Do you use slaves much? What tips would you have regarding aux flash? I do not remember seeing any guide numbers on any of them and nothing about guide numbers with instructions. From experience, the use of slaves seems to fool light meters. Also, slaves fool your camera flash if it is set on auto. You have to have the camera flash on manual. If the slaves had guide numbers, you'd have a better idea as to where to position them in the picture.

-- Frank Horn (owlhoot45@hotmail.com), April 01, 2002

Answers

I haven't done sophisticated flash setups for years, but when I did I used slave units and flash meters extensively with no difficulties.

There are plenty of books on the subject.

Godfrey

-- Godfrey (ramarren@bayarea.net), April 01, 2002.

I could get into a long discussion on how to use slaves with manual light output, and a flashmeter, for multiple-flash lighting. I still remember and once in a while I use this kind of equipment if I don't have a choice (such as with a non-TTL camera). But I don't do this if I can avoid it. My system consists of a couple of Ikelite TTL controllers (Nikon dedicated) and a Nikon SU-4 (all leftovers from my Nikon days). By placing Nikon SCA modules on my Metz units, these slave controllers "see" the flash(es)actually wired to the camera and mimic the output. Together the sum of the flashes comes out to the exact exposure just as if there were only one flash. I use these controllers with Leica M and R, Canon, and Hasselblad. As long as the flash and the controller are compatible (Ikelite makes them for Canon also), it doesn't matter what brand of camera and trigger flash you use as long as it's either a TTL or auto-sensor system.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), April 01, 2002.

I have used a flash with slave in an umbrella, held to one side, with on camera flash set to act as fill. The main light is the umbrella, which is tripped by the fill. I use a polaris flash meter. I call it my studio in the street.

-- Phil Stiles (Stiles@metrocast.net), April 01, 2002.

Jay- I know that the dedicated flash outfits, such as the Ikelite, can get everything in sync. My little slaves are the non-dedicated cheapo type. They come from Morris, and are different sizes. I thought my Gossen Multi-Pro would figure out the various amounts of light and get everything averaged out, as you describe above. Maybe it isn't the meter, but the meterer. ;-)

-- Frank Horn (owlhoot45@hotmail.com), April 01, 2002.

I'm not familiar with the Gossen Multi-Pro, Frank, so I'm not sure if it meters both ambient and flash, or just ambient. If it meters flash, you should be able to plug the sync cord into the meter, and set off the lights with a button on the meter.

It is best to use the incident mode on the meter to measure the light from the flash units from the subject position. Pointing the incident dome at each of the strobes, while blocking it from the others, will allow you to establish the lighting ratios, and either adjust the flash output, or reposition it to do so (remembering the rule of inverse squares when doing so).

Most of the lighting books will assume that you have something akin to studio strobes, and will provide instructions accordingly. You can simulate much of what studio strobes will do with small, battery-powerd flash units on stands, except that the small units and slaves generally don't have enough power to be used with some light modifiers (soft boxes, light panels, etc.), so your lighting will be more harsh than you might want. You might be able to use umbrellas, however, to soften the light a bit if you so choose.

Bottom line, the key is the meter, and using it correctly.

-- Ralph Barker (rbarker@pacbell.net), April 01, 2002.

Depends on the camera you're using. The Contax 645 has a fairly accurate TTL flash meter in the camera itself. A real speedy advantage when using filters. On manual, any number of slaves can be triggered and read in the viewfinder. You just have to adjust the relative ratio (1 to 1, 1 to 2, etc. ) of the slaved flashes to balance the light the way you want. Many Sunpacks have a ratio adjustment slide on the back of the flash, as do other makes. Canon EOS cameras with ETTL flashes undoubtly have the most sophisticated, easy to use dedicated slave system on the market today. With a Leica it requires a boat load of extra work by compairson. If you're using a Leica, get a flash meter. A trusty used Minotla IV can be had fairly inexpensively. And a second flash that allows you to easily adjust the out-put ratio. Just a thought that might help.

-- Marc Williams (mwilliams111313MI@comcast.net), April 02, 2002.