Godox makes three models of speedlites that are similar, but each have their own unique features. This is a long post, but it should help you decide which model to buy.
Common to all models
-1- All three models can be used by themselves in the camera’s hot shoe, or in combination as either master or remote flashes in a multi-flash setup. They are all fully compatible with the Godox X3 and X3 Pro wireless radio triggers, too.
-2- Godox makes versions of each model for Nikon (N), Canon (C), Sony (S), FUJIFILM (F), and Olympus/Panasonic (O). (The M flash at the left below is the TT600 pure manual flash.) These camera-specific versions allow the same full TTL compatibility as do the camera manufacturer’s flashes. They are denoted by the first letter of the camera brand as a suffix. In other words, for a Nikon camera, you would order a TT685iiN or V860iiiN or V1N. [Click on image to enlarge, then click on left arrow to return to post.]
Godox TT685 flash hot shoes for different camera brands.
-3- All of these Godox flashes can be used in full manual mode on any camera body by any manufacturer—except for Sony. Because of its different hot shoe design, including the position of the firing pin, flashes for Sony do not work in other camera hot shoes—even in manual mode. Likewise, flashes with hot shoes for other camera brands will not work in a Sony hot shoe, even in manual mode.
-4- That being said, Godox flashes for any camera brand will work in TTL mode as remote flashes as long as the master flash or wireless trigger in the camera hot shoe matches the camera brand.
For example, on a Nikon camera, you could use a Godox TT685iiN in i-TTL mode (which is Nikon’s brand of TTL) in the camera’s hot shoe. You could then use a second TT685ii in i-TTL, regardless of the camera body brand the flash was made for. For instance, a TT685iiC (designed for e-TTL in Canon cameras) would work in Nikon’s i-TTL when used as a remote as long as a TT685iiN, V850iiiN, V1N, or wireless trigger for Nikon was in the hot shoe as the master or controller flash or trigger. That’s pretty remarkable. I highly recommend you buy all your flashes for your camera body brand, but you might be able to borrow Godox flashes for other camera brands from colleagues for additional off-camera flash setups.
-5- In Manual mode, flash power can be adjusted in tenths of a stop. In TTL mode, the flash exposure compensation can be adjusted in thirds of a stop.
-6- Both the TT685ii and the V860iii have the same specs as the top-of-the-line flashes by most of the camera manufacturers, with Guide Numbers of 197 feet (60 meters) at ISO 100. The V1 specs are given in Watt-seconds (like studio strobes) instead of Guide Numbers. My experience is that the power outputs of the three models are similar.
-7- All of these models can be used as remotes in optic mode with any other flash or studio strobe. I routinely use one or more in optic mode in conjunction with my Profoto Pro-B3 studio lights. Optic mode only works in manual flash mode.
-8- In the TTL mode of any manufacturer’s flash, the flash exposure compensation is recalculated with each shutter click. This is desirable when the flash-to-subject distance is changing. But it can lead to inconsistent exposures when the distance doesn’t change.
These flashes all have a very handy TCM button that converts the TTL flash compensation into manual flash power. This allows for the camera and flash to calculate the proper flash compensation in TTL mode, but then to switch to manual mode to ensure the flash exposure is consistent between frames when your subject remains at the same distance from the flash.
-9- All three models cost much less than half the price of a top-of-the-line flashes by most of the camera manufacturers.
-10- The flash head of all three models can be tilted downward at -7° for close-up use and tilted backwards to 120°. All three flash heads rotate 330°.
-11- All three models come with a handy stand and a high quality case.
-12- All have the same intuitive interface and menu, and all are completely interchangeable in any multiple flash setup. All menus turn orange when any of the flashes is used in remote mode, which is a handy double-check. [Click on image to enlarge, then click on left arrow to return to post.]
Godox speedlite menu and interfaceGodox speedlte master menu. [Note: flash must be mounted in a camera hot shoe to function as a master flash.]Godox speedlite remote menu
Differences between models
-1- The most obvious difference is that the TT685ii and the V860iii have the same rectangular head, while the V1 has a round head. The shape of the head obviously affects the shape of the light output (and perhaps the catch light in a person’s eyes), but I’ve not experienced any meaningful differences in forensic use. In fact, my studio strobes are Profoto B3 Pro lights with round heads, while my most-used speedlite is the rectangular-headed TT685ii. Depending on the amount of light needed, I not only use them interchangeably, but I often use them together for a single image. [Click on image to enlarge, then click on left arrow to return to post.]
