High speed shots

[Don Hoey]

Lello,

Check out step 3 in this link. It shows the circuit board from a disposable camera.

Read what the guy says in step 2.
http://www.instructables.com/id/EEUVEHPCTPEP286A78/

Take a pic of one of yours as you dismantle and post ( nothing too fancy ). Bound to be a lot clearer than those in the link.

Don

[Lello]

Thanks for the link Don, I left the camera's at work, But I might have time to pop in tomorrow am (Saturday) and pick them up.
Will post some photos of the insides as soon as I can.

[Don Hoey]

Originally Posted by Lello

Hi Don I will try and buy the remote flash sensor over the weekend (if the shop have managed to get some in) .....................
............ I might see if I can use the flash's out of them (some how wiring them together with a battery) to make some sort of ring flash any ideas on how to get them to fire? maybe using the same remote flash trigger unit?

The remote sensor will be the way to go as far as triggering them. As the trigger voltage of these could be quite high it will be far safer if they are not connected direct to the camera.

Your pop up would activate the trigger. When at your dealer it would be worth getting a Cokin filter holder adaptor ring of suitable thread size for your lens. This could then be glued to whatever surface you intend to mount your 5 mini flashes to.

If I was doing this then from a craft shop I would get a sheet of K & S aluminium. These are about 4" x 9". Cut a centre hole and araldite the Cokin ring to that. You can then temporary mount the litte flashes with insulating/masking tape to work out the best layout.

Mind you living out in the sticks K&S alum is about the only stiff material I could get. If you are near a Maplins then a bit of circuit board would be even better.

Don

[Don Hoey]

As this was to be done using a contact trigger the first job was to make a contact that could be adjusted for height. I could have gone mad and made up a fancy pivot and counterbalance arrangement as in the sketch, but I was keen to take the pic so opted for a cobbled together job instead once this was done. A bit of copper pipe bent round a bit of drilled brass with electrical blocks attached with steel rods to hold the counterweights, running on a rod and held in position with two more connector blocks. The washers are for fine balance as the cream was added.

Dropping the strawberry on target in near darkness was a bit of a challenge. 2 misses, 3 with poor placement and 2 with strobing flash that Stevie was not fast enough to react to were taken before getting this one. So it was very much a joint effort.

Attatched is a pic of the trigger, and a crop of the drop from the final pic.

Tomorrow I will do a graphic and post the lighting plan.

Don

PS : For Foxy, Your black velvet has just come out of the washing machine.

PPS : Before I am asked I just measured the drop height, and the strawberry was dropped from a height of 18 inches.

[Lello]

Excellent shot Don (you clever boy) The contrast between the red Strawberry and the white milk make this for me, and the fact that I know how hard it to get a shot like this.

[Lello]

Hi Don here a 2 photos of the dismantled disposable cameras, showing the front and the back of the circuit board (batteries removed) I worked out that you get a nasty shock if you touch a certain part without discharging the capacitor
Yes I know you warned me but I'm naturally curious
The round disc you see on the front, is a switch which has to pressed once to charge unit (that may cause a little problem) then by shorting out the 2 protruding wires the flash works. So, first I need to find a way round the switch, once that sorted then I can start wiring together and sorting
out a battery pack.
Will keep you informed

[Lello]

Here are two shot using the Don method. Still need to sort out the delay a bit more, (only had 1 bulb to play with)

[Don Hoey]

Originally Posted by Lello

............. I worked out that you get a nasty shock if you touch a certain part without discharging the capacitor
Yes I know you warned me but I'm naturally curious
The round disc you see on the front, is a switch which has to pressed once to charge unit (that may cause a little problem) then by shorting out the 2 protruding wires the flash works. So, first I need to find a way round the switch, once that sorted then I can start wiring together and sorting
out a battery pack.
Will keep you informed

Lello,

You are crazier than me.

For power supply will the thought in the attached work ?

Don

[Don Hoey]

Originally Posted by Lello

Here are two shot using the Don method. Still need to sort out the delay a bit more, (only had 1 bulb to play with)

Going through the Christmas decs now. What will Tina say.

Perhaps you need to have a work collection for dead bulbs. To get yourself in some low cost practice with the sound trigger in the mean time, see if you can get some nuts in their shells. Wrong time of year but a possibility from a health food shop.

Ideally for the bulb you need a bigger hammer or even an axe for dramatic impact.

Don

[Don Hoey]

Attatched is the lighting plan for the strawberry drop. Once again the key to positioning the flash is Flash Burst Duration and NOT light output.
Positioning of the Metz may seem a bit strange as its main output is towards the black velvet. Its position was to allow spill light to catch the bottle only, and the black velvet absorbed the bulk of its output. Strawberry being totally lit by the Vivitar.

As both flashguns were on minimum power light balance was by moving the flash units relative to the subject.

The black flag was to limit possibilities of flare from the Vivitar with the Stofen diffuser as the end of the flash unit was just out of frame.

Don