Newbie Question - Off-Camera Flash Needs
After reading various online sites, the more confused I got on exactly what I need for off-camera flash. I have a T1i, 580EX II and a cheap slave flash that came with my camera/lens kit.
After researching and mass confusion, I've come up with the MiniTT1 PocketWizard Transmitter and the FlexTT5 PocketWizard Transceiver. Am I correct that this is all I need? At $200 a pop, I wouldn't be able to purchase them yet, but I need to know what to put on my ever-growing wishlist! Also, I have read as many good as I have bad reviews on these, what is your opinion of them?
Eventually, I would like to get try getting into strobist territory and get the Speedlight Prokit, etc., mentioning this just in case I should be pointed in a different direction for what I need for off-camera flash.
But of course, a tripod is still #1 on my wishlist!
Thanks! [:)]
Denise
Re: Newbie Question - Off-Camera Flash Needs
Re: Newbie Question - Off-Camera Flash Needs
Quote:
Originally Posted by ddt0725
but I need to know what to put on my ever-growing wishlist!
Only what you need. Slow it down a bit. A tripod should be #1 on your list, but don't rush or worry. The equipment NEVER makes the shot. You do. I've used a 1-series body and 600mm f/4 lens. I could not take full advantage of it. Nate could make better images with a 55-250 than I could with a 600 f/4. Don't worry about what you're going to buy so much; learn and then support your practice with new toys. Think about what you can do instead of what you can buy. Once you feel your equipment is holding you back, then maybe upgrade it. That's been my approach and it's helped my progress and my wallet.
Good Luck!
brendan[H]
Re: Newbie Question - Off-Camera Flash Needs
Quote:
Originally Posted by bburns223
No offense or anything, but I just don't see why you could possibly need off-camera flash capabilities. For wildlife photography the only possible need for off-camera flash is to get the flash over the lens hoods of supertelephotos (am I wrong?). If you are serious about macro photography, get the tripod first and later get the macro twin lite flash. Maybe I'm missing something, but I just don't understand what you need it for. As for all the strobist equipment, you need to know the ropes of exposure very well to use it effectively. Make sure that learning and practicing comes before buying.
No offense taken but not much wildlife photography going on here with it being 5 degrees with no sun outside ever so I guess I am just getting cabin fever and was looking into ways to maybe practice taking better photos of people inside under a better lighting set-up. I mentioned strobist because it really intrigues my interest but, yes that is way, way down the line.
And yes, I am very serious about macro photography and of course (knowing me) have the macro twin lite flash on my wishlist! [:D] I've just grown bored of taking macro shots of everything in my house!
Now I know to scratch the off-camera flash gear OFF my wishlist (for now)...WOW, the list actually got shorter for once!!
Thanks,
Denise
Re: Newbie Question - Off-Camera Flash Needs
Thanks, Mark for the links! That was awesome for Sean to put that together for everyone!!
Denise
Re: Newbie Question - Off-Camera Flash Needs
It's not that a wishlist is a bad thing, don't get me wrong, I have a long one too [:P]
It's just that sometimes you need to put it to the side. Strobism isn't rocket science, but it costs about the same.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ddt0725
being 5 degrees with no sun outside ever
[:O]
lol I know that feeling too well... used to live in Chicago. too cold [6]
Good luck with the indoor portraiture. From here on I'll let Sean take over; I am not a people photographer [:)]
Quote:
Originally Posted by ddt0725
And yes, I am very serious about macro photography
The macro twin lite is awesome and expensive. Until it's within your budget your 580 EX II should do fine. A sto-fen omni bounce can diffuse harsh light for macro with the 580. Also of interest: Buy a little contraption called the Wimberley Plamp (only $40, yay!). I'll let a picture do the talking:
[img]/resized-image.ashx/__size/800x600/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.36.40/plamp_5F00_juza.jpg[/img]
So, on one tripod is a body and macro. On the other is a plamp (something of an articulated arm with clamps on either end) with a grass stem and insect. You could try this in summer; it's lots of fun :)
brendan
Re: Newbie Question - Off-Camera Flash Needs
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Elberson
Check out these threads always listen to what
Sean Setters[/b] has to say.
