Ordered a new Dell Alienware R15!

After 6 years my Alienware R6 is still going strong but it is time for a new PC. Because I was very happy with my R6 I decided to buy a Dell Alienware R15.

This time with a AMD processor and a GEM of a graphic card:

The Geforce 4090

Not that it makes a huge difference in Photoshop in comparison with a cheaper 4070 but for video and other graphic applications it will be visible.

Here is the configuration. According to the webiste of Dell the delivery of this machine will take place on December 12th.

Thank you dad for the financial support!

Alienware Aurora R15

• Bestelgegevens

  Dell Order

  Item number: 799-AANV

• Besturingssysteem

  Windows 11 Pro, English, Dutch, French, German, Italian

  Item number: 619-AQMC

• Beveiligingssoftware

  Not selected in this configuration

  Item number: 817-BBBC

• Bronmedia besturingssysteem

  No Media

  Item number: 620-AAOH

• Chassis opties

  Dark Side of the Moon 1350W PSU, Advanced Liquid Cooled CPU & Clear Side Panel

  Item number: 321-BIKW

• Cooling Option

  Top fan not required

  Item number: 321-BHCL

• diensten

  1Y Premium Support and Onsite Service Upgrade

  Item number: 344-71214

  Y2-3 Premium Support and Onsite Service Extension

  Item number: 344-71216

• Documentatie/schijven

  English, French, German, Italian, Dutch Shipping Docs

  Item number: 340-ACCX

• Draadloos

  Realtek Wi-Fi 6 RTL8852BE, 2x2, 802.11ax, MU-MIMO, Bluetooth(R) wireless card

  Item number: 555-BIFF

• Driver voor draadloze communicatie

  RTL 8852BE wireless driver

  Item number: 340-DDIT

• Etiket

  Regulatory Label

  Item number: 340-DDIY

• Extra software

  Additional Software

  Item number: 658-BFQD

  Game Pass

  Item number: 658-BFQH

• FGA Module

  Custom BTO Configuration

  Item number: 817-BBCE

• Gedis-pakketreferentie

  DAWR15A02

  Item number: 486-80331

• Geheugen

  64GB, 2x32GB, DDR5, 4800MHz

  Item number: 370-AHMH

• Grafische kaart

  NVIDIA(R) GeForce RTX(TM) 4090, 24GB GDDR6X

  Item number: 490-BJDV

• Kabels

  Power Cord - Europe

  Item number: 470-AFNV

• Microsoft Application Software

  Microsoft Office 30 Day Trial - Excludes Office License

  Item number: 630-ABBT

• Muis

  Optical Mouse MS116AW

  Item number: 570-AATJ

• Opslag

  2TB M.2 PCIe NVMe Solid State Drive

  Item number: 400-BONT

• Processor

  AMD Ryzen(TM) 9 7950X (16 core, 80MB total cache, up to 5.7GHz max boost)

  Item number: 338-CHHK

• Processoretiket

  AMD Ryzen(TM) 9 Label

  Item number: 389-EFSG

• Supportservices

  1Y Collect and Return Service

  Item number: 302-11095

• Toetsenbord

  Dell Multimedia Keyboard-KB216 - Belgian (AZERTY) - Black

  Item number: 580-ADDJ

• Verpakking

  Shipping Material

  Item number: 328-BFIN

Magmod Professional Strobe Kit XL (English)

Photo shoot with the Magmod Professional Strobe Kit XL as light shaper

“Finally available, a Magmod with Bowens mount!”

Magmod's light shapers are part of (many) photographers' daily setup. These universal add-ons are suitable for universal flash units for both rectangular and round flash heads (Magmod 2).

The success of these light shapers are mainly due to the ability to quickly install / remove accessories such as a grid, a diffuse, sphere or snoot by means of magnets. Many wedding photographers always have them with them.

A product engineer at the Magmod company must have thought of making an XL version with Bowen's mount. It is now available. Other mounts such as for Profoto can be ordered separately.

The Dutch importer Disnet sent me a copy of the Magmod Professional strobe kit XL a few weeks ago and asked me to test the product. As a portrait and fashion photographer, I use various light modifiers in my daily work. So I was very curious in which circumstances I could best use the Magmod Professional strobe kit XL.

Contents of the XL Kit

In a beautiful printed cardboard box you will find a sturdy cylindrical carrying case with the following parts.

• A collapsible XL reflector

• A magsphere (a soft white sphere in soft white transparant rubber)

• Two rubber grids. (angle of 40° and 20°)

• 3 CTO gels (1/1, 1/2 and 1/4). (no CTB gels)

Each part feels very sturdy and professional. It is therefore not surprising that this product is aimed at both professional and amateur photographers.

The carrying case has a clickable strap at the back so you can attach it for example to a tripod. However, there is no handle, but you could attach a carrying strap (not included).

The collapsible reflector has a silver coating.

A 20° and 40° rubber grid are part of the package.

The 3 CTO gels fit together. You will find a 1/1, 1/2 and 1/4 gel in the box.

Dimensions:

All parts together (with the collapsed reflector) measure approximately 21 cm high and fit perfectly in the supplied cylindrical bag.

With the reflector unfolded, we measure approximately 28 cm

The three supplied CTO gels in hard plastic fit perfectly in the folded reflector.

The CTO gel placed (here a 1/1) in the reflector

The grids (made of rubber) are easy to apply magnetically

You can magnetically attach the Magsphere on top of the grid.

Light output:

The basic part, the XL reflector, is made of plastic and has a silver coating on the inside. At first glance, this seems to reflect a little less compared to a standard metal reflector. I was therefore curious about the light output of this light shaper. Mounted on a Godox AD600 Pro, I measured the light output of the standard supplied reflector of the Godox AD600 Pro as well as that of the Magmod XL with a Sekonic L-858D. I also compared the light output with a Godox RFT-19 with ribbed silver interior.

Here are the values I measured:

•          Standard AD600 Pro head: f/22

•          MagMod: f/22 (same)

•          Godox RFT19: f/32.2 (1 & 2/10 of a stop more light)

•          MagMod with full CTO: f/11.2 (Almost 2 full stops less light)

•          MagMod with 1/2 CTO: f/11.8 (1 stop and 2/10 less in light)

•          MagMod with 1/4 CTO: f/16.1 (Nearly 1 stop less of light)

•          MagMod with Magsphere: f/16 (1 stop less of light)

•          MagMod with 40° grid: f/11.8 (1 stop less of light)

•          MagMod with 20° grid: f/16.1 (1 stop + 1/3 less in light)

Certainly not bad values. It is completely normal that the light output decreases with every addition of an accessory.

You can stack accessories. For example, you can first place a grid. On top of that you attach the Magsphere (although you probably won't use it much in practice).

The supplied three CTO gels are made of a hard plastic and slide into each other. The very first time you have to pull them apart with a little force. After that it goes a lot smoother.

Weight & Build Quality:

The collapsible reflector weighs 420 grams. That is about twice as much as a standard metal reflector.

Comparison:

• MagMod XL: 420 grams

• AD600 Pro standard reflector: 202 grams

• Godox RFT19: 161 grams

The whole set together weighs 1690 grams.

Because the majority of the kit consists of plastic and rubber, they can take a beating. It is no problem, for example, to play Frisbee with the supplied grid.

The Magmod in practice:

I tested the MagMod XL during a shoot in the heart of Prague. My model was the beautiful and lovely Kedist Deltour (Miss Belgium 2021).

For these kind of photo shoots I like to work with a lightweight and compact setup. No arsenal of primes, but three zooms: Sony G 24-105 f/4, Sony GM2 70-200 f/2.8 and a Tamron 17-28 f/2.8. All photos were taken with a Sony A1 in RAW format. White balance was set to manual and focus was set to continuous focus with eye detection.

In the end it turned out that I took all the photos with the Sony G 24-105 f/4 . The background for this shoot had to be quite recognizable so I took all photos with an aperture of f/4.

I brought a lightweight carbon camera tripod that served as a tripod for the AD600 Pro that I equipped with an extension head. The AD600 Pro was in a Godox carrying bag and served as a counterweight. (see photo below)

The Magmod reflector is easy and quick to apply. I was pleasantly surprised with the result of the first photos. The light was softer than I expected. A reflector remains a small light source and that means in general hard light.

The photos underwent minimal post-processing with Capture One Pro that consisted primarily of dodging and burning, adjusting contrast, and sharpening the photo.

The advantage of working with a smaller light shaper such as this Magmod reflector is in general the light is a bit harder and therefore richer in contrast. This allows you to place your tripod a little further and there may be quite a bit of wind, your tripod will not fall over quickly.

