9. Quantum Turbo Battery

Wildlife photographers using fill flash and others needing fast flash recycling should consider the high-voltage Quantum Turbo Battery ($345). The key to fast recycling is supplying that high voltage (300+ volts) power directly to the flash, which the Turbo does from a sealed memory-free lead-acid battery. Low voltage (6 volt) battery packs (e.g. Quantum Bantam and QB1) will provide more capacity than AA-batteries, but recycle rates comparable to fresh AA's. Note that your flash must have a socket that accepts high voltage input, and you’ll need to buy the correct cable. To check compatibility visit Quantum and choose Power Packs and look for Turbo.

The newer Turbo Z also supplies high voltage in a smaller and lighter package; but instead of its big brother’s lead acid cells, it employs NiCd cells that must be completely discharged before recharging or they’ll suffer from "memory" (reduced capacity).

10. Quantum Mounting Clamp QBC

For hand-held flash shooting, clip your Turbo onto you belt or place it in a vest pocket. Do this with a tripod-mounted telephoto, however, and you’re tethered to your rig. The solution? The handy Quantum QBC Mounting Clamp ($35) attaches to your tripod leg and holds your Turbo or Turbo Z in place.

11. Better Beamer Flash Extender

Fill flash at 100 feet with your big telephoto? It’s easy with the Better Beamer Flash Extender, which attaches quickly and easily to your flash to focus the beam to the coverage of a 300 mm or longer lens, adding almost 3 f/stops in the process with the new enhanced Fresnel lens. Your camera’s TTL system will automatically adjust the exposure for your enhanced output. And it folds flat to fit in your pocket or camera bag.

How far will your flash reach? Let’s do the math: Distance = Guide Number / f number. A good hotshoe flash has a Guide Number of 160 feet at ISO 100. Every time you boost the flash power 1 stop, you multiply the GN by 1.4 (square root of 2). The Visual Echoes Flash Extender increases the GN to 160 x 1.4 x 1.4 x 1.4 = 439. With an aperture of f/5.6, the flash reaches to 439/5.6 = 78 feet. But that’s with the flash as main light (zero flash compensation). With fill flash at -1, multiply the distance by 1.4. With fill at -2, increase by another factor of 1.4. So with fill flash between -1 and -2, your subject can be 110 to 154 feet away. (Every time you double the ISO, you also multiply the GN by 1.4.) Remember that these calculations are for illustration; your camera’s TTL system calculates all this automatically.

Where to get one? So many participants asked for them after seeing mine, we now sell them. Visit our online store.

12. Flashes for Hummingbirds

You should have at least one full-featured flash for use with your camera’s TTL flash system. For professional stop-action images of hummingbirds, multiple flash is the rule. I use 4-6 flashes, but I use a flash meter, not TTL, and set the power manually. The trick is to use low power settings (1/8, 1/16, or lower) to achieve really short flash durations to freeze the motion.

One advantage is that you can use simple but powerful flashes like the Vivitar 283 ($67), which has been around since the dawn of man (roughly), as long as you can set them manually and trigger them remotely. To do this with the 283, you need to add a Vari-Power VP1 Module ($30) for each flash. For remote triggering, add the Wein PN Peanut Slave ($15) to each unit (or wire them together -- contact us for details).

If you’re willing to spend more, the manufacturer’s flashes offer several advantages (faster recycling, more repeatable output, and TTL capability when you want it). But beware of less expensive models that have TTL but lack the ability to set the power manually (e.g. the Canon 380EX and 220EX). The current top of the line flashes are:

• Canon EOS Speedlite 550EX ($345 USA, $310 Gray)
• Nikon SB-28DX Speedlight ($370 USA, $340 Gray)

Canon users with multiple 550EX's should consider the Remote Transmitter ST-E2 ($195) for multiple off-camera TTL flash.