Godox speedlite flash head shapes
-2- Both the V860iii and V1 use proprietary lithium ion batteries. They come with one battery, but I highly suggest you buy a second for each flash to make sure you can finish your job.
The TT685ii uses four AA batteries (I’ve used Powerex Pro 2700 mAh rechargeable batteries for years). They are also compatible with external power packs for fast recharging and an almost unlimited number of flashes.
Depending on what I’m doing, I carry at least three TT685iiN flashes plus four sets of four AA rechargeable batteries between two small Think Tank battery pouches. They don’t weigh much and don’t take up much space. Best of all, if you’re out working and run out of batteries, including spares (I never have, but just in case), you can always use any universally available AA batteries. [Click on image to enlarge, then click on left arrow to return to post.]
Godox speedlite batteries with flashes on stands.
-3- Both the TT685ii and V860iii zoom from 20° to 200°, while the V1 zoom range is 28° to 105°. I use the zoom feature often to control the spread of light.
-4- The V860iii and V1 have an available modeling light, which the TT685ii lacks. I’ve never used a modeling light on studio strobes or speedlites, but if you do, this could be a deciding factor.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Happy flash shooting!
During my SAE classes (https://www.sae.org/learn/content/c1729/) and various other classes and presentations, I demonstrate and recommend Godox flashes—specifically the TT685ii. They are powerful, robust, and intuitive to use.
They have the same technical specifications and features (including: guide number 197 ft/60 m at ISO 100; fully rotating and tilting head; and, built-in radio transmitters/receivers) as the equivalent camera manufacturer’s flashes, but at only $129, cost only 12% to 22% as much! [Click on image to enlarge, then click on left arrow to return to this post.]
Godox TT685iiN mounted on Nikon Z 8, with flash head tilted up and rotated right.
In other words, you can buy 4.5 to 8.5 Godox TT685ii flashes for the price of a single camera brand flash. This means you can buy two (or three) Godox TT685ii flashes and still have plenty of money for rechargeable batteries and a charger for them. (Of course, you’ll need the batteries and a charger regardless of which flash you buy.)
For off-camera use, I highly recommend getting at least two of these flashes. I always carry at least three TT685iiN flashes, along with an X3 N hot shoe trigger so I can use all flashes off-camera if necessary. (I also use the X3 N hot shoe trigger with my Godox MF-12 macro flashes. I’ll describe them in a future post.)
Important: To use TTL (through-the-lens) flash exposure, make sure you buy flashes designed for use with your camera brand.For example, I shoot Nikon, so I use the TT685iiN versions. Godox makes versions compatible with Nikon, Canon, Sony, FUJIFILM, and Olympus/Panasonic. This allows the flashes to be used in TTL mode. [Click on image to enlarge, then click on left arrow to return to this post.]
Godox TT685 Flash Hot Shoes for different camera brands. (Made with ZEISS Milvus 50 mm f/2 Macro lens on Nikon D850 at f/16, 1/200 sec, ISO 64. One Profoto B1x strobe to each side triggered by a Nikon SB-910 flash in the camera’s hot shoe.)
In the image above, the flash at the far left (“M”) is a full manual(non-camera specific, non-TTL) model. It has a single contact to allow the camera to fire the flash with fully manual settings (except with Sony cameras). The other flashes, from left to right, are Nikon, Canon, FUJIFILM, Olympus/Panasonic, and Sony.
Note that any flash may be used in full manual mode with any camera brand—except with Sony. The pin that fires the flash is offset on the Sony proprietary hot shoe (far right in photo above), so it doesn’t reliably fire a non-Sony flash—if fires it at all. Sony’s proprietary hot shoe means a Sony-compatible flash must be used on a Sony camera. It also means that Sony-specific flashes will not work in non-Sony camera hot shoes (although they will work as remote flashes).