A reflector behaves like a reflector. It provides focused light, but at the same time the light beam is sufficiently wide. I usually place the light source between 2 and 3 meters from the model.

I generally place the flash towards the sun. You can see this by the double shadows in the next photo. The direction of the flash light comes from the left (+ 3 meters) while the sunlight came from the right side. I opted for a black and white edit. The AD600 Pro flashed at full flash power. Camera settings: 24mm, f/4, 1/200, ISO50

The flash light gives extra "punch" to your photos.

Also for the next photo I was pleasantly surprised by the light quality. You just have to try to find the balance between ambient and strobe light. When you place the light source at the right distance, height and direction, very little can go wrong.

CTO gels:

Time to try out the CTO gels (Color Temperature Orange) although I only used the 1/1 (Full) CTO gel in this test. Just place the gel in the reflector, and that is an easy task. To remove it, lightly press the CTO gel together. Despite the fact that it is a hard material, removal is easy because of the recesses.

CTO gels are mainly used as color correction when you combine flash light with the available sunlight. Especially in the golden hour they are very useful because the ambient light is very warm. The color temperature of a flash is approximately 5500 Kelvin and that is white light. Depending on the time of day, you place a ¼, ½ or 1/1 gel.

But first we went looking for a more suitable spot to continue our shooting. A beautiful monument made out of metal as a backdrop turned out to be an excellent choice.

To make everything more blue and to give it an artistic touch I set my camera to 4000 Kelvin. That is a difference of 1500 K. This choice is purely a matter of taste. Usually, using a Full CTO gel, a white balance of 3200 K is chosen when shooting in daylight.

Here I placed the flash at a distance of about 2 to 3 meters aimed frontally at Kedist (see shadow on the ground). The flash was fired at almost full flash power with the following camera settings: 1/400, ISO50 and f/4 (1/400 on the Sony A1 is the maximum flash sync speed, so HSS was not used)

You can like it or not but as you can see the result is much different compared to using only natural light.

In post processing I replaced the background using AI in Photoshop. The wall in the background is digitally created. You can see the real environment in the photo below.

Gels and black and white editing:

When working using contrasting colors, it is also easier to make adjustments afterwards when you convert the photo to black and white. For example, you can lighten or darken the skin by adjusting the value of red and/or yellow. If we want to adjust the rest of the photo (everything that is blue) it is just as simple. Another advantage of working with gels.

Photo of “behind the scenes” is a snapshot from a smartphone video recording.

Hopefully Magmod will bring other color gels on the market. Personally I would opt for magnetic gels.

I cut different gels myself with a cutting plotter and with 4 small magnets I can quickly apply and remove these self made gels. A magnetic outer ring adhered to the gel would even be a better solution.

This blue color gel with magnets is not part of the kit!

The Magsphere:

I placed the 1/1 CTO gel together with the magsphere to see if the light would become softer, but as soon as you place the light source too far from the model, using any diffuser makes little sense. The light becomes omni-directional and is therefore much more wide (unless you really want this).

With the magsphere, the light became a bit softer, but also wider. just place the flash close enough to the model. Don't expect miracles. It remains a small light source.

For this photo I removed the CTO gel and I added the Magsphere back on. That's the power of this setup. The swap is very fast and that makes this product so interesting.

Using a Magmodsphere is certainly also useful indoors. You place the flash head with the sphere towards the ceiling and the light will spread nicely in the room.

However, if you want bundled light, then use grids. They are fantastic. You can literally use them as a frisnbee because they are made of rubber. The intention was to do a short shoot in the hotel, but that did not happen (due to lack of time). I prefer to use grids indoors rather than outdoors.

Conclusion:

The Magmod Professional Strobekit XL is a very interesting kit and costs just under 300 Euro. That is a significant amount but it is worth every euro. There is certainly no lack of quality (and light quality). It seems like it was made to never break.

You get in a cylindrical case, a reflector, the magsphere, two grids and CTO gels. This way you can quickly change the quality of the flash light. Of course, the magsphere cannot replace a large light shaper with double diffuse, but that is not the intention. You can easily use the set on location and in the open air, but also in your own studio.

Without the supplied cylindrical case, the kit fits easily in a travel case. If Magmod were to market an extension that turns this magmod reflector into a sports reflector (long reflector), I can finally take a long reflector in a travel case for my photo shoots (A metal sports reflector does not fit in a travel case). No manufacturer currently offers this.

I'm curious which accessories Magmod will bring to the market. A larger white transparant rubber sphere with a silver coating for even softer light is certainly one of the options. I would gladly communicate with Magmod about what I think would be very useful. 😊

If you want more light output with the same flash power, there are other light shapers available on the market, but then you miss the flexibility of the XL. You can place a grid in no time and if you want softer light with the magsphere, you can do this at 1,2,3.

Can I recommend this kit? Absolutely. I am using it already.

Photos copyright: Joeri Peeters

Magmod Professional Strobe Kit XL (Dutch)

Praktijktest met de Magmod Professional Strobe Kit XL

“Nu eindelijk ook een Magmod met Bowensvatting!“

De  lichtvormers van Magmod maken bij (heel wat) fotografen onderdeel uit van hun dagelijkse setup. Deze universele add-ons zijn geschikt voor universele reportageflitsers met zowel rechthoekige als ronde flitskoppen(Magmod 2).

Het succes van deze lichtvormer is vooral te danken aan de mogelijkheid om snel accessoires zoals een grid, een diffuus, bol of snoot, te kunnen aanbrengen/verwijderen door middel van magneten. Vele huwelijksfotografen hebben ze dan ook altijd bij.

Een productingenieur bij de firma Magmod moet gedacht hebben om een XL-versie te maken met Bowens vatting. Die is nu verkrijgbaar. Andere mounts zoals voor Profoto zijn apart te bestellen.

De Nederlandse importeur Disnet bezorgde me enkele weken geleden een exemplaar van de Magmod Professional strobe kit XL en vroeg me om het product te testen. Als portret- en fashionfotograaf gebruik ik in mijn dagelijks werk diverse lichtvormers. Ik was dus heel benieuwd in welke omstandigheden ik de  Magmod Professional strobe kit XL best zou kunnen inzetten.

Inhoud van de XL Kit

In een mooie bedrukte kartonnen doos vindt je een stevige cilindervormige draagtas met volgende onderdelen.

• Een inklapbare XL reflector

• Een magsphere (een zachte witte bol in kunststof)

• Twee rubberen grids. (hoek van 40° en 20°)

• 3 CTO gels (1/1, 1/2 and 1/4). (geen CTB gels)

Elk onderdeel voelt heel stevig en professioneel aan. Het is dan ook niet verwonderlijk dat dit product gericht is naar zowel professionele- als amateurfotografen.

De draagtas heeft een klikbare band aan de achterzijde zodat je deze bijvoorbeeld aan een statief kan bevestigen. Er is echter geen handvat maar je zou welk een draagriem kunnen bevestigen (niet bijgeleverd)

De inklapbare reflector is voorzien van een zilveren coating.

Een 20° en 40° rubberen grid maken onderdeel uit van het pakket.

De 3 CTO gels passen in elkaar. Je vindt een 1/1,1/2 en 1/4 gel in de box terug.

Afmetingen:

Alle onderdelen samen (met de ingeklapte reflector) meten ongeveer 21 cm hoog en passen perfect in de bijgeleverde cilindervormige tas.

 Met uitgeklapte reflector meten we ongeveer 28cm

De drie bijgeleverde CTO gels in hard kunststof passen perfect in de ingeklapte reflector.

De CTO gel  (hier een 1/1) plaats je omgekeerd in de reflector

De grids (gemaakt uit rubber) laten zich gemakkelijk magnetisch aanbrengen

Je kan de Magsphere bovenop de grid magnetisch aanbrengen.

Lichtopbrengst:

Het basisonderdeel, de XL reflector, vervaardigd in kunststof, heeft aan de binnenkant een zilveren coating. Deze lijkt op het eerste gezicht iets minder te reflecteren als een standaard metalen reflector. Ik was dan ook benieuwd naar de lichtopbrengst van deze lichtvormer. Bevestigd op een Godox AD600 Pro mat ik met een Sekonic L-858D de lichtopbrengst van de standaard bijgeleverde reflector van de Godox AD600 Pro als ook die van de Magmod XL. Ik vergeleek ook de lichtopbrengst met een Godox RFT-19 met geribbelde zilveren binnenkant.

