Photoshoot and Beyond
Perhaps in the spirit of the upcoming holidays, Google has announced that its Photos app will allow sharing collaborative photo albums. While a Google account is necessary in order to be part of a shared album, the app works on Android and iOS devices …
Need some inspiration for some last minute Christmas gifts for photographers? If you’ve already bought a main present and just need a handful of extras to stuff in their stocking, check out the following affordable ideas for you or the photographer in your life.
The post 8 last-minute stocking stuffers for photographers appeared first on Digital Camera World.
It’s been seven years since the Orbis Ring Flash Adapter was first launched. In that time, it’s become one of the most popular passive speedlight modifiers available. Unfortunately, it’s been announced that the Orbis has ceased production, with all remaining units being sold as close-outs at almost half-off their retail price. For those unfamiliar with […]
The post Enlight Photo is shutting down, pick up an Orbis Ring Light Adapter (for cheap) while you can appeared first on DIY Photography.
IndieGoGo campaigns are on a roll. Earlier this week, we shared with you Mokacam, a 4K camera that claims to be ‘the world’s smallest.’ Now, there’s Luna, an immersive video camera that similarly claims to be ‘The World’s Smallest 360º Camera.’ As the desire to capture virtual reality (VR) content continues, Memora Inc wants to […]
The post Luna 360º camera hopes to be the GoPro of virtual reality appeared first on DIY Photography.
What makes photographers spend nearly $5 Million on a camera bag? No, there wasn’t the promise of free candy. Instead, there was innovation. A lot of it. $5 Million worth. Today, I want to introduce you to the Peak Design Everyday Messenger Bag, and give you a little look at what is truly the most forward […]
The post Peak Design Everyday Messenger Bag Review appeared first on Photography Concentrate.
So far, we’ve shared our Gift Guides for cameras and lenses. Now, we’re on to the next tool any photographer needs in his/her arsenal – lighting. Of course, light is available all around us in the form of the sun, but sometimes you need to slightly alter that light or entirely provide your own. Below […]
The post 2015 DIYP Gift Guide – Lighting appeared first on DIY Photography.
While it isn’t very often for my family to ask me to make our family pictures, I typically have fun with it. This go around, which is the first time in my family’s history, I decided to play with a feature on my camera that allows my phone, the iPhone 6S, to work with FujiFilm X-T1 […]
Hey team! Ok so I hope you were hanging out with us the past couple weeks, because things on the site were FUN! A huge sale, a great course, and a TON of giveaways! Today we wanted to thank everyone who followed along, entered a giveaway, or grabbed one of our tutorials. We are so […]
The post We have a winner! appeared first on Photography Concentrate.
For those of you late to the party, the Orbis Ring Flash Adpater is a passive, add-on light shaping device that turns your speedlight into a ring flash. There are others, but for a slew of reasons the Orbis has long been my favorite of the lot.
And it is about to go away forever. This post is a quick heads-up to grab one while you can—and a pointer to a fantastic deal on the last units as they are closed out.
The Orbis was developed in 2008 as a sophisticated answer to the DIY efforts of the Strobist community. After seeing what was possible with cereal boxes, aluminum foil and gaffer’s tape, reader James Madelin wanted to build something better. Meaning nicer looks, better durability, more efficiency, more color correct and with a better quality of light. So that’s exactly what he did.
The Orbis is surprisingly complex on the inside in the way it bends light around the donut. It strikes the balance between lighting efficiency vs. evenness (both being very important) just about as well as possible.
Interestingly, of all of the best ring flash adapters, the Orbis was the only one that was never knocked off by the shady Chinese photo gear copiers. It’s not that they never thought of it. Lord knows, they put out crap versions of all the others.
My guess? They cut one open, took a look inside and said, “Eff this. Let’s knock off the Ray Flash instead.“
What it Will Do
The Orbis Ring Flash Adapter is not a flash. It is a passive light mod that mounts onto your existing speedlight.
Used alone, on-axis (classic ring light position) it creates that signature glam ring light look as seen above. And because it retains any TTL functions of the speedlight crammed into it, the Orbis is very popular with club/event photographers. Stick on a wideangle lens, work two stops over the ambient in TTL mode, and the results look cool as crap.
And that’s fine for event shooters. But I prefer to use mine more in a way inspired by portrait shooters like Greg Heisler and Dan Winters.
In this mode, the Orbis becomes a very sophisticated fill light. You can use it in combo with another off-camera speedlight acting as key light, and it fills in the gaps—to whatever level you choose based on how you power it.
The photo above of poet Linda Joy Burke is a good example. The key light is coming from upper left. I am working well above the ambient with my flash exposure. So Linda’s shadow side would be very, very dark without the Orbis that is wrapped around my lens.
The light from the orbis reaches into the shadow side without really adding any footprint, and creates legibility. How much? Your choice. Just dial the power of the ring-fill light up or down as much as you want.
This is a common way for portrait photographers to create exactly the amount of legibility they want in the shadows. Which means you can get more creative and/or edgy with your key if you want. ‘Cause the ring is gonna save your ass in the shadows.
Same here with this photo of blogger Sian Meades, done in London. I am in full shade here, and this light is completely being created with two speedlights.
The key light is at hard left, raking across Sian’s face. The fill light, in an Orbis, stuck right on my lens, is creating the legibility in the shadows of the key.
The ambient component here is minimal. Without the flashes the photo would be near black. The on-axis Orbis gives me complete control of my shadow density.
(To learn more about lighting either of these two photos, click on either one.)
Now or Never
And the Orbis will soon be gone forever.
They sold over the last seven years for $200, rarely if ever discounted. But the remaining units are being closed out for $129 (w/free shipping in US.) Or you can get it with the hands-free arm for $139 (+$7.40 shipping in US.)
This is a great deal. Because not only will it work on nearly any speedlight (but not bigass Vivitar 285s, sorry) it is built to last you likely for the rest of your shooting life.
Which is a good thing, because you’re not gonna be able to replace it.
So if you are headed to Amazon this week for a little remote-control Christmas shopping, you could do far worse if you decide to pick up a l’il sump’m sump’m for yourself to ring in the New Year.
SeaLife announced the expansion of its permanently sealed waterproof camera line with the introduction of the new Micro 2.0.
