Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/06/15

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Flash with big glass for bird photos
From: P2CON@aol.com
Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2002 13:58:42 EDT

Hi Frank,

I ran into Arthur Morris doing a workshop for birders at the Bolsa Chica 
wetlands, (near Huntington Beach, Calif.), a few months back, and like you 
say they all had these fresnel extenders mounted on their flashes.  In his 
book "The Art of Bird Photography", he calls these accessories "the Better 
Beamer/Walt Anderson Flash Extender".  I would expect to find them in a B&H 
catalog.

I was there with my M6 and the 90 TE you sold to me.  Needless to say I felt 
outgunned by the mostly 400 - 600mm lenses these people had, so I shot the 
photographers while they were shooting the birds.  After a bit, I turned my 
attention to stalking a seagull that was sitting quietly on a post near the 
water. I was able to slowly advance to within about six or seven feet and 
take a shot with the 90.  When I looked over my shoulder, there was Arthur 
with his Canon and a 500mm lens on a Gitzo about three feet behind me all set 
to shoot the same bird.  I carefully backed away and moved behind him to 
capture the scene of him shooting the seagull.  Talking to him later, I asked 
about the flash and he said the extender will give about a two stop boost to 
the flash output. I almost never use flash so that did not mean much to me, 
except that nearly all the birders were using the flash for fill on birds 
that were 50-60 feet away.

Regards, Paul Connet

Frank writes:
<< I saw some bird photographers today.. all using Nikon or Canon 300 or 400 
mm
 lenses..... but that is not the point.....
  It was daylight.  Bright sun.  They all had some form of flash with what
 looked like a fresnel lens attached to the flash to concentrate or focus the
 light on their "distant" quarry....
  Can someone please comment on this technique and where this gizmo can be
 bought ( the flash fresnel)?
  Frank Filippone
 red735i@earthlink.net >>
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Replies: Reply from Mark Rabiner <mark@markrabiner.com> (Re: [Leica] Flash with big glass for bird photos)