Photos of home made Better beamer.

[vIZnquest]

Will you attach this flash to the hotshoe? I have read that best results are when mounted on the lens rather than the hotshoe.

I would like to see your results using this.

Thanks,

Tom

[bigdawg]

vIZnquest wrote:

Will you attach this flash to the hotshoe? I have read that best results are when mounted on the lens rather than the hotshoe.

I would like to see your results using this.

Thanks,

Tom

Thanks Roger! Tom I use the flash mounted to the hot shoe and it works fine. Got to get the shutter speed and Aperture in line with the light output as it is not a TTL or Pttl flash. I have posted a couple of early shots but not trying for good ones yet. I will note when I post if I used it or not! Also need to dial in the distance needed and may trim some off the top and bottom to use only what is needed.



Dawg

[baltochef920]

bigdawg wrote:

wadue wrote:

Page magnifier was $11.97 at Wal-Mart. I used a fine toothed band saw to cut it. The velcro strips were around $2.50 at wal-mart and the foam strips I got at work for nothing as they were scrap pieces. You can buy them most anywhere though. Total cost was around 16 dollars I guess. The Lexan were scrap pieces they were throwing away at work. I used a hand metal breal to bend them and with Lexan no heating is required as long as you are machine breaking them. If you tried to do it in a vise you'll need a very hot hairdryer or a heat gun to do it. Like I sauid I still need to finish the edges of the lens. Also take all measurement fro the center of the lens as it is concentric circles and you should keep the center in the center! Total weight is almost nothing. So light you won't even know it is on the flash! Very sturdy and doesn't move around in the wind!

Dawg

Thanks for the info Dawg..

This would make the cost come in at less than 1/2 of the $39.00 that B&H has the Better Beamer listed for..

I don't have access to a metal brake so I would probably score the plastic where I was going to bend it, carefully heat it up with a micro torch, bend it in the smooth jaws of my post vise, & apply some acetone to weld the plastic along the inside of the bend.. Think this would work??..

I've got everything but the lens material laying around the shop..

Bruce

P.S. I just remembered that my father left me a pair of pale green sheet metal benders..They look like a pair of oversized pliers with 3/4" x 4" jaws..Is this what you used to make your bends??..

Also. I think that the plastic that I have is clear acrylic, not Lexan..So I think that I will have no choice but to heat it in order to make the bend..

Thanks again..

[bigdawg]

I'll post a photo of the metal break I used when I get off of work tonight!



Dawg

[bigdawg]

[baltochef920]

bigdawg wrote:

Here is a photo of the metal break I used!





Dawg
This photo is what I first had in mind when you said metal break in your post..

I think I'll try heating & bending the plastic in my post vise

Thanks, Bruce

[robar]

ed,
have you tested this by seeing how much more distance you actually get?? by shooting w/o it to the flashes greatest distance and then use it to see what you gain??

roy

[bigdawg]

robar wrote:

ed,
have you tested this by seeing how much more distance you actually get?? by shooting w/o it to the flashes greatest distance and then use it to see what you gain??

roy

I haven't yet Roy, but the light levels in the photo are much greater than the on camera flash will deliver...Yes I know that may be just the bigger flash at work...I need a warm day and a cloudy one to give a difference test. Also Using the Tele or the wide angle setting on the flash can make a difference...Also the distance from the lens can make a difference...Still need to get these down better by testing! Get back to you as soon as I can on it!I want to get all this settled out before doing any drawings on it with dimensions!Thanks for asking Roy. Anything else I need to look at?



Dawg

[robar]

bigdawg wrote:

.Also the distance from the lens can make a difference..
Dawg

this is the reason for the beamer.. achieving more distant reach. how about a dark night with a small target lit with a light just strong enough to illuminate the subject for focus.. say start at 100'+.. i know that at f2.8 the sigma500 super will do this..

roy

[bigdawg]

robar wrote:

bigdawg wrote:

this is the reason for the beamer.. achieving more distant reach. how about a dark night with a small target lit with a light just strong enough to illuminate the subject for focus.. say start at 100'+.. i know that at f2.8 the sigma500 super will do this..

roy

I don't know if the Bigma will though. I can do a test using a 50mm f/1.7 or a 105 f/2.8 or the bigma at f/6.3 ( Camera gives it a 6.7 for some reason) but most everything I plan on shooting is in daylight at 60+ feet or so.

Dawg