How can you use Godox AD200 + AD-S7 sort of "on-camera"?

LongLensPhotography

LongLensPhotography

Th..th..that's all folks!
Messages
17,633
Name
LongLensPhotography
Edit My Images
No
Just thinking well ahead to any functions, events, etc I may do next where I don't have the luxury of setting up stands with whatever modifiers I want, the luxury of an assistant, and luxury of time.

So you have a fast paced work, windy conditions, nothing to bounce of, etc, no assistant, uncooperative daylight etc and you need a quick fill in flash to make it work

So can we use for example this combo AD200 + AD-S7 (the little 30cm softbox) as the least bad available option, considering I only have 2 hands? How would you set this up over your head or over your shoulders of basically any other mobile way that would work not involving a stand or assistant (that's plan A, and we are discussing plan B)?

I have a knackered 600EX speedlite which is 1. shared across two bodies (bad), 2. very weak max power compared (very bad, particularly in HSS) and 3. slow recycling time at 1/1 (not great), and 4. harsh lights unless bounced (very bad). Maybe it is better than nothing but you just wouldn't use it if you had any other choice. V1 maybe solves the first and third issues, but not much else. It really as to have more power and bigger light source.
 
You do what I've suggested to you in the past and use an EC200 extension cable with a X2T shoot through trigger.

However, I suspect that you'll find that the AD-S7 is far too large to mount on camera however you do it.
 
DemiLion said:
You do what I've suggested to you in the past and use an EC200 extension cable with a X2T shoot through trigger.

However, I suspect that you'll find that the AD-S7 is far too large to mount on camera however you do it.
Click to expand...
Yes, I don't see S7 fit that, and if it did it would be a tad too low in vertical orientation, not that a regular flash is any better if used in this way...

Another niggle is the cable getting all over the place, and sharing the thing between two cameras just like that regular flash. If you could only completely detach it from camera that would be so liberating. Something like a backpack mounted extension, a shoulder rig, a light hat, you get the idea... I'm sure it sounds quite crazy but if it only worked well enough.
 
The v1 would be better for events, the ad200 plus reflector would be quite heavy. The v1 can be either mounted on the cammera or put on the stand that comes with it on a table, and then fired using a trigger.
 
I'm really not sold on v1 at all. Indoors ad200 can happily go on a stand. In fact 2 or 3 of them...
Outdoors v1 is just challenged for power. And what is weight when you have 15kg + of other gear in the backpack. Perhaps another good reason for an assistant
 
They sell several versions of L brackets that attach to the camera tripod 1/4-20 hole in the bottom of the camera and extend out and up to the side of the camera, with cold shoes attached to their side and top. You could attach your AD200 to one of these and use a sync cable/hot shoe adapter to connect the AD200 to the hot shoe. This would get the AD200 slightly off of the camera where it's ADS7 reflector would not be in the way of the camera lens, but you won't have the flexible capability of aiming the AD200 like a speedlite does, and putting the light on or very close to the camera will give your subjects that "deer in the headlights" look in your shots. Putting the AD200 on a stand off to the side and controlled by a flash transmitter on the camera will avoid this problem. There are brackets that can be added to the light stands under the AD200 to give you tilt up, and down capability. Rotating the stand will allow right and left capability.

Charley
 
CharleyL said:
They sell several versions of L brackets that attach to the camera tripod 1/4-20 hole in the bottom of the camera and extend out and up to the side of the camera, with cold shoes attached to their side and top. You could attach your AD200 to one of these and use a sync cable/hot shoe adapter to connect the AD200 to the hot shoe. This would get the AD200 slightly off of the camera where it's ADS7 reflector would not be in the way of the camera lens, but you won't have the flexible capability of aiming the AD200 like a speedlite does, and putting the light on or very close to the camera will give your subjects that "deer in the headlights" look in your shots. Putting the AD200 on a stand off to the side and controlled by a flash transmitter on the camera will avoid this problem. There are brackets that can be added to the light stands under the AD200 to give you tilt up, and down capability. Rotating the stand will allow right and left capability.

Charley
Click to expand...
I agree you ideally want it on a stand, and ideally you want 600 pro not 200. Question then is how do you stop it flying away and face down into the ground? They are incredibly unstable. Last time I used zip ties around a post. Not very mobile though!
 
I carry a bundle of parachute cord and long boot laces (black) in my camera bag for tying down my tripod to rocks, railings, trees, etc. I use these for both tripod and light stands, but usually hang my camera bag under the tripod. I also carry a couple of sand bags (empty) to fill with local loose rocks, sand, gravel, or anything else heavy, and always return these to their place of origin after the shoot. A combination of these and the boot laces is usually all that is necessary. The only times that I've used the parachute cord have been to pull my gear and bags up exceptionally steep areas where I wasn't comfortable doing it while carrying anything. I went up first, with the end of the parachute cord tied to my belt, then pulled the bags up after. There are weight bags that you fill with water, designed for holding down pop-up canopies that work well for holding tripods and light stands down too, if you will be near a water source. I had some, but never seemed to end up near water. There is always rocks, sand, gravel around just about every wilderness shoot location. High locations always seem to have significant winds, so be prepared.

Charley
 
Last edited:
All my years shooting events the flash decision was:

Do I need to be completely mobile?

Yes - then either hand held or on camera flash, usually bounced.

No- use a decent sized modifier

For further detail, the 30cm 'softbox' or similar was never used anything other than 'in hand'

The type of events I shot I could generally corral a volunteer on the occasions I was working alone (there's always someone who wants to be 'helpful' to the nice photographer guy)
 
Phil V said:
The type of events I shot I could generally corral a volunteer on the occasions I was working alone (there's always someone who wants to be 'helpful' to the nice photographer guy)
Click to expand...
This did not go too well last couple of times. Once they lost interest after 10min. At least I was aware of that. The other one just walked away immediately and it is a Mrs of a client I do lot of work for. I was lucky my ad600 with 160cm umbrella didn't just dive
 
CharleyL said:
I carry a bundle of parachute cord and long boot laces (black) in my camera bag for tying down my tripod to rocks, railings, trees, etc. I use these for both tripod and light stands, but usually hang my camera bag under the tripod. I also carry a couple of sand bags (empty) to fill with local loose rocks, sand, gravel, or anything else heavy, and always return these to their place of origin after the shoot. A combination of these and the boot laces is usually all that is necessary. The only times that I've used the parachute cord have been to pull my gear and bags up exceptionally steep areas where I wasn't comfortable doing it while carrying anything. I went up first, with the end of the parachute cord tied to my belt, then pulled the bags up after. There are weight bags that you fill with water, designed for holding down pop-up canopies that work well for holding tripods and light stands down too, if you will be near a water source. I had some, but never seemed to end up near water. There is always rocks, sand, gravel around just about every wilderness shoot location. High locations always seem to have significant winds, so be prepared.

Charley
Click to expand...
Bungie cords and tent pegs work quite well. Or my old favorite a net bag to hang off the tripod hook (if it has one) bung a rock or something in it to help weigh it down. Now I wont leave a camera alone on a tripod unless it's in the studio.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top