I’ve been using TT685iiN flashes (I have six of them) almost daily since their release almost four years ago without a single problem or malfunction. I previously used the original TT685N flashes (I have three of them) without any issue. I also have bought another twenty or so TT685ii flashes for other camera brands for students to use in my classes. (Full disclosure: I am not affiliated with Godox. I just use and like their stuff!)
Note: The Godox V860iii is identical to the TT685ii, but it includes a proprietary rechargeable lithium-ion battery, and costs $100 more. The Godox V1 is identical to the V860iii, but has a round head and costs $30 more than the V860iii and $130 more than the TT685ii). All three flash models are fully interchangeable as on-or-off camera flashes with the Godox radio control system. A future post will illustrate and describe the differences between the Godox flash models.
Regardless of what flash brand you get, I strongly encourage you to get at least two flashes. Two flashes allow you to use the off-camera flash to fill in shadows and for side lighting to bring out textures, stampings, and raised lettering or elements. You’ll find they are something you’ll use almost daily in your forensic photography.
Takeaways:
-1- Godox TT685ii, V860iii, and V1 are well-made, robust, powerful, and intuitive flashes that cost much less than, but have the same performance specs as, flashes sold by camera manufacturers.
-2- This significantly lower cost makes it easy to buy two or more flashes, plus rechargeable batteries and a battery charger, for less money than a single camera manufacturer’s flash.
-3- Two flashes allow you to use the off-camera flash to fill in shadows and for side lighting to bring out textures, stampings, and raised lettering or elements.
-4- You need to make sure at least one of your flashes is compatible with your camera brand so you can use TTL (through-the-lens) flash exposure.
-5- If you don’t need or want light coming from a flash in your camera’s hot shoe, adding an X3 or X3 Pro hot shoe trigger will allow you to use all your flashes off camera, even in TTL.
My next SAE C1729 Photography for Accident Reconstruction, Product Liability, and Testing class: https://www.sae.org/learn/content/c1729/ will be in Orlando, FL, from May 5 through 7, 2026. Here is the first of two posts showing some examples from the topics we’ll be discussing during the class.
Tracking a Vehicle During Testing
Tracking by panning with Nikon D800E with 300 mm f/2.8 lens at f/6.3, 1/640 sec, ISO 400. [Click on image to enlarge, then click on back arrow to return to this post.]Using Fill Flash to Show Details in Shadows
Both with Nikon D850 and ZEISS Milvus 50 mm f/2 macro lens. Left side: No flash at f/10, 1/60 sec, ISO 64. Right side: Fill flash at f/11, 1/80 sec, ISO 64. [Click on image to enlarge, then click on back arrow to return to this post.]Showing Depths of Abrasions and Damage Using Two Flashes vs Ambient
Left side: Ambient only; Right side: One Profoto B1x strobe on either side of tread. Both with Nikon D850 with ZEISS Milvus 50 mm f/2 macro lens at f/16, ISO 100, 4.0 sec left & 1/200 sec right. [Click on image to enlarge, then click on back arrow to return to this post.]Controlling Background Brightness while Keeping Flash the Same
Both made with Nikon D850 and ZEISS Milvus 50 mm f/2 macro lens at f/14, ISO 64 with flash in hot shoe. Left side: 2.0 second exposure for bright background. Right side: 1/250 sec exposure for dark background. Background itself didn’t change. [Click on image to enlarge, then click on back arrow to return to this post.]Keeping Background Brightness the Same while Adding Fill Flash
Left side: Ambient light only. Right side: Same ambient light with added fill flash. Both with Nikon Z 8 with ZEISS Milvus 50 mm f/2 macro lens at f/16, 1/25 sec, ISO 64. [Click on image to enlarge, then click on back arrow to return to this post.]Using Macro Flashes vs On-Camera Flash for Recessed Subjects
Left side: flash in hot shoe (Godox TT685IIN) with head tilted -7°; Right side: one small macro flash (Godox MF-12) on either side of lens—no light from hot shoe flash. Both with Nikon D850 with ZEISS Distagon 25 mm f/2 lens at f/16, 1/200 sec, ISO 64. [Click on image to enlarge, then click on back arrow to return to this post.]Unintended Deception from Camera Position, Even with Same Lens
