A note to manufacturers about batteries.

Just about every photographer on the planet that uses small flash units carries one type of battery  with them at all times: AA’s. It can be frustrating to keep on hand a stock of several different size batteries let alone having your kit fully stocked with different sizes. Call me lazy but I want to keep things as simple as possible and use one style of power cell.

Westcott Flex

WESTCOTT GAINS EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION OF NEW FLEXIBLE LED TECHNOLOGY
FOR PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO LIGHTING

After making a major splash in Europe this year at both the IBC Video Conference and
Photokina, Westcott Lighting is excited to announce the exclusive North American and Australian
distribution of this new cutting­edge LED technology. The Flex™ is a pliable, dimmable,
water­resistant LED mat for photography and video production that produces an outstanding
quality of light with an impressively high 95+ CRI (Color Rendering Index) in both daylight and
tungsten models.

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens

Flash Facts - 0

Hey there kids, I am going to be starting a new ongoing series here on the Vanished Twin Blog. Can you guess what it is going to be called?

That's right Flash Facts is going to be all about your flash. Both on camera and off.

So, stay tuned for some fun and exciting tips and tricks and good old fashioned learning.

Sony announces Alpha 7 II in the US

Sony Electronics, a worldwide leader in digital imaging, has today introduced another exciting addition to its full-frame α7 lineup, the α7II camera (model ILCE-7M2).

Happy Thanksgiving!

RadioPopper Photogenic Receiver

The Photogenic Receiver allows remote triggering and remote power control of most Photogenic brand lights. Simply attach the RP Photogenic Receiver to the port on the bottom of your Photogenic light and you're all set. The Photogenic Receiver is powered directly from the light and requires no batteries. The Photogenic Receiver is configured using a digital display on the front of the receiver.

Panlight

Meet your new assistant. Free your flash, and open yourself up to the creative possibilities of a remote camera.

 ** $149 approx price in USD **

(see 'Rewards' for full details - Panlight will be shipping from both US and European locations, so we're able to offer free shipping from either!)

C-Loop Hands on Review

 

The C-Loop is a camera strap mount from Custom SLR that screws into the underside of your camera and into your tripod socket. The mount itself rotates which helps to keep the attached camera strap from getting tangled up in itself or the camera body.

Phottix Odin TTL Flash Trigger for Nikon

I have been shooting with the Odin trigger system from Phottix for a couple of months now and I have yet to encounter any issues with the system what so ever. To date this is my favorite trigger system.

Skylux LED from Westcott

The next big thing in LED studio lighting is here.
Meet the SkyLux from Westcott. The first daylight-balanced studio LED with a CRI Rating of 94+ that allows photographers to utilize their favorite modifiers with the addition of a single Bowens Mount Speedring.

Phottix Luna Beauty Dish and Softbox

Phottix Luna Beauty Dish and Softbox released

Phottix Luna Beauty Dish

Softboxes are excellent light modifiers – but let’s face it – assembling them is time-consuming. Standing outside on a windy day trying to assemble a 1 meter Octa is a challenge.

Beauty dishes provide unique lighting – but who wants to lug a beauty dish on location? They’re bulky and cumbersome.

Making your life easier, Phottix announces the new Luna series of softboxes and beauty dishes.

Rogue Large Soft Box Kit

The popular Large FlashBender and Diffusion Panel are now available in a new Rogue Large Soft Box Kit.  Included in this kit are the Large FlashBender Reflector, Large Diffusion Panel and the new Large Silver/Black Attachment.

Debao SU-800 Nikon Wireless Speedlight Commander / Flash Trigger by EACHSHOT

New Infrared transmitter on the market that is geared to function just like the Nikon SU-800 but with a few improvements at a substantially lower price.

Upgraded: Phottix Varos II available

The Phottix Varos Multi-Function Umbrella Holders were recently upgraded. The venerable Varos, Varos BG and Varos XS because the Varos II, Varos II BG and Varos II XS.

Another Fantastic Weekend Workshop!

I just wanted to say a big thank you to the nearly sold out crowd that came out for my lighting workshop this past Saturday down at ProPhoto Supply.

Strato II Multi by Phottix Hands On Review

The Strato II is a transmitter and receiver based flash trigger system. These units take two AAA batteries, operate on 2.4 GHz and offer four channels to choose from along with four groups. The operating range is rated at over 150 meters.

The Nikon SU800

My favorite TTL control tool is the Nikon SU800. It is a control unit that is part of the Nikon Creative Lighting System. It acts as a dedicated controller along the lines of the Nikon SB700, 800, and 900, but with out the flash capability.

