LumiQuest Ready For Anything!

25 years ago, Quest Couch and Heidi Kenny were operating Quest Productions, a company specialising in high-end corporate multimedia.

The still photography required for this type of work necessitated fast setups on location, under a variety of circumstances. These demands led to the development of the LumiQuest line of flash accessories.

“From our very first designs, the emphasis was on simple light modifiers that worked, rather than gimmicks that would sell.”

This mission has led to over 25 different devices designed to solve real lighting problems in the field.

“All of our light modifiers serve specific purposes by combining the photographers’ needs with the basic laws of physics to create simple, effective accessories that work. We continue to listen to photographers’ problems and share their vision … to help them create images that are beyond their wildest dreams.”

Find out why, for the past 25 years, the world’s top pros have trusted their work and reputation to LumiQuest?

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October 2010 saw the launch of the UltraStrap - the most secure non-adhesive flash accessory mounting strap ever manufactured.

Ultra Strap (below)

The patented marriage of neoprene and Velcro® loop results in a strap that applies a constant 3 lb. (1.36kg) tension to the flash with a non skid surface. The rugged UltraStrap attaches to most flashes in seconds to provide a secure attachment point for all LumiQuest accessories.

David Hobby (Strobist):

 

“LumiQuest is proud of their new Ultra Straps, and wants to put one of the stretchy, grippy mod mounts in every bag. Oh, and if you have not tried one of these yet, you are gonna like it.”

 Joe McNally:

“The LumiQuest Ultra Strap is the most secure way of attaching a light shaper to a small flash I’ve come across … it really works …” 

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2012 saw the launch of 3 new kits which include the FXtra compact gel holder & coloured gels as well as the UltraStrap:

Strobist® Kit (below)

Strobist® Kit offers the “go to” flash modifiers of David Hobby (www.strobist.com). Included in this Kit are the LumiQuest SoftBox III, FXtra and two UltraStraps.

Wedding / Event Kit (below)

Included in this kit are the LumiQuest Quik Bounce,FXtra and UltraStrap - which are the perfect trio for fast moving photographers covering weddings and events.

Location / Portrait Kit (below)

Compact enough to take on location, yet equally at home in your studio. The products included in this Kit offer the photographer many options for shooting portrait type work on location. The Kit includes the SoftBox III, Snoot XTR, FXtra and two UltraStraps.

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For 2013 the NEW…

READY FOR ANYTHING KIT (below) is here:

The NEW Ready For Anything Kit includes the ProMax System, FXtra (compact gel holder & gels) and UltraStrap.

New Distributor for Peak Design

Snapperstuff is excited to announce that we are the NEW DISTRIBUTOR for PEAK DESIGN®.

Who are Peak Design®?

The mission of Peak Design is to enable photographers and outdoor/adventure enthusiasts to better capture the beautiful world around them. We will do this by designing and building innovative, thoughtfully composed, ultra-durable products that are easy to use and versatile. Right now our aim is to help people better transport and physically manage their cameras, but as time goes on we will continue to tackle other ubiquitous pain points that photographers and outdoorsy people face. We believe that wherever you go and whatever physical activity you do, your camera should be right there with you.

 

What’s their product range?

Peak Design has developed the Capture® Camera Clip System – which they launched through Kickstarter (and they are the 2nd most funded project in Kickstarter’s history!).

WHAT IS CAPTURE®?

The Capture® Camera Clip System rigidly holds your camera to any strap or belt, keeping it secure and accessible during any physical activity. Take your DSLR Camera everywhere. Capture® is an aluminum clip that will forever change the way you shoot. It lets you carry your DSLR camera, with lens attached, directly on any backpack strap or belt. This eliminates the need for a neck strap, sling, holster or bulky camera bag. Capture® holds your camera rigidly, allowing you to be physically active without your camera swinging and swaying.

