Wimberley Plamp II PP-200

Product Information

plamp (n.) (combination of the words, "plant" and "lamp") (adj. plampy) (adv. Plamply/plampily) (v. plamping, to plamp) (sentence {v}: plamp it up!) The Plamp. It’s a clamp, for plants. Along with having the best name of any photographic accessory on the market, Wimberley’s Plamp II is the ideal tool for stabilising wind-blown macro subjects such as wildflowers. In macro photography, the close focusing distances and narrow apertures that are often required can lead to available light being a precious commodity, so why not make your life easier and your images more dramatic by adding some of your own! The average helping hand usually has a couple of crocodile clips attached on a frame-like structure, so it can be used to support things like polystyrene cups if you use those for your extreme macro diffusion, as I do. The aluminium Alta Pro 263T can safely support professional setups weighing up to 7kg, and extends to a top working height of 165cm, making it well-suited for landscape shooting as well as macro.

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If you need more reach (e.g. if you are using a 180mm or 200mm macro lens), you have three options. The first option is to attach the Plamp to an object other than your own tripod. The second option is to extend one of the legs of your tripod toward your subject and then attach the PLamp further down the leg of your tripod and thus closer to your subject. The third option is to extend the length of your Plamp by adding extra links to its arm. The trade-off to adding extra length to your Plamp is that it becomes less rigid. For what its worth, I have had some success combining the Plamp with "chenille" from craft supply stores; what we used to call "pipe cleaners". I use the Plamp to hold the chenille, then carefully wrap the chenille around the the plant stem or whatever. Frankly, this doesn't fully solve the vibration problem, but it is easier to reposition the flower (or whatever) than having to move the articulated segments of the Plamp. I also found that even the small clamp on the end of the Plamp would tend to crush non-woody stems, and I don't like doing that. So the chenille avoids that problem as well. A helping hand repurposed from the world of soldering to the world of photography. A cheap and cheerful diffuser holder, but you can of course also use one of these to mount your specimens. The rotation joints at the ends are a bit fiddly to adjust mid-flow, and I removed the magnifying glass as it just gets in the way. It was designed specifically for macro photography and I wanted a lightweight tool, easy to carry, and effective at helping me concentrate to taking great photos. I experimented with one straw length and two straw lengths and what I found was that I could wind the pair of pipe cleaners around the lens and angle it so that it was not in the shot to hold the straw out straight and then if I was taking a picture of a flower then wind the other end cleaner around the stem or somesuch.

non-PHOTOGRAPHIC uses for your plamp

A helping hand is a cheap little holding tool used in soldering that you can buy from any DIY or electronics hobbyist shop.

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Some helping hands also have a magnifying glass or soldering iron holder, but you can usually disassemble the things to remove the bits you don't need. Finally there is a way to stabilise those aggravating windblown subjects! The Plamp II is an easily positionable arm which can be used to hold macro subjects and other useful objects. One end of the Plamp clamps to your tripod while the other grasps the object. One day in the field with a Plamp (or two) and you will begin to realise its full potential. The Wimberley Plamp II is a must for any macro enthusiast.Yes, it has a bit of a weird name, but it's a product that works really well. I have a couple: they hold up my diffusion inside in the studio and they keep windblown grass still when I'm working outside. With individually adjustable reflectors and a clip-on diffuser, this shoot-through ring flash allows you to take total control of the lighting in your macro images. It can be attached to the front of virtually any lens with one of the six filter thread adaptors that come in-box. This flash could also be used for portrait photography, where it gives subjects’ eyes distinctive and attractive donut-shaped catchlights. TTL-compatible and with a modelling light built in, this fully featured device can turn a great macro image into a stunning one. Take control of harsh daylight with this compact diffuser from Manfrotto. Reducing the intensity of light that passes through it by a stop, and spreading it for a softer look, the panel could also be used as a windshield for protecting delicate subjects.