Both made with Nikon D850 with ZEISS Milvus 50 mm f/2 macro lens with fill flash. Left side: f/13, 1/40 sec, ISO 125. Right side: f/16, 1/30 sec, ISO 200. [Click on image to enlarge, then click on back arrow to return to this post.]Eliminating Glare Such As On Plastic Evidence Bag Using Two Flashes
Both made with Nikon D850 with ZEISS Milvus 50 mm f/2 macro lens. Left side: Ambient only (f/16, 1.0 sec, ISO 16). Right side: Ambient with one flash at right and one at left (f/16, 1/200 sec, ISO 64). [Click on image to enlarge, then click on back arrow to return to this post.]Using Tripod, Manual Exposure, & Manual Flash to Ensure Consistent Images for Demonstrating Function of Subject
Using a tripod, manual exposure, and manual flash ensure consistency between images. Both made with Nikon D850 and ZEISS Milvus 50 mm f/2 macro lens at f/16, 1/40 sec, ISO 64 plus flash. [Click on image to enlarge, then click on back arrow to return to this post.]Some of you may have noticed that—except for the Explorer testing, the Trailblazer, and the onboard tire inflation system images—each pair of images had the same exact composition. Only the lighting changed. This was only possible by using a tripod. Tripod use will be another area of concentration and practice in the class. Hopefully, you’ll learn to love using your tripod like I love using mine.
I’ll post another set of photograph pairs later to illustrate additional areas we’ll cover in the class.
In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to contact me by e-mail or phone if you have any questions or would like more information. I look forward to seeing you in Orlando, FL, in May. For more details or to register for the class, here is the link for the class: https://www.sae.org/learn/content/c1729/.
Both 1/80 sec, ISO 200 made using Nikon D3s with Nikon 24-70 mm f/2.8 lens at 50 mm. Left without polarizer f/14. Right with polarizer f/11.
[Click on image to enlarge, then click back arrow to return to this post.]
SAE will once again be hosting my class C1729 entitled Photography for Accident Reconstruction, Product Liability, and Testing from March 18-20, 2025. This time it will be in Peoria, AZ.
We will start with the basics of camera setup, menus, exposure, and gear (especially flashes, tripods, and polarizers). We will build on that with composition and focusing. There will be plenty of comparison images between bad and good images so we can see how and why images can be improved to show more detail and become more useful.
We will also discuss the special requirements and procedures for macro (close-up) and night photography, along with the importance of proper perspective. Finally, we will review file handling and post-processing.
We will have extended hands-on sessions to apply what we’ve learned to real world situations. As always, I will be bringing additional flashes, tripods, and polarizers for those who don’t have them, or who don’t have good ones, or who want to try new equipment.
While a tire expert can glean a bit of information from examining a tire that is still mounted on its rim, a tire analysis is rarely considered complete without a thorough inspection of its beads and its interior. Of course to do this, the tire has to be demounted from its rim.
It is common practice for the first tire expert who receives an assembled tire and wheel to photograph both sides of it. Next, that expert will mark the valve stem position on the outside sidewall with a tire crayon or silver ink pen (unless both beads are unseated and the tire freely rotates around its rim). Finally, the expert will have the tire demounted from its rim by an experienced tire tech. Most of the time, there is no need for other tire experts to be present during the tire demounting.
While this example is not from a case, this happened to me, and illustrates why it would have been essential to demount the tire to figure out why it failed.
I was driving my old Ford F-150 pickup to retrieve a truck tire and wheel for analysis when I heard a popping then a flopping noise from the rear. I wasn’t sure what it was, so I pulled over and saw the right rear tire had gone flat. [Click on image to enlarge, then click on back arrow to return to this post.]
Made with iPhone 11 Pro Max at f/1.8, 1/120 sec, ISO 32.
I saw this fairly long radial split or cut, but couldn’t tell what had caused it. Being a tire engineer, I regularly inspect my tires while keeping them properly inflated, but I hadn’t noticed any pending issue.