CAPTURE CAMERA CLIP KEY FEATURES:

• Holds any camera: DSLR, Micro 4/3 or point-and-shoot
• Attaches to any strap or belt: Works with straps up to 7.6 cm (3”) wide & 1.3 cm (0.5”) thick
• Quick-release locking action: means you’ll never miss another shot
• Strong enough for any physical activity: Quick-release lock withstands over 150 lbs. of force
• Compatible with other tripod brands: including ARCA® (see compatibility list below)
• Change lenses with ease: Your camera locks into Capture omnidirectionally
• Redundant twist-lock: Extra security for extreme activities & theft prevention
• Works with hand straps: Built-in strap loops Ultralight, Ultra-Durable Weatherproof aluminium construction

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HOW CAPTURE® WORKS:

1. SCREW
Screw the quick release plate into the tripod mount on your camera. There are 3 low profile plates available, which can attach to any camera. Pictured: ARCAplate – also compatible with ARCA®-type tripods

2. CLAMP
Clamp the aluminum Capture clip around any backpack strap or belt using the two hand-tightened bolts.

3. SLIDE
Slide your camera (attached to the plate) into the clip. Your camera locks into place, keeping it secure as you move around. Access your camera instantly by pressing the quick-release button.

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There are 5 Capture® products in the range available now:

Capture Clip with ARCAplate (above)

Capture Clip with DUALplate (above)

CW from top: ARCAplate; MICROplate – idea for 4/3s cameras; DUALplate – Manfrotto® RC2 & Arca®-type tripod compatible (above)

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 Download here:

 How to Attach Capture Camera Clip to Think Tank Photo Pro Speed Belt

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Where and when can I buy their products?

All Capture® products available NOW direct from www.snapperstuff.com - where you can also find a full Dealer list.

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Bigger Picture Roadshow PLYMOUTH

Snapperstuff at the Bigger Picture Roadshow in Plymouth today.

The Bigger Picture is a roadshow traveling around the UK & Ireland giving you the opportunity to come and find out more about photographic products and services from the experts.

These events are conducted in a relaxed atmosphere where photographers can spend quality time with expert suppliers in the business.

Check this website for full info on Venues, Dates, Exhibitors:

www.biggerpicutreroadshow.co.uk

Events run from 10.00am to 4pm and complimentary coffee is provided at all locations.

No need to pre-register, no admission fee and no fixed sessions.

TODAY we will be in PLYMOUTH:

Legacy Plymouth International Hotel
Marsh Mills
Plymouth
PL6 8NH

The nearest stores selling the Think Tank Photo, Enlight Photo (orbis, frio, ioShutter) and Green Clean ranges in Plymouth is:

 LCE – London Camera Exchange Plymouth

(click link above to see website)

The Bigger Picture Roadshow will be taking a break over the summer returning in the Autumn, with our first show in Grantham, Lincolnshire on 11 September 2012. We look forward to seeing you there!

ioShutter Timelapse in Bristol Harbour

Freia & Helen took the ioShutter to Bristol Harbour for a Time-lapse shoot.

Here’s how they did the shoot…

With very little planning & preparation we gathered the key things we needed…

• ioShutter N3 cable (Canon fit)
• Tripod (Manfrotto)
• Camera (Canon 5D MkII)
• iPhone 4S (you can use an iPad or iPod Touch instead)

…then we headed for Bristol Harbour to find a good location for our Timelapse. After a wee bit of wandering we found a good spot on Pero’s Bridge and set up the tripod & camera.

Next we connected the ioShutter cable to the iPhone and turned on the ioShutter LITE App (that’s the free one).

We chose the intervalometer setting of: Every 5 secs for 10 mins to trigger the camera’s shutter, and here’s the result:

Next we thought we’d compare the Timelapse option of the LITE App with the PRO (paid for one) and found heaps more functionality, so we set the intervalometer every 1 second for 10 mins and here’s the result:

While the ioShutter was working its magic we hung the phone in the blue bag that comes with it on the tripod and kept an eye on the passing pedestrian traffic to ensure our gear stayed in place!!

