Tag Archives: Shoe Type

Strobist ballhead and umbrella test

By Ray | Published May 4, 2009
3493512371 076561ff9d m Strobist ballhead and umbrella test

In Joe McNally‘s CLS video it showed him using a ballhead to align the flashhead along the umbrella stem axis. Made sense that it would distribute the light more evenly; so I bought the rig. Here’s the test results – you decide.

As pointed out in the note above, I forgot the diffuser.

Single SB800 set to TTL into Wescott 42″ shoot through umbrella.

The ballhead is the Manfrotto Lite Tite Swivel+Umbrella Adapter 26
The coldshoe is the Stroboframe Shoe-type Flash Mount Cat. No 300-SHO

I consider this as a ‘nice to know’ experiment only. With the inherent spill associated with shoot through umbrellas and with the difusser on the speedlight the coverage appears to be good. One additional advantage I found with the ballhead set is the ability to quickly rotate the flash body to align the IR sensor to face the camera.

I’ll know better after I field test it.

3493654589 a843384855 m Strobist ballhead and umbrella test

3500660886 fd9585bbbc m Strobist ballhead and umbrella test

Sideview

-- Weather When Posted --

  • Temperature: 31°F;
  • Humidity: 75%;
  • Heat Index: 30°F;
  • Wind Chill: 25°F;
  • Pressure: 30.48 in.;

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