In the last post I talked about using the TritonFlash in place of a speedlite because of how portable it is relative to how much power it provides. There is one other major advantage a TritonFlash has over a speedlite and that is how you can modify it.
I see a lot of videos and posts from photographers showing how they use only a small flash and a small softbox. That seems like a good idea in theory but if you want better light sometimes you have to use bigger modifiers. The problem with speedlites is that they are a compromise in power output and also how large you can make your light source. Let’s face it, if you want better light, the modifier you need is not going to be something you can use with a speedlite.
The problem with using speedlites in a softbox is that the brackets you buy don’t in most cases allow the flash to get the best efficiency out of any given softbox nor are they very secure/robust. Softboxes are designed to have the light source just inside the box and then use the sides of the box to collect the light and direct it outward so that the light is even from the edge to the center of the front face. Speedlites are also designed to punch light directly forward so when you put them into the back of a softbox pointed to the front of the box they don’t spread the light out like a flash tube and hence don’t take advantage of the light physics of a softbox. They simply use the one or two layers of diffusion to spread the light a little bit. A light source like the TritonFlash has a connector specifically designed to put the flash tube at the optimal position so that the light spreads and provides even light from edge to center of the front face no matter what size modifier.
When it comes to the range of modifiers you can use with the TritonFlash the possibilities are endless. The reason is the removable swivel and connector. This all aluminum handle can take a lot of weight once tightened down. So if you want to use a 7’ OctoDome or an XL LiteDome (4.5’ x 6’), no problem. If you need something smaller, they work fine too. All you need is one connector and you can use any size/shape modifier. Oh and of course you’ll only need one TritonFlash to fill your modifier too so you don’t need multiple radio receivers, have to fiddle with multiple units to adjust power or carry copious quantities of AA batteries.
Written By: Trevor Sherwin | PhotoTraining.ca | facebook
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