At the tire store, they demounted the tire and called me over to see. Somehow, this blade from a pair of shears cleanly penetrated the sidewall, carcass, and innerliner, and ended up inside the tire. [Click on image to enlarge, then click on back arrow to return to this post.]
Made with iPhone 11 Pro Max at f/1.8, 1/105 sec, ISO 125.
I would never have guessed that this long blade could have so cleanly and completely passed through the sidewall of a tire rotating at 45 mph. And without removing the tire from its rim, I would never have known what caused that radial cut.
Fortunately, in this case I knew the prior condition of the tire and about how suddenly the failure occurred.
In actual cases, it’s extremely rare to have such clean cut evidence (pun intended). In Part Two, I will show several examples of tire conditions that could only have been determined after the tire was demounted.
Takeaways:
-1- While a tire expert can gather information about a failed tire while it is still mounted, a thorough analysis cannot be completed until the tire is demounted from its rim.
-2- Demounting a tire from its rim is essential so the tire beads, the inside of the tire, and the condition of the wheel can all be analyzed. This includes examining for cracks, punctures, mounting/demounting damages, and repairs.
-3- On rare occasions like the one described, the actual cause of the failure is immediately obvious when the tire is demounted.
-4- It is common practice for the first tire expert to receive the tire and wheel assembly to photograph it as mounted, mark the valve position on the outside sidewall (if the beads are still seated), and have the tire professionally demounted. Typically, other tire experts do not need to be present for the demounting.
This tire was photographed in the afternoon on a sunny day. [Click on the image to enlarge. Then click on back arrow to return to this post.]
Mounted tire on wheel outdoors with no flash. (Made with Nikon Z 8 and ZEISS Milvus 50 mm macro on Nikon FTZ II adapter at f/16, 1/10 sec, ISO 64.)
Despite being properly exposed, there are almost no details in the shadows of the tire sidewall or the wheel. Brightening the exposure would have shifted the brightest parts of both the wheel and tire into blown out highlights and all detail there would have been permanently lost. While not essential to the tire or wheel, the brighter spots on the concrete driveway would also have blown out. This would result in a less professional looking image.
Fortunately, the overall exposure itself can remain, and flashes can be used to bring out details in the shadows. [Click on the image to enlarge. Then click on back arrow to return to this post.]
Mounted tire on wheel outdoors with both on-camera flash and second flash at lower right. (Made with Nikon Z 8 and ZEISS Milvus 50 mm macro on Nikon FTZ II adapter. Godox TT685N II in camera hot shoe and Godox AD200 Pro at lower right at f/16, 1/10 sec, ISO 64.)
While keeping the identical exposure, a Godox TT685N II speedlight was slid into the camera’s hot shoe and aimed towards the shadows inside the wheel and on the left side of the tire sidewall. A second Godox flash—an AD200 Pro—was handheld at the lower right, and angled upwards toward the right side where the tread used to be.
These two flashes balanced the natural light and added much-needed detail in the shadows. The result was both a professional appearing image and one where details were not blocked up in dark shadows or blown out in the highlights.
Of course, like almost every photograph I make, both of these images were made with the camera on a tripod. I used a five-second self-timer so I could move over and get the handheld flash at the lower right into position.
Takeaways:
-1- On bright sunny days, there is often too much contrast to capture detail in both the highlights and the shadows.
-2- Increasing the exposure will lighten the shadows, but will cause the highlights to blow out and permanently lose all data and detail there.
-3- Adding one or more flashes to fill in shadows where needed results in more detail in the shadows without losing detail in the highlights.
-4- You may have to make a couple different images with the flashes to get the proper amount of light and the proper angle of light for what you want. When I make more than one image, I only keep the one that shows the details I intended. If you feel you must keep all the images you make, no problem. Only use the best one in reports or as an exhibit.
-5- More good news! The more often you practice with one or more flashes, the more quickly and intuitively you will be able to get both the amount and direction of light that you want.
When inspecting a truck and downloading its HVEDR, it is important to document the actual tire parameters. This includes not only confirming tires sizes, but their load ranges. You must confirm that the tire sizes and load ranges match those on the safety certification label on the door jamb and in the values programmed into the HVEDR.
