well they are really the same thing when it comes down to it. However, the flashes are generally softened light. Like when you go have your family portraits taken at a studio they have the umbrella lights. It is so the lights are not so direct on the subject and able to be manipulated the way the artist wants. You can do all of this with shop lights if you want but they tend to get very hot and take of bit of electicity. Just try bouncing the lights off the walls cieling and other stuff to see the effects it can give.

Not a dumb question...

Flashes have one main advantage... WAY more light, and that light is delivered in a fraction of a second. This allows for shorter exposure times, and for creative effects like the sunset behind the mini you can light with flash and hold the shutter open to let some ambient in as well. Flash can put out so much light that you can bounce off the ceiling and still have a short exposure time. Flash is very harsh, direct light unless you diffused it by bouncing or with an umbrella or softbox. A big downside to flash is that once you reach the limit, you cannot get more light. Longer exposure does not help. You get all that you will get within a fraction of a second. Flash makes it much more difficult to envision what your lighting looks like... you either need studio units with modeling lights, or simply trial and error. Flash approximates the color temp of sunlight, which is good for outdoor use, and you can use a gel over the flash head for indoor use if you want to match incandescent or fluorescent lighting. With "hot" lights, the main way to control how much light you are getting is by moving the light closer or farther from the subject. Light obeys the inverse square law... if you move the light closer to the subject, the light output increases as the square of the distance. Twice as close = four times the light. Too close, though, and you'll get light falloff around the edges... you have to make sure to light the entire subject.

You'll do fine learning with your shop lights. You can see what you are doing. Studio lighting is an art... I am a "professional" photographer, and I consider myself not very good at studio lighting. I did get to use a $5000 lighting setup once, and that made lighting much more fun because of the control that it gave me.

S-Calipers are derived from the same mold as 908 calipers and would be the most accurate for period correctness.

DaveP and I have been mulling over making clones of his rare 908 caliper. I believe it to be one of the first 908 calipers because it retains the 910 pad pin mechanism from the previous era.

2 metal pieces would need to be made and some machining of the caliper.

I have also thought about milling the inner pad surface for the deeper pads found on "some" 908 calipers. I spoke with Steve Stomski this AM about possibly making some shallow pistons for this application. There would be no dust boot on those calipers.

Much better, John! You could probably use a few more of those lights. Also, different wattage bulbs will let you 'control' the amount of light from each reflector. Also, as mentioned, don't underestimate light bounce. Try a white sheet or posterboard or silver car sunshade or a piece of cardboard with tinfoil over it. Any of those may give you a neat effect and will turn some of the 'wasted' light back on the subject from a new angle.

Bummer about not having a flash hot-shoe and not having manual white balance, BUT don't focus on the limitations of the hardware. Just like a fast car isn't the ticket to winning races, a bad ass camera isn't the ticket to amazing photos. Learn as much as you can with what you've got, and the step up later.

OK, thanks guys. I am going to pick up some more bulbs from the same company
and the same color temperature. The 300 watters really put out some serious
light. The bulbs are the size of a pineapple. I'll try some more indirect lighting
as well. The direct is a bit harsh in the closeups.

It would be cool if you guys made some repro 908 calipers. I'd be interested in
some if the price was not too out of control. Are the originals machined or
cast?

How about using 930 turbo calipers? They were around in the late 70s when
this car raced. I may go with those.

John

Wow - more!
Great to see details on race cars like this one. Plus I feel like my 914 is a lot more rust free after seeing this one. Yeah, it looks pretty bad, wanna trade 914s?

Indoor pics of a racy 914 are tricky because it they are usually soooo low. I liked the affect of one work light on the floor for highlighting rocker panels and engine/exhaust shots from my garage. Try it!

John, another idea to highlight the car a little more is to use a snoot or a gobo. A snoot is a tunnel/tube which will focus the light on a smaller circle, rather than letting is spread. A gobo is simply a piece of posterboard or foam core or plywood (etc) to block out a section of the light.

That way you can keep some/all of the light from hitting the shelves, keeping the shelves dark and the car light. Here's a photoshop mock-up of the effect

did you say film : )

if you get a camera with a hot shoe - let me know.

Jim, that is cool, how was that done?

Mark, I'd like to try that with the car on a racetrack (stopped) at night and get
it lit up well with the pit lane kind of faded in the background.

Chris, I will try that once I have an engine and exhaust in the car.

John

Baby got new shoes!!!

Click to view attachment

Gottis off a 930 with 13" rear tires and 10" front tires.

Click to view attachment

Need bigger spacers. Still rubbing the inside with 1" spacers in the rear.
Fronts could move out a little as well. DXC denarii including shipping, tires
and center caps.

Looks sweet...

John

looks like you got good light now. problem solved : )

my blur shot was an accident - shutter speed too slow and shaky hand : )

jim

...with flash...