Quick Start - here's how I have setup the Indra for this shooting:
- Battery switch: High Speed (no worries, it lasts very long)
- Menu 1 / Option 2, Modelling Light: 09 (I wish it would go up to 20...)
- Menu 1 / Option 3, Mode TTL (I dial in manual settings on the Odin)
- Menu 4 / Option 1, RX: Odin-C (because I use my Odin for Canon controller)
- Menu 4 / Option 2, Quick flash mode: Activate (I want it to fire in any case)
- Menu 4 / Option 3, Ready beeb: Deactivate (with a strong flash I don't need it unless I shoot it on full power)
I found that the Indra500 blends in perfectly with the lighting gear that I'm using all the time, which is the Odin radio controller and a few Mitros+ speedlights.
I tried it out for a couple of photos inside my warm and cozy home studio and then took my tests outdoors at Düsseldorf’s Media Harbor, which was kissed by sunshine but blistering cold at the same time.
Controlled by my Odin Radio Transmitter
I control the Indra with the Odin from on-camera exactly like I usually control and trigger my off-camera speedlights. Often we're shooting with two cameras alternating in my photoshoots. Then we're using a Mitros+ speedlight in parallel as the second controller on the other camera. The Indra can be controlled with that one as well.
Performance
I shot a rapid fire series of Coxy of her shaking her head, her lovely curls flying in the air. The performance of the flash was solid, no misfires or outtages.
TTL
I also tried out shooting the Indra in TTL mode varying my flash to model distance between 3 feet and 15 feet. All exposures were perfect. In some situations, it's really handy when a flash supports TTL. This is true at events, for example, where I have to switch apertures from f/2.8 for portraits to f/5.6 or f/8 for group shots, and I cannot control the distance of my subjects from the flash so well.
Power: Portrait at f/40
On a side note, it's always good when the flash has got a strong power reserve, and the Indra has got a powerful 500w/s. To test the limits, I tried to shoot a portrait at f/40. And it works beautifully. Usually, I will never shoot at f/40, but the power comes in handy. Especially, when you've got light-hungry light modifiers such as big softboxes and of course when shooting outdoors, using High Speed Sync.
High Speed Sync
To test this out, I took Coxy outdoors by a canal in Media Harbor. We produced a portrait with shallow depth of field at f/2.8. On this bright day I had to go to 1/8000s with my shutter speed in order to darken the sky to a nice, solid blue.
Stopping down to f/5.6 finally gave us a day to night portrait with a very dark ambient.
Working with TTL Groups
I also added a hair light by placing a speedlight behind the model, added it to group B on my Odin controller, and disabled TTL for this group, since the camera cannot really measure a hairlight. I kept it on manual on ¼ power. The Mitros+ speedlights are also High Speed Sync capable and the Odin controller handles multiple groups very well.
And that's what I mean when I say that Indra blends perfectly into my existing gear and that's how I'm going to use this flash.
Look up the detailed
Indra500 specs in the Phottix Store. You can order the Indra there, but it won't be shipped before February 26th because businesses in China are closed during Chinese New Year.
What would you like to see?
If you have any ideas what I should try out with the new Indra, then please drop me a comment!