In its 2023 Truck Tire Data Book, Michelin summarizes the effects of different revs/mile in this Rule of Thumb: “When going from a lower Tire Revs./Mile [sic] to a higher Tire Revs./Mile, the actual vehicle speed is less than the speedometer reading. When going from a higher Tire Revs./Mile to a lower Tire Revs./Mile, the actual vehicle speed is greater than the speedometer reading.”
The revs/mile differences between load ranges in a given tire size might not be large, but they do exist—even in the same line of tires. For example, Michelin lists two 11R22.5 X Multi D tires: one load range G and the other load range H. For the load range G tire, Michelin lists the revs/mile as 496 while it lists 494 revs/mile for the load range H tire. Likewise, for the 11R22.5 Michelin X Line Energy Z tire line, the load range G revs/mile was 502 and the load range H was 503.
So just between two Michelin tire lines, there is a range of revs/mile from 494 to 503 for 11R22.5 tires. Not only that, but for one tire line, revs/mile were higher for the LRH tire than the LRG, while for the other tire line, the opposite was true.
At first it may seem that all tires of the same size would have the same revs/mile. But variations in tire construction, tread design, and tread depth can result in small variations in the actual revs/mile of a specific tire of the same size.
Tire companies determine the revs/mile from the test procedures set out in SAE Recommended Practice J1025. J1025 specifies speed (45 mph), load, inflation pressure, ambient temperature, configuration, break-in, warm up, surfaces, measurement devices, and test distances required for each test.
The four revs/mile values of the four 11R22.5 Michelin tires above weren’t far apart, but it is best to check and confirm. And even though a small difference in revs/mile may not end up being significant in your analysis, you want to confirm that the truck tires sizes and load ranges matched what was used when programming the HVEDR.
Many trucks have a variety of tire brands, sizes, load ranges, or a mixture of original and retreaded tires. In some cases, the truck may be gone or repaired, and all you have to work with is the HVEDR report itself. When you have tire variations or unknown tires, you might consider researching the ranges of any relevant tire property, like revs/mile, then running a sensitivity analysis to quantify the effect that range of values might have on any subsequent analysis involving data from the report.
Takeaways:
-1- During a truck inspection, don’t just document the tire manufacturer(s) and tire size(s), but be sure to include the tire load range(s). Compare their properties with the programmed values in the HVEDR report.
-2- If there are variations in the truck’s tires, check the various tire properties against the HVEDR programmed values.
-3- Using those tire property variations, it might be useful to perform a sensitivity analysis to quantify the effect of a range of revs/mile or other variable.
-4- To learn how to apply HVEDR data, I highly recommend SAE International class C1901 Advanced Applications of Heavy Vehicle EDR Data taught by Wes Grimes, Greg Wilcoxson, Dave Plant, and Brad Higgins: https://www.sae.org/learn/content/c1901/
I needed to document the bolt holes on a wheel that came off the front of a pickup to show whether or not the wheel had been loose on its studs.
After making overall photos of the wheel and tire assembly, I made close-ups of the mounting surface and bolt holes from the back of the wheel. But on the outside of the wheel, the bolt holes were too deeply recessed to use a standard macro lens.
It was important to photograph the lug nut mating surface at the bottom of each recess, but it was nearly impossible both to get light down each recess and to fill the image frame with each hole. I wanted to get sharp, detailed, full frame images of the mating surface—not images cropped from a larger view.
The solution was the unique Laowa Probe lens. (I have previously discussed another unique Laowa super macro lens. I’ve found Laowa lenses to be well made and optically excellent.)
As the photo below shows, the Probe is a 16-inch long tube with a small diameter 24 mm lens surrounded by tiny LED lights at its end. You use a small USB power brick to power those LED lights. Laowa supplies a USB cable with a built-in dimmer switch, but you must supply the power brick. [Click on photo to enlarge, then click on back arrow to return to this post.]
Nikon D850 with Laowa 24mm f/14 2X Macro Probe macro lens made with Nikon Z 7II with Nikon Z 24-70 mm f/2.8 lens and two Profoto B1x studio flashes. f/16, 1/200 sec, ISO 200.
