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Thread: Flash Help

  1. #1
    Senior Member GrummanFan's Avatar
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    Flash Help

    I want to get a better flash system for my camera, but I'm a little confused as to what exactly I need. Basically, I'm looking for something that would be separate from the camera (ie not attached to the shoe), so I can place the flash at different angles to the subject. I have a Rebel XT, which apparently doesn't have any wireless flash capabilities. How would I go about doing this?
    Shoot first, ask questions later.
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  2. #2
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    Re: Flash Help

    I saw a guy yesterday who had a wireless flash. It looked like it had a base that attached to the shoe, and a flash part that could be held wherever.

    But the guy's camera was a 1D, so who knows what crazy thing it had :)

    I think I took a picture of it, I'll look when I get home.

  3. #3
    Senior Member moose135's Avatar
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    Re: Flash Help

    Had a whole reply written, the realized you didn't want one that attaches to the hot shoe. For an off-camera flash, you might want to check photo studio supplies for ideas.

    I've seen wireless adapters that go on the hot shoe which will fire an off-camera flash. If you've been to the Nassau Coliseum in the last couple of seasons, you will see them in use by the sports photographers, firing strobes located in the catwalks above the ice. You will need a flash unit that can be used as a slave unit, something like a Canon Speedlite 430EX or 580EX (which can be used as either a master or slave unit).

    Take a look at this for a better idea of what I'm talking about:
    http://www.pictureline.com/products/539 ... ter_ST-E2/

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    Re: Flash Help

    Like this:


  5. #5
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    Re: Flash Help

    There are a couple of different ways to do off-camera flash. The cheapest way is to get a set of Gadget Infinity/Cactus wireless flash triggers from eBay, stick the transmitter on your camera's hotshoe and the receiver to your flash. Then you can put the flash somewhere off-camera and it'll be triggered when you shoot. The "pro" way is to get a set of Pocket Wizards, which are the same principle but have a longer range, more reliability, etc. at the expense of cost. Note that with either of these ways, you lose E-TTL metering (if you have Canon flashes), so you'll have to set the flash power manually.

    There are two ways to get off-camera flash and still get the automatic metering. One is an off-camera hotshoe cord; it's a 2-foot long cord that goes in the hotshoe on one end and attaches to the flash on the other. This gives you a little flexibility in moving the flash around off-camera, or attaching it to a bracket system.

    The other way is to get the Canon ST-E2. It's similar to the wireless remote setups I mentioned earlier, but it gives you E-TTL and everything. The downside is that it only works with Canon flashes, so if you wanted to pick up cheaper ones (something like a Vivitar 285HV, which are cheaper and have good reviews) this method wouldn't work.

    The ST-E2 runs about $210, and for that you could get another (third-party) light or most of a 430EX. Pocket Wizards are about $200 for one transceiver, and you need at least two (one for the camera, one for the flash). The flash cord is $50-70. The cheap "eBay remotes" (as the Gadget Infinity/Cactus ones are commonly known) are the cheapest, at around $30 for a trigger and one or two receivers.

    Related to off-camera flash, have you seen Strobist? It's geared toward doing lighting with a single off-camera flash, and has lots of tips and advice.
    Phil Gengler - NYCA's "other Phil"

  6. #6
    Senior Member Derf's Avatar
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    Re: Flash Help

    AS POSTED ABOVE...see Strobist for all your answers!!!


    I have 2 Sigma 500 supers and love them. I can set them so the flash on the camera sets off both flashes.. It is great unless there are other flashes in the area. In that case, I need to have one flash on the camera as a wireless trigger and then I can set up the other flash so it is being wirelessly triggered and Not the light meter seeing another flash and triggering my external flashes.

    There are cheaper ways but I want more light!!!

    I love the Sigma because it is cheap, powerful and has an optical trigger (another flash) or secure trigger (wireless trigger)
    I can turn the master on the camera so it does not flash and only acts as a wireless transmitter on shutter release. These features are very nice. :borat:
    The three most common expressions in aviation are, "Why is it doing that?", "Where are we?" and "Oh Crap".

  7. #7
    Senior Member GrummanFan's Avatar
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    Re: Flash Help

    Thanks guys, exactly the info I was looking for. Great site too, looks like I've got some more reading to do on the subject. The ST-E2 with a 430EX would be my preferred choice, but I'll look around at the other options to see if I can do something a little cheaper.
    Shoot first, ask questions later.
    dfalk.smugmug.com

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