OK, I see some construction and performance detail is in order here. :-)
If you look carefully at the bottom side of the outer ends of my simple
aluminum bracket in the T32/umbrella photo
<http://www.chucknorcutt.com/gear/Umbrella%20adapter%20mounted%20on%20tripod%20%232.jpg>
you will see an extra hole drilled on each end. Those two holes allow
for another pair of T32s to be mounted upside down and outboard of the
first pair (they need to be outboard in order to leave enough space to
operate the locking handle on the umbrella adapter). Four T32s are
about 1/3 stop more powerful than an AB800 with slightly less falloff at
the edge of a 28mm field of view.
But four T-32s are kind of cumbersome. Two work pretty well and are
only 0.7 stops less power than an AB800. Both have about 1/2 stop
falloff at the edge of a 28mm field. It also helps to resolve what I
feel is the Achilles heel of the T-32 relative to other flash units. It
only has two manual power settings, 1/4 and full. But with a pair of
units you can have 1/4, 1/2, 1, 1-1/4 and 2X. That, along with
adjusting the flash distance a bit, will give you what you need.
As pictured, the two T32s are setup to allow triggering via TTL cord
plugged into the TTL autoconnector T20 on the right or via PC cable
plugged into the hot shoe adapter on the left. Not shown is that the
flashes are normally connected via a TTL autocord T 0.3 meter running
between their TTL sockets on their left sides. Triggering via a TTL
cord using a TTL capable OM will give TTL flash control from the pair.
Triggering from the PC cord connector fires both flashes (which must be
in manual mode) but with no exposure control. It's not possible to take
advantage of the flash's normal auto mode since the auto mode sensor
only sees the inside of the umbrella and not the subject. It would
work, however, if you took away the umbrella. You might consider using
ceiling bounce for diffusion without the umbrella.
I've only had the CSRBs for two days and so far haven't used it for
anything other than a few test shots with a T32 and Canon 540EZ to make
sure they work. But connected to my paired T32's I would use a single
hotshoe/miniphone connector. Both flashes can be tied together with the
0.3 meter autocord so if either of them fires the other will too. The
dual hot shoe arrangement is not required. But, if I was using other
than T32s, I still wouldn't use the dual hot shoe arrangement, at least
behind an umbrella. In this closeup of the umbrella adapter bracket
<http://www.chucknorcutt.com/gear/Homemade%20bracket%20&%20various%20hotshoe%20adapters.jpg>
you can see two optical slaves which can be had at any camera shop or on
ebay very cheaply. Attach one flash unit to the hot shoe trigger
adapter. Mount the second flash on the optical slave with the slave
lens facing into the umbrella. When the first flash fires the second
flash will also fire when it sees the first flash reflected off the
inside of the umbrella. Even without the umbrella the second flash
might be fired by the optical slave if the room was not too large. The
simple little optical slaves are quite sensitive.
Chuck Norcutt
Robert Burnette wrote:
> Neat idea, Chuck. I have three T-32s, but I have never used them with
> an umbrella as you have. It is easy to get tunnel vision when it
> comes to photography equipment use. Do you use the the DSY-HS (two
> hot shoe to one miniphone plug) cord with the T-32s and the CSRB or
> do you have a better arrangement?
>
> Curiosity question: Would the T-32s and an umbrella work on auto mode
> as TTL flash with an OM-2 or an OM-4 if the OM connectors cords are
> used? I have the OM autoTTL multiconnector and a couple of TTL
> connector cords. Hmmmm. I may need a CSRB unit too. ;o)
>
> Robert
>
> Chuck wrote:
>
>> I purchased the battery powered receivers since I use radio slaves
>> with portable flash units as well > as the Bees as shown here
>> <http://www.chucknorcutt.com/gear/Umbrella%20adapter%20mounted%20on%20tripod%20%232.jpg>
>>
>
>> When that photo was taken I was using cords. The shoes have since
>> been changed to favor Paramount hot shoe to miniphone connectors
>> which will plug directly into Pocket Wizards or the Alien Bee CSRs.
>>
>
>> <http://www.paramountcords.com/products.asp?cat=70>
>>
>> Chuck Norcutt
>
>
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