  | 14 May 2012 09:58 |
| grahamr Photographer  Location United Kingdom Surrey Lightwater | I've seen some comments from photographers who use an Orbis, others that have sold them on etc. I'm off to the US next week and am considering buying an Orbis while I'm out there. Any constructive advise about whether this would be a good tool? I appreciate that is a tricky one to answer. I'd like to try it in the studio to provide on-axis fill with my Elinchroms. On location I like the idea of using it off-axis as a substitute beauty dish as well as on-axis primary or fill flash. Quite a lot of light gets 'eaten' up by the Orbis. Does this make it a poor tool for location work? How about overcast vs bright sunny days? Being easily portable, not having to bring a separate pack adds to the attraction for location work - if the light output is sufficient. Otherwise a Lencata or Quadra Eco ring flash might be the next ones up to look at. Thanks for any help and feedback. Graham |
| 14 May 2012 12:30 |
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| Iconic Photographer  Location United Kingdom Lincolnshire Grimsby | get an alienbee proper ring flash cheap as chips in america | |
| pissing purestorm off since 2009 | ||
| 14 May 2012 12:39 |
| HowardJ Photographer  Location United Kingdom Surrey |  Quote from Iconicget an alienbee proper ring flash cheap as chips in america But fragile and needs a sine wave power inverter to run off UK mains. You'll also need a third hand to use the Orbis. You might be able to get cheap surgery in the US, but I'd recommend China. Someone will probably donate their arm in return for an iPhone 4. |
| 14 May 2012 12:53 |
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| skymouse Photographer  Location United Kingdom London London | I'm sure you'll find from further photographers' answers that it's one of those "tool that has its place" things. I've never used it as an effect. I've used it sometimes as an emergency light source. But the most promising use has been with one main light, shooting quite near to the model and using the Orbis as fill. With the speedlight in ETTL mode and the camera in TV mode or AV mode, the system will maintain the balance as long as you're near enough to the model to provide whatever power the system works out is needed. I got promising results by setting the flash to anything between minus a third and minus 1 and two thirds stops (the larger negative numbers resulting in a bigger lighting ratio, in traditional terms). No matter how much you move about, one moment 90 degrees away from the key light, the next moment standing directly under the key light, the next moment whizzing round and virtually shooting directly into the key light, the ratio is kind of preserved and it makes for a very convenient way to get a photoset where you and model can move around drastically. The only drawbacks to the above system are: 1) as you have to use a hotlight as the key light, you might be shooting with less light than you'd like, unless that hot light is the sun. 2) the flash is usually a different colour from the hotlight. Now that I'm using a camera that can cope better in low light than I was using when I experimented with this before, and I need ways to be able to set up and then shoot very efficiently and still be able to get good varieties of camera and model placement in quick order, I'm going to start experimenting with this in due course. To get it to work properly, I am going to upgrade my 550EX (as the later models are said to have more immunity to colour shifts with power output). I will also get or borrow a color meter and do some measurements, and then select a few gels (for colour temp and green/magenta) to get a usable match in several lighting conditions. Setting up and shooting will then be an absolute doddle! Set up one hotlight, stick my camera in a preset that I've stored for such use, and bang, we're shooting all round the room, no messing around. |
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| "Start every day with a smile and get it over with." — W.C. Fields. | ||
| 14 May 2012 13:02 |
| grahamr Photographer  Location United Kingdom Surrey Lightwater | I also have a Phottix Orbis trigger and 3 x receivers. It is possible to use the Orbis to fire a speedlight in ETTL or manual and Elinchrom flash heads (each with a receiver plugged in). The studio flashes do need a receiver rather than being optically slaved because the pre-flash screws up the timing. Thanks for the useful info. |
 | 15 May 2012 03:31 |
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| GrimeAndGlamour Photographer  Location United Kingdom Tyne and Wear newcastle upon tyne | Hi Graham. You may have the info you need but thought I would add my thoughts. I use the Orbis a lot. Either on axis for that typical ringflash look or more and more off camera,as fill, or sometime main light. I really don't understand why people keep saying you need 'three' hands (not a dig at you, Howard, as I have heard it many times)to use it. It can be cumbersome but you get used to it. I shoot manual all the time, so do have to change settings regularly but I still don't find that an issue. You do need a big hand as you need to hold the flash and Orbis together..again not an issue for me. The light is lovely although I think it does 'eat' about 2 stops, so make sure you have plent of spare batteries. Any more info or if you need example images, please ask. |
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| "I wont give in until I have complained about everything" | ||
| 15 May 2012 05:03 |
| grahamr Photographer Location United Kingdom Surrey Lightwater | This is great feedback thanks. I've just read my reply above and made a school-boy error. I've referred to Phottix Orbis triggers, when I actually meany Phottix Odin triggers. |
| 15 May 2012 05:42 |
| HowardJ Photographer  Location United Kingdom Surrey | Quote from GrimeAndGlamour Hi Graham. You may have the info you need but thought I would add my thoughts. I use the Orbis a lot. Either on axis for that typical ringflash look or more and more off camera,as fill, or sometime main light. I really don't understand why people keep saying you need 'three' hands (not a dig at you, Howard, as I have heard it many times)to use it. It can be cumbersome but you get used to it. It's because it doesn't attach to the camera, so you need one hand to hold the flashgun with the Orbis attachment and then two hands for your camera. They do sell a bracket for attaching it to the base of the camera, but it looks cumbersome to me and it's not particularly cheap. The RayFlash is better in this regard as it attaches to the flashgun which is sitting in the hotshoe of your camera and the ring goes around the lens, so you don't need another hand or a bracket to hold it. |
| 15 May 2012 06:30 |
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| GrimeAndGlamour Photographer Location United Kingdom Tyne and Wear newcastle upon tyne | Well obviously not otherwise no one would use it!  If its on axis then pushing the camera and orbis together make it a steady 'unit'. Off lens then of course you do need a steady hand. Left hand Orbis and right hand on the camera. Works for me but I can see why some people would find it difficult. Horses for courses and all that  Correct on the bracket...bought it,used it twice,been in the box ever since-- waste of money. Quote from HowardJ..............so you need one hand to hold the flashgun with the Orbis attachment and then two hands for your camera. They do sell a bracket for attaching it to the base of the camera, but it looks cumbersome to me and it's not particularly cheap............. |
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| "I wont give in until I have complained about everything" | ||
| 15 May 2012 06:40 |
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| shapeman Photographer  Location United Kingdom Greater Manchester | I would check with garrye on here I used his Studio and the Orbis he had a (DIY) bracket attached with a wireless trigger you almost only require one hand where there is a will there is always a way. the effect from the Orbis was great and when shooting in a confined area was an ideal bit of kit, however i would also check out the strobist market as there a lot of kit out there to modify light. |
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| If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there'd be peace. John Lennon | ||
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