Dit zijn de waarden die ik mat:

·         Standaard AD600 Pro head: f/22

·         MagMod: f/22 (hetzelfde)

·         Godox RFT19: f/32.2 (1 & 2/10 van een stop meer licht)

·         MagMod met full CTO: f/11.2 (Bijna 2 full stops minder aan licht)

·         MagMod met 1/2 CTO: f/11.8 (1 stop en 2/10 minder aan licht)

·         MagMod met 1/4 CTO: f/16.1 (Bijna 1 stop minder aan licht)

·         MagMod met Magsphere: f/16 (1 stop minder aan licht)

·         MagMod met 40° grid: f/11.8 (1 stop minder aan licht)

·         MagMod met 20° grid: f/16.1 (1 stop + 1/3 minder aan licht)

Op zich zeker geen slechte waarden. Het is volstrekt normaal dat bij elke toevoeging van een accessoire de lichtopbrengst afneemt.

Je kan accessoires stapelen. Zo kan je bijvoorbeeld eerst een grid plaatsen. Daarbovenop bevestig je dan de Magsphere (al ga je dit waarschijnlijk in de praktijk niet snel gebruiken).

De bijgeleverde drie CTO gels zijn vervaardigd in een harde kunststof en schuiven in elkaar. De allereerste keer moet je ze met een beetje kracht uit elkaar halen. Daarna gaat het een stuk vlotter.

Gewicht & bouwkwaliteit:

Op 1 gram na weegt de inklapbare reflector 420 gram. Dat is ongeveer het dubbele van een standaard reflector uit metaal.

Vergelijking:

• MagMod XL: 420 gram

• AD600 Pro standaard reflector: 202 gram

• Godox RFT19: 161 gram

De hele set samen weegt 1690 gram.

Omdat het merendeel van de kit bestaat uit kunststof en rubber kunnen ze tegen een stootje. Het is geen probleem om bijvoorbeeld te frisbeeën met een bijgeleverde grid.

De Magmod in de praktijk:

Ik testte de MagMod XL tijdens een shoot uit in hartje Praag. Als model kon beschikken over de mooie en supersympathieke Kedist Deltour (Miss België 2021).

Voor zulke foto shoots werk ik graag met een lichte en compacte setup. Geen arsenaal aan primelenzen maar drie zoomlenzen waarmee ik het grootste bereik kan afdekken: Sony G 24-105 f/4, Sony GM2 70-200 f/2.8 en een Tamron 17-28 f/2.8. Alle foto’s werden gemaakt met een Sony A1 in RAW formaat. De instelling van de witbalans stond op manueel en scherpstelling op continuous focus met oogdetectie.

Uiteindelijk bleek dat ik alle foto’s maakte met de Sony G 24-105 f/4 . De achtergrond voor deze shoot mocht best herkenbaar zijn dus nam ik alle foto’s met een diafragma van f/4.

Ik nam een lichtgewicht carbon camera statief mee dat diende als statief voor de AD600 Pro die ik uitrustte met een extensiehead. De AD600 Pro kon zo in een draagtas laten die dan weer diende als contragewicht. (zie foto verderop)

De Magmodreflector laat zich makkelijk en snel aanbrengen. Ik was aangenaam verast met het resultaat van de eerste foto’s. Het licht was zachter dan ik had verwacht. Een reflector blijft uiteindelijk een kleine lichtbron.

De foto’s ondergingen van een minimale nabewerking met Capture One Pro dat voornamelijk bestond uit tegenhouden en doordrukken, contrast regelen en de foto verscherpen.

Het voordeel van werken met een kleinere lichtvormer zoals deze Magmod is dat het licht wat harder en dus contrastrijker is. Je kan hierdoor je statief wat verder plaatsen en er mag dan ook aardig wat wind zijn, je statief zal niet snel omvallen.

Een reflector gedraagt zich als een reflector. Het geeft gericht licht maar tegelijkertijd is de lichtbundel voldoende breed. Ik plaats meestal de lichtbron tussen de 2 en 3 meter van het model.

Ik fotografeer algemeen met de flitser tegen de zon in. Je ziet dit trouwens aan de dubbele schaduwen op volgende foto. De richting van het flitslicht komt van links (+ 3 meter) terwijl het zonlicht van schuinrechts kwam. Ik koos voor een zwart wit bewerking. De AD600 Pro flitste aan volle flitskracht. Camera instellingen: 24mm, f/4, 1/200, ISO50

Het flitslicht geeft extra “punch” aan je foto’s.

Ook voor volgende foto was ik aangenaam verast van de lichtkwaliteit. Je moet enkel trachten het evenwicht te zoeken tussen aanwezig en flitslicht. Wanneer je de lichtbron op de juiste afstand, hoogte en richting plaatst kan er weinig mis gaan.

CTO gels:

Tijd om de CTO gels (Color Temperature Orange) uit te proberen al hield ik het bij deze test enkel bij de 1/1 (Full) CTO gel. Je plaatst hem in de reflector,  en dat gaat vrij gemakkelijk. Om deze terug te verwijderen druk je de CTO gel lichtjes samen. Ondanks dat het hard materiaal is gaat het verwijderen vlot vanwege de uitsparingen.

CTO gels worden voornamelijk gebruikt als kleurcorrectie wanneer je flitslicht met het aanwezige zonlicht gaat combineren. Ik denk dan vooral aan het gouden uur waar we te maken hebben met heel warm licht. De kleurentemperatuur van een flitser bedraagt ongeveer 5500 Kelvin en dat is dus wit licht. Afhankelijk van het moment van de dag plaats je een ¼, ½ of 1/1 gel.

Mar eerst gingen we op zoek naar een geschikter plekje. Een mooi metalen monument als achtergrond bleek een uitstekende keuze te zijn.

Om alles wat blauwer maar ook artistieker te maken zette ik mijn camera op 4000 Kelvin. Dat is een verschil van 1500 K. Deze keuze is puur een kwestie van smaak. Meestal kiest men voor een Full CTO gel een witbalans van 3200 K bij daglicht.

Hier plaatste ik de flitser op een afstand van ongeveer 2 a 3 meter frontaal op Kedist gericht (zie schaduw op de grond). Er werd geflitst met bijna volle flitskracht met volgende camera-instellingen: 1/400, ISO50 en f/4 (1/400 op de Sony A1 is de maximale flitssynchronisatiesnelheid dus HSS is niet gebruikt)

Je houdt ervan of niet maar geef toe, het resultaat is net iets anders als werken met enkel natuurlijk licht.

In de nabewerking verving ik de achtergrond door gebruik te maken van AI in Photoshop. De muur op de achtergrond staat er dus niet. (zie foto verderop)

Gels en zwart/wit bewerking:

Wanneer je met contrasterende kleuren werkt kan je nadien ook makkelijker aanpassingen maken wanneer je de foto omzet naar zwart/wit. Zo kan je bijvoorbeeld de huid oplichten of donkerder maken door de waarde van rood en/of geel aan te passen. Willen we het overige van de foto aangepast (alle wat blauw is) dan kan dit ook in een vingerknip. Nog een voordeel van werken met gels.

Foto van “behind the scenes” is een snapshot uit een smartphone-videoopname.

Hopelijk brengt de firma Magmod nog andere gels op de markt. Persoonlijk zou ik dan opteren voor magnetische gels.

Zelf sneed ik verschillende gels met een snijplotter op grootte en met 4 kleine magneetjes kan ik zo snel deze gels aanbrengen en verwijderen. Een magnetische buitenring gekleefd op de gel zou nog een betere oplossing zijn.

Deze blauwe kleurengel met magneetjes maakt geen deel uit van de inhoud!

De magsphere:

Ik plaatste de 1/1 CTO gel samen met de magsphere om te kijken of het licht wat zachter zou worden maar van zodra je lichtbron te ver van het model plaatst heeft dit weinig zin. Het licht wordt omni-directioneel en is hierdoor veel meer verspreid (tenzij je dit echt wil).

Met de magsphere werd het licht iets zachter maar vooral ook breder. Plaats de flitser dicht genoeg bij het model. Verwacht echter geen wonderen. Het blijft een kleine lichtbron.

Voor deze foto verwijderde ik de CTO gel maar de Magsphere klikte ik er terug op. Dat is net de kracht van deze setup. Het wisselen gaat erg snel en dat maakt het product zo interessant.

Het gebruik van een Magmodsphere is zeker ook binnenhuis zinvol. Je plaats de flitskop met de sphere richting plafond en het licht zal zich mooi verspreiden in de kamer.

Wil je echter gebundeld licht dan zijn de grids fantastisch. Je kan er letterlijk mee gooien want ze zijn vervaardigd in rubber. De bedoeling was om nog een korte shoot te doen in het hotel maar dat is er (wegens tijdgebrek) niet van gekomen. Ik gebruik grids eerder binnen als in open lucht. (al kan het natuurlijk wel)

Conclusie:

De Magmod Professional Strobekit XL is een erg interessante kit en kost net geen 300 Euro. Dat is een aanzienlijk bedrag maar het is elke euro waard. Aan kwaliteit (en lichtkwaliteit) ontbreekt het zeker niet. Het lijkt wel of het gemaakt is om nooit stuk te mogen gaan.