Laowa offers the Probe with several different mounts for many popular DSLR and mirrorless cameras. I used the Nikon F-mount version of the Probe lens on my Nikon D850. Note that all versions of the Probe require manual focusing and exposure; there are no electronic connections between the Probe and any camera.
Fortunately, the lens barrel fit perfectly into the recessed bolt hole, allowing me to get a full frame image of the mounting surface at the bottom. All I had to do was to adjust the intensity of the LEDs, adjust the exposure, and click the shutter. [Click on photo to enlarge, then click on back arrow to return to this post.]
Nikon D850 with Laowa 24mm f/14 2X Macro Probe macro lens made with Nikon Z 7II with Nikon Z 24-70 mm f/2.8 lens and two Profoto B1x studio flashes. f/16, 1/200 sec, ISO 200.
To steady the lens, manually focus, and keep the lens perpendicular to the bottom of the recess, I had the camera mounted on my rolling studio camera stand, which acted like an easily-adjusted tripod on wheels.
As you’ll see, the next two images made with the Probe lens required 0.5 and 0.3 second exposure times, respectively. That range of shutter speeds required that the camera be secured on a tripod to eliminate camera shake. Raising ISO to get handholdable shutter speeds would introduce noise, reduce detail, and reduce dynamic range. That would defeat the whole purpose of using the Probe to get sharp, detailed full frame images.
The first image I made for each paired hole (the wheel was drilled for two bolt patterns) was to show the bolt hole pair, while concentrating on the appropriate bolt hole. [Click on photo to enlarge, then click on back arrow to return to this post.]
Nikon D850 with Laowa 24mm f/14 2X Macro Probe. f/unrecorded, 0.5 sec, ISO 64.
I then slid the end of the Probe deeper into the recess to fill the frame with details of the mounting surface. [Click on photo to enlarge, then click on back arrow to return to this post.]
Nikon D850 with Laowa 24mm f/14 2X Macro Probe. f/unrecorded, 0.3 sec, ISO 64.
I know of no other way to have attained this image without significant cropping and the inherent loss of detail and resolution.
Although it’s not a lens I use all that often, I’ve found the Probe unmatched for photographing inaccessible labels, fasteners, or other components, too. The built-in LED lights around the lens make it a really useful tool.
-1- The Laowa Probe (along with the more recent Peri-Probe) lens is a unique, specialized macro lens that can allow you to photograph areas that are otherwise inaccessible.
-2- The Laowa Probe lens allows you to capture all the resolution and detail of full frame images that would be lost with a significant crop.
-3- If you are stymied about how to photograph a challenging subject, you might be able to find a commercially available specialized solution.
-4- While it is preferable to have specialized lenses at your disposal, you can always rent lenses (or other photography gear) for infrequently encountered situations. Of course, you might find yourself using even seemingly specialized lenses more often if you own them and have them readily available.
Often, evidence is stored in plastic bags or containers with shiny surfaces that result in reflective glare when photographed. This glare can obscure both the content and any markings on the bag or container.
As an example, a small piece of the bead toe from a tire was placed in a plastic bag, which was labeled with a black magic marker. (The writing on the bags in the images below has been intentionally altered to preserve anonymity.)
This first image was made in my Studio Lab using just the overhead LED lights. [Click on image to enlarge, then click on left arrow to return to this post.]
Plastic Evidence Bag without Flashes (Made with ZEISS Milvus 50 mm f/2 Macro lens on Nikon D850 at f/16, 1 sec, ISO 64.)
Even though the image is properly exposed, the overhead LED lights resulted in so much glare that it is difficult to make out the tiny tire piece inside or the writing on the outside of the bag.
To show both the contents and the writing, I kept the overhead LED lights on, but added a Profoto B1x studio flash on the right and on the left side of the bag. (Note: any remote flashes or speedlights can be used for the same effect.) [Click on image to enlarge, then click on left arrow to return to this post.]
Plastic Evidence Bag with Flashes (Made with ZEISS Milvus 50 mm f/2 Macro lens on Nikon D850 at f/16, 1/200 sec, ISO 64. One Profoto B1x strobe to each side triggered by a Godox TT685N II flash in the camera’s hot shoe.)
