Canon RF 800mm f/11 IS STM

Archibald wrote in post #19464690
It would be cool to see comparisons of the real and home-made one, and no flash.

Do you mean the actual results comparison?

Yes. How do the photos actually look? Are there issues like steel-eye or ghosting or flat appearance?

Archibald wrote in post #19464804
Yes. How do the photos actually look? Are there issues like steel-eye or ghosting or flat appearance?

The purpose of Better Beamer is to provide a fill light for long lenses (300mm +), and like any fill light that's properly done, the actual result should be natural looking. If not and the results end up as you describe, then it's a user error with the wrong application of the tool. The beauty of BB is that it can throw fill light from a greater distance than a normal flash and because it requires less flash power, the flash can recycle faster to allow more burst shots at high-speed sync.

I'm planning on giving the BB a more extensive workout today and will provide results at a later point. In the meantime, here's the best illustration of how the BB is used with resulting images by Jan Wegener.

https://www.youtube.co​m …68s&ab_channel=​JanWegener

SYS wrote in post #19464515
Just made my own DIY "Better Beamer" to partner with the RF 800. It is made from a gutter downspout that I picked up from a local Lowe's for $2.99. The material is ideal for this as it's very light yet durable vinyl, and it fits the head of my flash perfectly. Add another few bucks for Fresnel lens, and voila, here's my own Better Beamer for less than $7.00.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2oac​Uti

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2oaf​uWB

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2oac​Uoy

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2oaf​uS8

https://flic.kr/p/2oag​Qto

https://flic.kr/p/2oac​Ung

The real Better Beamer vs. DIY Better Beamer

https://flic.kr/p/2oac​UkT

Looks like a nice DIY solution. How did you form the sides? Are they permanently attached?

kd_reno wrote in post #19464817
Looks like a nice DIY solution. How did you form the sides? Are they permanently attached?

The sides are permanent. I used ordinary scissors and utility knife to cut the vinyl, then used a hairdryer to mold the shape, like the tip ends where the Velcro strips are. Putting the camo tape took me longer than the actual cutting and molding the vinyl.

SYS wrote in post #19464815
The purpose of Better Beamer is to provide a fill light for long lenses (300mm +), and like any fill light that's properly done, the actual result should be natural looking. If not and the results end up as you describe, then it's a user error with the wrong application of the tool. The beauty of BB is that it can throw fill light from a greater distance than a normal flash and because it requires less flash power, the flash can recycle faster to allow more burst shots at high-speed sync.

I'm planning on giving the BB a more extensive workout today and will provide results at a later point. In the meantime, here's the best illustration of how the BB is used with resulting images by Jan Wegener.

https://www.youtube.co​m …68s&ab_channel=​JanWegener

Thanks! I watched some of it with the sound turned off so I don't disturb others. That is quite the rig he has. BB might well be great if you can get the flash high enough above the lens. And tripod and gimbal all help to support the gear. My casual observation in the field is that fewer people are using flash in their wildlife photography, so that is why I was interested in your experience.

SYS wrote in post #19464820
The sides are permanent. I used ordinary scissors and utility knife to cut the vinyl, then used a hairdryer to mold the shape, like the tip ends where the Velcro strips are. Putting the camo tape took me longer than the actual cutting and molding the vinyl.

Thanks. I'm not very interested in a BB type setup, but the downspout looks like it could be a starting point for a macro flash diffuser.

Archibald wrote in post #19464821
Thanks! I watched some of it with the sound turned off so I don't disturb others. That is quite the rig he has. BB might well be great if you can get the flash high enough above the lens. And tripod and gimbal all help to support the gear. My casual observation in the field is that fewer people are using flash in their wildlife photography, so that is why I was interested in your experience.

For poor folks like us who could only afford the lowly RF 800 f/11 lens, using a flash comes with one additional benefit that's particularly needed for the lens, namely, noise reduction. Because of the set f/11, there's always a greater level of noise to deal with, and the flash helps in lowering the noise level, particularly in the shadows where the noise is more evident. It also helps with freezing the action and sharpness.