Je krijgt in een cilindervormige koffer, een reflector, de magsphere, twee grids en CTO gels. Zo kan je snel de kwaliteit van het flitslicht veranderen. De magsphere kan natuurlijk geen grote lichtvormer met dubbel diffuus vervangen, maar dat is ook niet de bedoeling. Je kan de set makkelijk op locatie en in open lucht gebruiken maar ook zeker in je eigen studio.

Zonder de bijgeleverde cilindervormige koffer past de kit makkelijk in een reiskoffer. Als Magmod een verlengstuk op de markt zou brengen die van deze magmod reflector een sportreflector (long reflector) maakt kan ik eindelijk voor mijn foto shoots een lange reflector meenemen in een reiskoffer (Een metalen sportreflector past niet in een reiskoffer). Geen enkele fabrikant biedt dit momenteel aan.

Ik ben benieuwd welke accessoires Magmod nog op de markt zal brengen. Een grotere kunstofbol met een zilveren coating voor nog zachter licht behoort zeker tot de mogelijkheden. Magmod mag me altijd contacteren. 😊

Wil je meer lichtopbrengst met dezelfde flitskracht dan zijn er andere lichtvormers in de handel verkrijgbaar maar dan mis je de flexibiliteit van de XL. In een mum van tijd plaats je een grid en wil je zachter licht met de magsphere dan kan dit op 1,2,3.

Kan ik deze kit aanraden? Absoluut. Ik ga hem alvast gebruiken.

Foto’s copyright: Joeri Peeters

My ultimate mobile flash set-up

I was looking for a low weight and a powerful flash combination to take with me for non commercial shoots.

It is very important to expand your portfolio with new work.

I own and use several Godox flashes.

• 1 x AD100 Pro

• 6 x AD200

• 1 x AD200 pro

• 2 AD600 Pro

• 2 AD1200 Pro

All together a total of 52000 Ws and that is a lot of flash power!

For commercial work I use my AD600 pro’s and AD1200 pro’s. The AD200 are mainly used as a vignet light. When you have to take a lot of photos you better have extra power so your flashes do not overheat. It is not very professional when you need to tell your client to have a 10 minute break so your flashes can cool down again.

I do love the AD200’s because they are portable and very powerful and battery life is excellent. You can attach a fresnel head, a round head or a bare bulb head.

I very rarely use the standard (fresnel) head and recently found out the output of the Godox mini wistro AD-M reflector is excellent.

It is not only excellent but the light it produces is between soft and hard.

I came up with a very mobile solution that is both low weight and extremely powerful!

Here it is:

You can use any lightweight stand like a Manfrotto nanopole.

In the middle a standard Godox AD200 flash holder. I use it to attach an white umbrella.

On a nanopole stand. I do recommend a more stable lightstand. It is doable though.

After this picture I cut the grass.

Trust me. This is a very powerful combination. I use the Godox AD200 extension heads and the AD200’s are in fomito pouches I bought at least 5 years ago. Godox now also offer pouches for the 200’s so I recommend to buy these ones.

It all fits in a bag (+ an AD100 pro).

My mobile flash bag.

I mainly shoot models with the sun on their back, expose for the general ambient light and use flash to get a balanced photo like the photo below.

The photo in the middle is without flash and the photo on the right is using an AD1200 Pro and a small open 50 cm octabox. (with small inner diffuse)

In general I place the flash a few meters away from the model. When you shoot towards the sun you need flashpower. For the photo above I used an ND4 filter, 1/200, ISO50, F/4. Flash Power was in general between 1/4 and 1/8.

I don’t use HSS very often because you loose at least a stop of light. It drains your battery faster and your flash can overheat faster.

HSS is fantastic but if you need to shoot a lot of pictures in a very short time using an ND filter is the way to go.

I did some test shots outside and I was impressed with the power and quality of light this setup produces.

I also added an extra AD200 holder so I can attach a white umbrella when I want the light to be softer. I don’t use umbrellas very often because thet are not the best light formers. There is always some light that bounces back and therefor the light efficiency is not as good but they are very lightweight and portable.

This setup is all I need when I want much power with a minium of gear. Check my ‘what is in my bag’ blog to get an idea what my total setup is for TFP shoots.

In the bag is also an AD100 Pro that I can attach on the light stand to brighten the lower parts of the model and as a general fill. This AD100 pro is in general at the same power as the AD200’s. That is 2 stops of light less compared to the 2 AD200’s.

It only takes a few minutes to assemble the complete setup and very easy to carry when you move from one place to another.

This setup (without the AD100) is 2/10 of a stop more powerful than an AD1200 Pro with standard reflector. That is 400Ws compared to 1200Ws and the 400Ws is even more powerful. This proves reflectors can make a huge difference.

When AD200’s are placed in a dual bracket (AD-B2) a Bowens mount lightformer the advantage of having extra power is lost.

But there you have it. The ultimate powerful mobile light setup using only 2 AD200’s.

What is in my bag (my mini setup)

Every photographer wants to be mobile and does not like to carry lots of heavy gear. Sometimes it is mandatory to bring lots of gear to get an assignment done. When you need to take 1500 pictures a day and shoot rapidly I can really recommend a Godox flash like an AD1200 Pro but it’s heavy.

When I shoot TFP on a location outdoors I used to bring an AD600 Pro or an AD1200 Pro with me but in general this is overkill. The reason is you do not need so much power when you are shooting less photos and you have time to give the flash to breathe again.

Here is my goto list (this is not my general more extensive setup):

1. Think Tank Photocross 13 carbond Grey

   This is a very small sling bag but I really love it. It looks small but it can store a lot.

2. Sony A1

This is my main camera. I don’t bring a second body for a TFP shoot. If my camera fails (and it probably will not) it is not a huge deal.

3. Sony G 24-105 F/4

This is in my opinion the best overall lens for the Sony. It is F/4 but in most cases this is fine. It supports 30 fps and is also very sharp even at 50 MP. If I want bokeh I use another lens. I just love the 35 mm extra compared to a 24-70.

4. Sony GM2 70-200 F/2.8

For a F/2.8 it is not a heavy and big lens. This lens delivers. It is absolutely a fantastic and very sharp lens. I do love my 135mm F/1.8 but the 70-200 is just more versatile. I am think of buying the 2.0 extender in case I would need it.

5. Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD

It is certainly not the best lens out there but I don’t use it very often so at this moment there is no need to upgrade. I take it with me because it is lightweight.

6. Gobe 77mm ND4 & ND8 Filter

These filters are cheap and IMO very good. I use them when using flash so I don’t need to shoot in HSS. The 24-105 and 70-200 both have a 77mm thread.

7. SMALLRIG Folding Tool Set AAK2495

Just a multitool but sometimes it is very handy!

8. Giottos AA1900 airbomb

You should always have this in your bag.

9. Sekonic L-858D with Godox module

In most of my photography I use a light meter. It saves time, measures incident light and the first shot is always spot on.

10. A Godox transmitter

Because I use a lightmeter I can use any Godox transmitter. The X1, X2, Xpro or Xpro II. For the 3 first you need to set in on APP mode and in the latest XPro II it is as L-858 in the menu selectable. I have used the XPro the most (because of the TCM function in case I need it) but the Mark II version now also has this wireless scanning function and tells you exactly what channels are free.

11. A Godox AD200 Pro

I have 1 Godox AD200 Pro and 6 AD200’s (the pro was not availabale at the time I bought them). I love this little flash as it is lightweight, powerful and the battery are small and powerfull. Most of the time I don’t take the standard fresnel head with me.

12. Godox AD-S2 - Mini reflector

You would be amazed what this little thing can do. In the studio I use it as vignet light but outdoors it is also used as my main light. This reflector bundles the light and strangely enough it creates rather soft light.

13. Godox AD-S7 Multifunctional Softbox 480mm

This 48mm softbox is foldable like an umbrella and gives you beautiful light. When used close to the model I put the outer diffuser on it. It also comes with a grid I don’t use outdoors and a metal plate you can fix in the middle. I don’t use this plate at all because I have noticed it creates a shadow in the middle. Godox should have used a white transparant plate. Maybe I will make one myself.

14.Manfrotto MS0490A Nanopole Lightstand

Trust me, these are the best. I also bought similar one from K&F and Fosoto. The K&F was broken after a few times use and to expand the Fostoto it takes more force because it is just not smooth at all. It also is not that high fully expanded.

