Suggestions for speedlight on a stick

[jerapaz]

any suggestions on a dyi for getting a speedlight on a stick?

[inkista]

Stud+swivel, 1/4"x20 bolt (or use a monopod). Done. Or just get the Kacey pole adapter and make a trip to Home Depot to get the stick.

[William W]

Monopod.
Then you also always have a monopod: which I find useful for other puposes.

Also I would ask (typically) how high and or wide do you want it - if you don't want it that far off the lens's axis: just hold the speedlight and learn how to shoot one handed.



WW

[jcuknz]

Monopod.
Then you also always have a monopod: which I find useful for other puposes.

Also I would ask (typically) how high and or wide do you want it - if you don't want it that far off the lens's axis: just hold the speedlight and learn how to shoot one handed.WW

It is desirable that you have and use a neck strap when doing this.... long time ago my boss wanted me to work this way and two weekends following the assignment I dropped the camera I was given ... following week I was offered a camera to buy, which I accepted as I only had MF then, and never dropped it .... it had a neck strap
The sad ending to the story ... years later after marrying, I gave the camera to my wife to take to the UK for her father's funeral and after carefully guarding it throughout the trip, she kicked it out of the car into a gutter of rushing water when I brought her home from the airport

Unless the pole has a sharp end and you can stick it in the ground I don't think a monopod would be a good idea. I have made a device such as I think you want out of square aluminium tube and a hinge to attach it to the camera flash bracket plate*. Rivets are wonderful for putting things together ... just a 1/8th hole [ or 3.5mm makes it easier ] and pop them in, squeeze the handle and the job is done. It should be easy enough to fold some thin flat metal to make a shoe for the flash to fit into on top of the pole if it doesn't have a 1/4" whitworth thread in its base. The hinge and right angle plate from hardware store.

*Never used it just made it for the fun of doing it ... in case!
My stick is hinged at the join to the baseplate so can only be above or to the left hand side of camera. The drawing could have it over to the right of the camera. longer than drawn to be useful ... there would be a problem in aiming it at what the camera is seeing and the 'in-hand' gives more flexibility ... at a RISK!
PS. I didn't drop them on the job but crossing a street returning to base afterwards .. I think the insurance company said twice was enough!

[jcuknz]

Further thought ... you will need a long sync cord or else trigger flash with the camera's on-board perhaps shielded from the subject or maybe partly shielded to give a 'Key/Fill' combination lighting. I have held my finger partly over the camera flash to reduce its output for this effect. I have YN flash as the 'key' light with its built in optical trigger which makes life easier. Though I only use this set-up at home where there are not other photographers flashing off

[William W]

It is desirable that you have and use a neck strap when doing this... [i.e. shooting one handed] . . . etc

Yes, good point, thanks..

I don’t use the neck strap around my neck, but around my wrist – a few turns around my wrist.

For example this is the grip and neck strap support, for shooting left -hand, inverted.



WW

[pnodrog]

Bill I suppose that is the grip you use when hanging upside down in a tree impersonating a bat so no one will notice you.

[William W]

Haha! –

Quite quick, but not the sharpest of the comments I have received: some have been more direct, as “akin to the apes”.

Yes - you can see a bit of strain in the wrist, can’t you?

On another conversation, elsewhere, we were discussing “hip-shots”: I am naturally right handed and I have to work hard at shooting anything left handed, be it using the eyelevel viewfinder or not: but I still practice – but yet my left handed shooting is weaker, in all considerations including physical strength and endurance.

Have a great afternoon . . .

WW

[pnodrog]

I was just worried that they would think everyone in the southern hemisphere would hold a camera like that. I would have referred to apes if I was going to be rude - anyway your hand looks so clean shaven that such a link would be contrary to the photographic evidence.

You have a great afternoon. It is just about evening here so I may start heading for my tree.

[William W]

I'm in Adelaide ATM and for some reason they have their time zone on the "half hour" . . . crazy no?

But anyway, I have still four hours of 'daytime' and then I start my second round of shooting - so enjoy a nice NZ white, just as I begin working . . .

cheers . . . I have got to go and do some prep, to earn some money.


Bill

[William W]

double post for some reason . . . sorry.