Unlike Jan's gear set up, in which he uses 1) corded flash, 2) batter pack and 3) flash bracket, I use 1) radio flash, 2) In-flash Li-on battery several times more powerful than a set of 4 AA batteries but much lighter than Jan's battery pack (I have the same pack for home studio use), and 3) mini articulated arm for adjusting the height of the flash instead of the flash bracket which is lot heavier. Jan's set up would be good for one fixed location without moving about as it's super heavy and that's got to be torture in the field even for a young photographer. This is probably one main reason why you don't see people like Jan with similar set up out in the field. As Jan himself points out, using a flash can be a hassle, but for him and me, the benefit of using the flash far outweighs the hassle of using it.

We have a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls in town, so I went looking yesterday. Found one out on the water (105 meters per EXIF). First short is the full frame. Second is a 3170x2114 crop. The LBBG is the one at top center. All the others are California Gulls.

kd_reno wrote in post #19464837
We have a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls in town, so I went looking yesterday. Found one out on the water (105 meters per EXIF). First short is the full frame. Second is a 3170x2114 crop. The LBBG is the one at top center. All the others are California Gulls.

Hosted photo: posted by kd_reno in
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forum: Lens Sample Photo Archive

Hosted photo: posted by kd_reno in
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forum: Lens Sample Photo Archive

Are these gulls uncommon for that location, Ken?

kd_reno wrote in post #19464828
Thanks. I'm not very interested in a BB type setup, but the downspout looks like it could be a starting point for a macro flash diffuser.

BB set up is something that's been in my mind for more than a decade but never really got around to using it until now. Instead, I've been using multiple off-camera flashes for hummingbird photography in my yard. The reason why I decided to go the BB route is convenience. With the off-camera flashes, one has to strategically place them quite close to the subject, and that's a hassle especially in winter and in snowy conditions. With BB, it's just set up above my lens, yet powerful enough (2-3 f/stops) to throw a long fill light.

I've been doing various DIY projects using downspout for more than a decade now for photography related. I've made gel filter holder, honeycomb grid for flash, snoot, etc. Downspout is excellent for such uses because it's so light yet extremely durable. A couple of uses:

Levina de Ruijter wrote in post #19464842
Are these gulls uncommon for that location, Ken?

We get one or two a winter in the area. This particular spot is a former sand and gravel pit that has been turned into a park. The lake varies from a quarter to half a mile across and attracts large numbers of gulls. Mostly California and Ring-billed, but in winter a few strays will show up.

kd_reno wrote in post #19464856
We get one or two a winter in the area. This particular spot is a former sand and gravel pit that has been turned into a park. The lake varies from a quarter to half a mile across and attracts large numbers of gulls. Mostly California and Ring-billed, but in winter a few strays will show up.

The European continent is their home, for the most part so I thought they might be strays. They’re very common here. I love their faces.

SYS wrote in post #19464515
Just made my own DIY "Better Beamer" to partner with the RF 800. It is made from a gutter downspout that I picked up from a local Lowe's for $2.99. The material is ideal for this as it's very light yet durable vinyl, and it fits the head of my flash perfectly. Add another few bucks for Fresnel lens, and voila, here's my own Better Beamer for less than $7.00.

Always interesting to see your creations, gadgets and your photos! Do I understand correct, you have cut the top and bottom out of the gutter downspout and left the sides plus a little from top and bottom in place for the extended part to where the Fresnel velcro attaches?

Levina de Ruijter wrote in post #19464861
The European continent is their home, for the most part so I thought they might be strays. They’re very common here. I love their faces.

Definitely strays. They've historically been regular visitors to the east coast, but seem to be increasing out west. The first documented sighting in Nevada was in 2008, and they've been seen every year since. They're a treat to see, but parsing a flock of 500-1000 Californias can be a chore.