Visual Echoes FX4 Better Beamer Flash Extender for Use with Telephoto Lenses - for Nikon SB-800 & SB-600

Comments about Visual Echoes FX4 Better Beamer for Select Mid-Size Flashes:

easy to put together

Comments about Visual Echoes FX4 Better Beamer for Select Mid-Size Flashes:

No more underlit subjects at great distance! It does exactly what it is supoposed to do!

Comments about Visual Echoes FX4 Better Beamer for Select Mid-Size Flashes:

I use the Better Beamer for wildlife photography to apply fill flash to critters which are not extremely approachable.(ie: bears) It extends the working distance for flash.

Comments about Visual Echoes FX4 Better Beamer for Select Mid-Size Flashes:

For bird photo. Does what it should but you have to learn to use it.

Light and easy to carry in the field

Comments about Visual Echoes FX4 Better Beamer for Select Mid-Size Flashes:

The product fits the flash well, and does exactly what it claims to do. I must by a second for my second camera/lens set-up and a spare.

Comments about Visual Echoes FX4 Better Beamer for Select Mid-Size Flashes:

I finally got a chance to use my Better Beamer. I was shooting Hummingbirds and it performed great. It froze the action in a shaded area from a distance. Good stuff. Thanks B&H.

Comments about Visual Echoes FX4 Better Beamer for Select Mid-Size Flashes:

Works well with Nikon SB600

Comments about Visual Echoes FX4 Better Beamer for Select Mid-Size Flashes:

A photo friend of mine has been using this product to better capture birds in the wild. His photos were always better lit than mine! It took a small investment to get up to speed with his images + I'm glad I did. It is a very lightweight product and easy to affix to your flash. The only downside is how rickety it might be in inclimate weather or a bump...

Comments about Visual Echoes FX4 Better Beamer for Select Mid-Size Flashes:

I use my better beamer for shooting into the sun at birds. I like that it flattens out and takes very little space in my backpack and is easy to assemble.

Comments about Visual Echoes FX4 Better Beamer for Select Mid-Size Flashes:

Probably the one must have tool for a wildlife photographer

Comments about Visual Echoes FX4 Better Beamer for Select Mid-Size Flashes:

Really throws the light

Comments about Visual Echoes FX4 Better Beamer for Select Mid-Size Flashes:

If you are into Wildlife photography this is a must have with lenses longer than 300mm.

Comments about Visual Echoes FX4 Better Beamer for Select Mid-Size Flashes:

I bought this to use with my Nikkor 70-200mm f.2.8 and TC-17EII teleconverter on a D300s for a recent trip to the far north of Australia. It strapped onto my SB600 easily and is very lightweight and portable. I did find that it takes quite a lot of practice to get the right amount of light to the correct distance. I was mostly taking bird shots. The instructions recommend setting the flash zoom to 50mm and using the modelling flash feature on the camera, both of which helped considerably. When you get it working properly the Better Beamer makes a huge difference to your shots, but you do need to invest time learning how to get the best results.

Comments about Visual Echoes FX4 Better Beamer for Select Mid-Size Flashes:

The Better Beamer is well made and is a good fit for my flash. I have been using to provide fill-in flash for relatively close bird photography using a 500 MM lens. The Better Beamer brings out colors and detail, even for areas of black on the birds and adds a glint to their eye.
Overall has worked even better than expected in improving my bird photographs.

Comments about Visual Echoes FX4 Better Beamer for Select Mid-Size Flashes:

The Better Beamer is a simple lightweight design for a higher flash output. I highly recommend this flash attachment to anyone who photographs wildlife, especially birds. The only problem that some might have (which cannot be helped), is that it will burn a hole into your flash if you're point at the sun.

Comments about Visual Echoes FX4 Better Beamer for Select Mid-Size Flashes:

As a wildlife photographer I am often faced with the challenge of needing light somewhere in the frame, but not being able to get it there because of the challenge of approaching wildlife. This product overcomes that challenge by extending the range of the flash and putting enough light on the subject to create a catchlight or provide a bit of warming without being too close to the subject. It really does work - it's not hype. Furthermore, the product is well-made. It collapses down to a flat package so that it can fit in my backpack and take up relatively little space, a premium for most nature photographers. That said, it has to be treated a bit carefully because it is made of high-impact plastic and uses a flexible fresnel lens, which must be somewhat protected. All in all, though, this is one sweet product. No gimmick here!

Comments about Visual Echoes FX4 Better Beamer for Select Mid-Size Flashes:

Purchased this product to use in bird photography,adding that highlight to the eyes.

Also, found that there was an additional benefit for a special effect of "vignetting" or spotlighting the subject" in the center of the photograph properly exposed and the outside edges darker. Producing an older looking photo.

Comments about Visual Echoes FX4 Better Beamer for Select Mid-Size Flashes:

The Beamer works as advertised to extend my flash across big rooms and halls. I am not a techie, but the extended range of flash shots gives me alot of versatility in photographing family and community events.

Comments about Visual Echoes FX4 Better Beamer for Select Mid-Size Flashes:

I got this to capture better wildlife shots. So far, it works well for this. The design is simple, and it mounts cleverly on my SB600 Nikon flash. I'm still learning to manage the light with it. It appears to be about 2-1/2 stops bright, handled by EV adjustment.
The instructions were sparse and scattered, could have been better. Also, some reference to tutorials or suggested settings would have helped.

Comments about Visual Echoes FX4 Better Beamer for Select Mid-Size Flashes:

This is an amazing little device, great for photographing little birds at a distance. Throws the light where you aim it. Approximately 1.5 to 2 STOPS gained depending on distance. I bought this to photograph bats in flight at night, as they circle my street lights and feed on bugs. For the money, a lightweight protector case should be included.