Flash's

[Slammed172]

What do I need to know before i buy one ?

So many shots I would like to take but need an off camera flash..

Don't want to be spending a fortune either..

 

[Jungle_Jim]

if you are using it for off camera flash then it doesnt need to be a dedicated unit. meaning you can use film based flashguns which are much cheaper. i picked a canon 420ex speedlight of ebay for £35 then get some triggers and your away.

are you planing on using these on location or for home studio stuff, if you want them for indoor use then get a mains powered studio lighting kit. have look on ebay for the blazzeo kits made sold by link-delight. they are pretty cheap but do a reasonable job

 

[Slammed172]

I'm not sure,could you show example's. I won't be doing any 'people' photography. A lot of Revels' is shots seem to use flash.

 

[Andy.]

i picked a canon 420ex speedlight of ebay for £35 then get some triggers and your away.

Do you mean 420EZ? £35 for an ex would be amazing!

 

[Jungle_Jim]

haha yeah ez my bad lol,

well basically you will need to work out whether you want them to be wireless, as this will mean using batteries and therefore compramising on power, not to mention slower cycle times and money on batteries / time recharging them etc (unless you get studio lights with a travelpak but they are over £1000). If im doing stuff at home then i use my mains powered studio kit,

here is the one i got although with different accessories (stands, soft box, 2 umbrellas, 5 reflectors all different sizes / colours, triggers and a bag)


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/360W-Pro-Stud...graphy_StudioEquipment_RL?hash=item56341611f5

 

[Jungle_Jim]

Blazzeo Studio lights (£160)

speedlite examples (£140)
http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?t=491635


Bowens studio lights (£1000)

 

[Revels]

I have an SB600 which was about £200 and some £20 eBay triggers.

Couldn't be without my flash now. Will use it for nearly every shot.

 

[Slammed172]

Not wanting umbrellas and all that studio 'kit', will have a look into that Revels. Thanks also Jim for the info.

 

[Revels]

I don't have any of that yet. Balancing the light is a bit tricky and it's too harsh to flash directly at something most of the time.

Just have to play with it and see how you get on.

 

[Maggiore]

What triggers did you purchase Revels?

 

[Revels]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Wireless-Slav...raphy_DigitalCamAccess_RL?hash=item3efc065e02

Like that. You'll probably need another battery as the one that come with them are usually dead.

 

[Slammed172]

Are those triggers perfectly good to use outside ? whats the range ?

 

[Revels]

Yeah, fine outside.

I've never really tested them that far, but I've used them at probs 30ft with no problem.

 

[Slammed172]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NIKON-SB600-F...ashUnits_JN?hash=item4a9ee914b6#ht_500wt_1182

I'll keep my on this. So i'll just need the above, and the trigger you posted, and I should be good to go, then just trial and error.

 

[RyanD]

Vheap triggers are good fun but dont expect 100% reliablilty, I went up to skyports when i upgraded to serious lighting over some cheap ebay ones. You still get the odd miss fire but nothing compaired to the cheapos.

Just use them for fun and dont stress to much

 

[Tigger]

What trigger set is best for the Nikon's?

Got a D90 & SB600 already

 

[ipodsandguns]

Depends what you want, 90% of the ebay triggers use the same circuit board as the pt-04's

I had a set of 3 PT-04s for a whole year shooting with them most days and i think once a receiver let me down.

Most of my stuff was shot outside too.

I sold all my gear but im buying again soon, this time il be buying these slaves for the 'brolly compatibility.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180475334890&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Light stands just get a couple of cheap tripods at least one thats capable of 6ft.

As jim says if your going wireless you dont need dedicated flashes, any old junk off ebay will work, just try and sort some thing with manual setting so you can vary the power.
I had 2 flashes that were 20 quid each new from ebay. they did me fine. I also had a vivitar 285 which i loved.



IF YOU DO BUY RANDOM OLD FLASHES OFF EBAY DONT PUT THEM ON YOUR HOT SHOE!

I used to use flashes for nearly every shot

example

perfect day but i still shot with 3 flashes.

 

[Tigger]

So I could trigger almost any flash (make or model) with a wireless trigger then?

I'll grab some cheap flash's and triggers off the bay and get shooting if that's the case

 

[Jason_E]

So I could trigger almost any flash (make or model) with a wireless trigger then?

I'll grab some cheap flash's and triggers off the bay and get shooting if that's the case

+1

 

[ipodsandguns]

So I could trigger almost any flash (make or model) with a wireless trigger then?

I'll grab some cheap flash's and triggers off the bay and get shooting if that's the case

True.

Manual features help and never put them on your cams hot shoe.

 

[Tigger]

Ok, why not put them on the hot shoe? (Not that I'm going to try! lol)

 

[RyanD]

Ok, why not put them on the hot shoe? (Not that I'm going to try! lol)

because the circutry is not compatable and you can end up serverly damaging the cameras internals/frying the flash.

 

[Andy.]

So I could trigger almost any flash (make or model) with a wireless trigger then?

I'll grab some cheap flash's and triggers off the bay and get shooting if that's the case

Not all of them work. I have some blazzeo triggers and they will not trigger a metz ttl flash that i borrowed.

 

[capturedbyjames]

you dont need a trigger for a D90 and SB600 - I dont use one.

Pop your d90 into commander mode and set the settings you want on the right channel. The set the flash into wireless mode, on the same channel and you're away!

Only down-side is you have to have your pop up flash on. Saves moonar though.

 

[Feirny]

Ordered some earlier in the week, could have done with them today but hey ho.

 

[Tigger]

Do the Nikon SB-400's work with the D90 commander mode? (I mean can you control the strength of the flash onboard the camera)

 

[ipodsandguns]

Ordered some earlier in the week, could have done with them today but hey ho.

Normally 7-10 days i think, unless you ordered from uk?

And i didnt know the on board flash had to be popped in commander mode. I expected it to sync via infra red is it optical based?

 

[capturedbyjames]

Do the Nikon SB-400's work with the D90 commander mode? (I mean can you control the strength of the flash onboard the camera)

Nope, just the 600's and up if I remember correctly!

It's not ir, it's just magic....

 

[Tigger]

Ah ok -
I had a play with a D3s and the Nikon R1C1 kit at local photography club meet
All hooked up to a laptop and controlled on the screen for Macro shooting - was great fun!

It uses the SB200's though which are £180 quid each lol