Product Review: The Flashpoint DG600 300 w/s AC/DC Monolight

I’ve been testing a studio strobe from Adorama, the  Flashpoint DG-600. Intended for use in both studio and location work, this is a 300/WS workhorse (published guide number of 58m/190ft ISO 100) that offers flexibility in many types of shooting situations. It can run on normal household power (US) or a 12v DC power pack.

The housing of the light is made of heavyweight plastic, and seems quite durable. An attached carrying handle is provided, as is a  8” metal reflector – the latter is attached using a locking bayonet-style design.

On the front end, one sees a conventional semi-circular flash tube mounted in front of an LED-array modeling light.

At the back, most controls are push-button variety, with the exception of the power switch, which provides on/AC, off, and on/DC positions.

The unit is provided with a nice long power cord (which is a good change – it seems lately that power cords are shrinking in length, or are not provided at all), and a PC/sync cord for those of use who haven’t yet gone to wireless triggers. The sync plug on the housing is of mini-plug variety, not the full-size “stereo” plugs one often sees.

Push button controls include flash test, sound on/off, modeling light, and slave operation. Flash intensity is read through a digital numeric display, and is controlled through a rotating knob. Flash intensity numbers are not linked to f/stop, but are displayed relative to total flash output, from nil to maximum.

Flash output is consistent in intensity right from start up, and stays that way throughout a shoot. Max recycling time is 1.5 seconds at max power (AC) – but at lower power settings is near-instantaneous. The cooling fan is quiet and unobtrusive. Stated flash duration is 1/800 to 1/1500/sec.

I also tested the light with a color meter. While I found that the light easily hit daylight color temperature (5500k) a from a cold start, it needed to fire a few times before settling in and stabilizing at this color temperature. (In other words, color temp varied a bit from shot to shot from a cold start to warm-up).

Once warmed up, variance in color temperature in the mid- to ¾-power range was not a significant issue. At full power, it took a bit longer for the light to warm up and stabilize – if you are shooting at full power, and the light has been resting a while, fire off five or six test shots to bring everything into line.

The modeling light is an LED array, which operates in proportion to flash output settings. This is a great idea – those of us who engage in day-long shoots will appreciate this. Completely cool, with no appreciable heat generated, so less wear and tear on umbrellas and soft boxes, not to mention one’s fingers!

Also, unlike tungsten or halogen-based bulbs, it is roughly the same color temperature as the flash tube, which is a significant convenience. However, the modeling light is challenged to provide enough illumination used with a diffuser or soft box, and I’d like to see available luminance increased. Otherwise, a brilliant idea (no pun.)

One might think that the lower power usage of the LED modeling light would bode well for its use with a battery pack – however, Adorama doesn’t recommend this.

Accessories available include a NIMH portable battery pack and spare battery, a speed ring for soft box/light modifiers, a beauty dish, umbrellas, and related items.

At this price point, $199, this light is a good value vis-à-vis overall build quality and light output, and it appears that it would deliver sold performance in the field or in the studio. In my opinion, at 300/ws, a couple of these would fill an average room nicely – even at levels below full power. All you location shooters and real estate photographers, take note!

The Flashpoint DG-600 is available through Adorama: http://www.adorama.com/FP600DG.html

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Me? Use a Hand-Held Light Meter for Photography or Video? (Part 1)

Me? Use a Hand-Held Light Meter? (Part 1)

You bet. In fact, with some of the newer designs available, you’d find they are easier to use, frequently more accurate, and will often help you improve the quality of your work!

I recently attended the Exposure Photo Expo in Toronto, sponsored by Henry’s Photo and Video. A couple of models from Sekonic caught my eye, among them the L-478 and the L-478DR. They have all-digital readouts, touch screen capability, and more. Very nicely updated designs.

Features include incident light readings, spot readings, the DR model is capable of Pocket-Wizard triggering control, enhanced HD Cine features, exposure profiling, flash power controls, flash-ambient measurements, and more.

Spot reading, as compared to incident light metering, can be much more accurate in evaluating dynamic range in a scene, and getting the right exposure in high-contrast situations.

I’ll be writing more about this topic later on, focusing on using a hand-held meter vs. an in-camera meter – probably in two more additional segments – regarding general use, and in creating lighting setups.

Sekonic Meter

Segment 9, Photo Review Series: Line, Light, and Color with David Saffir and Sally Wiener Grotta

Photographers Sally Wiener Grotta and David Saffir analyze David’s midnight Manhattan street scene photo, which was created by engaging his technical expertise, but being guided by compositional instinct.
Image © David Saffir
(Video is part of the Light, Line, and Color series © 2012 by Sally Wiener Grotta and David Saffir.)

Next Segment, New Photo Review Series: Line, Light, and Color with David Saffir and Sally Wiener Grotta

No photographer can plan everything. Sally Wiener Grotta and David Saffir discuss how photographers hone their eyes and minds to take advantage of often fleeting accidents of nature and timing that can lead to momentous photographs. Image © David Saffir
(Video is part of the Light, Line, and Color series © 2012 by Sally Wiener Grotta and David Saffir.)

PS – take a look at the Workshops tab at the top of this page!

Next Segment, New Photo Review Series: Line, Light, and Color with David Saffir and Sally Wiener Grotta March 2, 2012

David Saffir waited 45 minutes in this underground canyon for just the right light. In his discussion about this picture with fellow photographer Sally Wiener Grotta, David explains how he chose his exposure to define the sense of space, texture and movement.In addition, they explore the various elements that make it such a successful picture.
Image © David Saffir
(Video is part of the Light, Line, and Color series © 2012 by Sally Wiener Grotta and David Saffir.)

