks Wallpap3r :D

There seems to be a million and one things that you can use to make a bracket out of :D.

I have decided to wait until I have the lense and the flash so I can have a closer look at exactly what I need.

Although saying that I did see some "C" brackets for holding flashes that seemed like a good idea. Need to look into this more though.