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Author Topic: Best way to dampen down flash power  (Read 8026 times)

Ellis Vener

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Re: Best way to dampen down flash power
« Reply #20 on: August 10, 2014, 02:31:25 pm »

That's what I did with my old Balcar units. But they are pretty darn old so I don't know if modern strobes work the same way. I also recall head extenders might have reduced the consumption too.

Andrew, after giving me a few years of good service, your old Balcars have gone on to "the undiscovered country from whose bourn /
No traveller returns."
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lowep

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Re: Best way to dampen down flash power
« Reply #21 on: August 12, 2014, 11:02:25 pm »

+1 double the distance works fine for me
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David Eichler

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Re: Best way to dampen down flash power
« Reply #22 on: September 07, 2014, 08:50:24 pm »

Easy to carry a couple speedlites in the kit for very low power. Might have to a gel a little to better blend with other strobes, but no big deal.
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Michael Bailey

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Re: Best way to dampen down flash power
« Reply #23 on: November 22, 2014, 02:16:36 am »

Here's a partial solution--old, cheap, yet elegant, I think:

-Get yourself some aluminum (not plastic!) window screen material at a hardware store and spray paint it liberally with flat black "barbeque" paint. It's called barbecue paint because it holds up on hot surfaces.
-Use an old pair of scissors to cut the screen to size. I usually make squares, a couple of inches bigger than whichever reflector I'm using.
-Fold the corners of the screen to hold it in place over the reflector.
-If you're going to use this for portraits, give it a dry run first. The paint might smell bad the first time it gets hot. After that, no problem.
-Use two screens if you like. They'll still allow plenty of air circulation, so even if the screens themselves get warm you won't risk overheating your heads.
-If I remember right, one layer blocks about a half stop, two layers close to a full stop.
-Unpainted screen is also useful if you want to suspend bits of gel, gobo material, whatever, in the light beam.
-Remember! Aluminum conducts electricity! Stay awake!

MB
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