Umbrella for my SB800 speedlight

04/28/2011 09:35:46 AM · #1

I am looking into getting a new piece of equipment. I need something inexpensive. I do not have the money to spend on most "Pro" equipment but am trying little by little to get new equiment to try, play, and learn from as I sell my art. I think I can now afford to buy an umbrella and want to utilize my SB800 speedlight for now. I found a seller on ebay that seems to have some decent pricing on umbrella's but was wondering if DPC could help me determine if it will be a good starter item for me or am I just buying absolute junk. Remember I am looking in the $50-$150 price range. I will be using it to delve into indoor photography but also would like to have something portable in case I want to go outdoor's with it. Below are links to the auctin in ebay.

2 umbrellas, mount, and stand $59.95

This one adds a wireless trigger for $75.95but is a wireless trigger necessary for me? If the umbrella is behind me will it not fire without a trigger?

This one adds a YN460 multi function flash $99.95 I could definitely benifit from another flash. I know you get what you pay for and I'll assume this flash is craptastic but for my cheap budget would you think this COULD work for experimenting with placing the flash in different area's. I would love to have another flash to use as a rear flash. This one does not come with any triggers.

All the above but with a boomstand and sandbag. $115.95 I don't see the boomstand coming in handy for me right now but what do I know? Again no triggers included

Comes with all the above. Instead of wireless triggers is has a transmitter+1 receiver and 1x PC sync cable $145.95 Don't know what a Transmitter and PC sync cable are. Is this the wired type?

fotomann_forever

04/28/2011 09:55:35 AM · #2

May I recommend something else?

Power and portability at a lower price than a speedlight.
//www.adorama.com/FP620MP.html

300 watt seconds won't quite "over-power the sun" but it'll get damn close. You can runa standard PC sync cord(included) if you don't want to do wireless triggers. The only other thing you'd need to buy is a decent light stand and an umbrella.

I use one at the beach quite often with an 18 inch beauty dish. Gives me plenty of power with moderately soft light. I usually avoid umbrellas outdoors.

Also, the strobe and battery may be purchased separately, if you need to spread out the money a bit.

Message edited by author 2011-04-28 09:59:51.

04/28/2011 10:54:22 AM · #3

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

May I recommend something else?

Power and portability at a lower price than a speedlight.
//www.adorama.com/FP620MP.html

I would definitely like to get a strobe at some point but right now it's not what I can afford. I already own a speedlight and want to utilize it to keep cost down at the moment.

04/28/2011 11:08:16 AM · #4

Dude...umbrella's are a dime a dozen depending on the size/quality.

BH is where I got mine

I have this stand.

You have to pick up a "head" to put on the stand to hold your flash and stick your umbrella through. I think I paid about 30 bucks for one.

For people like you and me...just starting out...the above is fine.

EDIT: Oh...and for the short term, you can simply use the D70 flash to talk to and fire your sb800...just keep it simple and it works fine.

Message edited by author 2011-04-28 11:15:29.

04/28/2011 11:32:48 AM · #5

Ken,

Will it still fire the flash if it's not in "line of sight" of the camera. I've used it remotely before but never tried it while the speedlite was behind me. As far as the B&H prices that first eBay deal doesn't sound bad. $60 free shipping for stand, head, and 2 umbrellas.

fotomann_forever

04/28/2011 11:43:41 AM · #6

Inside a fairly small room, the D70 will likely fire the flash if it's behind you. Outside it could be questionable.

Really though, the flash doesn't need to be behind you, just out of the frame of the photo. My typical setup puts the flash very near to the model with me quite a distance away from them.

In shade, the D70 will likely still fire the flash in this configuration.

04/28/2011 11:45:54 AM · #7

EDIT: got beat by fotoman ~

The ebay stuff looks fine...just make sure the umbrellas have some quality...I bought a VERY cheap one and it started to fall apart as soon as I opened it.

As far as the flash...is there a reason you need it that far behind you? I'm no expert but 45 degrees off center from your cam should get you what you want. You can put it there and adjust how close or how far the umbrella is away from your flash to get the lighting effect you want. Adjusting the output of the flash is an option too. Really no reason for you and me to be experimenting with behind the cam lighting at this point in our photography careers. !

Originally posted by SEG:

Message edited by author 2011-04-28 11:46:24.

fotomann_forever

04/28/2011 11:56:17 AM · #8

Remember, the closer a light source is to a subject the larger its apparent size becomes and thus it becomes softer. Move it further away and it becomes a smaller, harder light source.

For comparison, the sun is 1,392,000 km in diameter. That is a huge light source. BUT, since it's roughly 150 million kilometers from Earth, it appears as a small point in the sky.

04/28/2011 11:58:55 AM · #9

Thanks for the advice guys. I didn't know that you can have the umbrella that close to the subject. My lighting experience stops at a homemade lightbox with 2 Home Depot dome lights with full spectrum bulbs.

Here is on of my better images usIng the lightbox. Time to step it up!

Promaster 28-200mm f/3.8-5.6 XR IF

04/28/2011 11:59:56 AM · #10

...and it takes a giant overcast sky to diffuse it !

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

atupdate

Pentax K-R

04/28/2011 12:19:51 PM · #11

Here is the kit I put together last year for flash based umbrellas.

2X - 43" Umbrella Softbox $40 on ebay This provides the same diffused light as a shoot through umbrella with less light loss. These are fairly flimsy but probably similar in build to the kit you are looking at.

2X - 7.5' Light Stands $43 on ebay Very sturdy but I've only used them indoors

Umbrella Bracket 16.25 each @ Adorama The product reviews are accurate.

After I received my "kit", I didn't like the way the umbrella interacted with my flash unit. My DIY solution can be found HERE.

Good luck.

Tim

Message edited by author 2011-04-28 12:23:48.

04/28/2011 12:43:31 PM · #12

What about the listings that offer's the extra flash? Worth it for the price. Could I use that flash remotely as a rear flash with the equipment I have? Would a need a rear flash for portraits or studio product shots?

Nusbaum

Fujifilm X-T1

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

04/28/2011 01:28:23 PM · #13

I buy lastolite umbrellas these days, mostly through B&H, but sometimes I'll pick them up at a shop if they are not overpriced. I buy the lastolite brand because I have found that they tend to bend rather than break when they hit the ground. I cannot even begin to count how many times I have twisted these things back into shape and continued to shoot. With other brands I was having to pitch the umbrella and dig out the spare, which gets expensive and interrupts the flow.

Message edited by author 2011-04-28 13:29:07.