15. Batteries for the A1 and Godox AD200

16. Microfiber (several)

This is my goto kit. It s very portable and I can carry this all day long. When I want to make a portrait I use the AD-S7 and the minireflector for shots where the flash is a few meters away from the model.

Sometimes I also take the an extension cable and pouch for the AD200 with me.

I rarely take extra SD cards with me because I use 128GB or 256GB cards. This means I can shoot +/- 2500 photos in compressed RAW on a 128Gb card. Cards are always mirrored in the camera. This means photos are written to both the card in slot 1 as slot 2 at the same time.

My recommended strobe setup for portrait/fashion starters.

Over the years I used a lot of strobe and lightformers. From a standard on Godox V1 camera flash to a Godox AD1200 Pro 1200Ws.

When you are starting out with limited budget it is a good idea to buy 2 strobes instead of 1. Though a lot is done with only one flash (and) reflector using 2 strobes gives you more lighting possibilities.

You can use 1 flash as main light and the other as fill or rim light.

But most important with the Godox AD-B2 dual head you can combine two AD200’s (or pros) to a powerfull 400Ws strobe! With 400Ws you already have enough power to lighten your subject outdoors. There is also the Godox AD400 Pro available with approximately the same power.

The Godox AD-B2 with 2 bulbs (you need to buy them seperately)

The AD-B2 has a Bowens mount so you can use lightformers from several manufacturers like SMDV, Smallrig, SMDV, Jinbei, Godox, …

A white umbrella is always a good choice.

Use a white umbrella to soften the light. An umbrella is always a good choice on a budget and it is also very transportable.

For outdoor (and indoor) use, I recommend the Smallrig RA-D55. It’s not to heavy and when only using the inner diffusion you have enough power when placing the flash a few meters from your subject. Using a standard reflector is also a good idea!

I recommend using the AD200 extension cables when using a lightweigt light stand.

Use extension cables and put the AD200’s in a bag and use them as counterweight to prevent the stand frol falling over. (but always use sandbags to secure!)

When your light stand falls over your AD200’s in a bag are better protected and less prone to damage.

This setup is a very portable and powerfull combination and recommended when weight and size is an issue.

Battery life of these AD200’s is excellent! The price of extra batteries to use as spare is very affordable.

AD200 cables attached on the dual head.

Use a sport reflector outdoors. Here with grid. (I never use grid outside unless I put the reflector very close to create a beam of light)

Here are actual street prices VAT included (in Belgium)

Godox AD200 pro: 350 Euro x 2 = 700 Euro

Godox AD-B2: 80 Euro

Godox bulb: 50 Euro x 2 = 100 Euro

Umbrella: 25 Euro

Smallrig RA-D55: 110 Euro

Sport reflector: 40 Euro

Standard reflector: 20 Euro

Godox AD200/AD200Pro Cross-Body Mini Bag: 20 Euro x 2 = 40 Euro

Light stand: 50 Euro

Total: 1165 Euro

Conclusion:

This setup is a fantastic if you want flexibility and portability. For a total price of 1165 Euro you have everything you need to start shooting in a studio but also outdoors. If you decide to buy the bigger and more powerful AD600 Pro’s and AD1200 Pro’s later on you can still use the AD200’s for extra light.

Battery life is perfect and the price is justified.

A Godox AD600 Pro (950 Euro) is a better choice when you only need one flash or you already own a V1 (though it is only halfpower of a AD200). However you will also need to buy the extension cable (130 Euro).

It is more powerful but less compact.

Smallrig RA-D55 & RA-D85 parabolic lightformers

A few weeks ago my friend Fabrizio Tzinaridis (from Temptation Island, The bachelor,...) contacted me if I was interested to do a photo shoot with his girlfriend Sanne.

We started with some close ups with my favorite background “charchoal grey” and then we switched to polaroid pictures for model agencies.

A few weeks earlier I bought both the Smallrig Parabolic softboxes RA-D55 & RA-D85 twice.

These lightformers are really well build, easy to open and close again and very affordable for your wallet.

For the portrait shots I used 4 of them.

The main light was a double diffused RA-D85 powered by a Godox AD1200 Pro and to brighten the neck shadows I used the smaller RA-D55 with inner diffuse and grid powered by a Godox AD-B2 and 2 Godox AD200’s.

Above the model I used another RA-D85 with only inner diffuse and grid so no light could fall in the background.

Behind the model I used another RA-D55 with inner diffuse and grid to brighten the hair from the back powered by a Godox AD600 Pro attached on the light stand.

To create a vignet I used another AD200 with small reflector.

So, that is 5 different flashes in total.

In my opinion the Smallrig RA-D range are a no brainer. The build quality is perfect, de reflective material is top notch and the light these lightformers produce is excellent.

Another thing to notice is the innerdiffuse is in the middle double diffused to eliminate hot spots.

All lights were measured using a Sekonic L-858D with build in wireless godox module.

For the headshots I used my Sony A1 and my favorite studio portrait lens: The Sony 90mm macro f/2.8.

All photos were done using these settings:

1/400

Aperture f/9 - f/11

ISO 100

Here are some examples using this setup. Only some minor dodge & burn was done in post processing.

Positive:

• Build quality

• Reflective material

• Comes in a nice bag

• Double diffuse cloth and grid are included!

• Opens quick

Negative:

• Does not close as quick as the SMDV softboxes

Conclusion:

Both the RA-D55 & RA-D85 (you also have a bigger model) are excellent lightformers. Smallrig calls them parabolics (and they are) but will never be a true parabolic. You need a movable rod so you can adjust the angle of light by moving the flashbulb closer to the center until it reaches the focus point.

Nevertheless these are fantastic lightformers at very affordable prices.

10/10

Update: Smallrig also now has the LA-D range. These do not come in a quality bag, there is no double cloth on the inner diffuse (for hotspots)n the bowens mount is made of plastic and the metal bars to open the softbox do not have a plastic/rubber material around them. The advantage of these ‘lower quality’ softboxes is the weight.

L Bracket by smallrig

Photos: Oppo X3 Pro Smartphone

I have been an avid user of an L bracket for several years now. It makes it possible to switch quickly between shooting vertically and horizontally. This can be very practical, especially in real estate. The center point of the lens always remains the same when you switch vertically to horizontally & visa versa. Center point mark are applied on the L bracket.

I use the Sony A7R3 version on my Sony A1. It works perfectly but there is a deticated version that just fits the A1 even more. (The Sony A1 is a tad larger tan the Sony A7R3.)

Here the L Bracket in vertical position.

One company that specializes in camera housings is Smallrig. Their products are of very good quality at affordable prices.

You can check if Smallrig has a L bracket for your camera via their website.

www.smallrig.com

Smallrig uses the universal standard mount “Arca Swiss”. If your Tripod has an Arca Swiss head you can attach your camera without any adapters.

You only need to screw the L bracket on your camera. The small round tool is included and attaches magnetically to the bottom.

You can easily replace the battery of your camera without removing the L Bracket.

Smallrig has thought of everything. Cutouts have been made for the camera strap.

Switching between horizontal to vertical only takes a few seconds.

Here I moved the sidepart as far as possible to be able to attach any cables.

A LAN cable is attached for tethering purposes. It is always a good idea to use angled connections.

Several mounting holes are provided to attach accessories like wireless microphones or even a smartphone.

A smartphone holder is attached directly to the L Bracket. Again I am using a cable with angled connectors. (USB C)

Because I use a Manfrotto head with RC2 mount I need a RC2 to Arca Swiss adapter to be able to mount my camera. You can get these at your local store.

An RC2 to Arca Swiss Adapter.

The Arca Swiss Adapter mounted on my Manfrotto RC2 head.

Conclusion:

An L bracket is a useful tool when shooting on a tripod. The biggest advantage is to switch from horizontal mode to vertical keeping the center point at the same position.

Smallrig is leading when it comes to camera cages and quality is top notch.

Godox Triggers: Which one?

Over the years Godox released several triggers but which one is the best?

The four Godox triggers (photo smartphone)

This is not an indepth review of each triggerindividually but my personal experience in every day use.

From left to right

• X1T

• X2T

• Xpro

• Xpro II

Both X1T and X2T have a hotshoe. This makes it possible to attach an extra flash trigger from another manufactor on top of it and this works just fine. If you happen to own flash gear from another manufactor you need one of these two.

You can also use the hotshoe to attach a smartphone.

Using a Smalrig hot shoe mount and a smartphoneholder (neewer) you can use your phone as an extra screen.

A Manfrotto smartphone holder attached on the Smallrig L-Plate. (I personally think the samrtphone holder by neewer is better)

The X1T is the cheapest.

