jlphoto
01-02-2009, 02:26 PM
I figured that this might be more of an apropriate place for this discussion than in image critiques.
So there was some discussion in the image critiques over the use of a Better Beamer flash extender with birds. Essentially, Jay noted that he had read that there was something of a ongoing debate as to flash extenders damaging the sensitive retina of birds eyes and therefore he is reluctant to use one on birds.
you can read the threads here: http://www.cnpa.org/cnpabb/showthread.php?t=2180
I emailed Arthur Morris (one of the top bird photographers in the world) about this matter as I said I would in the other thread.
According to him, there really is no debate like this that is happening in the photographic community. He did note that birders sometimes speculate on the matter however.
The better beamer works to project the light further than the flash could get it otherwise. This means that if you flash a subject with -2 stops of light, regardless of the flash extender, they are still receiving -2 stops of light. Using a flash extender is not like using a powerful Metz strobe. Another way of looking at it is say you have two flash units... one has a 35ft reach and the other a 75ft reach. Regardless of which one you use they will flash the subject with the same amount of light as long as the subject is within reach. This is just like the flash extender. It takes the reach of your flash and extends it by roughly 3 times. So the 35ft one becomes a 105ft and the 75ft is given reach out to 225ft.
He suggested that the birds reactions to the flash are the best judge of how it is effecting them. The majority of the time, even at 1:1 there is little reaction by the birds.
So there was some discussion in the image critiques over the use of a Better Beamer flash extender with birds. Essentially, Jay noted that he had read that there was something of a ongoing debate as to flash extenders damaging the sensitive retina of birds eyes and therefore he is reluctant to use one on birds.
you can read the threads here: http://www.cnpa.org/cnpabb/showthread.php?t=2180
I emailed Arthur Morris (one of the top bird photographers in the world) about this matter as I said I would in the other thread.
According to him, there really is no debate like this that is happening in the photographic community. He did note that birders sometimes speculate on the matter however.
The better beamer works to project the light further than the flash could get it otherwise. This means that if you flash a subject with -2 stops of light, regardless of the flash extender, they are still receiving -2 stops of light. Using a flash extender is not like using a powerful Metz strobe. Another way of looking at it is say you have two flash units... one has a 35ft reach and the other a 75ft reach. Regardless of which one you use they will flash the subject with the same amount of light as long as the subject is within reach. This is just like the flash extender. It takes the reach of your flash and extends it by roughly 3 times. So the 35ft one becomes a 105ft and the 75ft is given reach out to 225ft.
He suggested that the birds reactions to the flash are the best judge of how it is effecting them. The majority of the time, even at 1:1 there is little reaction by the birds.