Camera Invention: Attachment for Camera Flash to take shadow-free Macro photos

[kaiser.wilhelm]

Hello to all,

I have invented a flash attachment to take shadow-free macro photos and I wanted to ask you all what you think of it, good, bad, etc. The invention is patented.

For more information + photos + video of the camera flash attachment, please have a look at my inpama.com page: Buy and sell inventions - Camera Invention Attachment for Camera Flash to take shadow-free Macro photos

Kind regards
Wilhelm
Berlin, Germany

[TPF Sponsor]

[NateS]

Interesting idea, but not for me. I can get just as much flexibility and movement by using my $5 custom bracket mounted to the tripod collar of my lens. I sure wouldn't want the weight of that large bracket plus a couple of SB-600's or SB-800's hanging off the end to be pulling on my hot shoe....feel much safer using the tripod collar or the tripod screw on the bottom...but that's just me.

How are you supposed to hook up a flash sync cord to the hot shoe? Ever serious photographer that I know that uses off camera (or off hot-shoe) flash uses a sync cord from the hot shoe to the flash(es)...yours blocks that access which entirely defeats the purpose I think.

[TiCoyote]

Looks clever, but won't a ringlight flash do the same thing?

[NateS]

Looks clever, but won't a ringlight flash do the same thing?

No...a ring light will still come from the same direction as the lens...these will give you light that comes from angles farther away from the lens itself...gives a much different look....for me though, I can find (or make) brackets that do basically the same thing for a lot less money and won't be nearly as bulky.

[JamesMason]

NO ?

[usayit]

Clever design! I for one would like more flexibility in the "arms" AND more importantly, adaptability to larger (more powerful) flashes. There are a number of macro flash brackets that can provide similar function using offshoe flashes.

[Overread]

I agree it is interesting - the popupflash (if directed correctly) can give enough light for 1:1 macro so its a feasible option for many. I would have liked to see the arms having extension/contraction so as to allow people to use them with lenses of varying working distances.

[tirediron]

What sort of price-point are we looking at?

[Infidel]

In relation to NateS's comments, did anyone else gather that those are bundles of optical fibers that transmit the light from the popup flash? In other words, I don't think the intention is to mount speedlights to the ends of the articulating arms. Am I way off base here?

[Phranquey]

In relation to NateS's comments, did anyone else gather that those are bundles of optical fibers that transmit the light from the popup flash? In other words, I don't think the intention is to mount speedlights to the ends of the articulating arms. Am I way off base here?

You are correct.

Interesting concept.... but what if I don't have a pop-up?? Now you need to take that and come up with a unit that attaches to the head of a speedlight with three extentions.... main light, fill light, & hair light.

[Overread]

Another thought the comes to me is diffusion - these spotlights are very small (in fact I'd hazzard that they are together smaller than the area of the popup flash) so in effect with a smaller light source, even with two of them and at macro distances, the user will get some quite harsh lighting. Enlarging the end parts by adding some form of small softbox to the end of each would increase the surface area of the light source onto the subject and thus increase the degree of diffusion possible with the units.

[kaiser.wilhelm]

Thank you to all who have responded. I greatly appreciate your comments, feedbacks, and criticism. Especially criticism as this can help within future design processes (NateS, usayit, Overread).

As Infidel and Phranquey have correctly pointed out, fibre optic cables are utilised.

@tirediron: The price is not yet defined since this is a prototype. I have a target price, however if this is obtainable is a different question. In microeconomics there is a term called 'economies of scale'. To make a long story short, the higher the amount of production, the cheaper the cost. So in this sense, if (relatively) many can be produced, the cost would be low. Finding manufacturers, distributors is a challenge with any innovation. For examples, circa 3% of all patents ideas actually turn into a market success.

If I may ask, for those who would be interested in such a product, what price would you be willing to pay? (I hope it is OK to conduct a little bit of personal market research).

Thank you for your time and have a good day.
Wilhelm
Berlin, Germany

[Schwettylens]

Wilhelm, why didnt you use flexible arms? LIke the one you see on those pocket tripods or gorilla tripods.

[JamesMason]

If I may ask, for those who would be interested in such a product, what price would you be willing to pay?

any chance of seeing some images taken with it ? as im sure you know benefits sell not features and personally i would find it hard to say how much i would pay without seeing what its going to offer me

[NateS]

In relation to NateS's comments, did anyone else gather that those are bundles of optical fibers that transmit the light from the popup flash? In other words, I don't think the intention is to mount speedlights to the ends of the articulating arms. Am I way off base here?

I did not realize that. As that being the case, my only concern's would be...one harsh lighting in the real world from such small light sources (raises the previous question of diffusion)...and 2....is there enough power to light a subject using a 180mm macro and a 1.4 tc at 1:1 (pretty long working distance)?

What is the power source for these?...does it get it's power from the camera's battery via the hot shoe?

It is a much more interesting design now that I see that lights are built in which I didn't notice before....going back to re-watch the video.


Edit: And I'd like to see some sample pictures of some reflective real-world objects like a lady beetle or a blow fly...or a doli fly...something that is harder to eliminate reflections and hot-spots on. (notice problems with that on the bee shot posted in the link).

What price point are you looking at? I would think this would have to severly beat the R1c flash setup (or canon version) in price as those both give the flexibility of more powerful light and the ability to control flash output independently for each light.