[url="/forums/p/2081/16041.aspx#16041]Interested in strobism?[/url]
[url="/forums/p/2106/16227.aspx#16227]If my flash isn't on my camera, what is it attached to?[/url]
[url="/forums/p/2562/20083.aspx#20083]Bare flash still looks a little harsh...How can I make it look better? [Light Modifiers][/url]
<div style="clear: both;"]</div>
...my work here is done. ;-)
ddt0725 - You might want to check out my flickr photostream. It's full of strobist style shots. They aren't necessarily the best examples, but you'll certainly get a sense of what you can do with some off-camera flash equipment.
Re: Newbie Question - Off-Camera Flash Needs
Quote:
Originally Posted by bburns223
A sto-fen omni bounce can diffuse harsh light for macro with the 580. Also of interest: Buy a little contraption called the Wimberley Plamp (only $40, yay!).
<div style="CLEAR: both"]</div>
I do have the sto-fen bounce and it does work ok for diffusing the harsh light ...I'll just stick with that for now. Wow...the Winberley Plamp is something I never heard of before and it is quite the contraption!It looks awesome and will keep it in mind! Maybe it would work for clamping a thin branch for a bird to sit on! [;)] I've been trying to think of something! This would even put my cheapy tripod to good use so I won't have to buy two! It'd be great for catching butterfly shots this summer and it's something I can buy for under $100!
Thanks,
Denise
Re: Newbie Question - Off-Camera Flash Needs
Quote:
Originally Posted by ddt0725
After researching and mass confusion, I've come up with the MiniTT1 PocketWizard Transmitter and the FlexTT5 PocketWizard Transceiver. Am I correct that this is all I need? At $200 a pop, I wouldn't be able to purchase them yet, but I need to know what to put on my ever-growing wishlist! Also, I have read as many good as I have bad reviews on these, what is your opinion of them?
Hi Denise,
Although I haven't had any experience with the pocketwizards I have recently purchased the Yongnuo RF602 Transmitter and 2 receivers and so far they're great. It cost me roughly $60 Australian for the lot so it's nowhere near as expensive as the PW's. There may be some other advantages to the Pocketwizards that I'm not aware of but for a simple setup like mine the Yongnuo gear works perfectly.
Have fun, Ben.
Re: Newbie Question - Off-Camera Flash Needs
Quote:
Originally Posted by bburns223
[img]/resized-image.ashx/__size/800x600/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.36.40/plamp_5F00_juza.jpg[/img]
I wish I had a spare carbon fibre tripod to hold pieces of grass in place[:P]
Re: Newbie Question - Off-Camera Flash Needs
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sean Setters
You might want to check out my [url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/budrowilson/]flickr photostream[/url]. It's full of strobist style shots. They aren't necessarily the best examples, but you'll certainly get a sense of what you can do with some off-camera flash equipment.
<div style="CLEAR: both"]</div>
I checked out your photos from the link provided and to say your work is awesome is such an understatement! Your work is fantastic and the portraits are exactly what I would love to capture of my daughter and grandbaby!
Denise
Re: Newbie Question - Off-Camera Flash Needs
Quote:
Originally Posted by btaylor
I have recently purchased the Yongnuo RF602 Transmitter and 2 receivers and so far they're great. It cost me roughly $60 Australian for the lot so it's nowhere near as expensive as the PW's. There may be some other advantages to the Pocketwizards that I'm not aware of but for a simple setup like mine the Yongnuo gear works perfectly.
Thanks, Ben! I will check those out! They are definitely more in my price range that's for sure!!
Denise
Re: Newbie Question - Off-Camera Flash Needs
Quote:
Originally Posted by bburns223
So, on one tripod is a body and macro. On the other is a plamp (something of an articulated arm with clamps on either end) with a grass stem and insect. You could try this in summer; it's lots of fun :)
brendan
Sorry Brendan but I don't really get the clamp idea. This sort of shot isn't really "wildlife" or "nature" in my opinion (unless the butterfly is more stupid than I imagined). Is the butterfly really going to sit on your single piece of grass? You must have a really big blatter and a lot of patience to wait for this moment....[:P]
To be honest I could make almost the same photo without any of those tripods. Just with a macro lens and a 430 flash, walking in pure nature and shooting at what I can get to. Maybe they are technically not so good and yes I did use a flash so there might be some shadows, but I really think it's a lot more fun. Just by walking around (works really relaxing) I shot this...something similar...
http://www.fruityview.nl/macro.jpg
A macroflash might be handy, but a normal one would do fine as well most of the time. Well at least that's what I have discovered last summer. Don't know if I agree with that statement after this summer [:P]
I would put your money into a good tripod though, not specially for macro but for general purposes as well and yes if you really like strobism and the weather simply sucks thats a good thing to invest in.