King Pro from Pixel Enterprise

Pixel Enterprise has released some information on their new TTL control trigger the King Pro. I am pretty excited about the release of these new triggers. So far they just have information on the Canon models but hopefully the Nikon ones will not be far behind.

Here is what they have posted at www.pixelhk.com

Fantastic Weekend Workshop!

I just wanted to say a big thank you to the sold out crowd that came out for my lighting workshop this past Saturday down at ProPhoto Supply.

The RF- 550D Macro LED Ring Flash from Travor

The RF- 550D is a well-made and inexpensive Macro LED Ring Flash from Travor. The flash unit consists of the main power control unit and the wired macro ring head which has 48 LEDs arranged in two rows around the ring. The macro flash ships with the control unit, flash head, stand, 8 adapter rings for mounting the flash head to your lens, and four different diffuser rings. Two of the diffuser rings are for color corrections (one is amber and one is blue) the other two offer two different levels of straight diffusion.

New from LumoPro - LP605s and LP735

BATOKA CRATER, MARS., February 19th, 2013 — LumoPro®, a leading developer and manufacturer of off-camera flash equipment, announces two new products - the LP605S Compact 7.5ft Stand with Carrying Strap and the LP735 3-in-1 43” Compact Umbrella. Both products bring new updates to the LumoPro® lineup and further assists photographers in achieving portable off-camera lighting.

LumoPro Multi-Mount Beauty Dish!

February 5th, 2013 - LumoPro®, a leading developer and manufacturer of off-camera flash equipment, is happy to announce the new LumoPro® Multi-Mount Beauty Dish. Developed with the help of professional photographers around the world, the new Multi-Mount Beauty Dish is the most versatile product of its kind on the market.

NIKON IMAGE SPACE

More intuitive and easier to use, Nikon's image sharing and storage service is reborn as "NIKON IMAGE SPACE"

TOKYO - Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the January 28 launch of "NIKON IMAGE SPACE ", a new image sharing and storage space.

"NIKON IMAGE SPACE" is a free online service for sharing images open not only to users of Nikon digital cameras, but anyone who enjoys taking photos or recording movies.

This service makes it easy for camera enthusiasts to upload, view, organize, and share their photos and movies of once-in-a-lifetime moments with greater convenience through sequential operation, which is achieved by high speed operation of the system, an intuitive user interface (UI), a clear window layout, and a simple operation flow.

Trigmaster Plus II 2.4G

Aputure is pleased to announce our latest flagship trigger, the Trigmaster Plus II 2.4G, a great new tool for your flash triggering needs.

Yongnuo 2.4G wireless flash YN560-III

Yongnuo has announced the release of the YN560-III with some interesting features. Here is a translated version of their press release.

PENTAX DEBUTS RETRO DESIGN CAMERA FEATURING FAST F1.8-2.5 LENS, 4X ZOOM AND CLASSICALLY CRAFTED BRASS BODY

The MX-1 strikes the perfect balance between performance and classic

PENTAX RICOH IMAGING AMERICAS CORPORATION (PENTAX) has introduced the MX-1, an advanced digital compact camera whose craft design and vintage lines appeal to a wide variety of photo enthusiasts. It’s fast F1.8-2.5 lens produces sharp and crisp imagery in a variety of settings and the camera’s 1/1.7 inch, 12.0 effective megapixel backlit CMOS sensor renders impressive low-light performance.

Think Tank Photo Sub Urban Disguise update

Our friends at Think Tank Photo announced that a new product line, the Sub Urban Disguise, and a revision to its highly popular multi-function camera bag,Change-Up V2.0, will be available in February.

THE NIKON D5200 INSPIRES USERS TO CAPTURE CREATIVELY

Nikon Inc. announced the U.S. availability of the Nikon D5200, a camera that provides the imaginative features and D-SLR versatility needed to fulfill any creative vision through stunning imagery and Full HD video. 

Nikon Inc. Showcases New Products and its Full Line of Industry-Leading Digital Imaging Products at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show

Nikon Continues Its Dedication to Offering Innovative Technology, User-Friendly Features and Connectivity to Photographers of All Levels with the Launch of the Nikon D5200, the Nikon 1 J3, the Nikon 1 S1 and 1 NIKKOR Lenses

New PowerShot N Digital Camera Opens New Dimensions Of Photographic Expression

Lake Success, N.Y., January 7, 2013 – To inspire creative exploration and encourage instant sharing of life's every day moments, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today unveiled the new PowerShot N digital camera as part of its PowerShot lineup. With an innovative Creative Shot mode that enhances artistic expression and a variety of new connectivity features that support instant sharing, Canon's PowerShot N is the ultimate storytelling tool.