Wait, how did adding even more light eliminate the glare? Two things combined to make that work.
First, the added light from the flashes allowed me to significantly reduce the overall exposure. In this case, for both images I kept the aperture at f/16 for depth of field, and the ISO at 64 for lowest noise/highest dynamic range.
In the original image using the overhead LED lights only, the shutter speed was 1 second. When I added the flashes, I reduced the shutter speed down to 1/200 second. This faster shutter speed prevented the overhead LED lights—and their reflections—from recording at all. If I turned off the flashes, the image would have been black, even though the overhead LED lights were on.
Second, the light that reflected from each flash bounced away from its respective flash, and not into the camera lens. Hence, their reflections were not recorded by the camera.
Takeaways:
-1- To reduce or eliminate glare from overhead lights, reduce the exposure enough to cause the image to go black, or nearly so.
-2- Add one or more flashes positioned (usually to the sides) such that any reflections bounce away from the lens, not into it.
-3- Adjust the power of the flash(es) to properly light the subject at the new exposure.
-4- Note: With curved or irregularly shaped objects (like plastic bags), some localized reflections may remain. These may or may not be moved or eliminated by changing the positions of the camera or the flash(es).
When your subject has multiple similar features, you’ll need to mark each of them to distinguish among them in your photographs. These markings must be repeated on the other side of your subject, too, if applicable.
Since you are dealing with evidence, you should never make permanent marks unless agreed to by all parties involved beforehand. Instead, it’s best to use removable stickers or labels.
Before applying any labels, photograph the subject as you received it. This will ensure no part of the evidence is masked. As an example, here is a photograph of the mounting surface of an eight-bolt wheel with sixteen holes so it can be used with more than one bolt circle. (Click on image to enlarge, then click on the back arrow to return to this post.)
Nikon D850 with ZEISS Milvus 50 mm macro lens and Nikon R1C1 macro flashes. f/16, 1/200 sec, ISO 64.
Using a Brother P-touch labeler, I made one long label with two strings of numbers from 1 through 8, then cut between each number to create small labels of each individual number. The goal was to make the labels as small—yet as legible—as possible so they would mask the least amount of the evidence.
Choose a font with legible numbers, and set the font style to bold. Depending on the color of evidence, I usually use either white on black or black on white labels. On rare occasions, I have used black on clear labels. It’s advantageous to have all three label tapes available.
A label maker creates labels that are more legible and more professional looking than writing numbers by hand on torn pieces of tape.
For this wheel, I numbered the holes in pairs. Note that the numbers are counterclockwise on the inside so they will correspond with the same numbers on the outside of the wheel, which were clockwise. (Click on image to enlarge, then click on the back arrow to return to this post.)
Nikon D850 with ZEISS Milvus 50 mm macro lens and Nikon R1C1 macro flashes. f/16, 1/200 sec, ISO 64.
Here is the outside of the wheel showing the clockwise bolt hole pair labels. (Click on image to enlarge, then click on the back arrow to return to this post.)
Nikon D850 with ZEISS Milvus 50 mm macro lens with two Profoto B1x in diffused silver umbrellas. f/16, 1/200 sec, ISO 64.
Now close-ups of every hole will be easily identified whether on the inside…
Nikon D850 with ZEISS Milvus 100 mm macro lens and Nikon R1C1 macro flashes. f/16, 1/200 sec, ISO 64.
…or the outside of the wheel. Note that the labels are a good size in the close-ups without overwhelming the subject. Also note that the label is still effective even if it is out of the depth of field of the subject and is slightly out of focus.
Nikon D850 with Laowa 24mm f/14 2X Macro Probe. f/unrecorded, 0.5 sec, ISO 64.
Takeaways:
-1- After photographing evidence as found or received, mark repetitive features on any sides that will be photographed.
-2- Do not make permanent marks on evidence.
-3- Mark evidence with small, legible, and removable labels instead of handwritten numbers on torn pieces of tape.
-4- While labels should be included in close-ups, they do not have to be within the depth of field of the subject as long as they are still discernible.
-5- After making each close-up image with its label, you may want to remove the label and take another photograph without it. Having your camera on a tripod will allow you to made identical shots both with and without the label.