The X1T is the cheapest and costs 40 Euro. I don't really recommend this one. The trigger is not really user-friendly, but it can serve perfectly in combination with the Sekonic L-858D with built-in godox wireless module. You put the trigger in dumb mode (app) and you use the light meter to control the strength of the individual strobes.

The LCD screen is not very bright in comparison with the other triggers.

Don’t get me wrong. The trigger does the job and is very well build and reliable but the menu structure is cumbersome. If you only have one wireless flash then you will have no issues but switching between flash A & B is not state of the art.

The X2T costs 90 Euro and has build in Bluetooth.With bluetooth activated you are able to control the values of the trigger using the Godox APP.

Personally I do not use the app at all. The reason is I generally use my light meter and rather have deticated hardware.

I can imagine it is very useful when you are into product photography and you shoot tehtered. With this setup you can control both the camera and flash values remotely.

In my experience this trigger does not work well in combination with my Sekonic Lightmeter.

The X2T has the quick lock mechanism. It is a faster way to attach and detach the trigger but I never found the older mechanism a problem.

I also experienced problems with the battery door. It does not stay in place and sometimes falls of so I used some tape to avoid this.

Then menu though is user friendly. It is easy to adjust individual flash settings because of the individual buttons A,B,C,D & E.

The XPro is the trigger I use most of the time. Street price is about 80 Euro. The angle of the screen makes it easy to read and adjust the values and settings. The screen is bright but prone to scratches so make sure to store it in a soft bag when not in use.

The Xpro does not have bluetooth like the X2T. As I wrote before this is not a big deal.

The Xpro has the old screwing mount but personally I never found this to be a problem. Maybe I even prefer this.

The XPro has a TCM button not availabe on both X1T and X2T.

TCM stands for (TTL convert to manual). I already wrote a blog about it. In a nutshell you shoot in TTL mode and then switch to manual by pressing the TCM button for consistant values and flash power.

https://www.joeripeeters.com/blog/godox-tcm-what-does-it-do

I found the Xpro very user friendly and the best trigger Godox available but….

The Xpro II is even better! The street price is about 120 Euro, the most expensive trigger out of four. What makes it better?

It has the new quick mount (called quick release lock by godox) and buttons feel more professional compared to the previous version.

A second improvement is the menu system. It is very easy to scroll and modified the desired function.

A third improvement is the scanning function. The trigger scans for spare channels to avoid interference from others. Very useful when you are in the same room with several Godox users.

Scanning for interference. Thank you Godox!

Godox also added Legacy hotshoe making it possible to use a Canon trigger on a Nikon camera or any other brand. TTL and HSS will not work this way but that is understandable. I tried a Nikon trigger on my Sony A1 but sadly it did not work at all.

Legacy hotshoe. Making the trigger useable on a lot of camerabrands.

Another added extra is you can now adjust the power of each modelling lamp.

The TCM knob is gone but don’t panic. The function is still there. When you switch from TTL to manual the TTL measured value is converted to a manual value. There is just not a deticated knob anymore.

The USB C port is not protected anymore but Godox says it is water resistant.

Conclusion:

The XproII is the best Godox trigger available yet. If you need a new trigger this is the one to buy. The mark I version is still a good choice. The Mark II version is more expensive (you can get the X1T + Xpro version I for the approximately the same price as the Xpro mark II)

Godox X1T: 6/10

Godox X2t: 7/10

Godox X Pro: 9/10

Godox X Pro: 10/10

Feelworld LUT6 HDMI monitor

I often connect an external HDMI monitor to my Sony A1. The Feelworld is attached to my tripod.

The Feelworld LUT6 attached using a Smallrig arm attached to my Manfrotto Tripod.

The screen is glossy but very bright even in the harshest light. The shown photo is unprocessed (embedded JPG in RAW file).

Using a Smallrig arm I can quickly change the postion of the screen from horizontally to vertically or tilt it. The screen is mounted just below the camera.

As you might guess I only use this setup when I don’t need to be mobile. Here I used the screen during the shoot of the 32 Miss Belgium finalists in Egypt when I start at 07:30 and photograph my last model at around 15:00.

It makes life so much easier. It is just nearly impossible to use the EVF (electronic view finder) all day.

What made me choose the Feelworld LUT6?

The Feelworld brightness is 2600 nit and that is very bright even with lots of sunlight the screen is bright enough. The streetprice is 300 Euro and that is in my opnion not a bargain but still very affordable for what you get. The housing is made of plastic but build quality is very good so I never worry it will break.

It has also a full size HDMI input accepting 4K (the monitor is FullHD) and has a HDMI output routing the input signal. (Loop-out)

The LUT6 also includes a SD card reader to import LUT files for video.

Two mouting holes are available to mount it both vertically or horizontally when you use the monitor on a fixed position.

With a large Sony NP-F type of battery (I use NEEWER) you can use the HDMI screen for almost 2 hours at full power. The build in fan can be a bit noisy but you can change the speed in the menu making it nearly silent.

It has HDR monitoring, Touch screen and build in HLG 2020, HLG 709, HLG P3 HDR 3D LUT, and Rec709 De-slog3 LUTs, includes SLOG2, SLOG3, LOGC, VLOG

These specifications are copied from the Feelworld website:

* Support 3D LUT Log to Rec.709, user 3D LUT Upload
* Support Touch Menu
* Support HDR Monitoring
* High Resolution: Full HD 1920x1080, High Contrast: 1000:1
* 2600nit Daylight Viewable
* 160° wide viewing angles IPS Panel
* Provides auxiliary power out; allowing shooters to power their cameras
* Parade (RGB, YUV, Y)
* Vector Scope
* RGB Histogram
* Histogram
* Peaking Focus Assist (red, green,blue, white, yellow five peaking colors optional; 1~10 peaking level adjustable)
* False Colors
* Zebra Exposure (1%~100% adjustable)
* Scan Mode (Under Scan, Over Scan)
* Zoom (100%~300%)
* Anamorphic Mode (1.25x, 1.33x, 1.5x, 2.0x, 2.0x mag)
* Pixel to Pixel
* Nine Grid
* Center Marker
* Safety Marker (70%, 80%, 90%, 16:9, 16:10, 4:3, 5:4, 1.85:1, 2.35:1)
* Ratio Marker (16:9, 16:10, 4:3, 1.85:1, 2.35:1)
* Marker Color (red, green, blue, white, black, yellow)
* Check Field (red, green, blue, gray)
* Image Flip (H, V, H/V)
* Image Freeze
* Color Temperature Adjustment

Overal I am very satisfied with this HDMI monitor. It performs really well, has good color accuracy and is not to heavy.

I only wish they had a version with recording functions like a Ninja but that would make the Feelworld more expensive.

I can recommend this HDMI monitor. I am not a professional videomaker but in my opnion it can do the job. It has the most important functions you need to monitor your live video footage.

Sony A1 Eyecup

Sometimes photographers ask me which eyecup I use on my Sony A1.

I don't think the original eyecup is deep enough and if you have activated the touch screen it can happen that you touch the screen with your nose and I don't have a big nose at all.

I use a Kiwi that fits both the Sony A7SIII and the Sony A1.

Shoot with Emilie Vansteenkiste (Miss Belgium 2023)

(photos behind the scenes straight from the iphone without any modification like straightening the horizon)

For the third time in a row I did the traditional shoot with the new Miss Belgium 2023, Emilie Vansteenkiste on the beach of De Panne. The shoot always takes place the next day after the election and we all had very little sleep. It was in the news there was an attack planned against the Miss Belgium contest but due to the excellent work of police the attacker was caught beforehand.

I never felt unsafe and was happy the show could go on with an hour delay. We had a party afterwards and we slept at the wonderful Plopsa Hotel.

Thank you Darline Devos for asking me & Emilie Vansteenkiste for the wonderful afternoon.

First Emilie did the traditional shoot in bath for the press but that is not my thing. Too crowdy…

The new Miss Belgium 2023 and me but this time I am also the model and not the photograper:

Photo: Bjorn Vanryckeghem

My wife Nancy Vrancken did the make-up and kept it very natural. It was perfect for Emilie because she is already beautiful without make-up.

Below is a photo of Emilie when she was waiting for the make-over at the shoot I did for the 32 finalists in October 2022.

I thought Emilie looked cute that way and asked to take place for a quick photo because I was waiting for the next contestant. I only needed to press my shutter button once to get this shot. Personally I like this picture very much.

From the shoot of all Miss Belgium finalists Emilie quickly posed while she was waiting. I only needed to press the shutter button one time to get this shot. (only some minor dodge and burn was done)

For the picture above I used this setup:

- Godox AD1200 Pro with Godox Parabolic 128 with D1 diffuse to soften the light.

