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Help: Strobe or external flash (feddit.org)

submitted 1 month ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Hello, I need your help. I am currently working on a project, where I try to take photos of falling objects using a Raspberry Pi. In order to achieve a good image quality I need a decent flashgun or strobe. Here comes the catch, I have some requirements for the flash:

It should be able to flash 1-2 times a second
It should be able to trigger it externally with a cable (optimally)
It should not be locked down to a specific brand like Nikon (since I'm using a Raspberry Pi camera)
It should be possible to power the flash with a cable
The flash should be somewhat durable
Optional: The flash should'nt be to expensive

The flash will be used in a stationary setup, and is expected to run for hours on end, since I want to take quite a lot of photos using my project. I would really appreciate if you could give me some form of recommendations for flashes/strobes that could fit my requirements. If you are'nt sure, if a model fits my requirements, please point me to it anyway. I will then see if it fits for my project.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

We need more details to recommended something to meet your needs.

What are you photographing? Is it a large object/scene, or a smaller object/scene?
How many hours on end do you expect the flash to run?
How much light do you need the flash to output? A lot? A little? Is this light meant to be the main light for the photo or is it supplemental?

Running a flash for hours on end flashing 1-2 times per second can quickly overheat a flash, which can lead to problems. The lower the flash output, the better it will handle that heat and the longer it will be able to run.

But with that being said, depending on how many hours and how much light you need you might be better off with ac powered LED light panels instead of a flash.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I am taking photos of falling seeds, so I shouldnt need that much light. The System should be able to run for at least 6-8 hours, so that you are able to just put a lot of seeds onto the machine and let it run over night. Alternatively I could maybe integrate a heat sensor, that stops the whole system, if the flash gets to hot, but I would like to not be forced to do this, since it would mean quite a dip in productivity.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

You might be better off with an LED panel. Something like this, which can run off an ac adapter.

But as the other commenter mentioned, if this is running unattended for 6-8 hours safety is a big consideration. Be aware of the heat these lights will generate and the safety of the electrical cords and connections you plan to use.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

I will devinetively check this out and I will devinetively try to invest a few more thoughts into how to make this safe.