It really was as simple as that :0)

With hindsight we made a list of things that should be checked before going out to do Time lapse photography:

• Ensure your sensor is clean – every little spec of dirt will show up!
• Remember to install the App before your shoot… otherwise you may get a little frustrated waiting for it to load…
• Remember to bring the quick release plate (Camera to Tripod attachment)
• Bring an umbrella if the weather’s not looking too good
• Set the file quality to JPEG only so you can fit plenty of shots on your card (& for quicker post production)
• Remember to turn your iPhone to Airplane Mode as this could interrupt your shoot
• Charge all your batteries before heading out!

How to do POST-PRODUCTION:

We put all the JPEG images from one 10 minute Timelapse shoot into ONE folder on the computer.

Then we used some Time Lapse assembly software to create the movie.

Typing ‘Time Lapse Assembly’ or ‘Time Lapse Assembler’ or ‘Time Lapse Software’ into a search engine will give you a multitude of free & paid for software to choose from and lots of useful websites guiding you through this too.

The one we used to compile our shots was: Time Lapse Assembler (Mac) (free)

Here are the settings used:
Codec: mp4v
Framerate: 30 fps (frames per second)
Dimensions resized to: 1280 or 1024 and scaled proportionally
Quality: High or Normal

Apple’s QuickTime 7 Pro (Mac/PC) (paid) is also highly recommended.

Just for fun, here’s one of the most amazing timelapses that I think has ever been made… something to aspire to!!

Produced by Neil Lucas, narrated by David Attenborough, Executive Producer Michael Gunton for the BBC:

Woodland Timelapse from the BBC LIFE Plants series

You can see some more fantastic BBC Time Lapse footage in their online Nature Video Collections archive. (click on link)

ioShutter is here!

Our first shipment of the ioShutter™ cables has just arrived!

ioShutter™ is the world’s first fully-functional shutter release system for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

ioShutter™ CAMERA COMPATIBILITY?

The cables available now are Canon fit.
(and will fit some models of: Pentax, Samsung, Hasselblad, Contax 645).

We are expecting the Nikon fit cables to arrive in the Summer.

ENL-SHT1-CMJ ioShutter™ release Cable E3/MJ

ENL-SHT1-CMJ fits:
Canon G9, G10*, G11*, G12, 60D*, 1000D, 1100D, 600D, 100D, 550D, 500D, 450D*, 400D, 350D, 300D, EOS Digital Rebel series*, Kiss F, X5, X4, X3, X50, XS, Elan II/ IIE, Elan 7/7E, Rebel Ti, T1i, T2i
Pentax Super, K100D*, D110D, *ist Ds2, +ist D, +ist Ds, *ist, *ist DL
Samsung GX-20, GX-10*, GX-1L, GX-1S
Hasselblad H1, H2*, H3, H4*
Contax 645* (dependent on your back)

ENL-SHT1-CN3 ioShutter™ release Cable N3

ENL-SHT1-CN3 ioShutter™ release Cable N3 fits:
Canon EOS 7D*, 60D, 1DX, 1D IV*, 1DS III, 5D II*, 1DS II, 1DS, 1D III*, 1D IIn, 1D II, 1D, 5D*, 50D, 40D, 30D, 20D*, 10D, D60, D30, EOS 3, 1VHS, 1V

Does My Kit Fit? Airport TakeOff

Angus Thomson, Snapperstuff’s Product Specialist, shows how he has his Think Tank Photo Airport TakeOff configured:

Click on the images to find out more info on the Airport TakeOff - backpack & roller bag in one.

Competition:

The first person to correctly list x5 of Angus’s lenses, as pictured in his Airport TakeOff above, wins a Think Tank Photo branded Pixel Pocket Rocket.

Please enter your answer in the ‘Leave a reply’ box below (and ensure your comment links to you).

We’ll post the winner and then list the full kit in Angus’s Airport TakeOff here…

Think Tank Photo: NEW Modular Components & Guide (part 2)

Following part 1, we thought you’d like to find out more about the new features of the version 2 Modular Components:

All the pouches now come with a grab handle, most have an elasticated front pocket and you can convert them into shoulder bags with the new Keep It Up™ strap!

