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Re: [OM] F280 and NiMh batteries,a dn T20

Subject: Re: [OM] F280 and NiMh batteries,a dn T20
From: "John A. Lind" <jlind@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 21:12:50 -0500
At 19:30 11/26/02, Richard F. Man asked wrote:
Does the F280 work w/ NiMh batteries? How about the T-20?

Do people like the T20? I want a small flash that doesn't take too long to recharge. Typical use for it will be fairly close informal full length shots of single or multiple people in a hotel convention rooms.

Thanks

For the film speeds you would likely use (100 to 160 range) and the venue, the T-20, although small and light, is likely too weak. At best it would be nearly full dump. The F280 is a close call. I'd use nothing less than a T-32 on a BG-2 that allows it to recover quickly. It also has slightly more power than the F280. Lens would be 50mm (versus a longer one) to allow closer work. Even better yet among the OM flash units would be the even higher powered T-45 with something like a lumiquest softbox on it to take a little bit of the bite out of the lighting harshness. For this kind of stuff I have a Metz 40 MZ on a camera rotating bracket and two handle mounted Sunpaks, 544 and 555, that all have higher power than a T-32. The 555 approaches the T-45. Handle mounts will give a more of an older photojournalist look and can begin to achieve lighting that approaches loop style up close. The camera rotating bracket has more a portraiture look when moving in close (Paramount or "butterfly" lighting). Either one will model facial features more than the flatter frontal lighting from shoe mounting it.

For what you describe, the compositions will be vertical. Shoe mounted flash would create numerous shadow control problems turned sideways. For better control, use nothing less than a flash handle. A bracket that allows keeping flash directly above the lens by about 10-12 inches is even better and eliminates any risk of red-eye. Keep subjects at least 5 feet or so in front of walls; it will let shadows fall down toward the floor behind them.

BTW, I've used NiMH in both the T-20 and T-32 for some time now without any problems.

-- John


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