Re: Newbie Question - Off-Camera Flash Needs
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sheiky
Sorry Brendan but I don't really get the clamp idea. This sort of shot isn't really "wildlife" or "nature" in my opinion (unless the butterfly is more stupid than I imagined). Is the butterfly really going to sit on your single piece of grass? You must have a really big blatter and a lot of patience to wait for this moment....[img]/emoticons/emotion-4.gif[/img]
That's not my photo! I actually don't have a 180mm macro or two tripods. That's from juzaphoto.com.
The purpose of the plamp is to hold macro subjects (whatever they may be) in place. The butterfly was taken in very early morning. At this time their wings are still drying out and they are very tame. For Juza it must have been extremely easy. It's actually a pretty versatile contraption.
Nice shot BTW. [H]
brendan
Re: Newbie Question - Off-Camera Flash Needs
Quote:
Originally Posted by ddt0725
After reading various online sites, the more confused I got on exactly what I need for off-camera flash.
Then go to www.strobist.com. Look to the right and follow the 101 Lighting links.
Don't go throwing alot of money at pocket wizards unless you have unlimited deep pockets.
Seans guides are priceless!!
So, emulate his passion. be studious, spend wisely, be artistic, and take critisicm.
Have Fun!!
Re: Newbie Question - Off-Camera Flash Needs
Thanks Brendan [:)]
Well yes I guess a lot of macro work is done like that and also with freezing the little fellows, but that's totally against my style. I guess this is still very innocent though, but man...I really couldn't be proud on such a picture. I can only imagine my relatives asking me: how did you manage to take such a beautifull picture? And then have to say: I clamped it on a tripod in the backyard while it couldn't move yet, how cool is that huh?[:P]
I've also seen a photgrapher shooting at a bird of preyshow (next to me), erase the leather bands on their claws with photoshop and claiming they shot those in the wild....really, there are some pathetic people in the world [:P] (the person in the example was a serious professional payed naturephotographer [8o|])
For Denise,
you should just keep it simple. Try out a lot of things. I started out with a 450D kit myself and kept evolving. Same with wireless triggers. I recently bought the cheapest there are, just to try out. If I was really enthusiastic, I could always buy more expensive stuff.
Point is: keep it simple untill you really know what you want and then try to get the most out of it. (maybe by buying everything there possibly is [:P])
My advice: Don't buy your first strobists or macro sets of a 1000 dollars until you know exactly what you want. Else you might look back after a while at an expensive gear-package you never used properly.
....just have fun!
Re: Newbie Question - Off-Camera Flash Needs
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sheiky
Thanks Brendan [img]/emoticons/emotion-1.gif[/img]
Well yes I guess a lot of macro work is done like that and also with freezing the little fellows, but that's totally against my style. I guess this is still very innocent though, but man...I really couldn't be proud on such a picture. I can only imagine my relatives asking me: how did you manage to take such a beautifull picture? And then have to say: I clamped it on a tripod in the backyard while it couldn't move yet, how cool is that huh?[img]/emoticons/emotion-4.gif[/img]
I've also seen a photgrapher shooting at a bird of preyshow (next to me), erase the leather bands on their claws with photoshop and claiming they shot those in the wild....really, there are some pathetic people in the world [img]/emoticons/emotion-4.gif[/img] (the person in the example was a serious professional payed naturephotographer [img]/emoticons/emotion-39.gif[/img])
I have seen that happen before. Good point.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sheiky
For Denise,
you should just keep it simple. Try out a lot of things. I started out with a 450D kit myself and kept evolving. Same with wireless triggers. I recently bought the cheapest there are, just to try out. If I was really enthusiastic, I could always buy more expensive stuff.
Point is: keep it simple untill you really know what you want and then try to get the most out of it. (maybe by buying everything there possibly is [img]/emoticons/emotion-4.gif[/img])
My advice: Don't buy your first strobists or macro sets of a 1000 dollars until you know exactly what you want. Else you might look back after a while at an expensive gear-package you never used properly.
....just have fun!
Agree again.
brendan