- Lasoltite triflector to brighten the shadows

- Godox AD200 with small round reflector on a manfrotto nanopole to create some vignet light on the back

- A hair blower

It was 8° Celsius in De Panne. I always have a warm blanket in the car. I know from experience that this is often forgotten and the model appreciates this very much.

The blancket comes in handy when the weather is cold. Always take care of your models.

Most of the time I use flash. The reason is simple and is explained in more detail during my lectures and workshops. Using flash I have full control over the light, can determine its quality and direction, and therefore have more options in comparison with natural light and/or reflectors. It is an extra parameter to reckon with out of the lightning triangle.

I will be giving a workshop at Cameranu in Antwerp on April 29 with Miss Belgium 2021, Kedist Deltour if you are interested in my working method from preparation to the finished product.

WORKSHOP AT CAMERANU

Although I am an avid user of the Godox Parabolic 128, it is not always possible to use it due to its size and weight. So I took a small parabola from the brand "Smallrig". This brand is mainly known for making housings for cameras and all kinds of accessories. I regularly use their L-Plate for my Sony A1.

The Smallrig L plate with Arca Swiss attached to my Sony A1. Easy to switch on a tripod between shooting horizontally or vertically.

The Smallrig RA-D55 parabolic softbox

There is also a larger RA-D85 version. Here shown with included grid (and double diffuse)

These softboxes come in a beautiful and sturdy bag and both inner and outer diffuse is included and you don’t need to buy the grid seperately as it is also included!

The softbox is easy to open and close. Numbers are provided where to start.

The inner diffuse is double layered in the middle so there is no hot spot. The light spreads more evenly. Good thinking Smallrig!

Don’t use the outer diffusion when using the flash outdoors and from a further distance. Too much light is lost. (Inverse square of law)

I will make a separate extensive review for the small rig RA-D55 and RA-D85. I can already say that the build quality is top and the light quality very good. You will quickly find other light shapers with this quality at this price.

I also used the newly released Godox Xpro II for Sony. It is the successor of the popular Xpro with some improvements. Especially the lock mechanism has improved, but I also think the menu structure is a welcome improvement. If you use a Sekonic L858D with godox module, there is now an L858D option that puts the trigger in dumb mode when you need it. In the previous trigger, this function was called "app". The separate TCM button disappeared. As soon as you switch from TTL to manual, the measured value is automatically converted.

I do not use the bluetooth function with which you can control the strength of the flash via the trigger. It makes no sense in my opinion as the Xpro II is very user friendly. I haven't fully went to all functions of the trigger yet, but there aren't many changes to make a detailed review. Still, I would choose the new version over the old one which is still a good trigger.

The RA-D55 is a small parabola with a diameter of 55 cm. You cannot compare this 55cm parabolic with a real parabola with a movable rod. Yet these small parabolas are very useful since the light can also bridge a greater distance. I only place the indoor diffuse because I place the lightmodifier at some distance from the model.

Here's a short video of the shoot recorded with a smartphone.

I attach my Godox AD600 Pro via a Manfrotto clamp on a standard light stand. The weight and low postion of the Godox AD600 Pro ensures that it cannot fall over that easily. You need the extension cable to make this possible. This setup is very practical. I can carry it myself or a helper can do it for you.

The Godox AD600Pro attached on a lightstand. I often use the SMDV 70cm speedbox but the smallrig RA-D55 is a great alternative. Good build quality & beautiful light.

Unfortunately it was very cloudy that day, so you have to deal with flat light. I absolutely don't like it. There are no shadows and this results in less vivid images. Still, the clothing will come to life and it makes sense to use flash.

I'm not allowed to post the result with the pink dress yet, but this photo with Caroline Biss's clothing is.

(update 20/02/2023): Pictures are posted on the MB Instagram page.

Bad weather, zero sunlight makes photos a bit flat.

Using flash I made her “pop”.

For this photo I placed my Godox AD600Pro at an angle from the model so I could simulate some sunlight. It's a technique I use regularly.

Miss Belgium 2023, Emilie Vansteenkiste. Use flash to simulate sunlight. The light quality of the RA-D55 is excellent! Build quality is on par with SMDV but the SMDV mechanism to open and close remains better.

Settings:

1/320

ISO 100

f/2.8

Flash with Smallrig RA-D55 with inner diffuse

A close up picture of Emilie where I used a faster shutterspeed to darken the surroundings.

Measure the light. 2.80 on my lightmeter is f/2.8 on my camera.

Just add the ISO and shutterspeed and set the power of the flash. It is as easy as that.

Here you can see that I measure the light to make sure that the light of all the images I take is consistent. The advantage is mainly that I save time. The first photo I take after the measurement and adjustment is therefore always good. In my workshops I also show the importance of a light meter in the digital age.

The new GODOX XPROII for SONY. An improved already good flash trigger.

Camera: Sony A1

Lens: Sony GM2 70-200

With the Legacy hotshoe function you can use a Nikon trigger on a Canon or Fuji and vica versa but without intelligence. HSS and TTL will not work!

The new improved locking mechanism. Sadly the foot of the sony version is still made of plastic.

The new Godox X pro II has a new scan button to check for interferences.

We had a great time and another shoot is already planned at Rana Hair Extensions in March.

We went for a hot chocolate and scrolled through the pictures.

Miss Belgium 2023, Emilie Vansteenkiste, Me and president of Miss Belgium Comité Darline Devos.

Because of the ugly light we decided to postpone the shoot and we plan for another shoot in De Panne.

Sony A1 tethering over LAN

The Sony A1 has a full gigabit network connection that can be used to send photos via ftp. However, it can also be used for tethering. I tried it out with a mini PC and a network cable of 15 meters long.

You don't have to set anything on the camera. A correct IP address is automatically assigned. Both Imaging Edge and Capture One Pro software recognize the connection and the transmission speed is very good. In a second the RAW file ends up on the SSD of the computer.

I often tether wirelessly. The speed is manageable but not comparable to using a cable.

Most photographers work with a USBC connection as standard. In the future when working with cable I will prefer LAN over USBC.

As a test I connected two network cables with a total length of 25 meters using an adapter. The connection remained stable!

Smallrig RA-D55 & RA-D85

Next week I will test & review the Smallrig RA-D55 & RA-D85 parabolic softbox.

The beautiful Laura will come to my studio on February 10th so I can show you some real life examples.

On February 12th I will shoot Miss Belgium 2023 oudoors in ‘De Panne’ and will certainly make use of the RA-D55 and a Godox AD1200 pro.

Once I have finished the photos I will update this blog post.

I am already impressed with the quality of this small softbox. It is very well build at a very affordable price. The used materials are top notch and it comes with a nice bag.

Update 10/02/2023: The model cancelled the photo shoot so the review will be done at a later time.

Shoot with the 32 Miss Belgium 2023 finalists in Sharm-El-Sheikh Egypt

I just got back from Egypt to Photograph the 32 finalists of the Miss Belgium 2023 contest.

It was again a great experience as both the atmosphere and weather was great. Because of tear muscle I was not able to walk longer distances but the hotel provided me a wheelchair.

80% of the time I keep my camera on a tripod and shoot from a lower angle so I could sit down. For the portraits I was standing up and sometimes my leg did a hurt a lot but finally everything went well. I would not have managed without the wheelchair.

Again I was a little annoyed because the customs always make a fuss about the batteries I carry with me. Arriving in Egypt everything went (smoothly) but when we left for Belgium it became another story. The batteries of the GODOX ad1200 Pro are less than 100 Wh and allowed in the carry in luggage but the customs did not believe me. Batteries were taken back to the check in and the pilot approved. Finally everything turned out well but it is always a moment of stress. Why is it so difficult every time to pass the check points?

For 4 days we started shooting at 07:00 and stopped at around 15:30 and I had to photograph 8 contestants. 32 in total.

• In evening dress

• In Caroline Biss outfit

• Portraits

• Portrait with swimming cap (my favorite of the day)

The day before we left I also photographed the current Miss Belgium Chayenne van Aarle very early in the moring at the swiming pool. I woke up at 04:30 and started photographing at 05:15 when the sun was rising. You only get 15 minutes to get the shot but the result is stunning. I am very happy with the result. Sadly I cannot post any photos until the 12th of February until the new Miss Belgium 2023 has been chosen.

As a light setup I only used one flash. The Godox AD1200 Pro with a 60 cm beauty dish diffused inside. For the close ups a manfrotto 2 stop diffuser was used in front of the beautydish.

The Sony G 24—105 f/4 was my main lens used on my Sony A1. Only for Chayenne I also used the Sony GM2 70-200 f/2.8.

Because of the bright light I choose to use a ND4 filter (2 stops). Most of the time I shot at ISO 50, 1/200 between f/4 and f/5.

