Beam Shot Test Image - Feedback wanted!

I'm trying to set up an area for doing beam shots. I don't have a good open white wall, so I stretched out a white bed sheet. I found something to hold the light, set up my digital camera on a tripod, etc. I'm looking for feedback on the quality of the beam shot and the technique I'm using to capture it.

Camera is set to ISO 100, for this beam the exposure is 1/20th, at f2.8, white balance is set to daylight.

The flashlight is 1 meter from the "wall". The camera is behind the flashlight so it can get the whole beam in frame, but you can see the flashlight at the bottom. I'm trying to shoot as straight on as possible, but the camera is higher than the flashlight pointing down slightly, and the flashlight is angled up very slightly. This helps keep the flashlight out of the beam shot and doesn't apper to distort the beam much as far as a perfect circle.

Here is the result, posting big, hope everyone is running 800x600 or better resolution.

Fenix P2D-CE Q2 w/ OP reflector on HIGH (Not Turbo):



Trying to get set up so I can get everyone beam shots of the Dereelight DBS when I get it, hopefully tomorrow. At leat the spot should be smaller and I can probably keep the light out of the shot.

Took a couple more shots, same 1/20th exposure at f2.8, white balance daylight, etc.

Dereelight CL1H V2.0 w/ 5-stage Q2 module on MAX and OP reflector:



Ultrafire C2 modded with Q5 WG, 2xRCR123's (Going to need to move the camera back, wide spill)



Ultrafire C2 again. Moved the camera back to 3 meters from the sheet, the light still at 1 meter. This let me capture the whole beam, but you see more of the light and the stand. Thoughts?

looks good to me!

Those look OK Wade, but I know PA has to have some trees outside. Why not take beam shots of the trees? Much better shots to show how bright the light is. Just a suggestion. :twothumbs

KingGlamis said:

Those look OK Wade, but I know PA has to have some trees outside. Why not take beam shots of the trees? Much better shots to show how bright the light is. Just a suggestion. :twothumbs

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Haha, I know you like your real world beam shots. I'll take those too. I'm just setting up to cover everything. The plan is to take some white wall beam shots, LUX readings of the hot spot, spill, and then some real world stuff. I just need to find a darker location. There's a parking lot by a big lake around here that is very dark and I could shine lights out across the lake, or at trees across te parking lot, etc. Not sure if you're allowed to be there after dark, but people go night fishing, so it probably wouldn't be a big deal. If park ranger came by he might like checking out the lights.

They look good on my monitor Wade. I think as long as you standardize everything, keep it repeatable as far as the entire setup, then you will have the basis for excellent comparisons now, and in the future.

BTW, it certainly doesn't bother me to see the flashlight in the shots. And while I think outdoor, real world photos are important as well, I've found that good white wall shots can do an excellent job of providing a way to directly compare beams, and see the nuances in a beam's pattern. Thanks. I'll look forward to many more!

WadeF said:

Haha, I know you like your real world beam shots. I'll take those too. I'm just setting up to cover everything. The plan is to take some white wall beam shots, LUX readings of the hot spot, spill, and then some real world stuff. I just need to find a darker location. There's a parking lot by a big lake around here that is very dark and I could shine lights out across the lake, or at trees across te parking lot, etc. Not sure if you're allowed to be there after dark, but people go night fishing, so it probably wouldn't be a big deal. If park ranger came by he might like checking out the lights.

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No offense Wade, seriously, not calling you out, but you have like 21 lights listed in your signature, and you're saying you're not sure you know of a legal yet dark place to use your lights at night??? Huh? Here in Arizona I can't think of anywhere where I can't be out at night. If you don't know of a dark place to use your lights, what do you use them for? Again, not trying to be an ***, just curious.

KingGlamis said:

If you don't know of a dark place to use your lights, what do you use them for? Again, not trying to be an ***, just curious.

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Well, I certainly have more lights than I need, so a lot of it is just my facination, or addiction, with the technology, etc. I do take my kids on night time stroller rides, so the lights do come in handy. I live in the middle of the East Coast metropolis, in the suburbs, and there is a lot of light pollution. So it's hard to find a place that is totally dark, and not private property, etc. I have found some really dark stretches of side walk, etc, where there aren't any street lights, just passing cars from time to time, where if I didn't have a light I'd be lost in the dark.

However, I can't just go out of my house and find complete darkness to take a nice beam shot, etc. So I'd have to drive off to a place like our nearby State park, Nokamixion State Park. Even the park's marina is brightly lit, so I have to go to one end that is far from everything. You can still see the sky glowing if it's hazey, cloudy, etc, from the nearby towns that surround the park.

I have to go out of my way to find uses for my lights, but I have two small kids, 2 1/2 and 4 1/2 and as they get a little older I'll be sure to do more frequent night hikes, etc.