portable lighting kit on a budget, sigma vs canon speedlites, pocket wizards etc...

[devsalvi]

1. Use Canon's "wireless" system (infrared). This can work IF

• The flashes are fairly close to each other/
  
• It's indoors. (They do not work very well outdoors, unless they are pretty close and directly face the transmitter.)
  
• The flash sensors can see each other directly (line of sight)
• You have compatible flashes.

If you want to use BOTH flashes off the camera, you'll also need the Canon ST-E2 transmitter ($220). The Sigma flashes will "work" with the ST-E2, but not fully: setting "ratios" from the ST-E2 may not work well.
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Hi George,


This is what i was referring to. I had started to think that i have wasted a lot of money and was actually feeling kinda stupid But i guess i can work with two 580exII. The setup i have in mind was to fire two external flashes from either side of the subject. But the more I think about it, the ST-E2 seems to be a mistake. I will see if i can make it work or i will be selling it soon on Ebay In my very own hasty way, i overlooked that i could use one of the 580s to trigger the other one. Its the urge to get "that thing" which has to be controlled!





Thanks,


Dev

[George Slusher]

Hi George,


This is what i was referring to. I had started to think that i have wasted a lot of money and was actually feeling kinda stupid But i guess i can work with two 580exII. The setup i have in mind was to fire two external flashes from either side of the subject. But the more I think about it, the ST-E2 seems to be a mistake. I will see if i can make it work or i will be selling it soon on Ebay In my very own hasty way, i overlooked that i could use one of the 580s to trigger the other one. Its the urge to get "that thing" which has to be controlled!





Thanks,


Dev
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If you don't use the ST-E2, you'll have to have one of the 580EX II's on the camera (or use an off-camera cord, but that's only about 3' long). One advantage of fixed off-camera strobes is that the light doesn't depend upon the camera position. You can move around for various angles and the lighting stays the same. With an on-camera flash, the light will change when you move. You're also limited in the direction of the light, unless you bounce the light indoors. If you're going to use on-camera flash, consider a flash bracket that will elevate the flash above the usual position. That will help reduce redeye and shadows.

[peety3]

So here's my (previous) point: start with two Canon 580EX II flashes (if they're in your budget) and see if one 580 on-camera can trigger one 580 off-camera in your typical scenario. Also, see if you're OK with manual power levels, or whether your style of shooting is better handled by ETTL (mine typically needs ETTL). That should guide you towards the solution, whether ST-E2 (if Canon triggering is OK for you and you want ETTL), 580EX II (i.e. a third, using one on-camera as trigger because you want more functionality than ST-E2), basic triggers (several to choose from), or ETTL triggers (at least two to choose from).