Venus KX-800 Twin Flash

Has anyone tried this flash out? What are your thoughts if you have?
It seems to have some great features right out of the box.

https://www.venuslens.​net …/macro-twin-flash-kx-800/

Looking at the specs there is no mention of TTL capabilities, although there are various power settings so manual use would be OK.

I think it could be quite unwieldy to use and although the long arms could be useful for a static shot they could be a problem if you are trying to chase insects in bushes.

I think the size of the thing could put quite a lot of strain on the hotshoe of your camera.

Thanks, definitely things I've thought of myself looking at the specs and a couple videos.

The TTL doesn't bother me too much because I typically use manual a lot of the time when doing macro but I do think it would be nice to have that flexibility as well. Might not be the best decision, time will tell.

The weight also didn't concern me because it comes in at 16oz for the whole rig, my SB910 was 14.8oz so I think it should be ok.

It is the unwieldy comment that I am looking to have someone who has used the rig to comment on. It is a concern of mine as well. That and the build quality itself.

Thanks for the feedback.

Looks like complaints are more with the unit itself and the extending arms breaking if you don't brace those as you move the heads around. The flash shoe mount seems very strong, people have used this for months with no issue. Also it seems you really want to diffuse those two lights.

Having grown up at a time when photographically every flash was Manual power only, I know what it is like to shoot with manual flash only, and got quite proficient with it in shooting events and using Guide Numbers to compute aperture at distance X. Trying to conceptualize accomplishing the same thing at macro distances has even me cow'd!

• Focusing in zones and setting aperture based upon which zone is easy in comparison...very easy to estimate 8' vs. 11' vs 16' and knowing what aperture to use, at events.
  
• However, there is not much room for error in distance estimation when you are talking about 8.5" vs 10" vs 12" vs. 14.5" vs 17" (distances for 1/2 EV increments).
  

Makes it all hard, especially when I have to put a large diffuser panel in front of both flash heads to create a single large light source. Nobody is going to measure the exact distance from the insect and the flash heads, etc. You just take some shots and get it all laid out, then shoot for real. Not too hard really.

Wilt wrote in post #19106387
Having grown up at a time when photographically every flash was Manual power only, I know what it is like to shoot with manual flash only, and got quite proficient with it in shooting events and using Guide Numbers to compute aperture at distance X. Trying to conceptualize accomplishing the same thing at macro distances has even me cow'd!

A lot of the people shooting macro with the flash on manual are just setting it to a power level that will get them close (like 1/16) and then adjusting exposure in post. I use TTL mode now because I have a camera that has a decent light meter (Canon 80D) and dialing in some negative FEC allows me to get the exposures that I want without spending a .lot of time adjusting the flash. When I was using the 40D, which had a random number generator for a light meter, I just set the flash to a fixed power level and as long as I wasn't over exposing I just left it. Exposure noise isn't as bad as it use to be, and it's really easy to deal with in post.

TeamSpeed wrote in post #19106478
Makes it all hard, especially when I have to put a large diffuser panel in front of both flash heads to create a single large light source. Nobody is going to measure the exact distance from the insect and the flash heads, etc. You just take some shots and get it all laid out, then shoot for real. Not too hard really.

The down side to using that style of diffuser is that the light ends up looking flat.

Dalantech wrote in post #19106561
The down side to using that style of diffuser is that the light ends up looking flat.

I agree but I do find seeing the 2 highlights from a twin flash head a bit unusual like you can see in this photo on the eye and also in the syrup. Perhaps I am worrying about nothing.

It can be very distracting not least in Jumping Spider eyes. Looks okay in the less reflective wasp eyes, more annoying in the syrup.

I haven't used the flash you are talking about but I have used a similar light that attaches to your hot shoe & has bendy arms. It was difficult to keep the arms where you wanted them, constantly readjusting them. I looked into the flash you are speaking of but decided against it. For the same price, I got this....

https://www.bhphotovid​eo.com …ttl_macro_ring_​flash.html

This unit has some minor flaws, but I've been happy with it so far. TTL is nice, though I rarely use it. It's the fact that it is wireless that I like the best. You can take these units off the ring & use as a normal flash, even comes with all the attachments for different mounting scenarios. I started a thread showing some sample images. You WILL need diffusing, but you can make that statement about any macro flash.

PSteven wrote in post #19114191
I agree but I do find seeing the 2 highlights from a twin flash head a bit unusual like you can see in this photo on the eye and also in the syrup. Perhaps I am worrying about nothing.

Hosted photo: posted by PSteven in
./showthread.php?p=191​14191&i=i25633399
forum: Macro

I think the problem with the specular highlights in that shot is that the flash heads are almost on opposite sides of the lens. Try positioning one at the top (the key) and one off to the side (the fill) and I think you'll get better highlights (at least not as distracting). If you can't position them in a key and fill configuration then your diffusers are too large. Due to the way that a twin flash's heads are mounted, at the end of the lens, you don't need a large diffuser to get soft light (soft shadows), but you do need to find a way to force the light to spread out in as little space as possible and not just block the light. Here's are a few samples of what my current diffusion setup can do:

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2jjo​98k

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2jig​jBS

ndcisiv wrote in post #19105941
Has anyone tried this flash out? What are your thoughts if you have?
It seems to have some great features right out of the box.

https://www.venuslens.​net …/macro-twin-flash-kx-800/

Looks like a clever set up, reminds me of the Fiber Optic Illuminator's used with micro scopes, or in high magnification scientific imaging.
The adjustability of the light heads could be useful in a fixed studio set up.

I have used this flash for a couple of years now. I really enjoy it.

I'm surprised it hasn't broken yet because it appears pretty flimsy. Only problem I have with it is the hotshoe mount. It always works itself out and will fall out after awhile if you don't keep your eye on it. I've just gotten into the habit of pushing it back in every couple of mins with my thumb. It's become such a habit I don't even think about it anymore.

Edit:

I'll add that despite it seeming flimsy it has been surprisingly durable. I am really hard on my gear and it has not broken yet. I have been using it for work this spring/summer and have taken over 30,000 photos with it in the last three months in all sorts of weather conditions. still works well!

Dalantech wrote in post #19116572
I think the problem with the specular highlights in that shot is that the flash heads are almost on opposite sides of the lens. Try positioning one at the top (the key) and one off to the side (the fill) and I think you'll get better highlights (at least not as distracting). If you can't position them in a key and fill configuration then your diffusers are too large. Due to the way that a twin flash's heads are mounted, at the end of the lens, you don't need a large diffuser to get soft light (soft shadows), but you do need to find a way to force the light to spread out in as little space as possible and not just block the light. Here's are a few samples of what my current diffusion setup can do:

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2jjo​98k Mating 22 Spot Ladybugs II by John Kimbler, on Flickr

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2jig​jBS Metallic Beetle II by John Kimbler, on Flickr

Although you can see two distinct specular highlights in the water drops of that green beetle it's not painfully obvious because the light across the front surface of my diffuser is almost dead even.

Sorry I seemed to have missed your reply. Thank you. I will give the change in positioning a try and report how I get on.