Hey all,


For a long while I was thinking about selling my macro ring flash, the MR-14EX. It just didn't work for me and it was more of a burden to caryy than I enjoyed it, shortly said. I also tested with some off camera use of the 430 flash I have and did some side by side comparisons with the ringflash. Honestly I liked the 430 flash off camera even more... It worked really good, so I knew what I wanted, a macro bracket! So I could make an off camera set-up.


I ended up with a Manfrotto 330B and a Lumiquest Softbox 2. A small softbox which can be places directly onto the flash. I must say I'm pretty pleased with the lighting set-up I have for my macro work right now.


Anyway, the real debate was about how to spend the other part of the money. I obviously could have made a big post called: "Wallet full of ten dollar bills" , but although I appreciate some good opinions, I'm a really impulsive guy so I already decided before I posted[:P]


My first thought was to buy the 1.4x extender to use on my 70-200 and with my macro work. However I'm pretty pleased with my 70-200 as it is right now, so it would have been for macro purposes 9/10 times.


My other thought was to look into an 85mm 1.8 or another sort of lens, but to be honest I'm happy with the lenses I have.


Then I talked about it with my brother for and he was very enthousiastic about strobism, a form of photography I'm not really into. However it made me think about it and I checked a few sites and got enthousiastic myself as well.


So there it happened, I invested the money in something I never expected to be inveting in: strobism!


I ended up buying a Lightstand (Jinbei JB-300), an umbrella-bracket/adapter or whatever it is called (Manfrotto 026 Lite-Tite Swivel adapter), a 42" umbrella (Westcott 42" White/Black) and a 28" Wescott Apollo Softbox.


That afternoon my brother, my girlfriend and I took some testphotos and I really like the results. Here are 2 photos:








Anyway I'm really starting to like this, so I guess you could expect some different shots from me now []


Thanks, Jan