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Keep It Up™ – is a shoulder strap which attaches to any of the new pouches thus turning a pouch into a shoulder bag, or it can be attached to any of the belts in the Think Tank Photo range to provide extra support.

Hubba Hubba Hiney™ – bum bag (…AKA an attractive female bum bag!) can fit a 70-200 f2.8 lens horizontally, or is ideal for smaller lenses or 4/3rds gear as it comes with dividers and a shoulder strap.

Stuff It™ - organiser pouch with pockets for accessories and personal items or compact zoom cameras. Snapperstuff’s Peter can fit all this in his Stuff It™: Canon G9, glasses, wallet and even an iPhone!

Little Stuff It™ - compact pouch for a point and shoot camera, mobile phone or small accessories.

Strobe Stuff™ - pouch for DSLR flashes / strobes with attached diffuser. This padded belt pouch has enough space to accommodate pro-size DSLR flashes. Either the SB-900, 580EXII, or smaller flashes fits with a standard diffuser fitted. The front pocket fits an external battery pack with a cable pass-through to keep it attached to the flash. Includes pockets for gels or spare batteries.

To work out which pouch is the right size for your gear have a look at this pdf guide:

Modular Component V2 Guide

To see more of the new Modular Component range take a look here: NEW MODULAR COMPONENTS

Focus on Imaging 2012 here we come…

With just two days to go, Focus on Imaging is nearly upon us!

Dates: Sunday 4 March – Wednesday 7 March

Opening times: – 10am to 6pm (Sun-Tues) 5pm (Wed)

Snapperstuff will be on stand L3, Hall 10

and we have lots of exciting new stuff to show you…

We are excited to announce that we are Green Clean’s new UK & Ireland Distributor.

…cleaning solutions for your Cameras, Optics, Computers, Office and much more…

ioShutter – the exciting new shutter release cable which allows you to control your DSLR from your

iPhone, iTouch, or iPad (from Enlight Photo)

Come and see our live demos with our stunning model on stand L3

(click the link to get a sneak preview of our model)

 

Think Tank Photo – all new Modular Components

Our fantastic team of Photographers will be joined by:
Anneliese Letter (Green Clean) &

James Madelin from Enlight Photo (orbis, frio, ioShutter)

Come and meet our team and see all the stuff in action :0)

Pentax 645D Automotive Studio Day with Clifton Cameras

Join the Automotive Studio Day with Pentax 645D – hosted by Clifton Cameras.

Venue: Imagist Studio, Bristol.

Date & Time: 2pm Wednesday 22 March 2012

There’s still time to join the Clifton Cameras event. See Nick Dimbleby  (www.nickdimbleby.com) in action with the Pentax 645D shooting and Aston Martin in the studio, and have the opportunity to try the camera out yourself.

One our Snapperstuff Product Specialists will be on hand to advise you on the Think Tank Photo products and carrying solutions.  Please feel free to bring your gear for a bespoke “fitting service”.

 Find out more about the event here…

Does my kit fit? Airport International v2

See how much gear Helen Atkinson can fit in her Airport International V2.0:

 

Canon 1D mkIII (with Black / Grey Camera Strap)
Canon 5D mkII with Battry Grip (BG-E6), Black / Blue Camera Strap and 70-200 f2.8 lens attached
24-70 f2.8
100 f2.8 macro
300 f2.8 with lens hood (reversed)
x3 MultiMAX Pocket Wizards (wireless transceivers)
Pee Wee Pixel Pocket Rocket (CF & SD card holder)
x1.4 & x2 Canon  EF Extenters / Converters (stacked)
Sto-Fens
Canon Speedlite 580 EX II
Canon Compact Battery Pack CP-E3
16-35 f2.8 (hidden under converters)
extra batteries; cables; lens cleaning cloths; etc…

The Airport International™ V2.0 is designed to meet current legal international carry on requirements. Also to transport heavy camera or lighting equipment in urban environments.
We highly recommend you check with your airline the legal carry-on allowance for both weight and size are prior to travel. Carry-on size and weight restrictions vary with different airlines and at different airports nationally and internationally.

find out more about the Airport International™ V2.0 here…