Which stripbox?

[neuroanatomist]

...or to put it another way, Speedlite or monolight?

I've just picked up a second 600EX and an ST-E3-RT, and I sold my pair of 430EX II's. Besides the two 600's, I've also got a PCB Einstein. For softboxes, I have two 24" Ezyboxes for Speedlites (and a little Ezybox Hotshoe for on-camera), and a 48" octabox for the Einstein.

I had been using PocketWizard triggers (MiniTT1 + AC3, pair of FlexTT5's, and a PowerMC2 for the Einstein).

So, with my current setup I appear to have several options for triggering.

• ST-E3 plus the two 600's (no monolight)
• MiniTT1 + AC3 with the 600's on FlexTT5's and the Einstein via PowerMC2
• ST-E3 plus the two 600's with the Einstein as an optical slave
• MiniTT1 with the ST-E3 mounted, 600's via Canon RF and Einstein via PowerMC2

Now...I'd like to add a strip box, and possibly a light for it. Main use would be overhead as a hair/rim light and/or to light the backdrop, so it would be on a boom (meaning a remote power adjustment is desirable).

I'm considering a either a Lastolite 12x48" strip box and a 3rd 600 flash, or a PCB 10x36" strip box with a second Einstein and PowerMC2. Cost difference isn't significant (although if I go with the Lastolite, I might get that ahead of the extra flash).

The three-Speedlite setup would be easy to use outdoors, and the Speedlite would be lighter on the boom (although it's a Manfrotto 024 and will support a monolight+softbox, it'll be my kids underneath it!).

Having two monolights and two Speedlites would also be a flexible setup (I've got several other PCB modifiers already - beauty dish, reflector w/ grids).

Thoughts and advice appreciated!

--John

[iND]

Enjoy the 600EXs I bought three about 4 months ago. I packed up my other PocketWizards and never looked back.
I was always having some issue with connections and not firing. I have not missed a flash yet, and I am really excited about the GROUP function
(which is only operational with the 1Dx and the 5DIII, I wrote about this in an earlier post).
I like to set the groups to manual and adjust them individually.
Enjoy.
Sorry no comment on the strip box
But I am using umbrellas and parabolics. Thinking of adding more 600EXs to have mutiple speedlights in each set up.
I dont miss my old set up.

Thanks

[neuroanatomist]

Ordered the Lastolite 12x48" strip box today. With the 600EX-RT being down at $500 with the rebate, assuming the setup works well I'll likely pick up another flash before the rebate ends.

[Sean Setters]

I missed this thread when it was first posted. Let me know how you like your Lastolite stripbox with the 600EX-RT.

[neuroanatomist]

I missed this thread when it was first posted. Let me know how you like your Lastolite stripbox with the 600EX-RT.

Will do.

Sean, do you ever trigger monolights optically (from a Speedlite or another monolight), and if so, does it work well?

[Sean Setters]

I do trigger them optically occasionally - but only indoors. I use PCB White Lightning monolights (Ultrazap and X series). The optical slave works very well. If using a speedlight to trigger them optically, though, you have to set it to manual power. The optical slaves can be tripped by a preflash and won't have enough time to recharge before the exposure flash. ;-)

[neuroanatomist]

Thanks, Sean. I'll give it a try...

[neuroanatomist]

Let me know how you like your Lastolite stripbox with the 600EX-RT.

So far, so good. Initial setup of the speedring+bracket was like putting together a piece of Ikea furniture (I'm not a fan of pictograms), but once done that stays together and it's an easy four rods into pockets and Velcro for the diffuser panels (still not as easy as the Ezyboxes which just pop open, though).

I like the 12" width, which means the surface area is the same as the 24" square box, so there's enough power from a Speedlite. I like the 48" length even more, wide enough to light a wide swath of background or as a hair light for a small group. It's also taller than my kids (for now...) for full-body side lighting.

I do think I'll pick up that 3rd 600 EX while they're on rebate...