# The Half Time Show...



## MT Stringer (May 21, 2004)

Last Friday night was my first attempt to use my 430EX flash mounted upside down on a monopod and connected to my 20d via Offshoe Cord2. I fabricated a homemade mount out of PVC parts and it worked as advertised.

Rich, you would have been proud of me working with the PVC pieces, hacksaw, glue and JB Weld Epoxy. I didn't use any duck tape this time but I did wrap the blue painters tape around the shaft of my monopod to protect it from the hose clamps I used to mount the whole contraption.

The jist of this setup is to provide flash for the game, yet help reduce/eliminate the dreaded red-eye from the flash. Overall, it worked pretty well. I tried this setup after reading a long thread on the Canon Photo Forum and the Texas Photo Forum. Others have used a variety of clamps and other homemade mounts. The Bogen Super Clamp seems to be a popular choice, but I like PVC! 

Here are some pics from the game. The band marched right up to me as I sat on the bench resting at half time. Kinda caught me off guard but then I started shooting (while still sitting down). Some of these pics were band members that were recognized for their effort this year at Crosby HS.

Technical jargon:
Canon 20d, Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 w/1.4xTC; manual @ 1/250 sec @ f/4-4.5. ISO was set at 1600. The flash was on Auto ETTL with some +FEC for a lot of the pics.

Mike


----------



## ifish2 (Aug 13, 2005)

Your pictures make me miss high school football games. I may have to go to one now!


----------



## grayfish (Jul 31, 2005)

Looking good Mike. I sure like those Crosby band uniforms.


----------



## Pocketfisherman (May 30, 2005)

Nice shots, looks like the setup worked well. Any chance you can put up a picture of what the monopod rigged with the flash looks like?


----------



## MT Stringer (May 21, 2004)

*Flash setup...******* style!*

Here ya go, PF. I put these pics together hurridly, but I hope you can get the idea.

The mount is a PVC "T" cut in half so it fits around the shaft of the monopod. I wrapped painter's tape around the shaft so it wouldn'g get scratched up. I used hose clamps to secure it in place. I have a nut driver in my pocket so I can adjust the position on the fly.

I use 1/2" fittings after the "T" because I already had some pipe. I found a 90 deg that was threaded on one end and slip fit on the other.

The plug has been drilled out with a 1/4" bit and a 1/4" x 20 bolt inserted and then filled with JB Weld epoxy. That rascal ain't going nowhere! 

The rest is fairly self explanatory. I used a shoe that had a small thumb screw that keeps the OffShoe cord from slipping out of the mount. I got it as part of an umbrella fitting from www.flashzebra.com.

I set camera on manual with the SS at 1/250 and the lens at f/4 (I had the 1.4xTC on the 70-200 f/2.8 to give me 98-280mm). ISO was set at 1600. I may try 800 tonight to see if it works OK.

I had three sets of rechargeable batteries ready to go and a couple of paks of regular alkaline but I didn't need them. I changed the batteries at half time just to make sure. I had no battery problems at all with just over 300 shots total.

Photos by Susie. Model provided by MT his on bad self! 

That's it. Lemme know if you have any questions.
Mike


----------



## Pocketfisherman (May 30, 2005)

Now that is 2Cool ingenious, and you sure can't argue with the results. I like the way that there is no shadows up under those hat brims and chins. Thanks for the pictures of the rig, greenies for you.


----------



## richg99 (Aug 21, 2004)

Well done Mike. Nothing is more fun than making something up and then having it work as intended. regards, Rich


----------



## MT Stringer (May 21, 2004)

Thanks PF and Rich. The idea was actually someone elses. I just made my version of it and incooperated a couple of changes and it worked pretty well.

The hose clamps cam be troublesome to put on and take off but they work real good. I decided from the git-go to buy a nut driver because I could see a screwdriver slipping and hurting someone...me!

Mike


----------



## richg99 (Aug 21, 2004)

Mike as a possible substitute for hose clamps, I think Home Depot etc. carry some plastic "cable clamps" that appear to be reversible. I.e. pull them tight and then let them loose by pressing on a portion of it. I haven't looked at them closely, but will the next time I am at HD (which is often, these days. ) Rich


----------



## stargazer (May 24, 2004)

Good deal Mike......I like the idea. Just a question though....why is it mounted low.( I understand the concept, Flash not direct in the eye)...would it work the same up high? I assume its easier to manuver attached low instead having to watch for snaggs up high. I am just wanting to understand whether it makes a difference mounting low vs high in reguards to reducing red eye.


----------



## MT Stringer (May 21, 2004)

I read where one guy had a bracket with his flash mounted about 3 feet above the camera but he said it was difficult to maneuver and he was going to switch to this type of setup. And mounted low does help light up the faces in the helmets.

And mounting it upside down allows the flash to shoot upwards just a little bit as well as being just a little farther from the camera.

I have used it for the two games I needed it for and I haven't had any trouble with the setup - good and sturdy.

Now it's on to soccer and basketball. 
Mike


----------

