Knockoffs....

[SushiWarrior]

Is there any harm in buying a knockoff speedlight? I don't have the $100+ for a genuine Nikon speedlight and I am noticing some cheap ($30) speedlight knock-offs for sale. What would I be loosing versus buying a genuine speedlight?

1. Would it not be as controllable (it is TTL)?
2. Would the light be off white (it lists it as 5600K, but I doubt that )?
3. Would it eat lots of battery life?
4. Would it not be as bright?

Also, I recently got an extension tube. When I use it with my 70-210, I have to zoom to focus. What is my effective focal length going to be like? The centre of the range? The widest point? How many mm in extension tube would I need to get 1:1?

 

[Ron Evers]

I will answer part of your question & leave the rest to others. When the extension tube/bellows is equal to the focal length of the lens you will have a 1:1 macro. i.e. 35mm lens+35mm extension = 1:1.

 

[jennyjen]

thats an interesting question.. I'd like to know some of these things myself.

 

[SushiWarrior]

I will answer part of your question & leave the rest to others. When the extension tube/bellows is equal to the focal length of the lens you will have a 1:1 macro. i.e. 35mm lens+35mm extension = 1:1.

I have a 70-210 lens, what will I need to get 1:1? That's what I need to know. As you may or may not know with a zoom lens and an extension tube, zooming actually focuses.

I have also considered getting a reversing ring, as doing a little handheld shooting with the 50 held in fron reversed got some great results, albeit lots of vignetting (probably because of my handholding).

 

[usayit]

I don't have the $100+ for a genuine Nikon speedlight and I am noticing some cheap ($30) speedlight knock-offs for sale. What would I be loosing versus buying a genuine speedlight?

1. Would it not be as controllable (it is TTL)?
2. Would the light be off white (it lists it as 5600K, but I doubt that )?
3. Would it eat lots of battery life?
4. Would it not be as bright?

It would be easier if you had a link to the knockoff...

 

[SushiWarrior]

Something similar to this... I made sure it was moveable.

Flash Speedlight BY-24ZP for Nikon Canon Pentax Olympus on eBay.ca (item 110475810157 end time 30-Jan-10 08:43:03 EST)

 

[Inst!nct]

generally i believe knock offs dont have all the compatibility or/and functions.. or reliability while im at it

 

[SushiWarrior]

generally i believe knock offs dont have all the compatibility or/and functions.. or reliability while im at it

Well, considering I will be using totally manual shooting anyways (this would only be studio/product sort of photography) and I use all manual anyways, that isn't much of a problem. And, when I can buy 5+ for the price of one good speedlight, reliability (while very nice) isn't a big issue either.

Also, does anyone know if any knockoffs are any good in particular? Like one good seller, or one good "brand" (maybe just a value brand?).

 

[usayit]

Well, considering I will be using totally manual shooting anyways (this would only be studio/product sort of photography) and I use all manual anyways, that isn't much of a problem..

Forget it... power is not variable.

If your intention is a "strobist" setup with the flash on a stand bounced in an umbrella, you can find some 285s, 283, or old sunpaks on ebay that should serve you well. Just be careful of trigger voltages.

[EDIT]

Is that ebay ad for the flash correct... GN of only 24? That's not very powerful.

 

[matt62485]

I will answer part of your question & leave the rest to others. When the extension tube/bellows is equal to the focal length of the lens you will have a 1:1 macro. i.e. 35mm lens+35mm extension = 1:1.

I have a 70-210 lens, what will I need to get 1:1? That's what I need to know. As you may or may not know with a zoom lens and an extension tube, zooming actually focuses.
.

i think Ron made it as straight forward as it needed to be... but youre extension tube will need to equal your focal length for a 1:1 ratio... it only makes sense. since you have 70-210 to work with and you wanted to shot at 80mm focal length ud need a 80mm extension to have a 1:1. Zoom focuses?

 

[gsgary]

I think there is a good clue in the price, CRAP look at the guide number and recycle time

 

[Ron Evers]

I have a 70-210 lens, what will I need to get 1:1?

70mm of extension tubes with minimum zoom (70mm).

 

[Dao]

Is that ebay ad for the flash correct... GN of only 24? That's not very powerful.

Since it is listed in Canada ebay, so I believe it maybe 24m instead of 24 feet. 24m is close to 80 feet ... hum ... still not too powerful .. LOL

For flashes, I will look for the one that has a higher GN number, allow me to adjust the flash power manually and able to tilt and turn the flash head so that I can bounce the flash.

 

[SushiWarrior]

I have a 70-210 lens, what will I need to get 1:1?

70mm of extension tubes with minimum zoom (70mm).

But that's the problem! It does not zoom! When you use an extension tube on a zoom lens, zooming in and out is focusing! And moving the focusing ring ever so slightly changes the zoom (like millimeters at most). So do I need 70mm, 210mm, or some other number of extension tubes?

I was thinking of just using it for macro, I have continuous lamps (just 60W bulbs, 2 of them soon to be 3) and I'm not sure if a flash would help too much anyways.

Finally, reversing rings. If I wanted a reversing ring to mount a 50mm with a 52mm filter thread on to a 70-210 with a 62mm thread, what exactly should I search for? All I am finding is lens-camera, not lens-lens. Is there a more specific term for it?

 

[usayit]

Since it is listed in Canada ebay, so I believe it maybe 24m instead of 24 feet. 24m is close to 80 feet ... hum ... still not too powerful .. LOL

Ah good catch.. I had not realized the url for the ebay link...

Despite that.. i'd pass .. especially if the power is not adjustable.