With this setup I am flexible. Worst case scenario is the photos are max 1 stop over exposed. (at 1/400, ISO 50, f/5) but in darker places I can shoot at 1/100, f/4 and ISO 250. I never removed the 2 stop ND filter.

Light was measured by a Sekonic L-858d with build in Godox wireless module adjusted to the 2 stop filter.

I also connected a Feelworld Lut6 HDMI monitor. The colors are very accurate and it is very bright even with the harshest sun light. It’s 2600 nits!

The president of the Miss Belgium comité was able to check the pictures I was doing.

I could have used a smartphone or tablet too but I also used this setup in February this year and it worked out well. Never change a winning team…

Doing this kind of work is teamwork. I was very happy to work again with emilieguillermin as a MUA and Brian as hairstylist and of course with the president Mrs. Darline De Vos, Anaïs and my lovely wife Nancy who took care of me in every way. (like pushing the wheelchair)

We used the matras on the ground to block the wind.

To cut a long story it was again a wonderful week and can’t wait to show you the results.

This photo was the cover photo for the show magazine of last years Miss 2021, Kedist Deltour.

For this photo I used a Godox AD600 Pro with standard reflector and AD200.

New transportable Mini PC system

When I shoot on location and I have the option to tether, I take my Lenovo X360 laptop with me and it works perfectly. The only drawback is that the screen is only 13 inches. I can take an extra screen with me, but wanted a portable "all in on" system.

I once bought a Benq pd2700u 4K screen that served as a 2nd screen. It is good value for money and supports 100% sRGB color space. Still, I didn't use it enough and I decided to mount it via a VESA mount on a tripod. For tethering, your computer does not have to be "state of the art" and a standard computer can do the job.

I started looking for a mini PC and on "black friday" I saw this mini PC for 400 Euro. A Beelink SER3 Mini PC AMD Ryzen 7 3750H 4C/8T Windows 11 Pro Mini Office Computer, 16GB DDR4 RAM 500GB NVME SSD, Radeon RX Vega 10 , Dual HDMI 4K @60Hz Output, Dual WiFi-BT

This mini PC is even expandable to 64GB of RAM and the processor speed is comparable to an intel i7 7700 from 5 years ago that is now in my Dell Alienware R6 and still does its job superbly.

I mounted this mini PC on the back of the screen and attached a wireless mini keyboard to the tripod using a smartphone holder and a small rig 10 inch arm.

After calibration of the screen and installation of Capture One Pro, I am surprised by the performance, weight and solidity of the device.

My wife will make a protective cover for the transport.

All in all I am happy with my choice. It is a cheap and very solid configuration.

Photo shoot using the Ambitful AL-16 PRO

A few weeks ago Kaylee contacted me for a photo shoot.

https://www.tiktok.com/@kayleemoonkitty

I wanted to try out the Ambitful AL-16 Pro in combination with the Optical Focalize Condenser. Another accessory is an optical light cylinder to shape the light.

Photos below: © Ambitful

Next shoot I will try out the other projection adapters.

I ordered this set a few weeks ago on amazon except for the focalize condenser I ordered directly from Ambitful. Last week I got in touch with them because I thought an accessory to hold the color gels was missing but I looked over it in the carbon box. The support was very helpful and fast.

There are many gobos out there creating artistic light beams but the ambitful is one of the cheapest units. That does not mean it is made of cheap plastic but it feels very well built. Very professional. The provided lens comes in handy but with an optional Canon EF mount adapter you can mount any Canon lens on it. There is also an adaptor for Nikon. Sadly there is no Sony EF mount adapter available.

I only used the provided lens which did an excellent job. To be honest I don't know the focal length of the lens but I guess it is around 50mm. You need to place the Gobo at a certain distance when you want to expose the person completely.

Most of these light modifiers are developed to use with LED lights. Therefore a dark room with very little ambient light is mandatory. I cannot darken my studio as I would love. When shooting at f/5, 1/200, ISO 320 I still had some ambient light but it was just a tiny bit I used as fill light.

I don't know if the Ambitful Al-16 was capable (or allowed) to use with flash but that is what I did. I even used it using a Godox AD1200 Pro at full power! That is 1200Ws each time. I did not shoot rapidly but every time I waited for a few seconds between each shot. The godox flash head has a good working ventilator and both the Godox and Ambitful did not overheat at all.

Because of the focal length of the lens I had to flash at full power. I measured the light using my Sekonic L-858D. A second AD1200 Pro in combination with the Godox Parabolic with D2 diffuser was used as a fill light.

I was very happy that the provided lens can create a sharp or feathered edge.

I will use the Ambitful AL-16 a lot more because it creates different light for fashion that is not possible with other light formers.

The unit itself is cheap but I find the projection adapters a bit expensive in comparison with the unit itself. I wonder if a Silhouette cutter is capable of cutting thin metal so you can make your own project adapters. That would be cool.

Positive:

- Well built

- Results

- Price

- Can be used with flash (at least in my opinion) but give it time between each shot

- Lens & color gels included

- Support

- Much better in comparison with the light blaster.

Disadvantage:

- No bag is included to store the unit and accessories. I would gladly pay 30 Euro more.

- You need a lot of flash or LED power. Hardly usable with a standard flash except for close up shots

- No manual is included (don't need one actually)

- No Sony FE mount adapter available.

Overall score:

9/10

When dynamic range comes in handy

In 2021 we went with the lovely and beautiful Miss Belgium 2021, Kedist Deltour to Addis Abeba to look for her biological father.

When Kedist was 10 years old she was adopted with her younger brother and sister by a Belgian Family as they were put in an orphanage a few months before. The father could not take care of them anymore after her mum died of cancer.

The photo below is one of the only moments in my life as an adult I cried. It was taken in the room where she grew up. It was a simplistic basic house (rather a cabin) and made out of mud (probably loam soil) and straw.

You have to imagine a few hours before she was just reunited with her father.

We entered the room and she sat on the bed and we didn’t say anything for a few minutes. I was a bit emotional because of what happend before and you could clearly see Kedist was bringing back memories. She smiled and looked at me and suddenly said: “I was so happy and I have really beautiful memories here“. At that very moment I cried. These words grabbed me by the throat. Growing up in a very minimalistic and basic world and still being happy. The photo was taken just a few seconds before.

I used the Sony A1 at ISO 2500, 1/60 and f/4 (24-105 f/4 lens).

Even in this very dark environment it locked the eye.

Back home I post processed the photos and made the overal image brighter. Personally I would rather choose to keep it that way as it was a correct representation of the moment. For the newspapers I had to brighten the image.

It is impressive the A1 image sensor is really capable of brightening the overal image as it was shot that way.

Thank you Kedist for sharing this moment with me and looking at life differently.

The Sony G 90mm macro

One of my favorite lenses is the Sony G 90mm macro f/2.8

I mainly use it my studio when shooting portraits. It’s the perfect focal length for shooting full body shots, medium shots, head shots but also close up’s.

This lens is extremely sharp but I would not use aperture values above f/13 as sharpness decreases.

The disadvantage is the focus speed but that is common with macro lenses. On the Sony A1 it delivers and even in dark environments it locks the eye. On my Sony A7R3 it sometimes struggled.

In this screen recording I show you how good this lens is. (using a Sony A7R3 42MP camera.

Godox TCM: What does it do?

Only the Godox Xpro (S) trigger has a button called TCM. The other XT1 and XT2 do not have this functionality. Many photographers use the TTL function because you put your flash on ‘automatic’.

The disadvantage of using TTL is your light is not consistant and when using several flashes (strobes) you cannot use TTL anyway.

Let’s assume you have to photograph 3 different models (medium shot, half body) at the same place wearing different clothes. Model ‘one’ is wearing a white blouse, model ‘two’ a grey blouse and model ‘three’ a black blouse. As a result all blouses will be grey(ish). This is because how camera’s work: Cameras measure 18% reflective light. When you photograph all 3 together the light will be probably correctly balanced as all three combined is 50% grey (18% reflective light).

TTL will work just fine for most of the time and is great when you do not have the time to use manual settings.

How to make the make light consistent?

• Put your camera on manual and adjust your exposure triangle until the light is how you want it. On some cameras you need to switch off the trigger

• Set your trigger in TTL mode(and check your flash is in TTL mode)

• Make the shot.

• Press the TCM button for a second until it says M. Your flash is now put in manual mode and both the flash & trigger will show you the measured value.

There you have it.

I mainly use my light meter to measure the light as it more accurate. A light meter does not measure reflective light but incident light. However when I have very little time I use TTL to TCM.

UPDATE 02/2023:

The new Godox XPro II does not have a TCM button anymore. You just need to fire in TLL mode and when you switch to Manual the value is the measured value from the TTL metering. Nice.