Next Segment, New Photo Review Series: Line, Light, and Color with David Saffir and Sally Wiener Grotta

David Saffir and Sally Wiener Grotta discuss how Sally used natural light and instinctive control over the angles within her composition to create this portrait. At the same time, Janice and Sally collaborated on creating the moment together, as a evocative personal experience.

Image © Sally Wiener Grotta, from her American Hands project
(Video is part of the Light, Line, and Color series © 2012 by Sally Wiener Grotta and David Saffir.)

Part Three, New Photo Review Series: Line, Light, and Color with David Saffir and Sally Wiener Grotta

David Saffir and Sally Wiener Grotta explore how Bill Truran used shadow and light in this portrait, not just to define structure but also to make a human connection between the child and the viewer.
Image © Bill Truran displayed by permission.  (Video is part of the Light, Line, and Color series © 2012 by Sally Wiener Grotta and David Saffir.)

New Workshops for Spring and Summer 2011

New Workshops for Spring and Summer 2011

Here’s a quick post so you can mark the dates if you’re interested. I’ll post detailed descriptions again in a day or so.

Studio Lighting Weekend Intensive: Portraits
Saturday & Sunday: April 30th and May 1st

PhotoShop: From Start to Finish
Four Saturdays: June 4th, 11th, 18th & 25th

Printing in the Digital Darkroom
Two Saturdays: July 9th & 16th

These workshops will be held at Venice Arts, 1702 Lincoln Blvd, Venice, CA 90291

Call Elysa at 310.392.0846 for reservations.

Studio Lighting Workshop: Portraits with Style!

David Saffir instructor $89, Saturday, March 19th – 9am to 1pm

Learn how to successfully pre-plan your photo shoot, put your lighting setup together to match a particular “look”, capture your image successfully, plan your editing in Photoshop, and create an image you can successfully print or provide as a digital file.

Model Sara Muldorfer

This is a “hands-on” workshop. We’ll take you step by step through the process:

• Pre-session planning meetings with customers, clients/models, and others

• Identifying a look or theme, including use of printed examples, design ideas, and the like

• Pre-shoot coaching, with focus on making diplomatic suggestions for wardrobe and makeup

• Studio preparation, including backdrops, choosing a lighting style, and two or three light setups for portraits

• Classic vs. non-traditional lighting, using main and accessory lights

• Setting up your camera for successful capture, including tethering to a computer

• Three-step fast and efficient editing in Photoshop

• Providing proofs to customers/clients

• Preparing for printing or publication

Although we use studio flash in class, we start with continuous lighting (hot lights), which helps students see how lighting changes work, moment by moment.

This one-day focused workshop teaches an uncomplicated, efficient, professional process from start to finish. You’ll leave the session with a list of skills you can practice that will help you improve the quality of your work and your client’s satisfaction!

This is a hands-on workshop, so please bring your camera. We will provide a light meter for your use.

Contact Mel Carll at 661 904 2092 for reservations.

Example, Setting Up Your Best Color Workflow

I spent part of the morning consulting with a client on color management issues. He has a very nice studio setup, running a couple of Mac desktops, a wide-gamut monitor which he calibrates with a ColorMunki, and a good 17″ inkjet printer. He uses the factory ICC profiles while printing, but has also created custom paper profiles using the ColorMunki.

Good shutters over the windows, air conditioning, and Solux daylight desk lamp for print viewing; the room is painted neutral off-white.

He’s capturing images using a Canon 5D MKII, RAW files, and editing in Pro Photo RGB, 16 bit.

His monitor is calibrated to 5500k, at about 100 cd/m2. While this may look a bit dim and yellow to most, he finds he gets a pretty good screen to print match with this setup. Others might use 6500k.

The first thing I did when I arrived was to ask him to print a grey step wedge target. The print was near-perfect, with all the steps distinct from one another, good ink density, etc. No color cast.

We compared his prints to screen, and viewing prints with his Solux desk lamp there is a near-perfect match.

However, there was one thing that we worked on that will help him – not so obvious, but important. He has a ceiling light that uses everyday incandescent bulbs. There are four bulb sockets in this fixture, and two have bulbs in them. Household bulbs like this run a color temperature 2700-3300k, much warmer than his screen or Solux light.

These bulbs are bright enough and warm enough to influence his color vision while editing (they cast light on the display), and of course while viewing the prints. My general rule of thumb is that a light that’s a problem is at least 30-40% the brightness of the computer display.

The Solux viewing light is across the room, so it’s a bit inconvenient to reach over and turn it on – the result is that sometimes he’s looking at his (gorgeous) prints in the warm color temp lighting conditions. I have another client who has issues with window light – because the daylight is reflected through the window from a green-colored wall outside!

The conclusion is that you may be thinking that you’ve done it all just right, and that one small thing that you are totally accustomed to may still intrude into your workflow – an unshaded window, an expired printer driver, uncalibrated monitor – they might not be obvious, but they have real impact on quality control. So, go take a close look – you might find something that makes your work easier – and improves your images!

We have a new workshop coming up:

Getting the Most out of your Desktop Inkjet Printer – David Saffir instructor Wednesday, December 15th – 6:30pm to 9:30pm SCV Center for Photography – follow for details