How to get enough light on an urban exploration, caves etc.?

ForenSeil · Joined: 15 Apr 2011 Posts: 2726 Location: Kiel, Germany.

Last time I made an urban exploration I had only a very strong minolta flash and some flashlights - the flash was strong enough but hard to get an even brightness. Flashlights were also hard to handle, esp. during long exposures.
I had to bounce the flash at max. power against the ceiling to get usable results - but after that I was blinded for the next 3 minutes Very Happy

Sample:

Direct light with the flash didn't work as the cone of light is very small.

With flashlights the exposure times are very long, even at very high ISOs... it did work nice of some photos but it was a pain in the *ss anyway
Sample:

So now I was thinking about a stronger and better lightsource.
I tried an LED "storm lantern" but the light is very unnatural and it's also slightly dull.
Flashbulbs are too expensive for general use.
It has to be compact as I often have to crouch through cramped wet tunnels etc. - so large equipment like reflektors are no option.

I thought about glas lamps with an incandescent mantle, very bright and affordable (400W about 20€ without gas bottle) - but they also have a major drawback, because they are extremly sensitive to any shock in my experience.
Similar problems with high powered oil lamps like Petromax 500 or similar. They are very bright and chinese fakes can be had for comparable little money (500W 40€). But they are very large Sad

More something for a BBQ Party

Any ideas?

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

3-4 tripods old flashes with socks on head + remote triggers after a couple of try you will find best output and order I think.

ForenSeil · Joined: 15 Apr 2011 Posts: 2726 Location: Kiel, Germany.

Thx for answer but as said I have to carry these through cramped tunnels which are sometime partially under water....
Results would be great no question - but it would be very uncomfortable Wink

One of these tunnels I'm talking about (they are the only way go inside most of my target-buildings):

Now imagine him with 4-5 Tripods, 3 lenses, camera, 4 flashes, and a flashlight in his hands Very Happy

And my friend here is only 1,68m - I'm 1,93m Very Happy

Tunnels are 1m - 1,50m height and ~30-50cm wide
And in many of them have tricky crossbraces

(Fisheye-effect might be a bit misleading - both of my shoulders were tightly sandwiched between the walls during this photo)

PS:
Most of these tunnels are 40-100m long but according to some literature there also has to be (a bigger?) one I haven't found yet which is several kilometers long, connecting these buildings with another hospital Shocked

visualopsins · Expire: 2025-04-11

I can not imagine reminding a real chemist about http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbide_lamp Laughing

buerokratiehasser · Joined: 12 Jun 2011 Posts: 470

Your sample is a pretty good result for flash I'd think

as to the Q, the best efficiency thus weight (unless you want to carry Mg torches perhaps) is LED technology. for a few watts these are blistering bright. last time I bought them they were 3 bucks or so at LIDL

Maybe you can buy like 10..20 of them and bulk them up into something like a hedgehog (the problem is these are spot), using 12 V version and batteries mhhmhhmm.. lets say they eat 2 W each you would require 3 A.. not sure you can do that with AA (you'd need it for a short time only but still), there are transportable 12V packs but even the small ones are pretty heavy

There is also the Flashlight from He- I mean, Germany, that Ken reviewed recently, but I guess it isn't wide enough.

l9magen · Expire: 2016-10-21

+1 to the LEDs.
And if the light is too harsh or too blue, you can place either some grease-proff paper (baking paper) or toilet-roll/tissue (even choose a colour) and each of these will diffuse the light and reduce the bluish tone. I know a few cavers who do this. I can ask about the weight and battery endurance if you like, though I don't know if they will be able to tell me anything about the point-source vs spot-capability of an LED.

If you want a source with point && diffusive ability, couldn't you use one of those search-torchlights like the police use - again, LED technology, but one can focus the light out to 50m on some of the more powerful ones. Just a thought...

Looks like a fascinating project. I like to shoot shots of urban decay, but I can't get to sites like this. I broke my back years ago, so like everyone else, I'll have to wait to see more of the images - please post results.

ForenSeil · Joined: 15 Apr 2011 Posts: 2726 Location: Kiel, Germany.